• Welcome to The Truck Stop! We see you haven't REGISTERED yet.

    Your truck knowledge is missing!
    • Registration is FREE , all we need is your birthday and email. (We don't share ANY data with ANYONE)
    • We have tons of knowledge here for your diesel truck!
    • Post your own topics and reply to existing threads to help others out!
    • NO ADS! The site is fully functional and ad free!
    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

    Problems registering? Click here to contact us!

    Already registered, but need a PASSWORD RESET? CLICK HERE TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD!

Is my 6.5 dead?

R

Rodd

Recruit
Messages
1,731
Reaction score
1,042
Location
Antelope, CA
Last week my wife said she heard a ticking sound in the 95. I drove it and didn't hear anything out of the ordinary. Skip ahead to today and my son was driving it and it started squealing. He pulled into a parking lot and I came an checked it out. It is a squeal with a knock. I took off the belt and turned it over and it was still there so that eliminated everything driven by the belt. I did notice a little smoke come up from between the back of the turbo and the expansion tank. Not sure if that is related. All the paper work the previous owner gave me shows the rebuilt engine being 5 years old and 5k miles since it was installed. The oil is full and no signs of water in it. I did repair a leak on the passenger side valve cover about a month ago. Any test or thing I can do to help isolate the problem before tearing it down?
 
I was just looking at the motors on Ted's site. I noticed that there is an 03-06 navistar from a Hmmwv with a 506 block for $3050 and a 94-99 506 block that doesn't say navistar for $1950. What's the difference beside the age?
 
The 94-99 are not Navistar cast blocks. They are the crack prone blocks like all the original engines were before Navistar started casting them. I would spend the extra $1000 and go with the Navistar if not the p400. You definitely can't go wrong getting the p400 though.
 
If you can afford a p400 and you know you are going to keep the rig long enough to pay off the investment, that is the best option for longevity. Being in Ca, I am guessing no major rust and rest of the rig is descent.

I would exhaust efforts on finding the problem first. Then if you determine it is not worth repairing, look to the replacement.

If you can - make a video of it and post on YouTube, then post the link on your thread. Moving the camera around the engine to help determine where it is coming from helps sometimes. I did it once to text to a friend and in previewing the video I could hear things better than in person for some reason.

When you say squeal and knock just from turning it over- does it do it also when running?
Does it stay in time with rpm change?
Is it oil pressure related?(better or worse with pressure change)
Crack injectors one at a time while idleing and see if you can id a specific cylinder.
Any power loss, smoke, misfire,etc?

After checking those, and IF it occurs when cranking before starting and while running and you cannot determine area it is coming from
Remove belt again, remove all 8 glowplugs. Disconnect wire to fuel solenoid or unplug pmd(which ever is easier). Crank it over and use mechanics stethoscope to chase it down.
Pay attention towards the starter- when they go goofy or hung up, it gets missed a lot.

Definitely try disconnecting from the TC like mentioned above before tearing the engine apart. If it is all coming out anyways...A quick check of that only takes a minute- just undo it before taking out other major parts.

Also, if you end up with the decision of a new engine is justified and affordable it is flip of a coin wether you are better to tear it all apart in hopes to find something like a bad lifter/bent pushrod that is easily replaced or just drive it till it blows up.

If you know you $ is too tight for new, then tearing it down if you have to to find the issue is better for a chance to save major components.
 
Jaryd said:
The 94-99 are not Navistar cast blocks. They are the crack prone blocks like all the original engines were before Navistar started casting them. I would spend the extra $1000 and go with the Navistar if not the p400. You definitely can't go wrong getting the p400 though.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info jaryd.
 
Will L. said:
If you can afford a p400 and you know you are going to keep the rig long enough to pay off the investment, that is the best option for longevity. Being in Ca, I am guessing no major rust and rest of the rig is descent.

I would exhaust efforts on finding the problem first. Then if you determine it is not worth repairing, look to the replacement.

If you can - make a video of it and post on YouTube, then post the link on your thread. Moving the camera around the engine to help determine where it is coming from helps sometimes. I did it once to text to a friend and in previewing the video I could hear things better than in person for some reason.

