Well im new here my names preston and i was gonna ask you guys a few questions. I bought a 95 chevy 6.5 with an awesome body and a new transmission but guess what? The motor is locked up tighter that a chastity belt on the preachers daughter. But anyway the questions i was gonna ask are:

1 how much am i looking at to get a decent 12 valve

2 is it worth it to go ahead and just replace the 6.5 with a 12 valve

3 is there a good place to find a 12 valve diesel

4 does the 6.5 have any possible way of making big power

Folks i thank you for your imput on this. Im on the fence right now as far as what to do goes i got a dang good deal on the truck (1500 dollars) and i have a source for the 6.5 motors but from what i gather from driving them and listening to people talk all they are is a big rolling turd. My reference for the turd comment is a listing on golsn.com for 97 GMC 6.5 turdo diesel lmao

 

The 6.5 has no way of making big power the after market is not there. About all you can make out of them with what is out there is 300-350 hp unless you have a ton of money and can pay someone to make everything. The big rolling turd is a overstatement there not that bad you just cant compare them to a new CR diesel. If you are just driving the truck and towing 10k or less I would just drop another 6.5 in it. If you really want a cummins I would buy a dodge truck. It isn't a weekend job to drop a Cummins in one.

 

I've got a 2006 cummins but im thinkin if i drop the cummins in im gonna make a pullin truck out of her. But yeah im having trouble finding the engines at a discount and to be honest another 6.5 wouldnt satisfy me the first time some guy in a dodge with just a programmer blows my doors off lmao

 

i put my answers in red. hope that helps

 

Well friend i thank you for you imput but 20k really? a friend of mine has a 99 super duty that he converted and hes only got 13 in the whole truck and hes makin about 650 ponies on the dyno (fuel only) now i understand that it could get expensive but im just going by what he put into his truck. its no beauty queen but it is a screamer but anyway to me i doesnt seem to be as big a project as some make it out to be. For my friend all he did was pull the front clip set it in, weld the motor mounts up, and wire it in and it was ready to go, now bear in mind that this mostly a truck that is used to make big power on the dyno and to burn up the local truck pulls but in its own right is a wicked truck

 

To put a Cummins in a chevy is not the same as a Super Duty. The Super Duty has more clearance under the oil pan if its 4x4 than Chevy.

As far as saying if its worth it is all on what you do with it. I drive my truck to work and haul under 10k with the truck so I don't see the advantages of the Cummins being worth the cost of the swap unless you are all about power or towing really heavy loads. And even then I would just buy a Dodge unless you have a lot of time on your hands and just want a Chevy with a Cummins in it.

 

Well here is what I have in to my F350 so far!

AA part to bolt up NV4500 to BorgW Tcase $425.
Rebuilt NV4500 (18-18 warr) $1500.
1/2 inch plate to make Engine mts $ 40.
New clutch $ 450.
Resurface flywheel $ 50.
FatMat for interior $100.
Misc oil/filter/hoses/antifreeze $100.
Truck! $600.

I had the P Pump 12v already in my wore out 92 dodge! I also had the 245 x 19.5 tires and rims on the Dodge!
The expense comes from the Price of the vehicle, engine, perpherials, and TIME!
good luck with your build

Larry

 

you can compare prices all you want with super dutys but by no means is it the same swap. the 12v fits very nicely in a super duty alot like it was built to fit there. the chevy not so much. you have oil pan/differential problems, transfer case/torsion bar x-member problems, transmission hump wont normally clear without alot of cutting. just trust me and hopefully some of the other guys will chime in too. you can do it alot cheaper than i did it you take some short cuts and dont rebuild or put as many new things in as i did.

but even at that i think 10K would be a stretch. its just alot of work. ive seen guys drop them in fords in a weekend. ive never seen someone do that in a chevy. ive only seen 1 truck in all of them ive seen that hasnt had to straight axle it. there was in no way shape or form i couldnt done it without a straight axle. if you want a bried parts list ill throw some numbers out there (the guy above is missing A TON of parts)

engine/trans - 1500
engine mounts - 500
driveline lines front and rear - 600
front axle - 1000
mounts to use chevy ac compressor/alternator - 450
clutch - 400
leaf springs - 100
metal for building mounts, crossmembers etc - 300
numerous bottles of gas for torch and welder - 400
new p/s lines for hydroboost - 100
new ac lines for adapt - 150
intercooler- 200
airdog - 600
ive also done fatmat antifreeze oil p/s fluid yada yada yada it adds up extremely fast.

and thats just the beginning not including any aftermarket upgrades such as pump work injectors turbos etc. and i probbaly left out 75 percent of the parts on that list. its things like a gasket here an o-ring thats leaking here a nut and bolt here and there that adds up. i have receipts on all the little and big parts of my swap just to keep track.

by no means am i trying to talk you out of doing it because its totally worth it. im just trying to help you understand its not going to be as smooth as you think it will its definitely not a superduty swap by any means. be ready for some money to drop and a bunch of time to get it all right

 

You know there more I think about it the more I question the rationality of this swap for the simple fact that it's really time consuming apperently but you know I can see the super duties being designed for the cummins simply because thier bigger cousins the 650 and 750 carry them and carry them well and alot of the parts are the same but personally I'd rather have a Chevrolet with a cummins in it than a ford with cummins for the simple fact that they are a better looking and riding truck in my opinion but that's not neccessarily what matters but here's another question. Why does it have to be a cummins? Why can't we find another mechanical engine that's just as capable in a smaller package that doesn't conflict with the Chevrolet truck's design such as maybe a 7.3 block and possibly putting a p pump between the heads. Has anyone ever tried to fit a 7.3 in one of these trucks? Or maybe even a 6v53 Detroit I'm sure it would scream. But anyway we go were talking thousands of dollars so right now I'm gonna call my source for the 6.5 engines and get one on a pallet and get it up here and have it running soon.

 

If you put a 7.3 in it and its a powerstroke you ether need all the electronics or you can put a in line pump on them and injectors but its pretty pricey. If you go with a 7.3 idi your right back in the same boat with the 6.5. You need to decide what your intent with this truck is. If it is going to be a daily driver and it was me I would try to find the oldest 6.5 you could. Preferably a 599 block and try to stay away from the newer 506 block. Right away put main studs and head studs in it along with a fluid damper. You could leave the the ds4 pump on it. Put a ecm and turbo controller on it and 4" exhaust. It should be good to around 300 hp which I know isn't setting the world on fire but thats about all they make for them. If you want to go more than that ether buy a dodge or put out the money and work.