Good 6.5 reman. engine source?

[zerousair]

I'm going to replace the engine in my '93 C2500 2wd pickup this summer. I would appreciate any opinions on a source that has proven to provide reliable engines with a 3 yr. warranty. I recently retired and now work part time, and hope for this truck to last me many more years. Just had a reman. Jasper 4L80E trans. installed a couple months ago. Thanks for any input.

[Robyn]

Welcome to TDP :D:):D

I will be honest here.

I have seen a lot of reman 6.2/6.5 stuff as well as the "New" Gm crate engines and have yet to be impressed.

Personally I would scrounge up a good 599 or 929 (NON squirt block) that is crack free in the basement to build on.

A set of factory rods will do fine.
Rebore to clean .5mm or .75mm OS
Set of new OEM type pistons
Get a scat cast steel crank
A fresh set of Clearwater heads.
Fresh injectors

Use all the peripherals off your engine or whatever you can scare up.

With this sort of buildup with attention paid to details, you will end up with a lovely engine that will run a good long time.

I would have the rotating assembly ballanced too before assembly.

Many of the rebuilds that are available are to put it bluntly, JUNK


To me a warranty is not much of a warm and fuzzy feeling, its just a prayer that the thing makes it through.

Hope this helps.

Robyn

[trbankii]

Along with Robyn's comments, is there anything wrong with the current engine or are you looking to "freshen things up" a bit?

My guess is that unless you have problems you'd be much better off taking your existing block and having a good shop do the work that Robyn mentions. The '93 should be the 599 block mentioned.

[zerousair]

Nothing I would rather do than rebuild the engine myself. I've done other engines before, enjoyed doing it, and had good service from them. But I'm working a 4 wk. in Europe/2 wk. back home schedule and just don't have time to do it. Sureley not all the remans. are junk?:(

[trbankii]

Truthfully, I'd feel more warm and fuzzy dropping it off at a good shop before you leave for four weeks and let them rebuild it for you than trusting a generic reman with who-knows-what components stuffed into it.

[Robyn]

Having a good shop do the rebuild would be a way to go.

Robyn

[CedarGrove]

I'm going to recommend the remaned engine from Reviva available through Kennedy Diesel. New AMG block and heads. I did this last year and I have no regrets. I think it's the only way to go. There are a bunch of cheap reman 6.5s out there, but this is the only one I trust. http://www.kennedydiesel.com/detail.cfm?ID=66

[MaxPF]

Welcome to TDP :D:):D

I will be honest here.

I have seen a lot of reman 6.2/6.5 stuff as well as the "New" Gm crate engines and have yet to be impressed.



Any new crate engine sold by GM should be an AMG/GEP Optimizer 6500, which is the latest and greatest. I can't see having too much problem with one of those. The only thing better would be a P400...

[zerousair]

I have recently resubscribed after letting my membership lapse for several years. I remember always hearing good reports about Kennedy diesel from the folks here, though. I'll probably go with this "Reviva" long block from them. Seems there's hardly anyone in my area who rebuilds engines anymore. Anyhow, I've got to drive from NC to Western Ark. next May and bring back a bad heavy old antique grist mill. No way am I making that trip with the 241,000 m. engine in my truck now. Got a fresh Jasper trans., and with the reman. engine I hope to drive it many more years. Been far and away the best truck I've ever owned and I just can't part with it.

[trbankii]

Any new crate engine sold by GM should be an AMG/GEP Optimizer 6500

I hadn't heard the connection of GM crate engines being the Optimizer now. The Optimizer would be a great way to go - GM crate or not. Here is the article (http://www.thedieselpage.com/features/AMGsnew65.htm) Jim put together awhile back.

[MaxPF]

I hadn't heard the connection of GM crate engines being the Optimizer now. The Optimizer would be a great way to go - GM crate or not. Here is the article (http://www.thedieselpage.com/features/AMGsnew65.htm) Jim put together awhile back.

That has been the case since GM quit making the 6.5 and sold out their old stocks of 6.5's. I don't know how their prices compare, but keep in mind there is no core charge with a GM crate engine.

The engine in that article is now called the P400. It has a full integral girdle and a forged steel crank. I would price out one of those before going the Optimizer route, keeping in mind that the P400 will requite a custom pan - the one shipped with it apparently doesn't fit the GM pickup chassis :(

[Diesel Don '98]

You can also buy directly from AM General. I emailed them about a shortblock and this was their answer and contact info.

