6.5 replacement engine

[cass]

i have been looking for a 6.5 for months. i have found one with 100k for 2250. i have found 6.2s for 750-1200 that can be adapted or would i be best to get a reman off of ebay for 3k or so. any suggestions i appreciate. thanks cass pace

[Robyn]

I would be very careful about who I paid any amount of $$$ to for a 6.5

The dealers that advertise here at TDP are trustworthy.

Too many used 6.5 engines have issues that you cant see untill you get it apart.

If you can get a good Core 6.5 complete from a wrecker that will guarantee the block and crank to be crack free then grab it.
If they wont walk away, you can be buying hundreds of $$$ of scrap iron.

[ogrice]

A lot of fleet trucks used to have 6.5TD and 6.5 n/a engines. Some have converted to cummins 12v. Fleet vehicles get engines changed out by schedule/age not by mileage. My personal experience was getting a 6.5 Long block from a Frito Lay fleet truck. Got the engine apart after I bought it and it was brand new on the inside. 0% carbon buildup on the exh side valves and exh ports. In the rebuild I reused all the original rings and bearings because the machine shop told me that there was no dectectable wear. The best thing was the price. I paid 600 cash for the engine which I bought as a rebuildable core and all I did was check which one had the least amount of carbon in the exh side. Look around, make some calls invest some time into it and stay away fom the wrecking yards if possible. You'll find gold in rich companies trash.




Thats right only 600 cash. No 3 grand+tax+freight. It worked for me and it can work for you.

[Robyn]

This is good info !!!

[gmctd]

Keep an eye out for a 599 block 6.2 - the thicker cylinder walls and the smaller bore with less undercutting of the mains webbing could be just the ticket.

Build it as a 6.2TD with 18:1 pistons, and it may well survive the crumbly block syndrome - what's 300cc's among survivors, anyway?

[cass]

i can buy a military 6.2 for 700. what about putting my heads and such on it? diesel depot wanted to build me a 6.2 with my extra parts. are they ok? they had some of those frito lay engines but sold out. any suggestions? thanks cass

[Robyn]

Beware of the military stuff.
Unless you can hear it run and its gauranteed it could be a real headache.
I looked at a bunch of Mil stuff recentlly and it was JUNK.
Approach with caution and keep a close watch on your wallet.

Loads of stuff out there that may not make you happy in the long run.

After what I have seen in the GM diesels I personally would not buy anything unless it was in pieces that I could inspect for myself.
Too many cracked blocks, rusty cylinders, bad this and that for sale.

If it comes with a WRITTEN gaurantee you can probably do ok.

[ogrice]

For any 6.2l or 6.5l out of mil-spec vehicles. Try to buy a surplus engine. A TRUE surplus engine usually means never installed, but it may have been sitting in a warehouse for 18 yrs and is rusted together internally.
Military vehicles are usually repaired until repairs will not make the vehicle serviceable again, engines being no exception. You must at least inspect the intake, exhaust or yank one of the heads off if possible. I can safely say that 90% of military 6.2/6.5l engines that have been run, gets run to death. You may find an eligible core to remanafacture, but nothing that is "drop-in ready" quality.

Now, however keep the name of the guy who is selling the stuff. If he is active duty then he can get access or already has access to the surplus untouched engines. If possible find out from what area the engines are coming from. If the engines are coming from Iraq and Afghanistan, forget it. If they are coming from a reserve unit that is based in the U.S. or a large U.S. base like Fort Benning, you should take some time and check it out.


Do the research.