Man, some of ya'll have been around some abused and neglected 6.5Ls. dead lift pump is why many of them are dogs, but why maintain when you can complain?
The only one I "beat" on is the one in the worst condition, has puffy blowby, has had it for the 50K miles Ive owned it, IDK if its a broke ring or cracked piston, but on a cold morning, that one wont hit for 30 seconds... lol
Yesterday I had to get a little spirited to show a Dodge gas enthusiast these are not quite as bad as the internet says, proud of the old gal, burned tires in 2nd and chirped in 3rd. Will sit on the limiter all day if you wanted it to.
Bone stock 95 C2500 6.5L 5spd 2wd 4.10 gears. being a RCLB and 5spd 2wd, she can get as high as 21.5 mpg, averages 18-19, despite 4.10s.
Now the rest of the fleet the engines dont have blowby, and I trust them much farther distances, so I generally take it pretty easy with them. They are tools for the business (Farming and farm machinery sales) so I try to treat them as such.
Here is a trip I took back in September. Mind you 6.5Ls are rated for 14,500 GCW, From WI to ID and from UT to KS I was over 21,000 GCW. Stock fuel 95 K2500 6.5L 5spd 4wd with 4.10s only "mods" are the 97+ air filter and GM8 turbo, and Leroy Diesel lift pump harness and PMD relocation kit. Past that, just maintenance. Somewhere in eastern Idaho she rolled over 444,444.4 miles. Didnt even have a spare PMD.
I credit alot of my luck with the NV4500, I feel rapping up a cold 6.5L is hard on them, manual lets you ease into it more gently for proper warmup, and with no ATF cooler out front, more air available for the radiator, and what little power is made, more makes it to the ground.
In a drag race I am certain the 350 Vortec would walk all over any of mine, hook up to a loaded gooseneck, stock for stock, the 6.5L would be much more pleasurable to drive, using its low end torque to float up and down hills without shifting.
loaded 16-22,000 GCW, I average 10-12 mpg across the fleet. pretty well all my 6.5Ls are 5spd, some 2wd, some 4wd, all the runners so far are 4.10 geared. empty mpg varies, auto 4wd I can only do 14-15, manual 4wd I do 15-16, and manual 2wd will do 18+
They like their maintenance, and they dont like to be abused. Follow those two rules, and you'll be fine. Make sure and consult 6.5L friendly FB groups and forums to find the good parts (Leroydiesel.com and Quadstartuning.com are the best IMO) and skip crap parts and crap modifications, and it wont cost alot to make noticeable gains.
September Trip Route
Onramp @ Bloomer, headed to ID
Loaded at Roosevelt, headed to KS.
The only one I "beat" on is the one in the worst condition, has puffy blowby, has had it for the 50K miles Ive owned it, IDK if its a broke ring or cracked piston, but on a cold morning, that one wont hit for 30 seconds... lol
Yesterday I had to get a little spirited to show a Dodge gas enthusiast these are not quite as bad as the internet says, proud of the old gal, burned tires in 2nd and chirped in 3rd. Will sit on the limiter all day if you wanted it to.
Bone stock 95 C2500 6.5L 5spd 2wd 4.10 gears. being a RCLB and 5spd 2wd, she can get as high as 21.5 mpg, averages 18-19, despite 4.10s.
Now the rest of the fleet the engines dont have blowby, and I trust them much farther distances, so I generally take it pretty easy with them. They are tools for the business (Farming and farm machinery sales) so I try to treat them as such.
Here is a trip I took back in September. Mind you 6.5Ls are rated for 14,500 GCW, From WI to ID and from UT to KS I was over 21,000 GCW. Stock fuel 95 K2500 6.5L 5spd 4wd with 4.10s only "mods" are the 97+ air filter and GM8 turbo, and Leroy Diesel lift pump harness and PMD relocation kit. Past that, just maintenance. Somewhere in eastern Idaho she rolled over 444,444.4 miles. Didnt even have a spare PMD.
I credit alot of my luck with the NV4500, I feel rapping up a cold 6.5L is hard on them, manual lets you ease into it more gently for proper warmup, and with no ATF cooler out front, more air available for the radiator, and what little power is made, more makes it to the ground.
In a drag race I am certain the 350 Vortec would walk all over any of mine, hook up to a loaded gooseneck, stock for stock, the 6.5L would be much more pleasurable to drive, using its low end torque to float up and down hills without shifting.
loaded 16-22,000 GCW, I average 10-12 mpg across the fleet. pretty well all my 6.5Ls are 5spd, some 2wd, some 4wd, all the runners so far are 4.10 geared. empty mpg varies, auto 4wd I can only do 14-15, manual 4wd I do 15-16, and manual 2wd will do 18+
They like their maintenance, and they dont like to be abused. Follow those two rules, and you'll be fine. Make sure and consult 6.5L friendly FB groups and forums to find the good parts (Leroydiesel.com and Quadstartuning.com are the best IMO) and skip crap parts and crap modifications, and it wont cost alot to make noticeable gains.
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September Trip Route
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Onramp @ Bloomer, headed to ID
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Loaded at Roosevelt, headed to KS.
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