New? 6.5 Blocks for sale on ebay

[KallyI]

Pontiacman,

I hear what you are saying, I've been on ebay for 12 years, and have a 100% feedback rating, buying and selling, but still, there is no feedback about the blocks, most of the feedback is on the injectors.

I haven't made up my mind as to what I'll be doing with my truck yet. It's started to use antifreeze, but it's not showing up in the oil, or externally, so it's likely a cracked head, or a head gasket. So far it's not causing any running problems, except having to add antifreeze.

I figure that I have some time to decide what direction I want to go, and this guy's blocks caught my eye, so I was trying to find out as much about him as I could.

[More Power]

The 6.5 was produced and sold in new GM vehicles for 10 years (yes, you could have bought a Van or a 3500HD as recently as 2002 that had a 6.5L diesel in it), and the first 6.5 has been on the road for almost exactly 19 years (1992 model year vehicles were released in the fall of 1991).

My guess is that some hundreds of thousands of GM vehicles were produced with the 6.5. Online forums like this one and others draw the owners of problem trucks. Junk yards collect the problems as well. What we don't know is what the percentage of failures really is.

We won't know what the reliability history will eventually be for any imported 6.5L block for another 10-20 years. Might be great - might not. Will the same import block vendors be around in 10-20 years to help answer the reliability question? I doubt it. Will these import blocks survive failed dampers & pulleys? I doubt it.

A $2K delivered import block plus another $2K in rebuild costs is not a trivial amount to spend on the hopes for better reliability. Personally, I'd spend another $2K to get a genuine AMG... or even better, get the gold standard for the 6.5 - the AMG P400....

Jim

[PONTIACMAN]

Pontiacman,

I hear what you are saying, I've been on ebay for 12 years, and have a 100% feedback rating, buying and selling, but still, there is no feedback about the blocks, most of the feedback is on the injectors.

I haven't made up my mind as to what I'll be doing with my truck yet. It's started to use antifreeze, but it's not showing up in the oil, or externally, so it's likely a cracked head, or a head gasket. So far it's not causing any running problems, except having to add antifreeze.

I figure that I have some time to decide what direction I want to go, and this guy's blocks caught my eye, so I was trying to find out as much about him as I could.

If you go to page 4 on his feedback," hornautoraceing", (or something like that) bought a block this year ,and left positive feedback for whatever its worth...Maybe you can or should call the buyer and get their input.

I think it was back around march, so i doubt the person has ran it through its trials yet ,but i found positive block feedback pretty easy.

Also another person bought a complete motor from him ,so i would assume hes had it long enough, and it works well enough that that person didnt post any "this engine is junk" silliness.

Its back around page 10 and i think it was purchased a year or so ago, so it shoulda been installed and running quite a while ago.

I believe 4 blocks have been sold threw him, and i don't believe i saw any complaints ,but to be honest i didnt go scrolling threw the 800+ items.

In your case if you only have a tiny leak its probably a marginal head-gasket allowing coolant to be pulled into the combustion chamber during the intake stroke, so you might be able to get away with adding some factory sealer and driving it 100,000 more miles if your lucky.

I think GM specifically had leak stop for the 6.5-6.2 diesels ,and the Saturn motors that were porous... Probably the same stuff they used in the caddy aluminum block engines from way back also.

Unless its a crack in the #7 cylinder (that's known to crack) you probably cant justify buying a block and to be honest i wouldn't either.

Cracks in the cylinder wall show more like( rough running and bucking when 1st started and cold), because the coolant leaks in threw the crack, but as the cylinder heats up the crack seals from the heat expansion, and then runs fine the rest of the day, only to show a problem on cold start-up again...

You should have an idea whats what with yours ...

I think the block replacement question is mainly something every individual has to decide about, and how bad the person needs a block.

If i had something that the crank was about to kick out due to probable main register cracking, and have the extra $$$$ bucks it seems that ebay block is as good as anything i see available, but if you have something decent already that has been checked i don't see a problem in reusing it.

Head-gasket probs shouldn't warrant needing a new block

Sounds like you can use what you have unless you eventually have some catastrophic failure.

I really assumed anyone even questioning that ebay block actually really needed a replacement because their block was junk ,and the point being i wouldn't waste my time scrounging threw junkyards ,as he has what looks to be a viable alternative right there that's new ,and reasonably priced ,and should be better then what originally came from the factory ,unless he`s lying about the updates in casting.

Regardless what would a replacement block cost without any upgrades that gm sold before the problems were really exposed???

I doubt they were cheap either.

