6.5 turbo diesel comments?
Question:
Hi I am looking at a 94 c3500 with a 6.5 ltr turbo diesel with 170,000 miles. Does anyone have experience with this motor, what kind of life can I expect out of it? Thanks Tim
Response:
The 6.5 TD is basically a good engine for light duty applications, which got a bad wrap because of a sub-standard fuel injection pump ( Stanadyne). GM did a sad job of listening to customers problems and giving support for too long. By the time the pump manufacturer got its product design and quality up to par, the image of the engine, its Chevy/GMC support and Stanadyne quality was tainted. The latest version pumps, incl. the exchange pumps, are ok. Expect the characteristics, reliability and life expectancy of a HD gas engine with better fuel consumption of a Diesel. My 1994 truck has 276 000 miles on it and -after pump exchanges at 38 000 and 78 000 miles – has run virtually trouble free since. The way it looks, I will keep it for at least another 100 000!
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi I am looking at a 94 c3500 with a 6.5 ltr turbo diesel with 170,000 > miles. Does anyone have experience with this motor, what kind of life can I > expect out of it? > Thanks > Tim
Response:
Have a 98 turbo 6.5 and got paranoid about the engine after hearing of ‘horror stories’ from (probably) non gm owners. Truth is very reliable, tons of power and speed, good if not great mileage. Keep hearing how much better fords and dodges are but have spoken to many owners over on that side that have horror stories. Have just bought a 92 chevy diesel so that tells you something!
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The 6.5 TD is basically a good engine for light duty applications, which got > a bad wrap because of a sub-standard fuel injection pump ( Stanadyne). GM > did a sad job of listening to customers problems and giving support for too > long. By the time the pump manufacturer got its product design and quality > up to par, the image of the engine, its Chevy/GMC support and Stanadyne > quality was tainted. The latest version pumps, incl. the exchange pumps, are > ok. Expect the characteristics, reliability and life expectancy of a HD gas > engine with better fuel consumption of a Diesel. My 1994 truck has 276 000 > miles on it and -after pump exchanges at 38 000 and 78 000 miles – has run > virtually trouble free since. The way it looks, I will keep it for at least > another 100 000! > Hi I am looking at a 94 c3500 with a 6.5 ltr turbo diesel with 170,000 > miles. Does anyone have experience with this motor, what kind of life can > I > expect out of it? > Thanks > Tim
Response:
My ‘97 2500HD has 120,000 miles, with the injection pump changed at 18,000mi. Gets 21mpg (reg. cab, manual trans) in 2wd and 17mpg 4wd pulling 2 snowmobiles. The diesel mechanic at the chevy dealer told me when he put a pump on that this motor will run a long time if you keep the fuel filter changed every 10-15000 miles, which I have and it hasn’t given me any trouble. BlazerMan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi I am looking at a 94 c3500 with a 6.5 ltr turbo diesel with 170,000 > miles. Does anyone have experience with this motor, what kind of life can I > expect out of it? > Thanks > Tim
Response:
>My ‘97 2500HD has 120,000 miles, with the injection pump changed at 18,000mi. >Gets 21mpg (reg. cab, manual trans) in 2wd and 17mpg 4wd pulling 2 >snowmobiles. >The diesel mechanic at the chevy dealer told me when he put a pump on that >this >motor will run a long time if you keep the fuel filter changed every 10-15000 >miles, which I have and it hasn’t given me any trouble.
