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6.5 diesel na initial swap report


bobbywalter

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edit, 6 year update starts at post 66, though this whole thread needs updates due to pictures dying


edit. 11 year update. still have not fixed pictures.


this is just a general thing for a heads up.


been up and down with it. broke alot of shit so far for such a nutless engine pushing 200 k and nearly 15 years old.



reworked and moved the engine several times before i settled to the current setup ...this was due to checking feasibility with a ttb swap. very time consuming but i was curious as i may do it with a later sploder/b2 build as well so i considered it time well wasted:D.

my original intentions were to move the ttb forward 2-3 inches anyway and do the swap. but uhh...well i got sick of killing 8.8's and ended up putting 60's in before that happened. but i left the ttb k member unmolested as i knew the swap was inevetable.


swap was basically a 350 swap with a modded k member which is often typical of sas conversions, well at least ones done with the eb type bullshit axles..i used some tube. its that or oil pan mods.

engine is between 350/454...both of which easily fit all the ranger chassis, just a lil harder with the ttb chassis. the 350 has alot better pan options to make things go easier....but hey...oil pans are easy to mod if it comes to that right?.


the bottom line.....................
it can be done with the ttb, but relocation forward, custom cutting and lift is key along with a meangreen type starter...add extensive oil pan work and its off my list of worth doing with a ttb 4x4.

the later post ttb chassis on the otherhand opens stuff up..a good td in one of those would be fun.

2wd tib will still be a bitch as well. just not worth it unless your doing a later gep engine. the ones produced and found before 99 are not even close to the current model being built.

if i were to do this with a 2wd tib chassis i likely would use aerostar stuff or m2 for the front suspension and shitcan the tib.:dunno:but thats just me:icon_twisted: no i take that back...i would not own a 2wd ranger or do this swap to one unless i was getting paid well.:thefinger:


costs are hrd to nail down, in this case the donor engine and powertrain was from one of my ol work vans. really didnt have cost into that particular van as it was payment for work i done on a different vehicle which i didnt have money into...just some time. it was a chevy g30...4l80 and run pretty good for a na engine. it would run 23-24plus mpg hiway with mid load at 60-65 mph driving real easy in the van. town was hi teens...

by detuning my 302 (which made it gay...and pointless) and driving in the same conditions with the ranger, 16mpg was about max and i was hurting the engine doing that...it was pingin....mpg round town???...well shit. it could be as low as 7/8...generally 9-11 with normal loads. 33 tires...410/456 gears brought the same results. so a low cost diesel swap looked good.


i got @ 600 for the van when i dumped it last june. i was hoping to keep the swap costs under 400...and that forced some comprimises. that will be in the 5 k report..lil over halway to that now.

the idea was to just plop the bitch in there and see if it was ok.....i didnt do shit to it except powerwash it and had to fix the trans connector cause i smashed it:annoyed:...that didnt cost anything, just time.

its a pretty good engine. its ok till i get on the hiway. need more od for sure. go over 65 and it eats fuel..60 runs it just right. kinda wish i had 350 gears now:icon_rofl:


its very livable and blows a 4bt away for actual usability..especially a non counter unit. WAIT A MINUTE! DID I JUST SAY BLOWS A 4BT AWAY? a 6.5??...yes and no....

fact is the 4bt is a better engine and easier to build and there is no arguement there when going all out..

but theres other things at play for me. unless you have driven a 4bt with any sense of intelectual honesty and then a 6.5 back to back you cant really have a good opinion on whats acceptable for nvh. sure the 4bt will be all the rage for talkin shit as the gm 6.2/6.5 has a well deserved rep for being a pos engine in alot of ways...

but for daily driver duties the 4bt is in my experience is harsh compared to a 6.5...so i think your lying to yourself if you think not... sorry.

i have to admit if i had a free one i would use it, after i explode this 6.5. it certainly seems by comparison the 6bt is way better imo and would be preferred over a 4bt... then again 6 is a trainload of work, so if stock 4bt power is ok, and the rig in question is a small reg cab 2wd i suggest the ind 3.3 cummins..4bt should be for ext cab and bigger 4x4,s imo.



