# Chevy turbo diesel



## Grasscape Inc (Jun 24, 2000)

Found another crew truck 92 chevy in great shaep. 4x4 with turbo deisel motor. Anything about that motor I should look for. Checking out the truck on Sat.


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## pottstim (Jun 9, 2000)

Grasscape,
Before I go into this, I'll tell you that I am a diehard Chevy man. They are all i've ever owned. However, I have serious doubts about the 6.5 Turbo diesel. I've never owned one, but I know of some bad and good experiences with them.
First of all, some good friend's of mine have a cousin that has a full service lawn care business here in town. He has a 94 K-3500 daully auto with the 6.5. I asked him how the motor has done. He said it's done pretty well. At the time I asked him, it had 140,000 miles on it. He said all he'd done was put an injector pump on it. Recently, he's bought a 3500 Cummins Dodge. But the kept the Chevy for his mowing crew, I saw it on the road yesterday. Personally, I like the Cummins engine, but don't think much of Dodges.
As for the bad side of the 6.5, the company my dad works for has a 96 K-3500 with a flat bed. It had constant oil leaks (pretty major from what I understand from him telling me), and was at the local Chevy dealer several times. One day, the engine in the truck locked up because of lack of oil. The crew that runs the truck had not checked the oil, so it's really not entirely the trucks fault.
Earlier this year, they had a factory fresh engine put in, and dad said he went to pick it up. He said on the way back to work that it was surging and running terrible. They took it back to the dealer (different one that "fixed the oil leaks") and to this day it's still not right. Dad talked with a diesel engine shop they do busines with, and they said the 6.5 is a troublesome engine, they said they are forever coming in there with problems.
I spoke with some of the mechanics at my local Chevy dealer, and they said the same thing. One said, "the fuel systems are terrible, as well as the bottom end of the engine, and oil leaks are a bad problem." He did say however, that the newer (97 and on )had fewer problems, but it still wasn't where it needed to be.
I was at another Chevy dealer here, and they had 2 diesels out on the used truck lot. One was a 95, the other a 96. They both had puddles of fresh engine oil under them.
This engine made it's debut in '92, the year model of the truck that you are talking about, so i'd watch out.
For 2001, GM is coming out with an Isuzu 6.6 L "Duramax" diesel, which it turbocharged, intercooled, and has direct (unlike the 6.5) injection. It has best in class torque and horsepower, 300hp and 520 ft lb. of torque.
The engine is supposed to be mated to Allison automatics, which are very heavy duty, and heavy duty 6 speed manuals. I think this will be a good engine, I hope better than the 6.5. Hope this helps, and good luck to you!

Tim


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## Deere John (May 14, 2001)

I have owned a '97 for more miles than I will admit to and it has been very good and economical. It gets used in logging and snowplowing, so it does not get babied. Plowking35 also has one, a 98 and I believe his experience is similar to mine.

There is an excellent web magazine run out of Montana www.62-65-dieselpage.com that will assure owners of these engines that they made a sound purchase. Talk to owners.

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John


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

The 6.5's reliability sems spotty,some have been trouble-free and others have been nothing but trouble.I have seen to many of these on engine stands out of truck that havent even had there first oil change yrt to trust them.My Dad has one in a 94 1500 2wd ,it has been ok,only needing a lift pump in 75K,but its starting to leak oil around front and rear main seal areas.I am not impressde with its pulling power at all,his pulls great on flats but dies on hills.

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John D


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## Stinger (Jun 22, 2000)

Grassscape: I had a 1996 chevv turbo diesel and to put it lightly it SUCKED! The dealer replaced the injector pump more times than I can recall. Chevy has a major problem with these trucks just ask any local diesel repair shop. I had to trade mine in and take a big loss afetr filing a complaint with Chevrolet and having a 4 month wait to see if they would do anything. Their reply was to install a new 6.5L diesel engine for which my $100 deductable would cover, no thanks. Additionally look in your paper classified ads the chevy diesel will be priced cheaper than other comperable trucks do to there bad history.


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## KirbysLawn (Jun 13, 2000)

Could'nt help but look over here. For my $.02 worth, I don't like them at all. No power and not reliable. I drive a Ford as my personal truck but at work (at Medic) we have a fleet of Chevy's and I drive them often. Hopefully the Duramax engine will be better, but the one's now SUCK.

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Ray Kirby - Kirby's Cuttin' Edge Lawn Maintenance
Home Page, My Truck, Lawn Photos


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## plowking35 (Dec 21, 1999)

Yes I do have a 98 with no problems to date.
here is what I kno of the 6.5 TD.
The 92/93 have a mech. injector pump, very reliable and few problems.
the 94- early 97 were the problematic Stanadyne electronic pumps. Alot of problems and failures, although some people have had 0 problems.
In mid 97 they redesigned the engine oil galleys and oil seals, and a installed a new pump system with upgrades, and these engines have been much better.
If the price was right I would buy the 92.
Dino

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Professional Ice and Snow Management 
Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org


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