Duramax power from a 6.5TD? Is it possible?

[Oldsmoke]

OK all you armchair engineers...fire away but trucdoc please try to restrain yourself.:D

[Stumped]

I like my old 6.5s,but no, I dont believe it could be done,and if it was poss,only for a couple seconds or so.The motor being indirect,isnt suitable or designed for it.When we were truck pulling,we gave a gold painted snow shovel and broom to a friend/Ford puller.I figure you'd need a shovel and some floor dry. lol Stumped..... Its funny when you go to k mart and buy kitty litter for those unforseen goshawful spills.I threw about 3-4 big bags on counter.She looked at me and asked"What kind of cat you got?"

[Oldsmoke]

I'm talking with 18/1 pistons and bigger pump,injectors, and turbo. Is there a bigger IP that can be made to work on these motors. I have an old DT466 IH with a rotary style American Bosch IP that looks like it might bolt on?

[962500]

I doubt very much that 6.5 could reliably make the power a Duramax can. The structural components of the engine just aren't designed to handle that kind of stress. I doubt very much the crank could handle that kind of power either.

That being said, with enough $$$$$, anything is possible. But i doubt very much of the engine would be left that is genuine 6.5 liter, other then maybe the displacement.

[hraney]

Not with any kind of reliability. I don't think the bottom end is there.
Ideally, I'd like to get about 225hp out of my 6.5 and have more gears (like a GearVendors setup). I think that is the best way of getting a 6.5 to 'pull'. These engines just don't have the torque spread the late model stuff does. The Duramax has more engineering behind it and will do more w/ less fuel.

[KungFooMASTA]

So is 300 to 450 rearwheel horsepower possible? Or am I wasting my time.

What is the highest horsepower and torque to the ground any one has proof of? Mods?

Do 6.5 people not even bother going to a dyno or does any one have any dyno sheets? Mods?

What are the fastest 1/4mile times and trap speeds anyone has. And what was it with a Blazer,Tahoe,Yukon,2doors-Suburban-Truck 2door excab crewcab-4wd or 2wd. Mods?

Id like to see some of this from a stock 6.5 also.

I know 6.5s arn't performance engines but still I would like to know what to expect from a 6.5 with some performance parts.

[JD_countryboy]

I have no hard data, but id say my 6.5 is makin more power than most. Only a couple people have driven my truck and they are impressed. I'm not done with planned mods yet either. Dmaxs are nice, i love to own one, cant afford it tho. If i could afford it, i wouldnt have the $ to play with it then. I havent drag raced anything with compareable loads, but i do seem to outrun quite a few people even when i'm pullin a trailer. I did once hook to the same empty trailer that i pull at work with a stupid duty/power joke/slipomatic. My truck's rear suspension squatted a bit more (F350 compared to my 2500) but i know my truck pulle dthat trailer from a dead stop much better than the stupid duty. Was unable to pull a load on that trailer with my truck cause some dummy wired the the trailer connector on the ford wrong. didnt have the time to change my truck or make an adapter. So i just hooked it back to the stupid duty. Just my $.02 worth.

(don't mean affend any ford fans, but what do you expect Your on a CHEVY Forum.)

[trukdoc]

...enginered for torque-lo end -work power...before you laugh...6.2 was and is a tough u know what...6.5 was a power upgrade from 6.2...6.5 had and makes enough power to win power trials w/uncle suger,hence h-1...durability ease of repair 6.5 has em beat...ford on the other hand took a medium duty diesel and put it in a p/u...in 78 at ih dealership I put a lot of flex plates in 75pass. school buses..engine torque would brake em engine? 155hp 6.9..believe it...duramax was designed originally to replace 4bd2 in med.duty service..isuzu npr chev. w4,etc...I have a 200h in 3500HD,4L80E,4.88 rear,19.5 rubber...I have pulled 10yd mixers{dead w/mud in drum}dead weight with mine it weighs 11150lb all time,but I digress...with enough $$ and time anything is possible but I don't think a hi hp 6.5 would hold togather very looong

[trukdoc]

...problem is there is no aftermarket support...face it boyz THEY think we're the crazies...

[Husker 6.5]

OK, my turn. Stock F engine is 190/380, later ones were 205/405. With a 80 HP chip, Marine injectors, and #9 resistor you are now at about 270/550. Add a 4" exhaust and intake to open up breathing and you'll be pushing 300/610 at the crank. This is right in line with the STOCK D-max numbers for the first two years they were produced.

Now have some fun, add water/methanol injection and you'll pick up another 30-40 HP and 60/80 lb/ft of torque - 330/670 to 340/690. Right in with the 03-06 STOCK D-max's.

