1994 6.5 vs 1999 6.5

[6.5rollback]

Hey Fellas, I need your valuable advice again. If you have been following my threads you will know that I blew the engine in my 1999 Chevy 3500. Don't know the extent of the damage yet; what I thought was a broken timing chain now appears to be a broken crank just under the front two cylinders. My situation now is the option of putting a used engine in. A friend of a friend has a 1994 Chevy Ambulance with a 6.5. He assured me that it is a strong running engine without about 160,000 miles on it, just needs a starter.
My questions are:
1. Will the 1994 block bolt in where a 1999 came out? the ambulance has an automatic and my rollback has a stick.
2. If the answer to #1 is yes, would you recommend dropping the pan and replace all the crankshaft bearings and oil pump while it is out of the truck.
I want all of you to know that I appreciate all the advice you provide.
v/r
6.5rollback

[grancito]

It will bolt in, but check that it doesn't have a DS4 5068 injector pump, that will not function with your ECM. Don't worry about the bottom end, but that year has lifter problems.

[6.5rollback]

If it does have the wrong injector pump, can I switch the one from my 1999?
It is a good pump. I may put new lifters in it while out of the truck.

Thanks for your help, once again.

[BeelzaBubba]

Sure, you can switch the pump and replace the lifters. I'd also replace the harmonic balancer too; especially if it is an original. This is frequently the cause of crank failures.

[Husker 6.5]

If you replace the harmonic damper, bite the bullet and put on a Fluidamper. You'll never have to replace the damper ever again, and will have 100% peace of mind that you'll never have an unannounced damper failure/broken crankshaft.

Also, don't forget that you have to swap the flex plate on the '94 auto for the flywheel on the '99 manual, too. After you've wrangled the new engine into place is not the time to remember to swap them!

[trukdoc]

...has piston cooler nozzles and "improved"cooling the 94 doesn't have either...

[Husker 6.5]

My final advice, swap the motors, tear down the '99 and rebuild the bottom end if there's no block damage. A cast steel Scat crank is fairly cheap. Use the Fluidamper off the '94 when you swap back. The '99 is a far superior block.

[6.5rollback]

Thanks Husker, that was my plan. I appreciate all the help

[Husker 6.5]

No problem. Here to help as much as I can with almost 20 years experience with 6.2/6.5 family of engines.