Regardless if the block is heavier, and is a Molly mixed alloy, and has whatever the approved improvements are, the price is not offensive in my humble opinion.

Anyway:

Most people know the problems with the factory blocks so i think if he was lying he woulda been exposed by now.

Also i just don't see any logic in posting the block as improved if it wasn't , as if he was caught it would ruin his entire ebay business and relate to his other sales which would basically ruin him.

I wouldn't take the chance.

Ohh well,

Teddybeardude

[Robyn]

97-8-9 were the years that saw the NUMBER 8 cyl cracking issue.

I have seen one block that had the crack.

Been around the 6.5 since they came on the scene.
Once they start using antifreeze its is not usually too long until they cash it in and have to be fixed.

The number 1 and 2 cylinder deck area errodes around the gasket next to the water port in the head that "Blanks" into the block.

The leak will steadily get worse until POOOOOOOF and it goes all together.
Then it will blow the coolant out the overflow.

Spoke today with a local fellow that built a frsh engine using a block from Clearwater Cyl Head. Running sweet now after near a years worth on the clock.

The $1200 for a ready to go block is IMHO a very good price.

Salvage the crank, rods, pistons (if still good), cam and other goodies.

Stuff these parts into the new block along with aset of CCH heads and then run the crap out of it.

My complete rebuild on a used GM Block cost me about $1800.

This was the cost of a used block, new pistons off ebay.
MIL HMMWV rings off ebay
Bearings off ebay
One Felpro gasket
One Cometic MLS gasket
Old cam
New lifters
New timing chain.
Used heads that were in good shape.
Had the injectors rebuilt locally
New water pump
Original oil pump
Gaskets and seals
incidentals

Labor myself.

I paid $300 for a used Block from a local rebuilders supply.
For not that much more, you can have a fresh chunk of iron.

Just my two cents worth.


Missy

[rameye]

Robyn..

You pretty have wrote the book on rebuilding..the 6.5.....I know cause I've read your extended posts..

For the rest of us, its not quite that easy to corral up the proper parts and make it happen , and make it last..

Kally

As far as this guy goes....all I can say is he was pretty deceptive! I cant think of any reason you would need to be deceptive, unless what you're doing is wrong in some way, shape, or form. I dont care what his ebay rating is!

Ask the fella if you can visit his machining facility...tell me what he says...

We are talking about some fairly serious cash....just be careful...I went with a known , proven solid product, let your conscious be your guide.

Whatever you do...dont buy a AM General factory motor from the guy...he is not an authorized re-seller....makes you wonder if its the genuine article! GEP pretty much straight out told me they have only 1 authorized re-seller of the genuine article....and they were very interested in what this guy thought he was selling. On top of all that you will pay about $800-$1000 more than what you can get the real deal for....factory warranty included.....not an E-bay warranty.

Jim,

that p-400 is real nice...not much more $$ than the stock 6.5...too many mods to get into the sub for me.

good discussion

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

pontiacman, you need to keep searching for that 6.5 love. you will find it, maybe.

it doesn't have the legendary cummins nameplate. it's just designed by detroit.

can't throw a few mods on it, turn it up to 500 hp, and have it last. just a light duty diesel.

doesn't grumble and rattle like a powerstroke. just idles pleasantly.

i would definitely not go rating the 6.5 as one of the worst engines out there. like jim pointed out, this site draws by far the people that are experiencing engine trouble. there is still thousands of these trucks running fine.

my buddy has a 95 6.5 F code. the truck has close to 310,000 miles on it. one injection pump.

i like my 6.5, a lot. and i will keep playing with mine till i manage to blow another one up.

[More Power]

Jim,

that p-400 is real nice...not much more $$ than the stock 6.5...too many mods to get into the sub for me.

The oil pan is all that needs to be fabricated. We have an article online now that shows how it's done. Cast iron block girdle w/integral main caps, forged-steel crankshaft, beefed rods & pistons, new squirters, and other stuff make this the ultimate 6.5. AM General raised the horsepower rating from 190 to 250 for this engine. I'm keeping my eyes open for a nice late 1990s LT K2500 Suburban to play with....

Jim

[Robyn]

To sum it up

I would buy an aftermarket block from Clearwater (have had good experience with them)

The dude on ebay may or may not be OK ???????? no way of telling.

