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What’s the scoop with Heath Diesel?

I know; bad form to quote my own post. But since a few folks seem to have misconstrued my statements as denigrating the Dmax, allow me to clarify my position.
For the average person who is thinking about buying his first diesel truck (let's say used and sub-$25K), my personal recommendation would be to find a fairly low mileage Cummins truck, 24V but not an early 24V. My second recommendation would probably be a fairly low mileage 7.3 PSD although I really, really hate to recommend any Ford. And to clarify that, I am not in any way a Ford fan. The Dmax is probably a better engine. But PSDs are dirt common, the 7.3 has a pretty good reputation, and both parts and mechanics who are familiar with them abound. I expect that this hypothetical average buyer is looking to drive the truck a reasonable number of miles, use it for daily driving and hauling reasonable loads, and then sell or trade it before it starts developing too many problems.
The Dmax is probably a great candidate for that as well. In fact, I have a very favorable opinion of Isuzus in general.


But the foregoing does not describe me. I didn't accidentally stumble into a discussion about the demise of the former Heath Diesel Service, in the 6.5 Performance section, to ask what diesel I should buy. I already have several diesel trucks, generators, tractors and engines. I like mechanical diesels and have no problem tinkering with them.

I did buy another diesel truck recently, and it has a 6.5 TD in it. I was looking for something in the $7K and under range. I found a few 24V Cummins trucks in that range; in fact I could have bought an '01 Dodge 3500 flatbed, manual transmission, 24V truck with reasonable miles for $6K. That truck did sell, but not before I had ample opportunity to buy it. But there's that whole computer control issue.
I wanted a 12V. I found a few. One complete, obvious scam, a few thoroughly worn out trucks with all sorts of issues (especially in the electronics btw), and a couple of trucks that looked to be great candidates but sold before I had a chance to go look at them.

I eventually decided I wanted a C3500HD with the 6.5 and NV4500. They are simple, cheap to work on, have decent components, are (unlike any light truck including the Dodges that came so equipped) very well suited for the weight and power of a Cummins 6BT or even a 53 series Detroit, and are not difficult to find in my price range.
Find one I did, and it runs and drives well. My plan is to stay with the 6.5 until it needs serious work, then swap in a 6BT that I already have in a truck I no longer drive.

If I wanted to spend what a modern diesel truck costs, I would instead buy a 453T, couple it with some kind of Roadranger manual trans, and look around for just the right old truck to drop it into. Perhaps another C3500HD, unless something more interesting presented itself.
Although I do have that '67 K20...🤔

Well as one who recently made the Dodge transition I'm having serious 2nd thoughts about it, 2006 5.9 24V good engine 199K on engine, crappy rest of the truck from my experience thus far, Oh I still have both my 98 6.5s probably until I die, no regrets with either of them.

Howdy fellow 6.5ers it has been a while since I've been on forums, good to see some familiar faces still here I was surprised that A; I remembered my password, and B more surprised it still worked :)
 
Hmnn edit time limit on original posts now, I'll have to remember that, I started delving in Dodge April 2018, as I said 2nd thoughts about it, 2006 5.9 24V good engine 199K on engine, 3500 crew cab 4x4 dually, crappy rest of the truck from my experience thus far, I had to park it for about 4 of the 1st 8 months I had it to get up enough gumption and time to learn how to replace the front axle bearing assys and front drive shaft universals, Not too painful, no window defrost because of stuck blend doors that IS NOT going to be a fun learning experience.
 
Stuck blend doors or broken blend doors?...Ived owned dodge’s too! Everything has pluses and minuses and everybody wants something different. For my taste the GMT400 always delivers.
 
Stuck blend doors or broken blend doors?...Ived owned dodge’s too! Everything has pluses and minuses and everybody wants something different. For my taste the GMT400 always delivers.
From what I read on TDR forum could be either or both stuck or broken, at least it is stuck/broken in the cab A/C on position, yup my ole 6.5 has yet to leave me stranded been a good one I've owned since 2000 I think I might just keep it :)
 
Well look what the cat dragged in!

