I am trying to find as much info on 6.5s as I can. Some day (when I blow up the gasser) I want to use this engine in a swap, but that isn't for awhile. In the mean time I am trying to learn what I can about them. I spent some time in the military rebuilding 6.5 N/A's and 6.5 turbos so I have the basics, but not sure where those engines fall in line with the civilian 6.5s.

What years should I look at getting?

Is there any sigificant difference between the mechanical engines and the electric ones?

How well do these engines handle upgrades? Without going crazy expensive, what is a reasonable and safe HP/Torque goal? The turbo engines I built of the USMC were usually 190-200hp and I've forgotten the torque number. A 6.5T can do better than that right?

 

92 and 93 "599" blocks are the best of the 6.5's. I would go with one of them or a late 6.2. I would stay away from the later 6.5's ones with oil cooled pistons.
The major difference between the mechanical and electronic 6.5's are the injection pumps.
You can get about the same amount of power out of a 6.5 as a stock early duramax. There isn't enough after market to make big power with the 6.5.

 

The one you subtract .6 from

 

I'm not looking to make big power. Just wondering what kind of relieable power is availible. I have no idea how much an early duramax puts out. I'm more of a powerstroke guy so you'll have to break it down barney style for me.

The engine I wanna replace with the 6.5T is a SBC 350 rated at 170HP@3800 270TQ@2400. But that was all the way back in 1980. The vehicle itself weighs in around 3550#s.

 

you can make 230 rwhp pretty reliably. early dmax makes 310 hp and 520 ftlbs. you can do it with a 6.5 but it costs money. i dont know how much money you want to throw at this but the best blocks are the miltary ones from 2001 and on. but those can be a little $$$

 

Thanks for the info. Not sure how much I am going to want to spend on this setup yet. What is a rough price estimate for taking a stock 6.5 to a 230hp monster?

I should have snuck out a block or two when I was in the military. I'm sure no one would ask why I was lifting a couple blocks into the bed of my truck

 

An early D-max makes about 300hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. You can get more out of them a place called Heath diesel has one making over 500 hp. To get a 6.5 to handle that you have to do more work to the bottom end but if you are doing a complete rebuild I would go a head and do the improvements.

If it was me I would find a late 6.2 one with a one piece rear main, scat crank, main studs, fluid damper. Find a set of J head off a 6.2 or a later set of 6.5 heads. If you want more power go with bigger pre chambers if you want fuel economy go with small prechambers. Head studs. Put a 96 1/2 or newer cooling system on it. Turn the db2 pump up and put a turbo on it.

If you do all that it should make a pretty dependable engine.

 

Put a cummins in it. Otherwise you'll just be doing this

 

A cummins won't fit without serious modification and I don't wanna do that much custom stuff.

 

I think I might have found a donor engine. I have found a 86 suburban with 175K. 4x4, auto, R-134A A/C, 2nd owner, delo 400 every oil change. New inj pump at 100k. The guy is asking $450

Doe that sound reasonable? I mainly care about the engine, but having a decent shape suburban sounds like I might be able to make back a couple bucks to help pay for the rebuild. I am going to hopefully rebuild it in my Auto Tech class at the local college.