The 6.2's that I have owned have given me great service.
Have had the following rigs with 6.2's
82 Jimmy (did the IP at 140K)
84 Blazer
85 Shorty 4x4
86 Burb *Had 300K on it when I traded it off. Still running and current owner had a set of head gaskets put in at 330K (MILES)*
__________________________________________________ _____
6.5 rigs

(2) 94 Burbs
95 Burb
94 Dually crewcab
95 Dually crewcab
__________________________________________________ _____

The real early 6.2's did have an issue with the cast iron rocker arms
The rings will stick on these if the wrong oil is used (gasser motor oil)

Mileage on the 1/2 ton 6.2 powered rigs was great.

These engines were designed to get mileage and not really a Moose motor.

A K5 Blazer 4x4 can easily get 24 MPG Hwy.

Overall the reliability on these was great.

Power ???????? a tad lacking
Torque???????? not bad for the size of the engine. 375 ft lb of torque

The 700R4 tranny A NIGHTMARE in its early incarnations.

The update and repair bulletines would cover a shelf 10 feet long stacked TIGHT.


Missy

[PONTIACMAN]

To sum it up

I would buy an aftermarket block from Clearwater (have had good experience with them)

The dude on ebay may or may not be OK ???????? no way of telling.

The 6.2's that I have owned have given me great service.
Have had the following rigs with 6.2's
82 Jimmy (did the IP at 140K)
84 Blazer
85 Shorty 4x4
86 Burb *Had 300K on it when I traded it off. Still running and current owner had a set of head gaskets put in at 330K (MILES)*
__________________________________________________ _____
6.5 rigs

(2) 94 Burbs
95 Burb
94 Dually crewcab
95 Dually crewcab
__________________________________________________ _____

The real early 6.2's did have an issue with the cast iron rocker arms
The rings will stick on these if the wrong oil is used (gasser motor oil)

Mileage on the 1/2 ton 6.2 powered rigs was great.

These engines were designed to get mileage and not really a Moose motor.

A K5 Blazer 4x4 can easily get 24 MPG Hwy.

Overall the reliability on these was great.

Power ???????? a tad lacking
Torque???????? not bad for the size of the engine. 375 ft lb of torque

The 700R4 tranny A NIGHTMARE in its early incarnations.

The update and repair bulletines would cover a shelf 10 feet long stacked TIGHT.


Missy

Just for the record i used delvac 15-40 (oil changed 2wice a week), so the ring problem was not oil related..

Some might say I'm crazy to expect anyone to believe i changed oil twice a week ,but since being a kid anything toy related i bought (like my first Honda z-50)was (with my own hard eaRNED , money,, which at the time was made from salvaging curbside mowers and repairing them and selling them in front of the house.

After sitting over winter curbs were loaded with good non running equipment..... THANK GOD FOR ME

Back then people threw out practically new mowers and after fileing clean the points ,and blowing out the bottom jet on a Tecumseh they was like brandy new. Briggs sometimes needed choke spring work , pipe filters , or diaphragm which were the pumps for them but cheap .

Like i said i had a step-dad and getting new socks before school started from him was a treat so i learned the value of a dollar young.

and my first cars i admit probably got oil changes a little to often but i never had motors blowing at least

That led to me selling stuff at flea markets.

Anyway the point being i found out early from friends that never thought much about lubrication that it was pretty important as i watched most of their machines which their parents bought seize or start smoking , losing compression and becoming junk heaps which was ok for me as i bought them fixed them and made some money that was, and their dads got the new ones.

Anyway i was a overzealous lube person.

The rings probably blew because to be honest to keep the pace i had with the dodge van the diesel had to be petal to the metal all the time...

Especially going home which then i was living in a small town in the mountains near Cobleskill and just before my house were 4-5 good hills or small mountains that the van would struggle up needing full throttle...

This point alone I'm pretty sure most of those vehicles should have been equipped with 3.73-4.11 rears which would have made them more drive-able.

Again the constant need for full throttle probably collapsed the rings and nothing oil related.

TRANNY- Never had a problem, but installed a corvette servo, and that cheap kit to get rid of all the soppy shifts. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY GM DIDNT ADRESS THIS IMMIDIATLY AS I BOUGHT MANY 700-R4 UNITS AFTER THAT, STILL WITH SLOPPY SHIFTS THAT WOULD NOT HAD LASTED AND A BIGGER SERVO AND SHIFT KIT TURNED THEM INTO A DIFFERENT MONSTER

375 ft pd tq ??????

I never saw a 6.2 normally aspirated that wasn't more like 190.

If i remember correctly they were rated from factory at 230-240......


Maybe 375 was for good running turbos, but not n.a unless i really was getting handed junk with twisted cams running on 3 cylinders

well overdoing it again so adios......

teddybear