Good to see your handle pop up again mate!

Howdy fellow 6.5ers it has been a while since I've been on forums, good to see some familiar faces still here I was surprised that A; I remembered my password, and B more surprised it still worked :)
[/QUOTE]
 
Welcome back Doc.


About the sale of Heath, that makes the current tuning options as I understand them:
- 1 commercial vendor in the US (now incompetent due to ownership change).
- 1 commercial vendor offshore (and last I tried to communicate with him on a tune adjustment (while I still had the 6.5), he was unresponsive).
- 1 commercial vendor that does not offer tuning as a core service (sells other hardware (and will remain nameless unless this vendor wants to chime-in publicly)).
- 1 (maybe 2) individuals (where you need to know the secret handshake to even know that they are able to tune).
- 1 Ex-6.5'er that has all the equipment (might or might sell the stuff, but definitely will NOT tune for anybody).

Hmmmm . . .
 
Nooby, am not sure. The mental list comes from watching posts.

Will, agree that there is a lot of scrutiny on tuners (and in a bunch of cases, it is well deserved (but we have already beat that topic in other threads)). Even with this, there are legitimate reasons to change tunes to include transmission swaps, turbo swaps, and updating OE code. Another reason to re-flash is when buying a 'new' computer which does not match what equipment is actually in the vehicle.
 
They may have said they are only searching out big shops, but if anyone turns in a complaint, they have to investigate just like a regular police report.

I have had 2 people, not business, but people show me the $10,000 reduced to $100 ticket per incedent they got PER infraction after they called the guy back out to reinspect the truck at his house. One guy had 4 no muffler, no soot trap, tune and egr. There is no smog inspection where he lives. The “complaint” for both guys was worded exactly like they listed on a different forum.
The environment political agents showed up at their house un-anounced,search warrant in hand. Checked out the trucks at their homes and after inspection and issuing the mega fine said if you have it towed -not driven- to a shop and have everything reversed they would drop the fine to $100 per.
Both guys did just that, sold the trucks and wont so much as use wrong brand tires ever again.
This was June they both contacted me. One lives in Cali the other the east coast- they were both on the same ford diesel forum.

Play nice and don’t convict yourselves.
 
Well I bought Lyndons tuner tool it weren't cheap, I'm just smart enuff with it to be dangerous, I was working with Bill to try to get a decent tune for mine we were almost there, but I when I was finishing up the "project engine build" for the K1500 Bill convinced me I just had to use his HT-4 cam vs. stock and that negated most of the work we had done thus far.

I know a guy wink wink that did A LOT of work with ATT and large pre cups with 18:1 CR in his rig, that has some tunes for me to try since the cam so far has been luke warm for me.

I'm due to retire from my "day job" in about year & 4 mos, time to maybe get smarter on 6.5 tuning for some "off road use only tuning".
 
Doc , wha
t are your thoughts on the HT-4 cam ?
In my rig with programming that is supposed to work with a GM turbo and me having ATT I'm not impressed, a LOT of smoke on cold days requiring multiple glow cycles, and 60F is really not what I would call a cold day, new injectors, IP, glows, glow relay on the "Project Engine" with HT-4 cam. Maybe with a GM turbo and GM tune that supposed to go with the HT-4 cam it would perform better, I feel like I've lost some of the "crispness" I used to have with the stock cam and ATT in the removed engine, because of so many differences in mine I can not honestly asses how it would work in other engine set up.

The ATT "tweaked program" I had with stock cam had better seat of pant aggressiveness to it, but that was after about (8) visits back to Heath for tailoring.
 
Doc, what do you think of the tuning equip? Maybe I should look down that route given the time I expect to own this pickup.

EWC, I have just installed the HT4 and a Hurricane7. Haven’t even fired it up yet. I basically now have the full buffet from Heath. If it’s going to work, it should work in my setup. I will report my experience.
 
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