Conversion Possibilities

[trbankii]

Pulling a 6.5 from a GM vehicle to install a non GM diesel engine doesn't fit the mission.....

What about stuffing a 6.5 into a non-GM vehicle?

[More Power]

If it promotes the 6.5 or GM diesel ownership in general.. You've got my vote!

One of our members in Australia has made a living equipping Ford trucks with the 6.2 then the 6.5 diesel when it became available. Toyota Land Cruisers, Land Rovers and many other types of vehicles around the world are running the 6.5.

Put yourself in the shoes of someone new who comes to this web site for the first time, looking for help with his/her 6.5 or perhaps just wanting to learn more about the engine and related maintenance. How might they react to lots of BB talk and published articles about pulling the 6.5 to install a Cummins? How would promoting the Cummins as a replacement affect their 6.5 ownership.

As you'll read in the Rendezvous coverage in a few days, about 60% of the vehicles attending were 6.2/6.5. I know at least one of them had over 200,000 miles. One attending member owns both a 6.5 and a Duramax. He drove his 1992 6.5 from northern Alberta to attend. Many of these guys are true 6.5 enthusiasts. If ronniejoe attends the Pull-Off next week, we could see a new level of performance for the 6.5.

JTodd, Useable power... The 90's GMT-400 3500 series dually trucks were rated for up to 8500-lbs max towing capacity or about 17,000-lbs GCVW. A 400 RW horsepower Duramax won't break a sweat or lose any speed on any hill with that power and load. Want more? I've heard of Duramax's generating more than 900 RW. Once the aftermarket somewhat caught up to the Duramax potential, no Dodge has come close to running with the Duramax at our Pull-Off for the past 4 years.

Jim

PS - If anyone wants to discuss Cummins conversions, the "General Diesel" forum is there for you to do that.

[JTodd]

The 90's GMT-400 3500 series dually trucks were rated for up to 8500-lbs max towing capacity or about 17,000-lbs GCVW. A 400 RW horsepower Duramax won't break a sweat or lose any speed on any hill with that power and load. Want more? I've heard of Duramax's generating more than 900 RW.

That is the kind of information I was looking for. Thank you. I did not want to get anyone bent out of shape, just looking for information.

[Heartbeat Hauler]

What about stuffing a 6.5 into a non-GM vehicle?

How cool would a 6.5 in an old Land Rover Defender be? I would definitely dig that!!!


JP

[JeffsTowTruck]

I have been wondering if you buy a Wrecked or Salvage complete DMAX truck. Would having all the wires and computor box make it an easy swap into a 90's CK pickup???? MP just said it is complicated. That was my fear.

[JeepSJ]

What about stuffing a 6.5 into a non-GM vehicle?

They let me hang out here, so it couldn't be that bad.

[Cowracer]

As far as conversions go, I just cant stop thinking that a cummins 4bt in an s-10 blazer would be quite a rig.

Tim

[16gaSxS]

Marty.... "most of what Jim said...." I'm hurt


Jim

Sorry; I just don't think I could shoehorn a 6.5TD in my old Bronco, and I thinkthe 6.5 would be much more Engine than the litttle EB would need. In reality the MOST COST EFFECTIVE thing is simply to keep the 302 and hose it full of GASOLINE when needed as I drive it so little, it's mostly a Ranch vehical and bit of Hunting. I have only got it stuck once real good and that was 300 yards from the house, I almost got my tractor stuck retrieving it!!!!

[ColstripMike]

Hello All!
I originally joined this merry little band in March '06, looking for info on the possibility of swapping a diesel (6BT as used by Dodge was the original idea) into where an L34 Vortec 350 currently lives in a '01 Chevy 3500 van. I've revised this into a 6.5TD if I could find one in decent shape, since much of the fabrication would be similar to putting a Big Block Chevy in...i.e., not much except making sure you have the right mounts. No body lift (imagine a lift for a long wb van!), no big frame mods, etc.
Well, long story short, in the current 21 Dec 06 Thrifty Nickel (Southern Montana free advertiser paper...Herr Doktor Administrator Jim probably has seen it too), there's a '93 1 ton truck being parted out which has a 6.5 in it; got to be a TD although the ad doesn't specify. In the opinion of the group is this worth looking into? I found this after I started night shift, during the Christmas holiday, and I'll be calling probably 26 Dec. Worth pursuing??

Mike

[Robyn]

Just a couple things here.

It has always seemed odd to me that some of the 6.5's will run 250K and beyond without a hitch and others fail at less than 100K

One of the biggest issues about swaps I have seen has always been the quality of the swap and then the resale value of the finished product.

Many of us have done swaps and had very good luck with them.
I stuffed a 427 cammer in a then new ford F250 4X4 back in 76 to replace a very anemic 360 OMG what an animal that was.

The truck served me well and the cammer itself was worth the price I sold the truck for in 1989.

