Buying a 94 with a 6.5L?

[mndiesel]

Hello,
I joined the forum here because I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone. I'm thinking of buying a 94-96 Chevy 1/2 or 3/4 pick-up. I would really like to purchase a diesel for a number of reasons. I've heard some really bad stuff about the 6.5L and some people say they would never buy one again. What's your take? Anything to watch for, besides service history? I've heard all the stories about them not having enough power, but I won't be working the truck real hard so that's not an issue. Just want a straight answer. Would you run from one with 150K miles on it?


Thanks a bunch!

[GMCfourX4]

There are a LOT of these engines out there, and a lot of the problems have to do with people who don't understand how to service/maintain them properly. The biggest problem with these engines comes from the initial rush to get the electronic fuel injection pump on the market. The pump itself and the PMD (Pump Mounted Driver or Fuel Solinoid Driver, which controls the pump) were flaky early on. The late revisions of these items are far more reliable, and GM extended the warranty to 11 years/120,000 miles on them (more info about this on other parts of The Page). I know a fleet mechanic who works on a lot fo these trucks, and has very few problems. The reasons for this are probably the regular maintenance (2500-3000 mile oil changes, etc) and the daily fueling of the trucks. A lot of the problems with the electronic fuel pumps are suspected to be related to poor cooling of the electronics. The pump/electronics are cooled by the fuel running through them, and when you run below 1/4 tank of fuel in the summer, there isn't enough to keep things cool. In late 1996 and early 1997 some additional improvements were made in terms of power, cooling, etc. There is more info on this on the site as well. I have personally had excellent luck with my truck (bought with 59K, now with 125K+), as have all of the other owners I know personally. There is a wealth of information on this site, so reading the posts and articles should give you a good idea of what to watch out for. One thing to keep in mind is that people usually only post when they're having problems.... I don't want to make your decision here, I'm just trying to give you the info that I have which will hopefully lead you to an informed decision. If you have any specific questions, feel free to e-mail me, and good luck in your search!

-Chris

[1bad383]

Hey there MNDiesel, kinda lkike you I bought my first diesel at 150k. A 94 as well. It now has 203k on the ole girl with no major problems. A trip from Florida to Alaska and back to Florida towing a BIG trailer. Wintered it there for three years, never once pluged it in and it started every time. Even in -40* F. Wasnt fast starting, but it started. Just like the previous post said, regular oil changes ect. and it will last till the cows come home. But the truck and enjoy the rattling!

[1bad383]

Try that agian, BUY the truck and enjoy the rattling. Ahh, spelling!

[StephenA]

I owned two 7.3 diesels before I got my 92 6.5. Bought both new, one was a 1 ton crewcab 4x4 & the other a 1 tone dually powerstroke. The first 7.3 barely had much more power than my 92 6.5TD. The second had power to spare & was a good truck. I let it go before it needed rebuilding, but they are serious big bucks to work on. Cummings are too... I saw a Cummins injector pump rebuild for $2500. The 6.5 IP rebuild for my 92 is about $600. Once I upgraded to the 21" D-Max fan, it's so quiet, you don't think its a diesel. The truck is a K2500 with independent suspension (nice ride & handling) and with the help of this website, it's been a joy to work on.
My dad alawys bought Chevys & I grew up on them. I bought F**ds because I heard the horror stories on the Chevy diesel. Then bought the Chevy & experienced both. All I can say is my 92 is one hellava nice truck, & doing the mods is fun. I think the power mods available on this website will deliver all the power & longevity I'll ever need. Plus rebuilt engines with upgrades can be had much cheaper than power strokes & cummins, & the guys on this website & in the industry have worked out bugs & picked up knowledge that I nver could find for my other trucks.
My late year 92 (93) is mechanical injection with no engine computer. Simply put, this engine is very straight forward work horse, easy to work on & maintain.
Good luck

[mndiesel]

Thanks for the info guys! It's nice to know I'm getting information from people who really own them. There are a couple around here I will take a look at.

Thanks again!