I did it. I sold my 6.5L Suburban

[toddlnrd]

After many years of sitting and being used as a storage shed, I finally sold "Big Girl".

It was a bitter sweet goodbye. I loved that truck. It was our family hauler from 2006 to 2018 (when she wouldn't start).

I got her running again and was able to get my asking price. The man I sold it to was very excited is going to keep in touch with the progress made on the truck.

Thank you to everyone that has helped me on this forum, many directly and indirectly.

Todd

 

[Will L.]

After many years of sitting and being used as a storage shed, I finally sold "Big Girl".

It was a bitter sweet goodbye. I loved that truck. It was our family hauler from 2006 to 2018 (when she wouldn't start).

I got her running again and was able to get my asking price. The man I sold it to was very excited is going to keep in touch with the progress made on the truck.

Thank you to everyone that has helped me on this forum, many directly and indirectly.

Todd

Get him set up on the site to keep her running for him.

Do you have a replacement rig in mind? Ya know missing the diesel will haunt you at night now! Haha.

 

[JayTheCPA]

Arguably a good move. While folks are able to keep their 6.5L rigs on the road, parts are getting scarce. If not already unobtanium.

If the Burb was actually a 3/4 ton spec, there is no current production SUV that will touch its real capability and road manner confidence while loaded. Several SUV manufacturers will claim the ability, but there is a difference in rating and confidence in handling while loaded. After making a mistake of getting a current production SUV with the highest payload and tow rating, I went back to pickups. The wife was sad to see the glamazon SUV go, but I was more than happy as I needed something that was more than just a good butt warmer. In the super rare occasion where I need to tow the RV and haul more than 5 people, will have somebody follow in a car. Today's SUV's simply cannot handle the load and I remain convinced that ratings are driven from a fair amount of fairy dust and tightly limited test conditions.

While I miss the pull of the Burb's diesel, I do not miss the noise. Or that it constantly pulled money away from other maintenance needs. Do not like the idea or TCO of today's DEF diesels either. As the oil burners die, will go back to gas as there are plenty of options in the 400 ft/lb territory which is all most of us really need for the pleasure category. Bonus is ability to hear passengers without yelling.

 

[jrsavoie]

Arguably a good move. While folks are able to keep their 6.5L rigs on the road, parts are getting scarce. If not already unobtanium.

If the Burb was actually a 3/4 ton spec, there is no current production SUV that will touch its real capability and road manner confidence while loaded. Several SUV manufacturers will claim the ability, but there is a difference in rating and confidence in handling while loaded. After making a mistake of getting a current production SUV with the highest payload and tow rating, I went back to pickups. The wife was sad to see the glamazon SUV go, but I was more than happy as I needed something that was more than just a good butt warmer. In the super rare occasion where I need to tow the RV and haul more than 5 people, will have somebody follow in a car. Today's SUV's simply cannot handle the load and I remain convinced that ratings are driven from a fair amount of fairy dust and tightly limited test conditions.

While I miss the pull of the Burb's diesel, I do not miss the noise. Or that it constantly pulled money away from other maintenance needs. Do not like the idea or TCO of today's DEF diesels either. As the oil burners die, will go back to gas as there are plenty of options in the 400 ft/lb territory which is all most of us really need for the pleasure category. Bonus is ability to hear passengers without yelling.

Did you not have a muffler?
I don't remember our suburbans or anything being that loud.

 

[JayTheCPA]

The exhaust note was definitely under control. The engine itself is among the loudest I have heard. Especially with a cold engine when the timing advanced. Although, an older IDI Cummins definitely wins in the noise category.

In fairness, I could get the engine noise under control: rotate the radio volume knob clockwise to its stop

 

[Will L.]

Yeah- 6.2/6.5 are some of the loudest, clatteryist diesels made.

 

[jrsavoie]

Yeah- 6.2/6.5 are some of the loudest, clatteryist diesels made.

I guess, we're just half deaf.
We never noticed until the exhaust fell off the truck.

But then, it was all we had in the 1990's into the 2000's

Nothing to compare it to

 

[MrMarty51]

With the injectors on Mine set to pop at precisely 1950 pounds, it definetely increased the clatteryness of the enjun.
I now have them removed frum the heads and they will be sent back to the shop to get tested again and if necessary readjusted.
I’m almost tempted to have them readjust and set them to pop at 1850.
I dont know where the previous injectors was set to pop at. I just bought them and poked them in. Got them from Oriellys as Bosch remanned units so as quiet as they were I am guessing that they were popping at way lower pressures, or, all over the pounds scale.

 

[jrsavoie]

With the injectors on Mine set to pop at precisely 1950 pounds, it definetely increased the clatteryness of the enjun.
I now have them removed frum the heads and they will be sent back to the shop to get tested again and if necessary readjusted.
I’m almost tempted to have them readjust and set them to pop at 1850.
I dont know where the previous injectors was set to pop at. I just bought them and poked them in. Got them from Oriellys as Bosch remanned units so as quiet as they were I am guessing that they were popping at way lower pressures, or, all over the pounds scale.

I had mine set higher. I think it was 22 or 2300 PSI.

I think balanced makes a difference

 

[MrMarty51]

I had mine set higher. I think it was 22 or 2300 PSI.

I think balanced makes a difference

After I got mine back from that shop they all popped at precisely 1950 pounds.
Why he chose 1950 I know knot. I do know that when the DOT sent over the IPs that the pickups always run real nice.
Those were all the mechanical pumps that He did.

 

[Will L.]

I guess, we're just half deaf.
We never noticed until the exhaust fell off the truck.

But then, it was all we had in the 1990's into the 2000's

Nothing to compare it to

I’m the same way. There was sbc & bbc gassers, then of course when they had descent power they were louder. So getting into diesels back then they were louder yet but just what it is. And back then louder was always better anyways.
Loud engine loud exhaust and loud speakers!

Only comparisons was gm idi vs cummins vs ford idi. So there was clattery, clunky, or clanky. Haha

 

[Will L.]

@MrMarty51
Yeah, my go to on the injectors was to have to sets. Set one at 1800 and drive it other 1900. Then swap them and move the 1800 up to 2,000. Then swap and the 1900 becomes 2100. Repeat until results hit the peak of what you want then come back down. Say is was 2200 better than 2100 but 2300 worse. Then I would try 2150. Then in the end set the second set to match what worked best.

As to what was wanted- sometimes power, sometimes mpg, sometimes when I was selling a truck it was about smooth & quiet.

 

[dbrannon79]

@Will L. is my thinking correct? lower set pop pressure you loose MPG but gain power due to slightly more fuel out the tips due to the fixed piston size pushing fuel from the IP and the higher pressure would loose power but gain MPG? or would changes in timing need to be done with different set pressures

I might be totally off there and it's all about the timing of when the injector fires maybe it's lower pressure would fire slightly sooner than higher pressure. just curios.

 

[Will L.]

No- depends on how the engine is set up, but higher pressure creates both more power and more mpg to a point. Basically they are separate bell curves that overlap. Different tubo, manual vs auto trans and if auto which TC, what gearing, and most important how you drive it all come into play.

All my old info is garbage now because the fuel changed so drastically.
The way my pumps were built also alters it I’m sure.

When I get my engine built i will do the different levels and log info on them as I go up, but it won’t pertain to many people because my hummer gearing/tires makes it different than trucks. Then the engine being 18:1 and my ip being 110cc3 plus a healthy sized turbo … so it won’t translate for a lot of folks.

Yes having them balanced is HUGE! But getting the pop pressure dialed into your specific use is important to it. This is the old school version of tuning.