I did a 455 olds swap into a 1981 GMC 4X4 for a neighbor and it served him well for years.

Now I dont want to hurt any feelers here but the Dodge cummins combo is OK
The engine is fine but the trucks leave a lot to be desired as compared to our GMs
I owned a 95 Dodge with a V10 and then one with a Cummins, Both ran well and worked hard but were no match to the GM as far as creature comforts goes.

As some of you know I am in the process of trying to get a 6.5 TD together for my 91 Burb.
I have already had two fellows trying to get me to install a 4BT cummins in my Burb.

Taint Gonna happen. 6.5 or maybe a 6.2 Turbo is gonna go in the Burb.
I guess I feel the same way, Just aint right to stuff anything else in there.

[Robyn]

I have seen a 6.2 in a Jeep wrangler and a 6.5 TD in a Corvette.

IMHO if you like the idea and are bankrolling it, have fun and enjoy your creation.

Seen a Hemi once in the back seat of a corvair convertible, now that was a real abortion.
It had a Olds Toronado front drive setup in there with that elephant motor bolted up.

In my travels I have seen a lot of wild and wonderful stuff.
Saw a 1985 Peterbilt with a 3412 cat under the hood too and that I had to ask WHY??
Same with an Auto car with a 16V71 Detroit. Hmmmmm at todays fuel costs????????????????????????????????$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

The one thing that made it all ok was the creators of all those beasts were just happy as clams with their creations.

[trbankii]

there's a '93 1 ton truck being parted out which has a 6.5 in it; got to be a TD although the ad doesn't specify. In the opinion of the group is this worth looking into?

Well, that would be a mechanical 6.5 as opposed to the electrical version that came later. Make for a little easier swap than doping out computer stuff!

[trbankii]

The one thing that made it all ok was the creators of all those beasts were just happy as clams with their creations.

I think that is the real secret to any swap. Unless you have been hired to do the swap for someone, you likely aren't going to make money on the deal if you plan to sell it later on. If you're looking to have fun doing the swap for the sake of doing it for your own personal use or just want to have something different, definitely go for it!

[a5150nut]

Saw a 1985 Peterbilt with a 3412 cat under the hood too and that I had to ask WHY??

The truck wasn't from Klamath Beach Ca area was it? Former loging truck converted to dump truck...........If it was I drove it once. No lacking for power. All the others had to shift up and down on the job site. Not that one just pick a gear and it would climb any hill there.

[ColstripMike]

Well, that would be a mechanical 6.5 as opposed to the electrical version that came later. Make for a little easier swap than doping out computer stuff!

That's the kind of thing I was looking for...I intend to keep this van of mine until it falls apart the last time; THEN I might consider trading. Not because I like the thing (though I do like it!), but because it works for me and my family better than the last try at a family car, a '94 F-250 Supercab (460 with tow package). Also, I can't bring myself to get into another vehicle payment situation again. Too painful!!
It'd be nice to have some extra money in the checking account for a while, too. Who knows, I might even get some cards paid off!
It'd also be nice to get better mileage...the best the 460 ever got on the road was about 12.7, and the 350 in the van will pull about 13.8 pretty regularly at 66-68 mph.
Anyway, thanks for the input so far.

Mike

[More Power]

I had read where the GM 10-1/2" FF ring and pinion are virtually as strong as GM's newest AAM-1150. The AAM-1150's rear pinion bearing is ahead of the gears, where the 10-1/2 rear pinion bearing is behind. The GM 10-1/2" 14-bolt axle has held up well behind a beefed Cummins - the NV4500 is another story.

Where the AAM1150 is better is in GAWR, its larger mass and larger lube capacity. This might mean it would be better at handling higher loads for longer durations in high heat environments.

Jim

[JohnC]

...The AAM-1150's rear pinion bearing is ahead of the gears, where the 10-1/2 rear pinion bearing is behind....

OK, I'm trying to picture this, but it just isn't coming into focus. How about a more detailed description?

[JeepSJ]

OK, I'm trying to picture this, but it just isn't coming into focus. How about a more detailed description?

Picture if you will, the image of a pinion gear. On most setups, the two bearings that support the pinion are both located on one side of the gear itself. On the 1150, they moved one bearing to the other side of the gear.

Look at this pic -

This is for a Ford 9". See the little stub on the pinion? That is the extra bearing support, similar to what the 1150 has.

[gvig]

Pardon, a little comment here.

Actually it would be more proper to say that on the Ford 9 inch and perhaps the 1150 in question, a bearing was not moved to the other side of the pinion, as the two main cone style bearings still are on the outboard side of the pinion and there cage a crush sleeve that determines preload and a third needle roller bearing that provides additional support was added to the inboard end of the pinion. And yes, it is a much more substantial design.

[More Power]

Here's a shot of an AAM1150 rear axle housing with the ring gear and differential carrier removed. You can see that there is no bearing behind the pinion gear. There is on GM's 10-1/2" 14-bolt pinion.