Go totally wild and add propane for another 50 HP! This is the very limit of what a healthy 6.5 block can handle - about 380/740, but I'd go to head studs before adding propane.

Need to bug Walt to throw his blazer on the dyno he's got propane, but not water/meth, and all above mentioned add-ons - of course he sells them!

Husker 6.5

[trukdoc]

...my 94 4by all ready has pmd w/#9 in it...I didn't think it would hold togather so never really tried..this is why I luv this site..I got to go book a big job for some toy money..whoo hoo!!!!!

[Oldsmoke]

Apologies for trying to flog an old horse to death. I guess there are more practical topics to discuss but thanks anyway trucdoc.

It is possible to get the 6.5 up to early Duramax power levels with enough tinkering but for what you would spend you may as well just buy a used Duramax.

[Stumped]

I watch the trader,boy those D maxs hold their $$ well

[Husker 6.5]

I watch the trader,boy those D maxs hold their $$ well

Exactly!! With the cooling upgrade you can put about $2,500 into your truck (depending on year) and get the performance of a stock D-max, or you can drop 5 or 6 times that amount for a high milage early std cab 2wd D-max. I watch the prices in the Trader and other pubs up here in Nebraska, too.

Husker 6.5

[trukdoc]

...like a knowledgeable hot rod guy your #s to chip up a 94up sound right on money...but what about my old horse 93 mech.200hp..have ss coolin upgrade already.."turn up" pump???"marine"injs???what else???...not lookin for dyno queen just sustainable power for my 3500HD...I can make any large car sing and dancebut would rather get good poop before experimenting on by svctrk that makes my livin....like I said I know alot but darn sure don't know it all...

[trukdoc]

...in process of building up an engine for her right now..blocks at mach.shop... don't have big budget but since it's apart might as well make her sing...

[Garth J]

I had a 94 with all the mods possible it pulled my 5th wheel not bad but now I have a 01 d-max with only 4 inch exhaust and there is no comparrison especially on long hills...Garth

[Oldsmoke]

No comparison....somebody say it ain't so! Is it time to start saving for a new truck?

We can't let Garth have the last word on this!!!

[Garth J]

On a flat run like entering a freeway the 6.5 wound up prety good but the d-max pulls on hills and doesnt seem to run out of torque.

[Garth J]

Hey Oldsmoke I dont know if you know of the Cquihalla highway out here but comming from Kamloops south pulling my 8500 pound 5th wheel I pulled that long hill at 55 mph and didnt have my foot too deep into it ...G

[Oldsmoke]

I have driven that highway years ago in the car. I think I could pull my small 5th wheel up there at 55mph but she'd be in direct drive.

I'm coming for you man.... soon as I get my water/meth system on.

[JD_countryboy]

In my 93, about $2,500 in 3 gauge pillar, marine inj, rebuilt pump, tranny rebuilt (upgraded HD internals) rebuilt HD torque converter, glow plugs,new right side exhaust manifold, 4"exhaust, upgraded SS crossover. $50 external tranny cooler. That was round 1. Now im at the $275 in a turbo, (supposed to be a 25% more boost) And $10 in a homeade adjustable wastegate controler. New harmonic balancers (forget how much but not really an upgrade) And $300 in the cooling upgrade. It runs great, better than most any ive driven, and the 2 people that have driven mine and a couple others, say mine kicks @ss. I'm not done yet. IC and possible water/meth inj yet. Need to find the $ to fund the rest yet. Allof this is within the last 13 months. Just for your info.

[trukdoc]

...paid for...comperable new is @65k...I can put a lot of green in mine{wife freaked when she saw cost of new rig}sooo I kinda have a free hand..new ip @7mths ago..cooling upgrade in june...tranny rebuilt inmarch{upgraded}rig is heavy alla time{11150lbs curb weight}...just looking for dependable power..any other suggestions???

[Oldsmoke]

OK, my turn. Stock F engine is 190/380, later ones were 205/405. With a 80 HP chip, Marine injectors, and #9 resistor you are now at about 270/550. Add a 4" exhaust and intake to open up breathing and you'll be pushing 300/610 at the crank. This is right in line with the STOCK D-max numbers for the first two years they were produced.

Now have some fun, add water/methanol injection and you'll pick up another 30-40 HP and 60/80 lb/ft of torque - 330/670 to 340/690. Right in with the 03-06 STOCK D-max's.

Go totally wild and add propane for another 50 HP! This is the very limit of what a healthy 6.5 block can handle - about 380/740, but I'd go to head studs before adding propane.

