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If you had to Build a 6.5

cskemps

cskemps

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Martensville Saskatchewan, Canada
Ok if you had to rebuild your 6.5 would you go back to stock or would you beef it up. and what would you use to beef it up?

Just trying to get an idea of what it would take to beef one up. I pull alot usually a 28 ft gooseneck with 4 horses in it. And would like to beef mine up and maybe get a little better fuel millage right now getting 9 miles to the gallon.
 
I'd get a dieseldepot.com 6.2 bored over .04, maybe 20:1 compression with all the balancing and thermal coatings you can afford, and the fluidampr harmonic balancer, crank girdle, with 6.5 heads, ARP studs, and an A-Team Turbo (From DTR vendor) on it. Definately need an aftermarket PCM programming.

Just look at all the options on dieselsdepot.com

If youre really in need of performance and mileage gains you can hook up propane. Ive been talking to the guy that designed/fabricates the system that will be on Heath's site eventually, and its a good setup that they put in a progressive amount based on boost and in moderation doesnt cause predetonation.
 
Nah don't need no propane, stock rebuild is all u need, ATT, add a reflash, exhaust, fresh injectors, how much weight in total we talking, I'm good for 18K weight with mine on occasion with 3:73 rear 12-13 mpg before adding the ATT haven't towed real big yet since adding ATT, plenty of power in reserve though, Slim Shady will probably be around shortly with his info on towing mpg with 4:10's

I overbuilt mine with splays, with less stress on it ATT don't need 18:1, girdles haven't ben proven to do much, rest of stuff Buddy suggests is good as you can afford it, 6.2 bottom with 6.5 upper is strong combination, but if your block is crack free mite as well use it.

A call to Bill Heath www.heathdiesel.com always worth the effort, he can set you straight, many of his customers projects are 200K+ miles "young" and take to upgrades well.
 
the weight can very from 15k to 18k. I like the idea of the ATT. Going to order a Heath GLE and TM and High output injecters this week. Allready have a 4" exhaust and an AFE cold air intake. Or should i forget the TM and wait till i can afford a ATT?
 
If you're going to spend anywhere near $7000, why not get a P400? I never hear anyone talk about these. Is it because folks don't know about them or is it because there is something wrong with them? If I'd needed pistons and/or crank, I would have been sorely tempted to buy one. I was sorely tempted anyway, but the $3400 cost to refurbish mine was not close enough to $7000.

Forged crank, real cast-iron girdle with integrated caps (no angle iron here), built to haul the military's up-armored HMMWVs' 15,000 lbs around.
 
mitchedo said:
If you're going to spend anywhere near $7000, why not get a P400? I never hear anyone talk about these. Is it because folks don't know about them or is it because there is something wrong with them?
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The answer to that question is that it isn't a direct swap for many of us. The oil pan/girdle is too large to clear the front fiff stock, so you have to make a custon oil pan for it. It isn't a direct swap unfortunately from what I have read. It is doable, but not just a swap.
 
From what I have experienced, call up Peninsular Diesel and buy a long block and bolt on a different turbo (holset, ATT, etc) , especially with that weight. Their engine has a 2 year warranty and from what I have put mine through, I would say it is bullet proof.
 
I would just rebuild with new internals stock compression ratio and put a ATT on it if i was using it for towing. That is if the block checks out to be ok.
 
cskemps said:
Ok if you had to rebuild your 6.5 would you go back to stock or would you beef it up. and what would you use to beef it up?

Just trying to get an idea of what it would take to beef one up. I pull alot usually a 28 ft gooseneck with 4 horses in it. And would like to beef mine up and maybe get a little better fuel millage right now getting 9 miles to the gallon.
Click to expand...


I towed a 20000 lb load last year for over 1000 miles and averaged 11 mpg for the whole trip. The load was on the truck for all of the mileage. I thought that was pretty good, and I was averaging 65 mph with combined highway and around town towing.

I think one or two other folks have towed with the ATT and have had some mileage increases in the towing area. Lower end support can never hurt your 6.5, it is based on how much you can afford to spend.
 
