Clifton
05-27-2012, 10:47
Morning everyone. I am having a hard time making up my mind on what I want to do or what would be the best thing to do. I have a 1976 GMC that is currently under restoration, it is a 3/4 ton 4wd pickup grand sierra so in its day it was a really nice pickup in which it will be again. Anyways, I have a Chevy 3/4 4wd that I aquired with a production date of 2/93 and it has a 6.5TD with 210,000 miles on it. Probably gonna go throught the motor and set it a little different like off of what I have read on this site. Sounds to me as if many people have done there homework and have the bugs worked out of the 6.5s. My questions are.....I am an old BBC fan, I have run the ever living crap out of many big block Chevy's and they seem to be asking for more punishment because they wont give up. If I spend the money on this 6.5, is it honestly gonna give me as good a service as my big blocks. I am not talking about keeping the pedal on the floor punishment, I use it for a work truck, loading small tractors and towing sometimes over the GVW at the speed limit and 5 or 6 over everynow and then. I am not abusive, just need them to work hard when its time and I have always been able to depend on a good BBC. I really want to try a Diesel, the dodge body wont stay on the truck and I cant stand to remove a cab off a ford to work on an engine as well as not having the money to buy any of the new ones. The 76 GMC it will go in will be using a 2wd 4L80E trans out of a 91 3500HD, which will then go into a Spicer 3 speed auxilliary box that has a 2.14 low range, a direct second and a .86 over, it will then go into a divorce mount np205 transfer and D44's front and rear with 4:10. It will a little low geared even in high range but, I am not lookin for a hot rod, 75-80 MPH max with out taching out the engine. I have run this drive train set up before but on a different truck, ran out good you just can shift the aux box on the fly. I want yall to have as much information about what I am putting the motor in. The diesel engine is not computer controlled that I can see, seems to have a manual pump, is this more desirable?? I have also heard as well that the early 6.5td were the really good ones, what makes them so good compared to the other 6.5's. I really want this to be a helluva pickup, being able to pull trailers and drop them off, shift into high range and get down the road wih good mileage. Please,,,,let me know what you think as I am fixing to get this operation rolling. opinions, thoughts and constructive critisism are appreciated.!!! Thanks!!!+