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Ted's trucks

Trucker2k16

Trucker2k16

Well-Known Member
Messages
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Location
Charleston south Carolina
Hello all im new to the forum here i have a 1997 gmc k3500 dually im restoring in memory of my dad i looked at bostic motors but heard they are fake and dont have the optimizers that they only gm casting... So i looked into us engines productions heard bad about them also... So i went to o reillys they have the DCU5 atk reman i know the gm castings suck then i was told about Ted's. My question is who is better and is teds worth the chance to buy a long block from him or no? I can get the gm castings but i hear they crack alot. Is that because of abuse? Lack of maintance?20181107_180617.jpg20181103_081330.jpg20181007_161236.jpg20181008_082957.jpg20181014_191143.jpg20181008_082941.jpg
 
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Ted's Trucks used to be a site vendor on here. IMO you are close enough to go and watch *your* engine 'run' or be tested and pick it up from them. IMO they are way better than the other Scum you listed. Did you know you can still get a "NEW" complete longblock P400 or Optimizer? P400's are going out of production, but, a couple site vendors have both engines while supplies last. (Optimizers are still in production.) FWIW @Burning oil Leroy Diesel and @Twisted Steel Performance both carry engines.

Keep the price of a new engine in mind vs. a used engine and work it may need. Your restoration goals may justify a new engine, but, again used engine being "rebuilt" may cost as much as a new longblock.

http://leroydiesel.com/product-category/engine-products/

https://twistedsteelperformance.com/

GM 6.5 engines are simply a bored out 6.2. And this (6.2) is a 1982 step above the olds 5.7 diesel hand grenade. 1982: when emmisions life of an engine was 50,000 miles and 100K was the expected (and warrantied 6.5 diesel engine) lifetime. The sub-par metal used by GM bean counters, high compression stress, combined with overheating of horrible stack airflow and poor reverse rotation water pump design make a perfect storm. @Will L. can get into the weakening of the thin main webs by the large 4 bolt main design. Don't go over 210 on the temp gauge because the rings WILL loose their temper and blow-by will result. GM castings also are prone to crack (esp. heads) when you get them over 210 ECT. Abuse and maintenance are not factors in cracking other than running hot. The Damper, no not the one for the belt drive the other one, on the front of the crankshaft fails and takes the crankshaft out so inspect it often and replace at 100K.

GM blocks are considered scrap in the professional engine rebuilder world. Yes, a throwaway engine that even the military only does a 0.20 oversize and that's it. The frugal will throw rings at a deglazed cylinder only and machine work cost makes GM cast stuff scrap. The risk of cracking is too high to put that much $ in a GM cast 6.2 6.5 diesel.

Optimizers are improved over the GM cast. Then you have the top of the line 2rd re-design the P400. You do have Knock off China stuff, but, they knocked off the GM cast...:vomit:

I would put machine work in an Optimizer or P400. Again add up parts and total $ vs. new pricing.
 
WarWagon said:
Ted's Trucks used to be a site vendor on here. IMO you are close enough to go and watch *your* engine 'run' or be tested and pick it up from them. IMO they are way better than the other Scum you listed. Did you know you can still get a "NEW" complete longblock P400 or Optimizer? P400's are going out of production, but, a couple site vendors have both engines while supplies last. (Optimizers are still in production.) FWIW @Burning oil Leroy Diesel and @Twisted Steel Performance both carry engines.

Keep the price of a new engine in mind vs. a used engine and work it may need. Your restoration goals may justify a new engine, but, again used engine being "rebuilt" may cost as much as a new longblock.

http://leroydiesel.com/product-category/engine-products/

https://twistedsteelperformance.com/

GM 6.5 engines are simply a bored out 6.2. And this (6.2) is a 1982 step above the olds 5.7 diesel hand grenade. 1982: when emmisions life of an engine was 50,000 miles and 100K was the expected (and warrantied 6.5 diesel engine) lifetime. The sub-par metal used by GM bean counters, high compression stress, combined with overheating of horrible stack airflow and poor reverse rotation water pump design make a perfect storm. @Will L. can get into the weakening of the thin main webs by the large 4 bolt main design. Don't go over 210 on the temp gauge because the rings WILL loose their temper and blow-by will result. GM castings also are prone to crack (esp. heads) when you get them over 210 ECT. Abuse and maintenance are not factors in cracking other than running hot. The Damper, no not the one for the belt drive the other one, on the front of the crankshaft fails and takes the crankshaft out so inspect it often and replace at 100K.

