Volume 1 Issue 1 - Diesel Articles

Project 6.5 Diesel Suburban Renewal

When the 6.5s were built, there really was no horsepower race and 190 HP was, well, “not bad”. Compared to the Duramax, 190 HP doesn’t measure up and, as we all know, power really does matter. To make things worse, the 6.5 problems have not been limited to less-than-desirable power; they have also had reliability issues – as we experienced for ourselves in the course of this rebuild. Perhaps, in a quest for more power and reliability, you have searched some of the big name diesel upgrade companies only to conclude that there are not any products out there that will mollify the frustrations you have experienced with your 6.5. There are, however, solutions that will make these trucks perform like they should – at a price that can’t be beat.

maxxTORQUE, seeking to get the word out about the hidden value of these vehicles, hooked up with Heath Diesel Power (HDP – www.heathdiesel.com) and asked them to build up a common 6.5L truck. Bill Heath, the owner, was delighted to participate noting that “the 6.5 is much-maligned due to the problems experienced with them beginning with the introduction of the 1994 models that featured the Stanadyne fuel injection system.”

Trucks were either running screwy or conking out. Dealers were ill-equipped to offer effective solutions. In many cases, trucks that experienced failure of only the pump mounted driver (PMD) module – we’ll address this item soon – were subjected to the standard GM diagnosis flow chart that suggested replacement of the entire fuel injection pump, including a fresh 6.5 PMD. The result of the repair was a truck that might run well for a year or so, only to have the same issue resurface. It did not take too many “incidents” like these for the 6.5s reputation to tailspin.

The good news about a 6.5 with a reputation for being less-than-reliable is that there are straightforward and relatively inexpensive steps that will transform the vehicle into a fully reliable and powerful vehicle. And, because of the bad rap, owners can be on the road with an upgraded, reliable and powerful diesel truck for under $10,000. When you consider the price of a new rig, it is easy to see why many of us have opted for a 6.5 and avoided those always-fun-to-make $500-plus monthly payments.

Unfortunately, 6.5 owners are often unaware of the upgrades available to transform a “frustration” into a reliable and powerful work truck. A few times up a steep grade in a stock 6.5 with a trailer in tow and you might find yourself thinking, I should have mortgaged the house, as late-model trucks pass you by. The answer, however, isn’t dipping into your children’s college fund – that 6.5 has all the reliability you need and plenty of power: the answer is just a matter of helping her find it. The truth is, after a weekend’s worth of bolt-on upgrades, you will not only power up those hills faster and more efficiently, you will get to enjoy the looks on the faces of other diesel owners as you keep pace with their high-dollar rigs.

To help you envision the potential of a 6.5, Heath Diesel completed a build-up on a stock 1994 GMC 2500 4x4 Suburban. Before the build-up, the Sub was all original, including the 6.5L engine. Talk about a great vehicle to put a diesel in! Not only can you hitch up a 10,000 pound trailer, you can do it with the entire family onboard and still have room for more. Our project Suburban had 185,000 miles on it and ran great. She just needed a little push in the right direction to unleash some hidden abilities.