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Another 6.5 bites the dirt

Man, you guys sure got a different idea of fun than I do!

If you go on vacation, and need to find something entertaining to do,
come on down to my place and pull my water pump off and
fix my oil leak :D

It's only fun on your own truck!

I thinik Gm's main mistake is that they didn't realize 210 was max safe operating temp. Just because things don't go boom instantly doesn't mean damage isn't done. Guage reads red at 260! my stock worn out fan didn't kick on till 230's... My brand new oem replacement comes on at 210, but I have to slow down, and get out of the pedal for it to kick on. I have seen 220 again with my replacement oem fan.

I'm going super duy clutch from Kennedy or Heath before next winter, If i have to drop to 180t-states from 195's just so the clutch DIS-Engages I will. I'd rather have it stay on then not come one. i don't mind having a summer clutch, and a winter clutch (severe duty being winter) as its easy to swap.

My plow is my problem, its huge, and heavy, and blocks radiator front.

I don't want hassles of electric fans for the little time I have the plow on.

Now considereing some doubt the 97 block, When I bought the truck itw as someone's fleet truck. the Temp guage sensor DIDN"T WORK!!! People plowed with it and on highway with my plow she'll get HOT HOT fast...

Now, since I've had it (3-4yrs) the first year before forums, I didn't think 230 was bad either. Thats when the fan kicked in...

Since then I am comfortable with 210, but still worry any hotter.

No signs of cracked block, ZERO blowby, 124k miles.
When I rebuilt a head last winter due to valve malfunction, my cylinder walls looked so perfect they had some sort of spherical mesmerizing effect because your eyes couldn't focus on the walls, as they were so flawlessly mirror perfect.

On a side not here, my truck started UNPLUGGED at 8df ambiets after sitting over night on 7 cylinders (do to valve trouble on 8th). Not much tougher than usual.

Smoked like a champ, but fired right up.

I think most of these blocks cracked from overheat.
 
Matt,
I wouldn't go with electric fans, unless you are adding them to what you already have. I have a gasser that I plow with. Running down the highway with the plow on, it would overheat if I didn't keep it around 50mph and watch it. I removed the mechanical, and put in two electric fans. Same exact result as the mechanical.
 
A good radiator that will off the heat along with a good fan and the engine should stay at 190F with a 180F stat under very tough conditions.

If the unit is heating up especially in the cooler times of the year I would yank the radiator and blow out all the crud between the AC condenser and the Radiator and be sure the condenser is clean and will passs air freely.

The stock radiators are marginal once they get high miles.

A performance duty radiator will cool the beast.

MGW
 
Actually the HMMWV still uses the optimizer 6500, not the P400. Basically its our engine, with more/better metal in the block and no piston squirters, heads are pretty close to the last ones GM made, 130GPM water pump and a single stat, mechanical injected.

But, I do agree with you that they seem to last pretty good, especially if you consider they run a 195 stat and kick the fan on @230ºF(you read that right), so the engine runs @230 all the time, I wonder what moron came up with that Ideal, sure its good for fuel effiecency but not an indirect injection engine. I bet they would last alot better running a 180 stat and 190 fan temp over there, and the DB2 with JP-8 would be alot happier also.

The P400 actually was built by AMG for the HMMWV/MRAP crossbreed thing(I cant remember the name right now). Its intercooled with 250hp IIRC. Rod Townsend told me the gov didn't want to spend the extra money for repowering with the P400, they would have to redo motor/driveshaft mounts and the IC posed a problem for a simple repower. That and the military dont want them to have any more power, so much for the guy driving it, huh.

Me myself, try to keep my 6.5's below 210ºF also, I think the 195 stat(what I run) is fine as long as you can move the water fast enough to keep it below 210 and enough radiator/fan to sustain it). I've seen my 93 have 125º water entering the head and have 215º water exiting it. The 130 pump does keep the block temps more stable than the 85gpm did though, the right bank usually runs a tad cooler than the left now, instead of 15º hotter.
 
A good radiator that will off the heat along with a good fan and the engine should stay at 190F with a 180F stat under very tough conditions.

If the unit is heating up especially in the cooler times of the year I would yank the radiator and blow out all the crud between the AC condenser and the Radiator and be sure the condenser is clean and will passs air freely.

