96 k1500 gas or diesel?

[1999gmc]

I have 256,000 on my plastic distributor, I don't see what the big deal is with them. I know the ears break but there's a fix for that. My vote is 383, the 6.5 is too prone to blowing up. For every 6.5 success story there are 100 failure stories. I was on the fence over a 6.5 myself and eventually decided against it. I wanted to make it work, but seemed like too much of a gamble.

Go with a 2002 or new optimizer engine and there really isn't any gamble. All the problems were fixed when General Engine Products took over production of the 6.5L.

 

[lessersivad]

I'm throwing in my 2¢. I know my '85 K2500 w/6.2 isn't going to win any beauty contests nor trailer pulling race.

I also know the 6.2 was intended for MPG's not MPH's.

That being said, I'm very happy with my 6.2. Does it leak oil? Yup. Does it have a jillion miles on it? Yup.
Do I have any intentions of getting rid of it? Nope.

It has served me very well over the years. It pulls my loaded car trailer, Hauls building supplies, and makes me money when I have the opportunity to plow snow. Annnnnd, it has NOT failed to start even in sub zero weather WITHOUT being plugged in.

Is it even remotely close to a 5.9,7.3,4BT Duramax, etc. Power wise? Nope and I'm fine with that. Especially being a guy at my work has a Duramax and has thrown a crap-ton of money at it in order to 'make more power' and actually have it start in the cold. Pffft. I'd rather turn the key and go rather than turn the key and pray.

Again, just my 2¢.

 

[skylark]

Go with a 2002 or new optimizer engine and there really isn't any gamble. All the problems were fixed when General Engine Products took over production of the 6.5L.

Except for the oil cooler lines that fail, the water pump that doesn't flow enough on the early 6.5, the inadequate cooling fan, the PMD that fails in the stock location, the harmonic balancer and pulley that fails and takes out the crankshaft, the restricted exhaust system that creates excessive turbo drive pressures and heat.

 

[90halfton]

Except for the oil cooler lines that fail, the water pump that doesn't flow enough on the early 6.5, the inadequate cooling fan, the PMD that fails in the stock location, the harmonic balancer and pulley that fails and takes out the crankshaft, the restricted exhaust system that creates excessive turbo drive pressures and heat.

It seems like the 6.5 could be made almost as good as a stock "any other diesel" if you put about 10k$ into it lol.

 

[skylark]

It seems like the 6.5 could be made almost as good as a stock "any other diesel" if you put about 10k$ into it lol.

That would be correct. I've had 4 of them. My dually has been sitting over 3 years because it is so hard to justify putting the money into doing it right rather than swapping it for a Cummins. My truck only has 104k on it.

 

[williscr3]

1999gmc if your keeping up with the 7.3 thats impressive. theres a place by me that sells new take off beds, but they are expensive $1000-$2500 usually. im south west pa, south of pittsburgh. so 02 and up diesel would be ideal? checked out the websites good info on the forums thanks.

still some diesel hate going on... im not going to lie it makes me nervous, seems like all upgradeable problems though. im going to keep an eye out for a one anyway, if a good deal pops up im going to give it a go. going to visit a local junkyard to see if theres any, i need some interior parts anyway.

i appreciate all the input good or bad, its helping.

 

[skylark]

1999gmc if your keeping up with the 7.3 thats impressive. theres a place by me that sells new take off beds, but they are expensive $1000-$2500 usually. im south west pa, south of pittsburgh. so 02 and up diesel would be ideal? checked out the websites good info on the forums thanks.

still some diesel hate going on... im not going to lie it makes me nervous, seems like all upgradeable problems though. im going to keep an eye out for a one anyway, if a good deal pops up im going to give it a go. going to visit a local junkyard to see if theres any, i need some interior parts anyway.

i appreciate all the input good or bad, its helping.

Here is the honest truth. The 6.2 wasn't a bad engine. It was never intended to be a powerhouse. It was built to be an economy engine. GM decided to turbo it without making any real upgrades. The 6.2 was not up to the task. The metal used in the 6.5 is not up to the task. The standyne injection pump is not up to the task. The 6.5 was rushed to the market to try to compete with the Cummins and Powerstroke. Both of those engines are medium duty truck engines. The 6.2 that the 6.5 is based on is a light duty engine. If you were doing a mechanically injected 6.2 with a 700 R4 behind it then I wouldn't say anything bad other than that it would be underpowered. If you're going to do a 6.5 L Diesel with a turbo you might as well just crack yourself in the nuts right now.

 

[Supercharged111]

Except for the oil cooler lines that fail, the water pump that doesn't flow enough on the early 6.5, the inadequate cooling fan, the PMD that fails in the stock location, the harmonic balancer and pulley that fails and takes out the crankshaft, the restricted exhaust system that creates excessive turbo drive pressures and heat.

And the turbo that generates excessive backpressure and doesn't flow worth a ****. An upgraded compressor wheel on the stock housing is NOT the correct answer here. An HX40 will scatter the bottom end.

 

[1999gmc]

Except for the oil cooler lines that fail, the water pump that doesn't flow enough on the early 6.5, the inadequate cooling fan, the PMD that fails in the stock location, the harmonic balancer and pulley that fails and takes out the crankshaft, the restricted exhaust system that creates excessive turbo drive pressures and heat.

GM oil cooler lines have always sucked gas or diesel. $1500 you can do steel braided oil cooler lines, Genuine GM balanced and crank pulley(aftermarket ones are garbage and maybe last 6 months) I wouldn't buy one older than 96 since the water pump and fans aren't as good, and the stock turbos suck. If you've had 4, and all 4 were crap, I'd look into who you had work on it. Biggest problem I see is people with these trucks don't want to spend money to buy GM stuff most of the time. They buy Dorman or other china garbage and then ***** the truck is garbage. Sucks you're had bad luck. Most of the time on oil coolers people would change the lines and they wouldn't change the fittings that thread into the block and then they wouldn't get the line clipped all the way back in and eventually they would pop off and run the engine out of oil. Same on the Rad. side.

 

[1999gmc]

And the turbo that generates excessive backpressure and doesn't flow worth a ****. An upgraded compressor wheel on the stock housing is NOT the correct answer here. An HX40 will scatter the bottom end.

A lot of people are running the HX40 knockoffs with no problems. Years ago a guy name turbine doc and slim shady came out with the A-Team turbo. I bought one and so did a lot of people. Non wastegated and maxes out at about 15-17 PSI. Stock my truck max was about 12 lbs of boost. You can't run a lot of boost on these engines and most people think boost is power. I had Heath reflash my computer to run the ATT and it pulls so well from Idle all the way to redline. I would never go back to the stock turbo. For $2000-$3000 you can make a 6.5L run pretty well and be reliable. Witch isn't much money when that is about what a set of injectors cost on most cummins, duramax, or powerstroke.