Need to bug Walt to throw his blazer on the dyno he's got propane, but not water/meth, and all above mentioned add-ons - of course he sells them!

Husker 6.5

Thanks for the moral support Husker! I needed that. I do feel that my truck might be at the 250hp./500ft.lb torque level. It really hangs in there now on an uphill pull. (I'm talking Manitoba hills) and will lay two blackies about 20ft. long with the 265/16's. Probably putting out about the same power as a 454 Chev or 460 Ford gaser?

[JD_countryboy]

Purchase price was same as first upgrade, looked really rough, but has the markings of a new(er) gm crate engine. Frame awsome, 136,000 miles. figured it was a good platform for upgrades. And i can come up with more "spare parts" for this engine/truck. Found a less then 100,000 mile engine in need of a head. price is right too, "just get it outta my barn" maybe a possible later project for another truck

[trukdoc]

...d.p. mag.this mths issue in back as usual article forNEXT issue is 6.5 build up claims 300hp at rear wheels...

[JD_countryboy]

saw that. but as with the last "6 part artical" on 6.5 upgrades, i'll belive it when i see it. And wont hold my breath.

[Stumped]

My subscription runs out soon,not re newing,I dont need a 6 pg writeup every month on how to install an exhaust system.

[trukdoc]

...happened to slezyrider mag...started out ok..homebilt bikes..tru custom 1 of a kind stuff..morphed into advertizing shill for hi doller show queens..as if anyone would ride a 30-40k$ paint job on street...{any color is ok as long as it's black}...last few issues ALL about racing circuit...I ain't got 30k$ to spend on an engine just to go 1/4mi reallllly fast...

[JD_countryboy]

but remeber, they are informing the people who bought a diesel to join the "in crowd" they probly dont have any idea what, or how the truck runs. To them thats great stuff. And All the advertisements help keep the cover price down. Most likely there truck won't ever see any more of a load than the family and groceries, if that. But yea, for those of us who use a real truck, most of the magizine is pointless. But sometimes a decent artical or two makes it in.

[KungFooMASTA]

I was just gonna post about that "300 wheel horse 6.5" in Diesel Power. But anyway I just renewd about 8 months ago for 2 more years. Stupid to pay for 150 pages of adds and 50 pages of how to put and air filter exhaust and chip on a newer truck I cant afford.

This months issue was somewhat different it actually took me longer than one and a half hours to read. So they are trying and they claim "again" to have six five stuff other than one to two sentences in mag just to keep us "happy". But last month I was going to let my subscript run out but if they get more articles about 6.5 or anything besides Powerjoke, Cummapart, Durajunk I donk know.

I will probably let it run out and just look at the store look through if they got 6.5 stuff I'll buy it if not leave it.

Just a side note this month D-P had around 215 pages only 80 of those were article. Petersons off road had 116 pages and 69 pages were article.

So I think I will change to that and Petersons off road is half the price.

So Diesel Power=Fail

[grvrjr]

You can get a 6.5L up to the LB7 horsepower numbers and thats it.

[deerefanatic]

Yah, don't wreck a 6.5 trying to make it a D-Max eater. I've come to the point where I'm not doing anything to my 6.5. I'm leaving it be as it will be quite the show truck in a few more years when most 1/2ton diesels are aftermarket marvels instead of stock engineering.

My power truck is going to be my project truck... '47 Chev 1.5 ton that I'm stickin' a 6BT Cummins twin-turbo in.......... Gonna use it as a custom hauling truck.

[edzzed]

that 300hp at the rear wheels for a 6.5 is real. Ian from heath diesel owns it and he has everything that heaths makes on it plus propane and wmi. about the only thing i am missing from my mods is intercooler, propane and 18-1 pistons. i went up the coquihalla last month. heading up country i was at 60mph on the last hill before the toll booths, i had to back off the throttle as my egt's were 1300f:eek: nice of our govt. to remove the tolls after i got home. the coquihalla is now FREE to drive. anyhow i don't know my loaded weight but had the camper in my avatar plus 12ft tin boat and klr650. plus enough groceries and water for two weeks. all in all i figure 60 mph up the hill was pretty good. on the way home from the shuswap i was able to sustain 70mph even going up the hill in kamloops. Ed

[Buddy]

Well the guy that works on my truck at a great diesel only shop that rebuilds IPs and all sorts of things has an older late 80s truck that now has a 6.5 in it, modded it with a turbo, which says 6.2 turbo power, and has the mechanical IP, marine injectors and a lift pump with like 12PSI you can hear while driving on the interstate and he drives it everyday and races it and he beats out d-max's and powerstrokes.