New engine for the family truckster!

[njsteve]

I just splurged $8 grand+ and bought a brand new engine from the military HUMVEE assembly line at AM/GEP (via Peninsular Diesel, who have a contract with them).

It's the upgraded 6.5. Not the Optimizer that GM sells over the counter...or used to as they recently discontinued the exact engine for my 1995 model but still offer the other years. This is the 2017 higher-er output military version with super heavy duty block, forged crank, rods, low compression (18 to 1 anodized, instead of 22 to 1 standard pistons) and upgraded cylinder heads. The lower compression pistons allow for much higher boost without causing much higher internal heat and strain.

I bought this 1995 GMC K2500 diesel Suburban brand new back in the Spring of '95. You may recall the fun I had when the headgaskets blew during the MCACN trip in 2013. The headgasket replacement lasted another three years and 15,000 miles but the recent oil analysis was showing some major lead and tin values in the oil - to the tune of 17 times the maximum recommended standard. Every time I'd talk to the oil analysis techs, they kept asking if this was from a running engine or an autopsy? When I told them it was running fine they asked if it had any oil pressure and whether it was making angry, loud, unnatural noises? In fact it has been sounding the same way for the past 22 years and has never been stronger!

And you know as well as I do that a great running engine is always a bad sign that catastrophe is just around the corner. I even towed the SD455 and 24' trailer with it last weekend and it ran flawlessly.

So obviously it was time to go big or stay home.



Here's the oil analysis:

[njsteve]

And here's the new engine. All 875 lbs on the stand.

[njsteve]

Here's the build thread over on the diesel website I hang out at. There is something of a cult following for guys who try to keep this 6.5 diesels on the road.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/63-...camper-20.html

And yes, it's a Real Turbo-jet 396. :-)

[Xplantdad]

Cool!

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Here's the build thread over on the diesel website I hang out at. There is something of a cult following for guys who try to keep this 6.5 diesels on the road.


And yes, it's a Real Turbo-jet 396. :-)

6.5 owners like pain and punishment, I'm one too.. Just threw 3000 bucks at mine (again)...

Tommy

[njsteve]

What did it need? I've been tinkering with this one for over two decades now. Other than the headgasket glitch (a known problem) and relocating the PMD (injection pump brain) to behind the front bumper instead of on the 200+ degree engine, it has been a great truck.

I decided against rebuilding the existing engine because it already has the inherent stress cracks in the original heads between the valve seats (which GM declared to be not an issue in their TSBs), so I would have had to spend a couple thousand for some non-Chinese cast heads... and then new pistons for a thousand more...yada yada - til the cost approached a brand new engine that has all the old weaknesses designed out. That's not even considering that possibility that the block could have main web cracks. Certain batches of these blocks, mainly in the 1997 to 2000 range were machined too quickly after casting and were too green when assembled. The main webs crack right were the bolts go in and travel to the location where the oil squirters were drilled to spray the bottoms of the pistons.

So, in the event the block has no cracks, I already have several 6.5 guys wanting it.

[Tommy]

I had new injectors/glowplugs and glow plug relay installed as well as new Turbo and turbo master from Heaths Diesel (with hurricane wheel). Also bought Heaths improved water pump and new fan. I ditched the old crossover pipe and added the larger mandrel bent unit as well as a Diamond eye 4" exhaust. We found several oil leaks and spent some time and money sealing those up. Added a new starter from Heaths too and had to buy a new front starter brace as the last one was installed without the brace. last year I trashed the 4L80E so that was replaced with a new one.

My truck is a Behemoth, a 2000 model long wheel base crew cab 4wd dually with 4:10's and I was hooked the day i saw it. Unfortunately I was never a fan of the engine but the rest of the truck overrulled the engine. In case anyone is scratching their head, yes its a 2000 model. the 2500/3500 kept the 88-98 body till 2000.

Tommy

[Tarrytown SS427s]

Nice old Suburban, and looks like you've kept it clean! I always wished they put the 6.6 into the GMT800 Suburbans.

[Lynn]

Nice Steve. I really like the smooth sided pickups and Suburbans from the 90's.

Don't think you will regret this move.

[Chris KH2PM]

Nice upgrade. Those 2500 Suburbans are nice. I actually spotted one not too long ago going down the road.

I had a '94 Chevy Silverado K2500 6.5 turbodiesel. Bought it new and drove it about 70K miles over 6 years. Loved the smooth power and the sound. And it rode great too with that long wheelbase.

Later I bought a new 2001 GMC Yukon XL 2500 4x4 with the 496 and 4.10 gears. Now that was a towing beast!