6.5 pros and cons

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smdk2500

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Im looking to get a 95 K2500 ECLB with 6.5. I havent seen the truck yet so i don't know very many details on it yet. It has 144k on it. I do not know if it is a auto or manual. What are the pros and cons of this engine? The only diesels Ive had in the past are cummings. I don't really need a diesel but if i can get it for a decent price and its not beat to crap it would be worth it as its every thing i was looking for when I bought my current 95.
 

Jermu

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It is a great engine as long as you take care of it, pulls real good and gets you great mileage. Long as the PMD is moved away from it's original place and the turbo wastegate is made manual, you shouldn't have any problems.
 

SAATR

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Cons: Cracked heads in the prechamber area, cracked blocks around the main webbing, PMD failure and subsequent engine runaway. They were anemic when new, and were really only there as a more fuel efficient alternative to the big block. Being an indirect injection engine, they were technologically behind from the first day they rolled off the assembly line. Unless you plan to immediately replace the engine with a new Optimizer 6500 or swap in something else, I wouldn't touch it. They cost like a diesel to rebuild/repair without the power potential of other designs.

Pros: It's all you can get for our trucks for a diesel option.

I would rather have a 3116, and that's saying something coming from a Cat mechanic.
 

smdk2500

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I looked at the truck and its in pretty good shape for its age. its got some rust on a fender and the rocker panel. Im not looking for a show truck. Just looking for something to drive to work and if it gets dented or scratched it happens. The dash has a few cracks in it but other then that the interior is really clean. It is a one owner truck. Its got a fuglly topper on it and running boards. Has fairly new tires and was just serviced. The guy is asking 2500 for it. I offered 1500 and he said he would think about it.
 

Jermu

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Cons: Cracked heads in the prechamber area, cracked blocks around the main webbing, PMD failure and subsequent engine runaway. They were anemic when new, and were really only there as a more fuel efficient alternative to the big block. Being an indirect injection engine, they were technologically behind from the first day they rolled off the assembly line. Unless you plan to immediately replace the engine with a new Optimizer 6500 or swap in something else, I wouldn't touch it. They cost like a diesel to rebuild/repair without the power potential of other designs.

Pros: It's all you can get for our trucks for a diesel option.

I would rather have a 3116, and that's saying something coming from a Cat mechanic.

If you take good care of it and don't rev it at every light, it'll last at least 500k km's. And if 400hp and 900Nm's with just a bigger turbo and a tune isn't power potential, I don't know what is, not to mention that for pulling stuff, there ain't nothing better
 

Supercharged111

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If you take good care of it and don't rev it at every light, it'll last at least 500k km's. And if 400hp and 900Nm's with just a bigger turbo and a tune isn't power potential, I don't know what is, not to mention that for pulling stuff, there ain't nothing better

There are a lot of things that are better than a 6.5 for pulling, just check my sig.
 

smdk2500

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im not worried so much about pulling. My f150 will pull everything I ever plan on towing. Im just looking for something that isnt rusting off the frame doesn't burn a qt of oil every 100-150 miles, doesnt' have a rod knock or lifters clattering away(just depends on how it feeling that day) and gets better then 7-8 mpg.
 

smdk2500

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If you take good care of it and don't rev it at every light, it'll last at least 500k km's. And if 400hp and 900Nm's with just a bigger turbo and a tune isn't power potential, I don't know what is, not to mention that for pulling stuff, there ain't nothing better
Don't really plan on modding it eaither. Most i might do is exhaust.
 

letitsnow

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Im just looking for something that isnt rusting off the frame doesn't burn a qt of oil every 100-150 miles, doesnt' have a rod knock or lifters clattering away(just depends on how it feeling that day) and gets better then 7-8 mpg.

If you are referring to your k2500 with the 350 - my experience tells me that if keeping up with the 350 is getting you down, you are gonna HATE any turbo diesel.
 

smdk2500

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If you are referring to your k2500 with the 350 - my experience tells me that if keeping up with the 350 is getting you down, you are gonna HATE any turbo diesel.
yes i was refering to it. the body is crap. the doors don't shut or open right. the b pillier is cracked and missing peices around the latch. burns and is starting to leak a ton of oil. it is starting to grind going into 3rd somtimes 5th. sometimes i can't use 3rd becasue it won't go in. at this point i can see the point dumping more money into it. If the body was better i would not worry about putting money in it.
 
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