August 9, 2021 - The adventure begins! This is the way the Blazer's 6.5 looked this morning, after spending yesterday installing new cam bearings and setting the crankshaft into the block. The engine shop that did the machining already installed new cam bearings, but unfortunately they weren't installed with the oil holes clocked correctly. So, those cam bearings had to come out and I installed a new set.
Since this photo was taken, all of the pistons/rods have been installed along with the 16 roller lifters and oil pump. I also spent some time looking through the various and sundry boxes of parts. Haven't found everything yet, but it's early! I wasn't the one who disassembled this 6.5, so my foggy memory and the GM service manuals will have to suffice with the re-assembly process.
Onward and upward... My daughter helped me a few of the weekends during the two separate Duramax head gasket replacement projects we completed recently. After a couple of weekends, she looked over at the 1994 Blazer there in the garage with us, and calmly asked what I was going to do with it. Long story short, it's now hers, and we'll work together to make it go. She's a trooper, likes learning and enjoys spending time with her dad. Plus, she'll have a rig to haul a kayak and do some vehicle camping with her friends. We have quite a road ahead of us. Stay tuned!
Jim
September 2024 Update - What follows is a recent addition to this forum thread, in the form of a video that represents the culmination of our 6.5L Turbo Diesel Blazer Project. There's more to come, for sure, but this YouTube video will help to bring you up to speed about where the Blazer Project was in early September 2024 - some 3 years after the process of engine restoration began. The video shown here is a great addition to the story, but... this forum thread still provides a lot of detail and granularity that just couldn't be a part of the video. So, I encourage you to read through this forum thread to learn more about the repairs made to the Blazer and its 6.5L diesel engine. As always, your questions, comments, suggestions and advice are all important. If you found something of value here, please like the video and subscribe to our YouTube channel, and let us know what you'd like to see in the future. Thank you.
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Video Introduction: This "Murdered Out" 1994 6.5L Turbo Diesel Chevy Blazer was brought "Back from the Dead" after the engine sat, quite literally, in a thousand pieces for over 11 years. My daughter and I worked together to solve the problems caused by melted pistons, a gouged crankshaft, and cracked cylinder heads.
Had fun with this one! Check it out. There are some brand new clips in this 18+ minute video that haven't been shown before... including at the very end where the loaded Blazer is the subject of a video clip at a scenic location far off the beaten path.
Jim