TheNeckasaurus

Hey guys, Ive come across a 1996 chevy 6.5l diesel. I myself am looking for a cummins for my personal truck, but I saw this chevy and the guy wants dirt for it. Id use it just for a anything truck, something to mess around with. But I dont want to get into a pile of junk, what are your thoughts on these pre dmax diesels specifically the 6.5l?

randallp84

My dad bought one a while back just to have another truck that he can abuse and not feel bad about it I guess. It's a 96 or 97 and he loves it. Says it pulls pretty good. I haven't pulled with it but I drove it and I was not impressed, but I'm used to a common rail Cummins. I don't think he's had any problems with it yet and it was pretty abused before he got it. I would say if it runs and there's nothing wrong with it and it's dirt cheap, go for it.

Diesel Dave2

Was it the Chev 6.5 diesels that had problems of cracking blocks??I now there was one Chev diesel engine that if you didn't allow them to idle a while after a long trip and shut them down hot...there was a risk of cracking the block..

Fiftygrit

Had one and it was nothing but trouble, 3 high pressure fuel pumps at $1200 bucks a pop, it didnt pull worth crap, the fuel mileage was worse than my cummin`s, and that was under 100k miles, just my experience.

TheNeckasaurus

thats good enough for me to say no haha

j-fox

One of my brothers bought one and always said it was a great truck. It had fuel pump problems electrical issues and got 13-14 mpg empty. When the trans went out we hauled my dodge on a flat trailer to a shop. His would drop to 45 on the up side of overpasses!!!!

wannadiesel

Don't do it! I had a '95 Suburban and it was one thing after another - mostly electrical/electronic. I eventually got it reliable enough to sell and was very happy to unload it.

Lil Dog

That shop took your money.. Most times it was the electronics on the pump that dies (cant remember the name of the module) and for $300 you replaced it and kept going. Most hard core guys moved this module to the firewall and it was a non issue. Not saying I would ever buy one.. I've rebuilt about 4 or 5 6.2's in my time and they are not built anything like a Cummins so don't expect them to last as long. Cracked heads, injectors, water pumps, soft cams... all for a measly 200 ish hp.

MikeyB

Must be talking about the PMD. Common problem with the module due to heat soaking.

Heath Diesel is a one stop shop for the GM diesels.
http://www.heathdiesel.com/

MikeyB

Lil Dog

Thank you! Price is higher than I remember too..

infidel

I always thought the 6.5 was just a gasoline engine that they swapped the spark plugs for injectors.

Lary Ellis (Top)

That Pretty much describes it to a "T" save your money it would be better invested in a Ford Pinto

Zeus1987

makes sense lol, 6.5L = 396 = same displacement as camaro ss motor haha

patdaly

That essentially was the 5.7, based on the Olds 350. They made great high nickel race blocks converted back to gasser.

The 6.2/6.5 was a Detroit from the start........I can't say anything bad about the 86 I had, I beat that thing like a red headed stepchild, and even with the Banks Turbo, she never left me stranded.

I couldn't run with even the early CTD's though......

bkrukow

My dad bought an 84 6.2 Chevy new and sold it to my brother last year when he bought his Duramax. It has somwhere around 250k miles with nothing other than a IP and glow plugs. He works for the elevator and they used to do a LOT of spraying with slide in truck sprayers. They had a early 90s Cummins and a mid 90s Chevy 6.5. Everyone always wanted the Chevy. The Dodge couldent get out of its own way with the sprayer on and they claimed the Chevy would run circles around the dodge. They would beat the snot out of the trucks running threw the feilds spraying and the Dodge was always the one in the shop. The 6.5s may not have a great reputation but they are not as bad as some on here would have you balive. The Cummins had/has its own set of very expensive common failiurs as well.