Im thinking about swapping a diesel in my truck takin out the 5.7
No one is going to buy my truck and I want a diesel. I want the power, and the MPG. I dont know much about the 6.5 TD GM engine but Im pretty sure that would fit right in my engine bay no probs. I was leaning more towards a 7.3 Powerstroke and a new tranny.
Its just an idea for the moment. But whats the options? What can I drop in wiht minimun fabricating? And whats your estimate on price said and done.
Quote:On 2007-10-28 17:42, CHEV2500 wrote:
Im thinking about swapping a diesel in my truck takin out the 5.7
....... I want the power, and the MPG.......
Thanks
The MPG will never pay for it self. You'll probablly spend thousands on this project.
I bought a truck that had a diesel conversion, the guy had receipts for about $10,000, after about a year the engine blew and it was like $8,000 for just the new engine, I swapped in a 5.0 chevy instead.
It's cool if you want to play with diesels, but do not do it to save fuel money.
A 6.5 would be an easier swap since they were available in 1/2 ton trucks for a few years. However the work wouldn't be worth it. Wouldn't be happy though with power.
If you look around @ http://www.dieselplace.com there is some threads about swaping d-max engines into different vehicles. Some being a tahoe, grand national, chevelle.
Posts: 162
Joined: May 2007
Hinesville, GA
Reputation: 0
Those who believe the work won't be worth the headache...well...never had diesel run through their veins...LOL
I have a '94 with the 6.5TD...it's a great engine, and I get around 18-20MPG out of it on the highway. It's a very reliable engine if it's taken care of properly, and a few mods are done. The 6.5, however, is no powerhouse...the most extreme builds only net around 300-320 RWHP...not a lot when you compare them to what you can get out of a gasser, or the other engines that are available. It seems to me that it'd be the easiest swap...If I remember correctly, only the passenger side motor mount needs to be moved, and as long as you use a '93 or older mechanical injected system, would be a pretty straight forward swap. 94-newer use computerized injection, which come with a whole new set of problems.
If I were to swap a diesel in, I would use a cummins. It is a really common swap to the 6.5 world, and there are even kits available. There is a bellhousing adapter to mate it to the 4L80-E transmission, and you could retain a chevy tranny and drivetrain. The Cummins 4BT is commonly found in older box trucks/delivery vans, and from what I've heard, can net as much as 26-28MPG in our trucks. They are mechanically injected, and fit very nicely in our engine compartments. The other alternative to the 4BT would be the 6BT...the same engine that's found in the Dodge Pick-up trucks. The same bellhousing adapter is available, as well as the older ones being mechanically injected. They are easy to mod, and are much more capable of reaching 400+ RWHP, and withstand abuse much better than the 6.5 The only reason the 4BT is more common of a swap, I believe, is that the 6BT is a little bit longer, and there may be some clearance issues with the radiator. It's nothing major from what I understand, but entails more work than the 4BT.
For a lot more information on doing a diesel conversion, do a search for "THE DIESEL PLACE" The guys over there are very knowledgeable on all diesel engines, and literally...HAVE DIESEL RUNNING THROUGH THEIR VEINS
Quote:On 2007-10-31 01:58, jimmyt83 wrote:
Those who believe the work won't be worth the headache...well...never had diesel run through their veins...LOL
If you read my sig I own an 06 LBZ with mods. I've driven 6.5's and 6.2's and swapping one in is alot of work when you admit to limited power output.
On another note I posted the link to the diesel place in my previous post. Don't bother searching.
Home
Forums
Photos and Video
Tech
Classifieds
Our Members
Extras
FAQ
![[-]](images/cleancut/collapse.gif "[-]")