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Can I just go get a turbocharger for my 6.5

Drago

Drago

Active Member
Messages
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Location
Virginia
I have a 6.5 naturally aspirated and my co worker suggested I go ahead and get the TC that was made for it. About how much do they run and how much beer am I going to have to buy to have him help me put one in? I'm sure I can get OEM easy enough, do they have other sellers and models that would work or better?
 
Is it a daily driver or do you want to pull with it. I ask because your mileage will drop with a turbo.

A GM4-8 will be in the $250-300 range give or take a bit used. IMO an A Team Turbo is a good upgrade if you tow. Then you would need at least the exh. manifold from the pass. side to mount the turbo, I'm not sure if the drivers side would need to be changed. A Crossover pipe would also be needed.
 
It's a daily driver with the occasional trip to Lowe's. Is there a "How To" some where on this forum?
 
I can't remember but try some different key words in the search box and you should find something.
 
To add to the Cross Over and manifold, you'll need a down pipe and heatshield over the PS injectors. Might be a good time to change those injectors if they are close to being due before they disappear under that mass o metal and the glow plugs too before #8 gets hid behind the down pipe.
 
I'm not sure about the GM-7 but GM-3-4-8 are for the pickup trucks, the later numbers had changes made, a GM-8 is the latest.

GM-5 or GM-6 were for a center mount on the vans, not sure which.
 
you will need an intake and airbox also.
i have a GM3, cross-over and exhaust manifold for sale. will make a good deal on it.
 
GM5 is also a pickup turbo, and IIRC, there was a thread on their being a pickup and a hummer version of the GM6. I do believe GM7 was Hummer/van only.

I would say for a daily driver, I would leave it naturally aspirated. empty, my 91 6.2L is pretty peppy, and gets 20+ mpgs turning 2700 with no overdrive, so I am sure yours does better than mine.

the best fuel economy for a turboed truck seems to come from a stock vaccum system, where it opens the wastegate while cruising, reducing restriction. it would be a chore to rig up a computer controlled factory wastegate system, so I vote keep it stock, and delete the EGR if there is any.

by the pic it looks like your rig is 2wd. if it five speed manual as well, I vote you sell it to me and go buy a turboed 4wd! :)
 
If you were closer I would set you up as I have everything but a turbo master sitting on the shelf from my engine swap. Easiest and cheapest thing to do is find a blown 6.5 turbo and get everything off of it. You'll need teh upper and lower intake, 2 exhaust manifolds, crossover pipe, turbo, oil feed and drain tube, and a downpipe to hook into your exhaust. I've got everything off of my 95 BURB and the BURB exhaust sitting in the shop taking up space. The turbo is getting loose, but still worked.
 
That there might be your best offer of the day, Drago!

Drive from snowy Virginia to sunny Florida, get a good deal on the parts you need, and a bunch of technical advice from one of the guys who really know how this stuff works!

Plus a holiday... life is good!
 
I just had a little luck, I just found out my co worker has worked on Diesels for years at a previous company, said not all that hard to install.
 
So are you after the extra "pep" of a turbo'd truck? Your MPG will drop like a rock to 13-15 MPG. (I am 4x4 so your numbers will vary, but, it is a significant drop.) It WILL get out of it's own way with a turbo, but, the GM units choke past 2200 RPM where they become more of a restriction then a help. You will need to get a tune or turn up the fuel screw depending on the year to get the most out of the turbo. MPG doesn't change when you turn up the fuel and PSI on the turbo vs. stock loaded and/or towing anyway. Unloaded high turbo PSI is said to drop the MPG's. 1993 and older is a screw and 94+ is a tune.

So I suggest you do some brainstorming on what you want and how valuable the MPG is to you before you drop a turbo on.

Cooling depending on the year can become an issue as well and need some upgrades. I think the NA's were the older years...
 
He stated in another post that it's a 1995 2WD 1500 with a 6.5 in it without a turbocharger, so that makes it a pretty rare bird. From what I found it's a DS4 electronic pump on it, with no turbocharger. If you're interested, I have ALOT of parts you may want for it for cheap. I still have most all of my old 6.5 parts from my BURB still in the shop(I've onlyh sold off a few pieces of it so far), and I even have an almost brand new ECM with an F engine chip in it. I even have enough of the old wiring harness to install the vacuum hook-ups for the wastegate controller to keep it factory as your truck should already have a vacuum pump since it is supposed to have an EGR valve in it. Let me know if your interested or not.
 
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