The stock radiators are marginal once they get high miles.

A performance duty radiator will cool the beast.

MGW


I have no problems as long as there is not a 9' plow bloacking the wind coming in, its arced also, so when it snows, and you drive through snow with plow up, you can see it shed the airflow up and over the hood.

Everything is fine and cool and dandy when the fan clutch kicks in... Just does it too late as mentioned above.

Need a superduty early kick on clutch.

What do you recommend for a performance grade radiator?
 
Custom built radiator is about the only choice I see.

Not sure what I am going to do with the DaHoooley Amount of $$$$$$$$$$$$$ available when I get that far will dictate whether I use an OEM replacement or ????????

Just not sure yet.

Was not a great time to lose the engine (as if anytime ever is)

I may have a local custom Rad shop build a new one with aluminum tanks and HD core.

MGW
 
Update

machine shop called today.

Hmmmm One of the new pistons was mismarked and is a .75mm OS and not a .50mm
Have to get another .50 coming first of the week.
 
Thanks for the updates, Robyn! Hope it's all going well.. not that I expect anything different, with you in charge! :D
 
Here are some pix of the yanking session :eek:

The skid steer unit is a real handy tool here at the ranch.
2000# air chain hoist hung off a hook on the bucket and Presto, out with the 6.5 in a jiffy.
 

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Yep, using skidsteers is cheating!! j/k they sure are SUPER handy and doing just about a little of everything.... Plust all the hydralic attachment possibilities make them priceless.

Nice work on the pull out.

This engien was a GM crate motor already replaced or did yours just come with that fancy goodwrench sticker on the valve cover you felt the need to show off :)
 
No history on the truck available. Bought the rig as its shown in the pic and listed in my SIG off Auto trader online.

Rig was only 50 miles away and the lot was quite willing to deal on the price.

Had serious battery cable issues and a bad alternator so it ran like crap.
Got the rig for $8800 and limped it off to the parts house about 4 blocks away and did a fast patch on the alternator and cobbled up the cables a bit to get her home.

Truck has a custom wood overhead console with a CB wood trim inserts behind the door handle levers, a cool wood center console the huge cup holders.

Trick paint with the fiberglass skirts boards and such. Alcoa wheels, cool boomerang antena on top, sun visor. hideaway tow hitch for the gooseneck.

AND a lot of stuff wired in half A$$

No info from GM available on the ser## as to any warranty work by GM other than a wiper delay board recall.

Truck came from NewMexico.
Had been to the upfitters, the exhaust shop, tire shop and the paint shop before delivery and I found the original invoice stuck in the owners manual.

$75000 was the total price as it was delivered to its original owner.

Seen a little salt as can be seen on the frame and some little places under it.

Probably travel through on a trip as the rig has no body rust and little real corrosion.


The engine has been out for sure as has been the tranny.
Tranny lines have a return line filter from the cooler.
When I had the sucker in the shop last fall for a solenoid fix they found a pile of aluminum under the return dump in the pan.

Likely from a serious tranny crash previously as the box was clean otherwise.

With the date code shown on the block this can't be the original engine.

Would love to know the story on things for sure.

WEll its gonna get a nice 929 block stuffed back in there before summer ends.
There was a small underhood fire, likely from a return hose failure by the turbo.

I have some wiring to repair as it was scorched.
Glow plug harness on the RH side.
AC harness and some other clean up to do while the engine is out and I can get to it all
Have a brand new under manifold harness from Ma General to put on the sucker too.

New oil cooler lines
Radiator
Dual stat xover
HO water pump
Having the starter and alternator rebuilt at a local auto electric shop.

Dont want anything thats deep and tough to reach left in ???? shape

All for now.

I will post pix and other comment when I have finished with the autopsy.

MGW
 
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Do you have the part number on the under manifold harness?

Don't forget IP that's a PITA to change and the lines are alot easier to get to on the engine stand.
 
I would upgrade the alternator to the later models - they are much more reliable than the ones in the 95. On my 99 it has much better construction, my understanding is you might need to grind the bracket a little to get it to work in the left side, but should fit.

-Rob :)
 
Oh, and if it were my rig, I would look seriously at one of the Fluidamprs. Everyone I have heard from say it really makes the 6.5 a lot quieter and smoother.

-Rob :)
 
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