Nub with some questions on a 6.5 transplant.

[Beat68CST]

Well, I found a 6.5 out of a 1996 3/4 ton pickup, with an auto 4 speed and transfer case. I was considering swapping this into my grandma's '68 3/4 ton 50th Anniversary Chevy. I'd stick to my Turbo 400 and probably add a GV OD unit, so I wouldn't use that tranny.


My questions;

How do I know if this is one of the "better" factory motors?

Any electronics involved?

I hear the 6.5 will bolt right up to my Turbo 400, correct?

Would I only need some BBC motor mounts and towers for the 6.5?

I heard some of the 6.5's are prone to cracking down by the mains, what's and easy fix? IE Studding the mains? How much would that run me?

Then, what all would I need on the fuel system, as in; pump, tank, lines, ect.

[Edahall]

Wow you're lucky, I have been searching for a 96 and newer 6.5 motor with the serpentine belt setup and have come up with nothing. I need the serpentine brackets and some accessories.

>>Any electronics involved?

Yes, a 96 6.5L would have an electronically controlled injector pump. You might be better off to find a mechanically controlled injector pump so you don't have to worry about the wiring. You'll also have some wiring for the glow plugs but that's easy.

>>I hear the 6.5 will bolt right up to my Turbo 400, correct?

Yes it will but you'll wish you had that extra gear especially if the 68 truck has 3.73's or 4.11's and you want to travel faster than 45 mph.

>>Would I only need some BBC motor mounts and towers for the 6.5?

You'll need BBC motor mounts

>>I heard some of the 6.5's are prone to cracking down by the mains, what's >>and easy fix? IE Studding the mains? How much would that run me?

You would use something like the following to fix the cracks.
http://www.locknstitch.com/
Studding the mains won't fix the cracks.

[Beat68CST]

Right now the pickup has 4.56's, it has the GM corporate rear end. I could find a set of 4.10's, but either way, I'd like to get a Gear Vendors OD unit.

Just gave the guy a call, and he sold everything, so back to hunting...



What's a good year 6.5 to look for?

[handcannon]

93 and earlier are mechanical IP, no electronics. I'm not sure when the last 6.2 was and the 6.5 took over, but it was pre 93.

Don

[Hooptybass]

I believe they still used some 6.2s in 93 ... they offered both i believe . I switched my 94 burb over to mech inject so i can run my own brand of diesel

[JohnC]

'93 and maybe (part of?) '92 were overlap years.

[Robyn]

The 6.2 engines and the 6.5 engines from 1982 all the way to 2000 can and have had cracking issues in the bottom end.

There is absolutely NO way to predict what you will find. A goodly number of fine running engines if opened up will show some form of main web cracks.

There were no year models imune from this issue, just some that were worse.

The 6.2 engines from 82 to 93 were not bad. The early 6.5 engines in 92-94 were also a hit and miss.

The early 95 to early 96 were still a hit and miss. The later 6.5's wih the 506 casting number that had the first gen oil squirters were crap. this issue continued off and on until the late 99 into 2000 models that were somewhat beter. 98/99 had #8 cyl wall cracking issues as well.

The 6.5 did not come into its own with good castings until AMG took over production in 2001

92/93 6.2 engines had the same block as the 6.5 and share the same crank.

The late 6.2 engines had the one piece rear main that continued into the 6.5.

The serp drive systems (any and all) will bolt right onto any 6.2/6.5 engine.

NOW vans with 6.5 engines can have a wierd intake manifold with the 60 degree intake bolt hole angles.

These will work in a tansplant but these were normally found on the turbo engines.

As far as the electronics go, stay away from trying to use the electronic injection system.

If you get a late engine with electronics, the earlier IP from say 92/93 will bolt right on and work fine. One issue though is that the injection lines must come from a 92/93 engine with the mechanical IP.
The later electronic injection pumps use a different line set (IP end fittings are different)

To wire up an early IP all you need is the heavy power wire that was used to feed the ignition on the older rig. Just use it to run a relay and then power the IP from that.

The cold advance system and the fast idle can be run from that same feed.

The glow plugs can be hooked up using a Ford starter relay with a push button on the dash to activate.

Use 60G glow plugs as the earlier types can swell if the burn out.

Early 6.2 lines will not work with the later 6.2 and 6.5 engines as the injector angle was changed as was the length of the injectors

Have fun and good hunting.

Missy