Their biggest problem was with injection pumps, obviously. No injection pump should need to be changed at 18,000 miles. I have 113,000 on my Cummins and the motor has never been touched. But in all seriousness, the Chevy diesels never have been much for anything other than light-duty pulling. I drove a ‘98 Chevy 3500 with a 6.5 around for about a week, and it had less pulling power and gets worse mileage than my Cummins, which is 8 years older… Tony Kimmell Normal, IL 90 Dodge 4×4 diesel ‘70 Chevy C-20 ‘68 Chevy Bel Air
Response:
I have a ‘92 2500 HD that has about 120,000 miles on it. The most recent things I have used it for were pulling all the logs for a log home in two trips with a totally full 30′ gooseneck. -no problems and had plenty of power I occasionally pull a 9 ton backhoe around for excavation work on the same trailer. -no problems and had plenty of power. Probably not the torque monster the new Duramax is, though, which makes the Cummins in the Dodge and the Powerstroke in the Fords look like little Volkswagon motors in comparison. The 6.5 TD is, without a doubt a good engine. My injector pump went out at about 80,000 or 90,000 miles. Other than that, a starter a few months ago. I don’t think that is too hateful for a 10 year old truck.
Response:
>Probably not the torque monster the new Duramax is, though, which makes the >Cummins in the Dodge and the Powerstroke in the Fords look like little >Volkswagon motors in comparison.
ROFL… riiiiiiight. Tony Kimmell Normal, IL 90 Dodge 4×4 diesel ‘70 Chevy C-20 ‘68 Chevy Bel Air
Response:
Well, you’re 100% right in your opinion. The injector pumps only last about 90k mi. The Duramax can’t be beat, altho the Ford Powerstroke can make a 6.5 blush. I own a 6.2, a 6.5 and a 7.9 powerstroke so I can say this. The Cummins suck. twano, ‘83 6.2 ‘92 6.5 ‘98 7.9
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have a ‘92 2500 HD that has about 120,000 miles on it. The most recent > things I have used it for were pulling all the logs for a log home in two > trips with a totally full 30′ gooseneck. -no problems and had plenty > of power > I occasionally pull a 9 ton backhoe around for excavation work on the same > trailer. -no problems and had plenty of power. > Probably not the torque monster the new Duramax is, though, which makes the > Cummins in the Dodge and the Powerstroke in the Fords look like little > Volkswagon motors in comparison. The 6.5 TD is, without a doubt a good > engine. My injector pump went out at about 80,000 or 90,000 miles. Other > than that, a starter a few months ago. I don’t think that is too hateful > for a 10 year old truck.
Response:
>Well, you’re 100% right in your opinion. The injector pumps only last about >90k mi. The Duramax can’t be beat, altho the Ford Powerstroke can make a 6.5 >blush. I own a 6.2, a 6.5 and a 7.9 powerstroke so I can say this. The >Cummins suck.
Exactly how do the Cummins "suck"? I’ve had mine for almost a year and I’ve hauled some hellish loads with it. The Dodge truck it’s in sucks, I’ll admit that. But the engine is awesome, IMO. V8 diesels suck, as far as I’m concerned… Tony Kimmell Normal, IL 90 Dodge 4×4 diesel ‘70 Chevy C-20 ‘68 Chevy Bel Air
Response:
We are all entitled to our own opinions and based on my experiences with them, they are not as durable or reliable as the others. I owned 2 trucks with Cummins engines. One with the VT-225 and the other had the N14 engine. Both engines proved to be poor performers and required exstensive maintenence. Based on my experiences with them, I will never own anything with a Cummins in it again. If your’s is proving to be adequate for you, then good, and may you enjoy many miles in it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Well, you’re 100% right in your opinion. The injector pumps only last about >90k mi. The Duramax can’t be beat, altho the Ford Powerstroke can make a 6.5 >blush. I own a 6.2, a 6.5 and a 7.9 powerstroke so I can say this. The >Cummins suck. > Exactly how do the Cummins "suck"? > I’ve had mine for almost a year and I’ve hauled some hellish loads with it. > The Dodge truck it’s in sucks, I’ll admit that. But the engine is awesome, > IMO. > V8 diesels suck, as far as I’m concerned… > Tony Kimmell > Normal, IL > 90 Dodge 4×4 diesel > ‘70 Chevy C-20 > ‘68 Chevy Bel Air