With our 94 and 95 ALDL I dont think the programming can modify shift points, but on the OBD-II can't they modify shift points (guess Slim doesnt have to worry about that), more like TD was talking about originally to get better response. Does the GLE and GL4 differ in shifting?
 
buddy said:
With our 94 and 95 ALDL I dont think the programming can modify shift points, but on the OBD-II can't they modify shift points (guess Slim doesnt have to worry about that), more like TD was talking about originally to get better response. Does the GLE and GL4 differ in shifting?
Click to expand...


OBD1 on my truck and yep no shift points that I can't modify, I know TD would know about shift point modifications, not sure if they are as adjustable as the OBDII program. Not sure if the GLE and GL4 have different shift points, both have the extended glow time though \, the HP-4 does not have the extended glow cycle, I have my own switch for that.
 
cskemps said:
the weight can very from 15k to 18k. I like the idea of the ATT. Going to order a Heath GLE and TM and High output injecters this week. Allready have a 4" exhaust and an AFE cold air intake. Or should i forget the TM and wait till i can afford a ATT?
Click to expand...

If your stock vacuum system is still working, the Heath chip will control the boost properly, no need for a TM. If your vacuum pump or actuator is bad, it would prolly be cheaper and more dependable to get a TM(or make one), exspecially if your swapping to a ATT later and wont need any vacuum controls.
 
mitchedo said:
If you're going to spend anywhere near $7000, why not get a P400? I never hear anyone talk about these. Is it because folks don't know about them or is it because there is something wrong with them? If I'd needed pistons and/or crank, I would have been sorely tempted to buy one. I was sorely tempted anyway, but the $3400 cost to refurbish mine was not close enough to $7000.

Forged crank, real cast-iron girdle with integrated caps (no angle iron here), built to haul the military's up-armored HMMWVs' 15,000 lbs around.
Click to expand...


Yea, if I had to buy new, thats what I'd get. Sure you have to mod the oil pan, but you have a pretty much bullet proof 6.5.

W.W.Williams Rod Townsend(past away last month, cancer, R.I.P Rod I'm going to miss you) was telling me there are around eight trucks in North America running the P400, so they are out there.

The P400 isn't for the uparmored HMMWV, they still get the optimizer 6500. According to Rod, the P400 was developed for the JLTV, IIRC.
 

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Theyre still developing vehicles with the 6.5, thats awesome. For its flexibility or relative low maintenance and maintainability? Cant imagine putting a picky new diesel out there and replacing $10K injectors every month, or the dang sound the powerstrokes make like their valves are all loose.
 
buddy said:
With our 94 and 95 ALDL I dont think the programming can modify shift points, but on the OBD-II can't they modify shift points (guess Slim doesnt have to worry about that), more like TD was talking about originally to get better response. Does the GLE and GL4 differ in shifting?
Click to expand...


The 94-95 ODB-I shift points are also modified in the EPROM(just the OBD-II PCM is reflashed, enstead of a chip), it just a matter of getting it dialed in with the ATT and getting a program that will satisfy most people(thats the hard part, everybody drives/wants different).

I have an older heath chip in my 94 and the shift points seem pretty good, I cant remember how it shifted before(its been a while since the stock chip), it is better, seams like it shifts out a little sooner, and you can pull it harder before it downshifts. I haven't drove it hard for awhile though, my vacuum pump is shot, I need to get the TM installed so I can get on it again.
 
buddy said:
Theyre still developing vehicles with the 6.5, thats awesome. For its flexibility or relative low maintenance and maintainability? Cant imagine putting a picky new diesel out there and replacing $10K injectors every month, or the dang sound the powerstrokes make like their valves are all loose.
Click to expand...

I guess the military likes the 6.5 because the mechanical injection motor is easier to address in the field. Plus if exposed to an EMP, as long as you don't shut off the engine it would run until you run out of fuel. Probably why the presidents limo has (not sure it has been built yet) a 6.5. But that ol 6.5 is just a piece of useless crap right:D At least thats what I've been told. Long live the 6.5:D
 
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