back to the 6.5..i am overall very happy with it. pleasantly surprised to say the least and will be running a turbo version i am sure before too long.


now, before anybody says anything about fuel costs...you better be able to do basic math first..and figure it for 35 k miles a year min. i still comeout ahead even with prices the way they been the last 3 years...

then figure in the mix i run puts my fuel costs below reg unleaded and its a winnie win win..


the sum bitch is about the same cost as the escort to drive fuel wise...with in 800-1000 bux on 35k miles. not bad for a 5800 plus pound 4x4 that does what i want over a car that gets stuck on flat roads in the winter when i am trying to get to work. of course its a work in progress and is just hacked up still as there are alot of other plans for the rig to get it to where i need it for well service.


i busted two chevy 4x4 rotted michigan ext housing, fawked up one t case and front drive shaft as well, but those were due to the 42's more then anything else. i dont run those really and have clearance issues with the big tires due to not wanting to buy a new radiator, on the road its prety much 305's/35's.

the gt 40 spec 302 that this 6.5 replaced is missed for sure when it was in its top form, especially on the freeway.... but when its time to stop for fuel its different.... instead of needing gas everyday i can go a week. thats something i can live with.
 
Last edited:


bobbywalter

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sawzall?
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My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"
i was trying to use my nice fitting aluminum radiator originally as it was way easy to do......but eventually, i ended up running this radiator anyway which was not in my original plan. had to go to a whole different steering setup ect too which really wasnt in the plan:icon_rofl:...so uhhh how ya say.. yeah time consuming stupid shit..

by the way, thats not where its located either, its mounted behind the grill...this picture is just to get an idea.

its a fat bastard for sure


here are some various mock up stuff...

the actual fitment was pretty easy...like mentioned earlier a basic 350 swap.




with a sas its a cake swap and fits real nice and easy if your willing to pop for a better fitting radiator. but for now i just runnin whats layin round. to do the original setup took me a lil oer 30 hrs to go for a test ride. which was 4 different days...i still have not added up the total hrs. they are logged though.

















i had run it with no vac on the brakes for ahwile and no powersteering a few times testing it which was a bad idea but it was alot easier to undo two master cylinder nuts and loop the ps lines and swing out the unopened brake system as i made adjustments to the powertrain...the gm hydroboost would have been messy to open...its all hooked up and is definatly bad ass for stopping...not too mention i dont miss the pos ford pump groan at all.



i dont really have many pics but will detail the swap a bit here when i have a solid milage base.

these engines in mil spec go pretty cheap and the newest version is a 350 hp monster from hell.

now that i dont have the open flex pipe exaust and have half assed cut up the original exaust y ect to make it quiet...its sounds ok too. i am a v8 guy so its just right for me.


thats all the teaser stuff i got...dont know if it will do anyone any good but there is it:dunno:
 

np205

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Looks good Bobby. Now you just need that turbo.
 

Loanranger

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You sir, are my hero. :icon_thumby: Nice way to go about a different kind of swap.

Do you have any plans of throwing a turbo in in the future?
 

bobbywalter

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sawzall?
Tire Size
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My credo
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oh, turbo for sure...just have not run across the right deal yet. and i got sick of wondering about it and dropped the bastard in there to see what it was like.

its fine like it is so i am saving for its replacement. likely a new gep unit. possibly just an optimizer but i plan on the new two piece unit. its a friggen animal...easily handle 500 hp...:D....something this 599 block will never do. and i for one am not looking for 500 hp...but low tune with the latest gep engine should be like 220 at the wheels and 430 or so tq and that is more then enough for me.

i need to get where i can wheel it in some real hills and resistance once i have at least one locker, but so far low speed is excellent and i am very happy with it. i never expected to be this happy really with it in its stock form:icon_rofl:...

