6.5L Turbo diesel swap

[MinnesotaChevy]

Ok so heres the story my neighbor has over 35 vehicles in his yard any where from a couple international scouts up to all of his 1 ton 88-98 duallys. He blew the motor in one of his trucks (a truck that he told me he loved to death) and was wanting to swap his 6.5 from a 1994 3/4 ton into is 1993 crew cab. He told me that he had not had the time to do it last summer and schools just about to start up but i thought what the hell i have more time than him why not make him a deal.

I went over and asked him that my friend and I swapped the motors for him could I take the 3/4 ton and maybe another one of your diesel engines from his 1997 1 ton that he nailed a pole with as payment for me helping him out. He said that I could probably have the 3/4 ton as long has he kept plow from it.

Here is my question how hard would it be to swap the engine from the 94 3/4 ton into the 93 1 ton, we both agreed that the fuel pump or injection thing on the engine would have to be swap because of how GM changed that in the 1994 Diesels to electronic and the 1993 was mechanical.

I know that the engine and tranny (because he used it to plow) that we would be putting into the 3/4 ton would be shot but i see them on craigslist all the time, I really want the reg cab turbo diesel and was wondering how difficult it would be we both think it would be easier if we took the front clips off and take it out of the 1 ton first and then take the one from the 3/4 ton and drop it straight in and never take it off the hoist.

If any one has swapped a diesel engine please share you experience.

 

[skylark]

You are correct that the 93 is mechanical injection. 94-95 are OBD1 and 96-02 are OBD2. I would do the swapping only as a long block. I wouldn't swap any of the electronics. Also the 94 has a one year only injection pump. I can tell you that as a 6.5 owner, I would swap almost anything in the engine bay.

 

[MinnesotaChevy]

what do you mean swap almost anything in the engine bay couldn't i just change the injection and then re connect the electronics in the 94

 

[skylark]

what do you mean swap almost anything in the engine bay couldn't i just change the injection and then re connect the electronics in the 94

By almost anything, I mean any other diesel engine. The 6.5 isn't a great or even good engine. It is an engine that suffered from gm attempts to make due with something that they had but the used poor electronic components and poor metal castings. I will admit that I have had reasonably good luck with ours but it also only has 103k miles. If anything fails I will immediately cut my losses and swap in a different diesel engine. Most likely I will swap an 04.5-06 Cummins in and call it good.
You can use any 6.5 long block and as long as you use the compatible electronics, it will be fine. But just an example, setting the injector pump timing is a pain and you have to use a scanner to set the tdco. It would be tempting to (using example) use a 97 long block with the injector pump attached and just simply drop that into a 94 but unfortunately that doesn't work. Damn GM.

 

[Ruger_556]

Speaking of 6.5's...

You must be registered for see images attach

I wouldn't voluntarily put one in anything but that's just me

 

[Darkrider]

I suspect that Great White and i are about the only ones on here who actually like the 6.5s....but then again GW did have his love/hate relationship with his lol....And then again mine pissed me off to the point i decided to just park it for awhile...about 2 years ago...WHOOPS...

 

[Jorge6.5]

I had good luck with my 6.5 turbo. If you already have the motors, go ahead and do the swap

 

[skylark]

So, if both of you guys liked your 6.5's, what lead you in a different direction?

 

[Darkrider]

So, if both of you guys liked your 6.5's, what lead you in a different direction?

Cant speak for GW since he had his own reasons. The main reason mine is parked is because it hit me with a stupidly expensive repair less then 3 months into owning it which was the Injection pump and problems with the PMDs....i have yet to buy an IP but the PMD experience taught me that im better off waiting till my funds can better sustain Diesel ownership before doing serious work to the truck. Then life itself kinda went all over the place on me so thats the biggest reason for the delay in returning to that project.

 

[skylark]

Sorry Chris, I meant you and Jorge6.5.

Even BJ with everything that he did/said he would have gone a different direction and been far ahead to have never wasted time and money with the 6.5.