new 6.5 owner question (new to board)

[Tony Mattingly]

I will be the proud owner of a 1994 6.5 turbo diesel 4X4 extended cab dually. It has a manual 4 speed trans with an overdrive.
I will be hauling a 35 feet holiday Rambler camper with it. (pull type)
I will pretty much be using this truck just for the camper and very little just driving around.
Here is what I want. I go to Tennessee a few times a year through the mountains. I want to be able to pull through the mountains with little problems and not be overheating when I get to the top. This is my first diesel and from what I have read so far I need to create a free flowing exhaust, open up the breathing, and improve the cooling.
What is the best/economical way to do this?
What about a computer chip improvement?

[ANXIOUS-SUBMAN]

Search, kick back, and read while enjoying your favorite beverage. It's all here. Just take your time and absorb.

[6.542762mw]

Do a search on this site on cooling upgrade, and read the forum that morepower started. Great info and did wonders for my 93 k3500, now I cant warm it up enough! Good start there and let us know...I even saved the cut out for the throttle braket you will need to make. Oh yea, welcome to the site!

Mark

[a5150nut]

First thing is gages, pyro and boost.
Aftermarket air filter and remove the tube in the fender if not allready done.
If you want a good chip that will do boost and fuel talk to Kennedy or Heath, both are listed here on the board.
Exaust, just run 3in all the way from the cat to the tip.Might do a little surgery on the cat too.
And remove the plastic 6.5 cover from the top of the engine, it's just a heat trap. And get a pmd cooler and mount behind the left head light.
Oh, and cooling, clean the radiator, flush and clean. Clean the oil cooler and the ac condensor very good. Put on the 97 duel theromstat set up with the 97 h2o pump.
I probably left out one or two items but I am sure somone will fill the gaps.....

[Barry Nave]

I will be the proud owner of a 1994 6.5 turbo diesel 4X4 extended cab dually.

Go to my Profile,there you can type in what truck you have and change it when ever you add parts and upgrade.
As for now can you give more history about this truck. Miles,work that has been done.
Being a 94,this is when GM went to the DS4 pump. This pump system use fly by wire,ECM/PCM control.
94&95 to me were the test dumies. Had lots of pump issues. You could take you VIN# to a GM dealer and get a histroy print out on what work was done and when it was done.
Thats what I did and this info helped when I started having problems.
Because of the history of my truck with in the first 45k miles(pre owner) I was able to get a new pump and at 65K a new long block.

[Tony Mattingly]

I am buying the truck from I guy I know so I do trust him. According to him and I guess I could run the numbers on the block, the truck has a factory replacement 6.5 in it. he said when he purchased the truck it was aleady in it. He said it had about 40.000 on the engine and he has put about another 15.000 on it. As far as modifications, probably none unless purchased that way as a replacement engine. The manual 4 speed/overdrive transmission has been rebuilt. I get the truck this Friday. There is a small oil leak that he is going to fix. It is where if it was a small block chevy, it is where the fuel pump would be.
I wonder if chevy did do any upgrades at all on the replacement crate engines?

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
the engine would depend on when it was done. It could be a REAL good block or it could be the same type of block that came out it. I would try to find out more about this...The oil leak sounds like the turbo oil return hose/intake. I think they ALL leak a little :D
Have fun...
L8r
Conley

[Barry Nave]

There is a small oil leak that he is going to fix. It is where if it was a small block chevy, it is where the fuel pump would be-

This would be the "always will leak GM oil cooler hose" This hose likes to leak where it joins up to the alum. tubing of the cooler.

[Black95TD]

I had very good luck on the cooling issue by cleaning the radiator and replacing the fan clutch with a Hayden HD unit that I got from Heath Diesel. I engaged much earlier than the stock unit. Lots of bugs and debris came out of the fins.

[Tough Guy]

Welcome to The Diesel Page!

Sounds like your gonna get DMS...Diesel Modification Syndrome.

Definetly start with gauges, then Exhaust, maybe a nice towing chip....Intercooler, HO water Mods........

It never ends. :D

Chris