GM blocks are considered scrap in the professional engine rebuilder world. Yes, a throwaway engine that even the military only does a 0.20 oversize and that's it. The frugal will throw rings at a deglazed cylinder only and machine work cost makes GM cast stuff scrap. The risk of cracking is too high to put that much $ in a GM cast 6.2 6.5 diesel.

Optimizers are improved over the GM cast. Then you have the top of the line 2rd re-design the P400.


Thanks for the input i would rather a stronger block/heads anything better than mine right now it has a bumm bumm bumm nose coming out turbo loses oil psi once warm and knocks and i think its losing tge number 2 ip plunger as its over fueling that cylinder i put new injectors in and even swapped them around if you unhook that injector it stops smokeing
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Welcome to the forum fellow South Carolinian.

I agree with war wagon. It depends on what your goals are but I would go with Teds before I bought anything from the other guys that you mentioned, but if you have the money, a new optimizer or P400 would be the way to go.
 
Jaryd said:
Welcome to the forum fellow South Carolinian.

I agree with war wagon. It depends on what your goals are but I would go with Teds before I bought anything from the other guys that you mentioned, but if you have the money, a new optimizer or P400 would be the way to go.
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Ive heard alot good about Ted's ive heard people got engines that are still going ive also read about the 2 people tgat had similar issues and both got a replacement motor free so they got 2 good blocks for one price im going to call Ted's in just a min
 
WarWagon said:
Be mindful of the center mount turbo heads: van, bus, Humvee - different angle than the pickup heads.
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Thanks yea i side side mount if all gos good ill order one and put head studs because i have a super 54 turbo for it i wanted tge hx35 but i had to settle with what the wife both and researched what would be good.
 
By the time you rebuild one that will last the life of the truck you can buy a new crate motor. For later parts years from now a crate optimizer would be best. When p400 parts are gone they are gone the optimizer parts will be around a long long time.
 
WarWagon said:
Wondering if Chris has/sells optimizers long blocks as well as P400's?

Quick and dirty ball park is leroydiesel.com website that has prices without shipping.

Interesting we have two vendors for engines at the moment... :woot:
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Twisted steel is in my home state and i travel that route everyday pass them if there price is pretty good ill go with them
 
If you're going that far have new rings put in with a cylinder deglaze. I recommend gapless rings, Total-Seal. Rings loose tension from getting hot or may have been on base and gently driven at 5 MPH to where the rings didn't seat. Not so much a wear thing as it resets the blowby clock. My signature has a link to results of running gapless rings.
 
WarWagon said:
If you're going that far have new rings put in with a cylinder deglaze. I recommend gapless rings, Total-Seal. Rings loose tension from getting hot or may have been on base and gently driven at 5 MPH to where the rings didn't seat. Not so much a wear thing as it resets the blowby clock. My signature has a link to results of running gapless rings.
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Makes since good idea i may get whole bottom end done my machine shop helps me out alot so i can get it done for less than what i got in motor so far
 
Yeah, if your going into it, a smart move.
Imo spend the nickles and balance the lower end if you can afford it.
New cam bearings are often not done because people think machine shops have to do them. If you can have the machine shop do it then ok, but if not because of labor costs then do them yourself with a rental tool, not hard at all.
 
Will L. said:
Yeah, if your going into it, a smart move.
Imo spend the nickles and balance the lower end if you can afford it.
New cam bearings are often not done because people think machine shops have to do them. If you can have the machine shop do it then ok, but if not because of labor costs then do them yourself with a rental tool, not hard at all.
Click to expand...



Cam bearings ill do myself i work on gas engines more than diesels so this is like my 2nd one but for what im doing it for i want it to be right
 
Yup, wrenching on an engine is wrenching on an engine - diesel or gas - the basic mechanicals are pretty much the same with only the bolt-ons like injection system or ignition systems differing. So yeah, if you have gasser experience pulling heads, installing cam bearings, cylinder deglazing, etc - it's all the same. Welcome to the forum!
 
Husker6.5 said:
Yup, wrenching on an engine is wrenching on an engine - diesel or gas - the basic mechanicals are pretty much the same with only the bolt-ons like injection system or ignition systems differing. So yeah, if you have gasser experience pulling heads, installing cam bearings, cylinder deglazing, etc - it's all the same. Welcome to the forum!
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Well, dont apply same bearings and filtration rules from gas to diesel. Most everything else is the same.

Knowing quirks of the individual engine helps like always. Taking the time to read here about different issues like the shorter balancer life and such is worth it’s weight in gold.
 
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