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Im new

J

J_K son

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Hello
Im a new guy here on this fourm and had some question about the 6.5 turbo diesel engine. My name is Aaron and will to learn a lot about this diesel. I got big into diesels since my dad did a engine swap in our suburban. Now since my dad got his 6.5 laying around, I was going to put it in a 1986 and a half buick regal limited and make the engine run again and to get the car back on the road. :) what do you guys think??? Also any opinions on this decision Im going to make???
 
go for it! It will definetly be a learning experience. There's a member on here Rafedial who put one in a Camaro. And welcome to the forum
 
Thanks and I would like to see pics on that beast of his. Now just how hard was it to get it running and moving the road? lol
 
:welcome2:
I have a 81 olds cutlass supreme[same basic car as your regal] that I am thinking of converting to a 6.2 n/a diesel. The reason i'm thinking n/a is there is little room on the passenger side of the engine. I've also been told that the power steering pump will hit the steering box on the driver's side. I don't know that for a fact. Another concern is the transmission. I don't think a 200r4 would be up to the task of handling the torque of a diesel if you could get it to shift at lower rpm even. My choice would be the 4l80e. I'm not shure it will fit the tunnel in the floor of the body. Rear tranny mount could be a problem also and a custom driveshaft would be required. Then there is the questionable strength of the rear axle. The only stout factory axle offered in these cars was in the buick GNX. They are very hard to find and big $$$$$ if you do. Custom 12 bolts or ford 9" are not cheap either. To mount the engine in the car you only need chevy engine mounts from a similar car[malibu,monte carlo, cutlass, regal or grand prix].
This is a doable swap and you could wait on the tranny and rear end untill they break. Cooling will also be a issue also. Fitting a big enough radiator and fan could be a problem. They did put 5.7 olds diesels in this body style car so the radiator from one of those could be big enough.
Heavier front springs would be needed to carry the extra weight of the diesel engine also.
I hope I didn't discourage you but these are the things I have come up with to have to deal with. My cutlass only has 60,000 miles on it and I kind of hate to hack it up but I think it could be a much funner car to drive with a diesel vs. the 3.8 buick v-6 that's in it.
Don't be affraid to send me a PM if you have questions. If you do go through with the swap take lots of pictures and do a build thread here. Lots of knowledge floating around here. We love to help.
Barry
 
I don't know about room because my dad had a pontiac 400 with a hydromatic 375 trans following. I still do research on the car and find what it has. If I go with the build ill be takin lots of pics. Thanks for the information ill be reading more and takin measurement to see if the beast diesel will fit.
 
The A/C box is pretty tight. I think the turbo or the exhaust would hit it or melt it. Refedial had his turbo remote mounted.
The 4L80E tranny is bigger and longer than a turbo 400. It may fit. A custom croosmember would probbly have to be built to mount it.
I did read a article in hot rod where they put a built to the hilt Gearstar? 4L85E[basically the same] tranny in a 1st generation camaro. They used a TCI programable controller to run the tranny. It was big buck stuff. A earlier 4l80E and the pcm out of a 92-93 truck could run the tranny at a much lower cost if you use a mechanical fuel injection pump.
 
Lots of factors involved. If the engine came out of a 92-93 and it was a running engine that would save a bundle. These engines cost close to $2000 to rebuild for just parts and machine work.[a used Ted's engine is cheaper and likely better because of a better block]The 92-93 had a mechanical fuel injection pump that would be the easiest to adapt to a other than stock truck. If you have to convert it to mechanical from electronic fuel injection you need the injection pump and the high pressure injection lines. Prices for a used injection pump are all over the place. They can go from $100-$600 or more. Many times if buying from a private seller you can get the lines thrown in on the deal. Using the electronic injection pump is possible but you wold need most of the wiring harness and ecm[computer] from a donor truck. Pretty complicated but possible .
A electric fuel pump would be needed. New is around $100 and you need the lines to go to it and from it.
Exhaust would have to be all custom made. That could cost $400 or more.
All the little misc. parts can really add up especially if you don't have the donor truck to rob the parts from. Many trips to the junkyard if you are lucky enough to have one near that has some 6.5 trucks.
It's kind of hard for me to say all the costs having not done a conversion like this before. I also have tons of parts. I've junked 6 diesel trucks. I wouldn't have to go get a lot of the little and big stuff.
I would count on at least $!000 if not much more depending on what you have and the condition of the engine you are using.
 
Thanks btfarm
Bk95td my engine is a 95 6.5 tht is fully disassembly but the engine ran before tht I'm pretty much lookin for a trans, ecu, a new pmd,n some other but it does suck I can't get the parts off the truck it came out in since my dad put a cummins into it :-/ but its a fast eye catching suburban :)
 
You might be money ahead to find a 2wd donor truck with a blown 6.5 engine. Then sell the rest after you are done. Lots of fleet trucks were 2wd. I've picked them up for $500 or less with blown engines and bad body.
 
stick to 92-93 6.5's for the mechanical IP. A 90-93 n/a 6.2 MIGHT work, not sure if the ip and lines are the same and thats the main part you are looking for aside for some minor wiring and harnesses.
 
It would have to be a late 91 [599 block]or newer to have the newer style heads with the tipped up injectors. A 6.2 IP won't put out as much fuel as the 92-93 4911 IP from a 6.5 but will work.
 
If you don't mind having to shift the trans in every gear every time you can go with the TransGo kit. It turns the 4l80E into a fully manual trans. for about $200. I did this on a 1972 Chevelle of mine. I would not want it for a DD though.
 
Buddy has mentioned in other threads that he might be able to program a 92-93 tcm, I wonder if he can do selectable programming for econ, towing and racing for shift points and such
 
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