Build a hypothetical 3500HD.

Supercharged111 said:

It is already a crew cab, maybe forget the HD frame altogether? What's the GVWR of the Ferd? Cab swap/power train swap that puppy and call it a day.

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I've helped do the whole billy bob body and drivetrain sway before and no matter how much effort was put in, it still looked like a cobbled up pile of crap and it was a giant pain in the butt.

I'd much rather have a frame and body that match and used as few custom made parts as possible for future serviceability. An example of that is that I'm willing to cut the joint off of the Chevy pitman arm and section the Ford to it because Ford uses the joint one the linkage and not the pitman arm. That gives me a solid pitman arm with no wear points and in the future I just order a tie rod end for an 08 F450.

The starter bolt sheared off in the block as we tried to leave Yreka. I ghetto rigged it with a 2x4 hammered in between the starter and the block.

Later this week you guys will get the full story, its a freakin novel, but for now here is the quick list of issues. PMD x2, boost solenoid, injection pump ground, map sensor, defueling and starter. Once again 6.5 life...

skylark said:

The starter bolt sheared off in the block as we tried to leave Yreka. I ghetto rigged it with a 2x4 hammered in between the starter and the block.

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I'm sure you know this already but I would make sure that the rear support is on the starter. Hopefully when it broke it didn't take the block with it.

smdk2500 said:

Hopefully when it broke it didn't take the block with it.

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It's a 6.5. Nobody's going to cry if he has to replace it with a better engine.

But, @skylark I hope you don't have to go down that road until you're ready.

smdk2500 said:

I'm sure you know this already but I would make sure that the rear support is on the starter. Hopefully when it broke it didn't take the block with it.

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The starter had been replaced and someone didn't put the bracket back. Fortunately the block is still good.

Erik the Awful said:

It's a 6.5. Nobody's going to cry if he has to replace it with a better engine.

But, @skylark I hope you don't have to go down that road until you're ready.

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Unfortunately I have an Opitmizer 6.5 to go back in it. It is the polished turd of the 6.5 so it is the best but all of these problems would've still occurred. My other "in stock" option is there is a 93 sitting in my yard that belongs to @ccreddell that has a broken block because of the starter being replaced without the bracket being replaced.

There are a couple of issues that though. First is the we have no idea what kind of shape that mechanical injection is in. The truck has 250k on it. The pump might be junk.

Second, iI did that I would need a tranny controller. If I need a tranny controller then I'd rather spend the money once and buy the controller for an Allison A1000 6 speed.

What is this bracket of which you speak?

I'm going to quote myself from 2016 from this thread https://www.gmt400.com/threads/454-to-diesel-swap.33941/

skylark said:

As a 6.5 owner, I would like to give you this advice. Get a rabid squirrel to chew on your left nipple. Have an opossum rip your right nipple off. Get into a fist fight with a kangaroo on meth. Piss off a rattlesnake with an under bite to the point that it knaws on your manhood to the point that if you ever pee through your swollen member again that it works like the water sprayer in the vegetable aisle. Then get ***** repeatedly by an entire family of silverback gorillas with sexually transmitted diseases. Finally go to sleep naked in a prison without lube while handcuffed.

Owning a 6.5 is worse than that.

My ass still hurts.

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Supercharged111 said:

What is this bracket of which you speak?

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It supports the front of the starter and keeps it from moving because of the high compression in the diesel.