GEP (AM General engines) does not offer a short block, only new long blocks. I can supply that to you for roughly $5,600 USD, FOB Franklin, OHIO. The engine will come crated and has all the tin covers but does not include manifolds or fuel system (it does have the injector nozzles) We are a distributor in Columbus Ohio, I am in the Detroit, Mi office.

Thanks.

Ron Taylor
Defense Business Development
W.W.Williams
Consider It Done
313.584.6150 Ext.337
313.584.1444 Fax
800.468.6332 Toll Free
mailto:rtaylor@wwwilliams.com

[zerousair]

I got a price of $7399 for a complete drop-in 6.5 "Reviva"
engine from USdieselparts.com. I won't have time to do the install myself, and I'd rather just pay up and get a new turbo, IP, injectors, etc. That's about the best price I've found for a drop in engine.

[midniteplowboyy]

Whats GEP price now? When Rod Townsend was alive, I could buy an Optimizer long block, have my IP rebuilt and get an ATT turbo for that price.

If spending that kind of money get the P-400 GEP engine and pay someone to mod the oil pan. That block should be bullet proof.

[Robyn]

Here is the cost run down so far on my 6.5 rebuild

Good 929 block $350
Pistons (New) $230 (to my door)
Rings (new) $35 (to my door)
Bearings, rods and mains $50 for all
Machine shop to bore, fit pistons
install cam bearings and soft plugs $300

Crank (Scat) $ 479 to the door
Crank (Forged from Peninsular) $??????????
Heads from Clearwater $ 650 to the door for a set
Head bolts $50 for both heads
Head gaskets $70 pair of .010" (Decked block)
Major gasket set $70 all other gaskets
Injectors rebuilt here locally $250

Incedentals $200 May be less

I will reuse my IP, cam,cam sprockets and other items.

This is a far cry from the 7K figure.

This will be a new engine with all major parts new and the cost will be under $3K

Now I may go with the forged crank from Peninsular and then have the whole shootin match ballanced.

Add $200 for ballancing

That number of $7K is a bit off me thinks.
Then you have labor to R&R the thing.

The Reviva engine if I am not mistaken are reman GM stuff.

Thats a lot of $$$$$ for reman GM Iron.

Robyn

[midniteplowboyy]

Amen Robyn.

I'd trust my old engine before one of them reman engines that are rebuilt from left over parts of failed engines.

I'd pay someone to go through the original engine(he's already got the best GM block), probly only needs rings, bearings, timing set and maybe heads(maybe not, my 92's were crack free @200k, my 93's had cracks but no leaks I replaced them with clearwater's). Or do like you did with new crank and heads, and add studs, pistons(maybe), fluidampr, HO water pump and rebuilt IP/injectors and have a darn good engine.



zerousair, do you have gauges, pyrometer, boost and trans? They'll be more important than a new engine. How heavy is this grist mill anyway?

[zerousair]

I've had an EGT and boost guage since I've had the truck. The opinions here are informed and well thought out. When I'm back home, I'll try again to find somebody with a good rep. to rebuild the engine. I just don't have the time. It has been a good engine, and trouble free except for an Inj. pump that wore out, and I replaced. Yeah, this grist mill is bad heavy. I'd estimate approx. 1800 lbs. Thanks to all for your time.

[midniteplowboyy]

Did you mean 18,000lbs?

Have the head gaskets been replaced on the old girl? If you haven't by now your engines lived a pretty easy life, most go @ around 200k, the factory head gaskets were not very good after they got some age on them.

All my trucks had them replaced @ or before 200k, but they've all been pulled hard except my 93(play truck) which I drive the heck out of. My 92's got 350k+, 93 got 220k+, 94 got 200k+, none of which have ever had the oil pan off of.

I used my 92 to haul cattle since new till 03 when I got the D-max. Loaded 24' trailer weight was around 18-19k usually, empty 6k+/-, it had around 300k on it when I quit using it to haul cattle to western OK from east Texas. Atleast 100k of those miles were with that trailer.

Main thing is water temp, if you can keep it below 210º(that's usually where I start backing off, but I'll push it a little farther paying attention) you'll be fine, these engines don't like being hot(that's when bad things happen). Keep it COOL!!!

For 1,800lbs, I'd just replace head gaskets(if they've never been replaced), install HO water pump(maybe a new fan clutch), AC/Declo stat, clean the radiator/condenser/coolers and replace the engine oil cooler lines/cooler(aftermarket, not GM style lines) and any other hose or belt/tensioner that seams questionable. With all that done, Id be more worried about something else failing than the engine, even with 18k.