New (to me) 6.5, want to do some mods :):)

[triathlete.az]

Just bought my first diesel on July 5th and am not going back to a gas truck. Bought a 1995 C3500 ext cab, long bed dually to replace the '96 454 suburban.

This truck is stock and I want to change that. I know I need to add a boost, EGT and tranny temp guage. I ran a Nordskoq tranny guage in my burb as I towed a lot, however, they are pricey. What would be a good choice for guages?

After adding guages, what should be done. This will be used as a daily driver, driven aboout 300 miles on the weekend to visit some friends and tow a 5th wheel (still looking) and also tow a boat.

Thanks for all the help in advance.

Semper Fi

[MTTwister]

Do a search on those topics, and read till your head spins. Search feature is at the upper right of the screen.

[Iain]

Only my opinion, but first thing you should do is get a Fuel Solinoid Driver (FSD) Cooler kit. That is the little bloack box on the side of your injection pump. The stock mounting position can cause failure due to high heat. Relocate it to a cooler spot and it will last a lot longer. Search hear on the site for brands and locations.

Next, upgrade your cooling system to the 1997 specs, especially if you are towing down there in the heat. The 1997 and newer 6.5's came with a high volume water pump and dual thermostats. Add in a larger 21" Duramax plastic or a steel 9 blade fan and HD fan clutch. Set aside a good weekend to do this job!

Guages are important, but you have already pointed that out!

Exhaust upgrade to a free flowing exhaust system. Look at www.kennedydiesel.com (http://www.kennedydiesel.com) and explore John's site for exhaust info. His site has lots of other info on upgrades and modifications.

There are a ton more upgrades you can do depending on your pocketbook depth. Look around at some of the other sites like DSG (www.dieselservices.com), Peninsular Diesel (www.peninsulardiesel.com), BD Diesel (www.performanceassist.com) or Heath Diesel (www.heathdiesel.com). These places offer lots of info to research on various upgrades. You'll be dreaming of modifications once your done. Just do a bit at a time and enjoy the experience of the 6.5 TD.

Best of luck,

Iain

[GMC Hauler]

Here is a link to explain what the PMD is, what it does, and how to make it more reliable. PMD Isolator (http://www.thedieselpage.com/reviews/pmdisolatorr.htm)

My signature line has a link you can click on to see some mods.

Here is a link to all the articles. Do some reading. Feature Reviews. (http://www.thedieselpage.com/feature.htm)

Welcome to the Page.

[JeffsTowTruck]

MY TRUCK IN NOT A DAILY DRIVER BUT I DO PULL A 37' T/T. MY FIRST UPGRADE WAS THE FSD COOLER ONLY BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE A WARRENTEE AND DO NOT HAVE THE CASH TO KEEP PUTTING ON INJECTION PUMPS LIKE GM. THAT ACTUALLY FIXED THAT PROBLEM.. NEXT I WENT WITH A 3" FREE FLOWW EXHAUST SYSTEM FROM A LOCAL MUFFLER SHOP. I ALSO GOT A K& N AIR FILTER.. THE BETTER THE AIR GOES IN AND OUT IS GOOD.. I WANT TO GET THE DOWN PIPE FOR THE TURBO. IT WILL REALLY HELP WITH MORE POWER. I DID NOT WANT TO WATCH GAUGES AND TURN SWITCHES SO I WENT WITH AN INTERCOOLER TO HELP OUT AND GOT THE COMP. REDONE BY THE INTERCOOLER GUYS AT TURBO TECH. THAT MADE A BIG DIFF.
EVERY ONE IS GOING TO FREAK BUT SINCE I HAVE THE 97 AND IT HAS THE GOOD COOLING MODS DONE FROM THE FACTORY I HAVE NOT GOT ANY GAUGES YET. :eek:
THE REST OF YOU , KEEP IT TO YOUR SELF, I KNOW I SHOULD HAVE THEM BUT A FAMILY MAN HAS TO GET WHAT HE CAN.. THAY ARE COMING MAYBE AFTER THE DOWN PIPE