so my good ol 6.5 is climbing in mileage and i want to have an engine set aside for when it goes. ive heard several options for swaps or builds and dont know which one to use.
i have heard of the 6.2/6.5 hybrid builds being stronger and more reliable due to the 6.2's stronger block? but ive been recently looking at the optimizers and p400's... p400 will absolutely never happen at around 10 grand. i have seen some somewhat decent prices for used optimizers including a guy that said he got one shipped to his door for 2500. but i havent been able to find any such thing.. ive heard the 6.2/6.5 hybrid builds are cheap but how will it compare to an optimizer? any help, links to info, anything is appreciated, thanks in adance

 

Look on ebay/google for teds trucks and stuff-military takeouts low or 0 mileage or sometimes even crate engines available as surplus.

Contact info here to email or call and ask what they still have?
Teds Trucks N Stuff Microsite at Construpages.com

 

oh yeah, goin for low mileage, i mean from what ive heard these things are on par with 7.3's when talking about being legendary and reliable so not worrried about a 100,000 mile engine that has a strong block and can be rebuilt

 

the only one he has is a navistar 506 block, and im pretty sure ive got the 506... so im guessing navistar was the company that made the GM cast blocks?

 

Navistar blocks have a diamond shaped set of dimples in the intake valley.

Navistar foundry and GM foundry are 2 different animals.

The blocks might be marked 506 but if it don't have the diamond it's not a navistar.

 

okay so they have a 506 that gm made and also a navistar 506?

 

and its the navistar 506 block what the optimizer uses?

 

I am not sure of what casting numbers that are out there,but there is also a GEP block that is available.

 

in May I ordered a GEP optimizer long block, from Ted Truck's, and had a local shop do the r/r. they sell the Humvee repower program diesel motors. the motors have between 10,000 and 40,000 miles on them. all of ted's motors have three separate compression and oil pressure test and you will receive a copy of the results with your engine. the optimizer costs around $2,900.00. freight included a $100 charge for crating, freight total was around $400.00 to the PNW, but since you are much closer to AL, it should be much less freight to you. I am very happy with the GEP optimizer, my last fill up resulted in 23.5mph (mostly hwy) and we're travelling up hills in OD instead of D. it was no problem to hook up the optimizer to a 700r4, mechanical ip, "V" belt accessory setup, and banks sidewinder turbo.

alec