6.5 Swap Help

[wyattearp]

I am working on my frame off restoration on a 1985 Chevy K30 Crew Cab short bed. I am trying to decide on an engine. A big part of me wants to keep everything GM against the conventional wisdom to dump the 6.5 and stick in a Cummins. I am not finding a lot of information or guys sticking a 6.5 TD into an 80's pickup. What I do know is that with the 6.5 TD there is instant conflict with the AC box. There also appears to be a conflict with the 6.5 TD drivers side exhaust manifold and the slave cylinder. Don't really care for an internal slave cylinder. The Banks passenger side exhaust manifold mounts the turbo a lot lower than the 6.5 and using the factory turbo with the Banks does not work. Any help or suggestion here would be appreciated. And maybe I am just beating a dead horse. All I want is a reliable engine that puts out about 250 hp that doesn't sound ...well...like a Cummins. And it has to be all mechanical

 

[orrum]

I think I read on another thread that a 6.2 or 6.5 non turbo na engine with a banks sidewinder turbo added on avoids your ac etc conflict problems. Search the threads.

 

[wyattearp]

I have been looking at the threads for a while. If I go with a 6.5 I will not be using the Banks turbo. The S-10 AC box is not an easy modification. I have looked at an aftermarket AC system that completely removes the AC box. That then adds a lot more cost to what some might consider a "marginal" swap.