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well, now I'm in a bit of a quandry.

G

great white

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I just cruised my local craigs list looking for opertunity 6.5 stuff.

Turns out there a guy about 45 minutes up the road with a 6.5 long block with 70,000 kms on it.

He wants $1000.

I don't have any other info on it, still waiting for an email reply.

BUt here's the issue:

My current 599 block has a boggling amount of blowby. So a replacement would be nice.

However, I had planned to nurse it along until I could arrange an LB7 swap.

But, if this really is a long block with 70,000 kms on it, it's probably an optimizer or at least a navistar block.

So, 1000 bucks is a great deal (if it is what I think it might be).

But a replacement 6.5 is never gonna get to where I want. Namely, 250RWHP/500 lbsft and 20 mpg highway. That's where the LB7 was going to come in.

If the 6.5 is a rebuilt, then the decision is easy; it's a "no go" and back to waiting for an LB7.

The other problem is that if I pull the 599 apart and find it's crack free, I'm keeping it around. A seasoned, crack free block is worth something when you're talking 6.5's. Not really something you chuck into the local scrap pile. But I'm probably also moving to the other side of the continent this year and the moving company isn't gonna move it. Taking it in the truck is not an option either as we'll be towing my 35 footer and another 700-800 lbs of dead weight in the bed isn't gonna happen.


What to do......what to do........:???:

Guess I'll just have to wait for an email response before I can even make a plan.....:mad2:
 
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I think You give yourself to many options.

I would stick with what i have and rebuild if it becomes needed.$1000 gets you halfway
70 thou on that other engine don't mean nothing if you can't hear it run.It would be a bitch to find out later it had issues anyway.
If i wanted a D-max i would buy a whole truck instead of trying to swap in the engine in an old one.

My 2c
 
I got lucky and found a whole truck (94 6.5)for $1000 Has a very nice drive train but the rest is pretty rough. Maybe you can wait for a deal? $1000 on an engine you can hear run is worth it IMO, but Im not paying more than $500 w/out hearing/seeing it run.
 
Burning oil said:
I got lucky and found a whole truck (94 6.5)for $1000 Has a very nice drive train but the rest is pretty rough. Maybe you can wait for a deal? $1000 on an engine you can hear run is worth it IMO, but Im not paying more than $500 w/out hearing/seeing it run.
Click to expand...

Good suggestion, but I just don't have space for another truck to hang around.

Not to mention, 6.5 trucks don't go very cheap around here, and if they do, they're 300-400,000 km trucks from 1994 or something similar.

My real concern is still hauling that 35 foot travel trailer from the west coast to the east coast.

A good 70,000 km engine would be a fair bit of peace of mind.

Good comment on the not being able to hear it run.
 
Verify the block for your peace of mind.

If it's a Navistar or Optimiser, then $500 w/o running it.

Throw it in the damn 35' trailer you're towing across country, but should really sell. Go even slower until the last 300 miles then try to break your current engine and replace it with the 70k one.

Unless you're planning on doing a Duraburb conversion, it's pointless to hold out for a LB7 to stick in an old truck. Just get a Duramax truck. There are no Duramax Suburbans, so the conversion somewhat makes sense there. However, even the Ferminator has stated here that he would not do the Duramax conversion again and would just go with an optimiser.
 
I think the power goals are attainable with a 6.5TD, along with the efficiency, if others have similar concerns just know it can be done. Its not that radical of modifications, but definatley modfications needed, mainly bolt on stuff, and not cheap by any means. One of our members has a documented engine build with some important modifications that got his power and efficiency past these goals.
 
My 2 cents

$1K is too much for the motor as is. If the seller is willing to give something in writing & it's a 2001 or newer or allow you to have the block verified that would be different & require more consideration.

If the new motor ends up a winner & you install it in yr truck before you leave...you could always ship yr old motor to the new destination.

Greg
 
If the engine runs that is a good deal. 6.2's go for that much and 6.5's go for $2500 - guaranteed to run from military surplus.
Rebuilt 6.5's can be crack free.

However, you have other issues at hand and should pass this project/problem up till after your move.
 
Well, the "problem" resolved itself. The seller just got back to me;

To answer your questions: *Engine not running ,# 6 cylinder cracked,
discovered by oil sample early and retired.2006 factory engine with 77500
km. *Out of truck 1 year. **Oil pan easy off. *If you are interested I can
pull out of storage and get casting numbers or you can inspect any time.
Engine service records available.
Click to expand...

$1000 bucks?

Yeah, ummm.....I think I'll "pass" on this one.

This is what I mean when I say prices are just stupid around here...
 
There has been more than a few sellers around here on craigslist that think a blown 6.5 is worth $2-3000. Needless to say no one is that dumb. I've bought quite a few complete blown engines for $300 or less.
 
great white said:
Good suggestion, but I just don't have space for another truck to hang around.

Not to mention, 6.5 trucks don't go very cheap around here, and if they do, they're 300-400,000 km trucks from 1994 or something similar.

My real concern is still hauling that 35 foot travel trailer from the west coast to the east coast.

A good 70,000 km engine would be a fair bit of peace of mind.

Good comment on the not being able to hear it run.
Click to expand...

if i may inquire, where in the east are you moving? unlike you westerners, here in quebec 6.5 motors are a dime a dozen... 300-500 for a complete truck, 1994-1997, here its the huge amount of salt that kills the trucks long before the motors...
 
turbonator said:
if i may inquire, where in the east are you moving? unlike you westerners, here in quebec 6.5 motors are a dime a dozen... 300-500 for a complete truck, 1994-1997, here its the huge amount of salt that kills the trucks long before the motors...
Click to expand...

I'm from NS, but may be moving to NFLD.

Both rust belt areas.

I'll be taking my "rust free" BC truck back with me.

That's why I'm looking to an LB7 swap.

Move back east with a rust free GMT400, buy an eastern "body rotted" 01-02 LB7 Duramax truck and swap the drivetrain over.

While most guys don't understand why a Duramax swap makes sense, most Easterners will if you have a rust free anything to do a swap with......
 
Geez cracked cylinder and the guy wants $1000 for it? That thing is only serviceable as an anchor block for a boat mooring.
 
If I understand correctly, this was supposed to be a 2006 factory motor, which would then be GEP. Now we will start to see if these new castings are really as good as has been said. It always takes about ten years to actually have enough used engines out there to really be able to make an educated decision on durability.

Not going to stop picking up "599's" just yet..... :hihi:

jim.
 
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