but it is an old engine, i just hope i can squeeze another 40 k out of it or so...blew a steering line today:shok:.....man that was a mess, definatly glad i didt hook the hydroboost up right off the bat when doing intitial drives last fall....


now i need to adjust the ride height and spring rates again and fix some frame neglect... which is stuff i dont like doing:D


probably clean it up in the spring and start working on a better flat bed setup then the one i started twicenow thats cut up into nothing again:icon_rofl:

so many ideas..so little resources:icon_cheers:
 

watkins65

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Wow Really cool!
 

rusty ol ranger

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Cool swap...but for all that work wouldnt a PSD been better?

later,
Dustin
 

bobbywalter

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Cool swap...but for all that work wouldnt a PSD been better?

later,
Dustin


what work? the physical swap is cake. self limitations to keeping it a 400 bux or less and trial fitting to check for ttb feasibility is where the work was. i was too lazy to incorporate the stock radiator the first time and it cost me big.

if i would have popped 200 bux for a summit radiator this is a 2 dedicated work day deal.

on the other side of that a psd will not get better economy power to power and is another 400 pounds. its so fawking noisy it would drive me nuts in my tin can. so i would use a cummins 6bt before i would do a psd if costs were similar as power would be easier and better economy...even better then the 6.5...but your back to noise...i would use a free powerstroke definatly...this 6.5 engine was free and the chevy was a pos compared to the ford so the ford is in the yard and the chevy is at the scrapper


nyways, the new gep will be a killer setup, i can keep it mechanical and still whoop psd ass in power an economy. the reason for the swap was economy and useable low end torque..


get me a free good running psd and i will drop it in there :icon_thumby:

the one in my van is 800 k and ready for the smelter or trust me my truck would be alot noisier:icon_rofl: the first 6bt i find in the price i want to pay is going in my ford van...:icon_thumby: where it should have been in the first fawkin place...friggen ford retards..wtf were they thinkin:icon_confused:
 

Will

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This is the Optimizer Bobby is talking about.
http://www.optimizer6500.com/

Penninsular Diesel, who marinizes them, has a 400hp, 600ft# twin turbo version. They put a 300+ hp version in pretty big boats. A beat on 6.2/6.5 is an excellent place holder for an Optimizer.

Edit: Here's a different approach to 400hp with one.

 
Last edited:

bobbywalter

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4WD
Total Lift
sawzall?
Tire Size
33-44
My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"

Will

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That's got to be a great motor. Getting close to 30 years of development now. Everything wrong has to have been fixed in those motors. One of these days when the jolly green giant goes into drydock for a major...
 

rusty ol ranger

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I understand now bobby why you used the 6.5L.

Every 6.5 i have seen has been a pile of shit though...but hopefully yours lasts for a while.

later,
Dustin
 

bobbywalter

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sawzall?
Tire Size
33-44
My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"
it was close to strokin.....buy back was too high:sad:....bros lucky...had the ol lady with em too..they come out ok just a lil sore.








 

bobbywalter

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FORD mostly
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Engine Size
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Transmission
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2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
sawzall?
Tire Size
33-44
My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"
gonna miss that truck...it was a good one...


been ice fishin.....lookin for walleye....the bastards aint been bitin worth a beans all winter







this is for size comparo....trucks pretty small for having the ability to run 44's, even with these 42's it still wont fit in the garage...need to put the 33's on to put the pig in its pen for now till i lift it up a lil more...then i will be screwed.






yeah rusty....i mentioned in the beginning the 6.5 has a well deserved bad reputation...

and it does to an extent. but used within its original design limits even the later 1st design gm blocks... its a home run really.

for this application i think its just right...its made for 1/2 tons after all.

i did wound it though when i fell off the hard pack and into 3 feet of snow....trashed the balancer and crank pulley rodding on it to get out...no lockers is bad on the trails right now...whoops...hopefully its not seriously damaged...should have new parts in a few days, just trying to talk myself into a fluid dampner.
 

Loanranger

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That things a beast, man. :icon_thumby:
 

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