96 k1500 gas or diesel?

williscr3 · Feb 24, 2018

Currently rebuilding a 96 k1500. Purchased from junk yard. So I'm debating on motor choice for this. Its planned to be daily driver with some light towing, trailer with some quads and dirtbike or maybe a boat. Currently has 305 with 109k that runs great but I'm pretty sure needs spider injector upgrade. I smell fuel. So now I'm thinking maybe 6.2 or 6.5 diesel? More towards 6.2 if possible? Its plentiful and cheap. Unlike a 4bt. Really like the idea of reliability not looking for a power house with 600hp, just reliable and capable of light towing. no sensors going bad or plastic distributor. A full mechanical motor. Thoughts?

skylark · Feb 24, 2018

I wouldn't personally swap in a 6.x diesel. If your truck is an automatic you'll have to find a controller if you swap to a diesel. A vortec based 383 would bolt in. I 'd swap to a 0411 pcm as well. Another option would be an LS but they typically don't have quite the bottom end torque.

williscr3 · Feb 25, 2018

The truck currently is an auto and was thinking manual trans if diesel swap. Was also thinking vortec 383. I guess with the upgraded spider injection and a better distributor it could be really reliable? I do plan to drive far with the truck that's why I was thinking diesel. stupid simple reliable. Wouldn't leave me stranded because of something stupid. I do have a 5.3 block from an 02 Silverado I briefly thought about. I also have a 95 TBI 350 motor. Why the 0411 pcm swap though? Is it really worth it?

c1500deathtrap · Feb 25, 2018

reliable and the old v8 gm/detroit diesel do not belong in the same sentence.

williscr3 · Feb 25, 2018

So... I should look to 4bt? I just assumed the 6.2 or 6.5 had to be semi reliable since they were in military vehicles. Also appears to be an easier swap. The 4bt is crazy expensive now. $4000 and it needs rebuilt. Any other diesel options? Was thinking all this because the price of the spider injection is approaching price of vortec 350.

98chevy2500SS · Feb 25, 2018

The Detroit 6.2's and 6.5's are doggy. Lots of people say no to a 6.2 or a 6.5. I have read online that they have problems and are really not that great of a diesel engine, plus they don't get much more mileage than a 350, maybe 2-4 mpg better at best? the Duramax is better than the old Detroit's (the only thing I love about the Detroit's is the sound they make). Ultimately, if you're going through the work of putting a 6.5 in a gas truck, I would go all out and swap a 12 valve Cummins in it, though they are very expensive.

In all honesty, I would just fix up your 305 (especially since it has low miles!) or find a good used 350. I would rather purchase a new spider injector for it than go through the trouble of swapping in a diesel.

williscr3 · Feb 26, 2018

Yeah the more I think about it, it makes more sense to just upgrade the spider injection on the 305 and spend money on something else. Maybe replace this plastic distributor? Just to avoid any possible failure. Single turbo with 6psi on 305?

redfishsc · Feb 26, 2018

If, by 4bt, you mean a 5.7 4 bolt main, you can get reman from several places for under $2400.

Sparkysikes · Feb 26, 2018

4bt is a cummins 4 cylunder. I love my mechanical 6.5 turbo diesel. My original motor started burning some oil at 230k miles. She used to haul cars for a living for 150k miles . Had a manual. 4.56 gears manual trans 15 mpg loaded or unloaded. 4.56 gears and auto with 4,000 pounds in the bed daily I get 12. I just installed a optimizer military motor and that's a reliable motor but it's still a pricey beast... But a GM diesel and a 3.55 axles will get that truck into the low mid 20's

williscr3 · Feb 26, 2018

Yeah that's kind of what I was thinking. figure $400 for spider injection $400 for used 5.7 or $2500 for a used 4bt with unknown miles. 6.2 diesels with 100k are $300 6.5turbo diesel is a little more closer to $1000 but almost drop in. Was just thinking if motor swapping to 5.7 what about the old diesel. Drop in 6.2 and turbo it. If I could keep it reliable but get it closer to modern performance levels I would be happy. Surely there is some improvements to the old diesel by now.

Sparkysikes, thanks for the input real world experience is what I was hoping to hear. I'm not familiar with optimizer military motor?

96 k1500 gas or diesel?

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