When you say squeal and knock just from turning it over- does it do it also when running?
Does it stay in time with rpm change?
Is it oil pressure related?(better or worse with pressure change)
Crack injectors one at a time while idleing and see if you can id a specific cylinder.
Any power loss, smoke, misfire,etc?

After checking those, and IF it occurs when cranking before starting and while running and you cannot determine area it is coming from
Remove belt again, remove all 8 glowplugs. Disconnect wire to fuel solenoid or unplug pmd(which ever is easier). Crank it over and use mechanics stethoscope to chase it down.
Pay attention towards the starter- when they go goofy or hung up, it gets missed a lot.

Definitely try disconnecting from the TC like mentioned above before tearing the engine apart. If it is all coming out anyways...A quick check of that only takes a minute- just undo it before taking out other major parts.

Also, if you end up with the decision of a new engine is justified and affordable it is flip of a coin wether you are better to tear it all apart in hopes to find something like a bad lifter/bent pushrod that is easily replaced or just drive it till it blows up.

If you know you $ is too tight for new, then tearing it down if you have to to find the issue is better for a chance to save major components.
Click to expand...
Thanks will. I will make a video. I can tell you it is hard to turn over almost like a low battery, it starts to turn over then stops then starts right up.
 
I just realized that the previous owner replaced the torque converter about a month before I bought it. That could be the culprit. How do I disconnect it? Do I need to unbolt the trany to do it?
 
Spend the xtra few bucks it's worth it... Last yr my block split down the side, now got navistar n don't have any issues besides fact it's a old work truck

Sent from my LG-TP260 using Tapatalk
 
hardest part will be removing the crossover pipe. you have to remove it to get the dust cover off. Then just remove the bolts from flexplate to torque convertor then slide the TC back towards the tranny
 
ak diesel driver said:
hardest part will be removing the crossover pipe. you have to remove it to get the dust cover off. Then just remove the bolts from flexplate to torque convertor then slide the TC back towards the tranny
Click to expand...
Just need long extension or bunch of smaller ones... Make it couple feet long n use a impact if can get ur hands on one

Sent from my LG-TP260 using Tapatalk
 
Dude! Might be flywheel on backwards to causing rubbing.

Take off flywheel rock gaurd underneath. Before unbolting anything, examine it all closely. Maybe disconnect the wite to the fuel solenoid and have someone crank it while you watch WITH SAFETY GLASSES to see if anything is rubbing. I cut plywood with a skillsaw without safety glasses- when I tell ya wear them while it is cranking- trust me.

There are 6 bolts that connect the flywheel to the TC. Just loosen them and remove one at a time, but make sure you can teach the last 1 before removing the 2nd to last.

Rent a flywheel turner from parts store or get one from harbor freight. The cheap ones are ok, just remember it can slip off so dont punch anything if it does.
 
Thanks for the info guy's. now I need to make the time to go through each thing step by step. So from the input I have received from everyone I should follow the following order:

1. Make a video and post the link here so you guy's can hear/see what it's doing.
2. Take off the rock guard and have someone crank to see if anything is rubbing (disconnecting the wire to the fuel solenoid).
3. Inspect flywheel and TC.

Have I missed anything?
 
I would inspect the harmonic damper on the front of the engine in case it came loose and is rubbing on the oil pan. What's the oil look like in the transmission? Pull the air filter and check the turbo. With the advice above keep in mind these engines are known to break the hub area out of the flex plate and still drive. Usually after an emissions test. The flex plate should have the beveled edge toward the front of the engine to help the starter gear engage. Last thing is the TC bolts need blue threadlocker or they can back out like mine did.
 
I just did the video. Need to upload it and I will post the link in a few minutes. It isn't rubbing on anything, the turbo spindle spins freely, haven't checked the flywheel/TC yet but when I was taking the video I could see smoke coming from the TC area of the trany as it was being cranked. Not sure if the video picked it up. We'll see.
 
Here is the link to the video.
It is louder at the turbo but it's even louder underneath. Think it is the TC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top