Lookin at a GM 6.5L Diesel maybe possibly..

[burn_your_money]

Stanadyne introduced the grey box around July of this year. It can't be any older then that unless you guys in the south got them before us, but that seems unlikely.
The mechanical 6.5 pumps did come with the TPS if it was from an auto.

[maxfax]

The one that was giving problems had to be the old style then..  The replacement I got is supposed to be the lastest update..  They guy mentioned something about them just becoming available a few months ago..    Eh if it takes a poop again the mechanical route sounds like the way to go...

The mechanical 6.5 pumps did come with the TPS if it was from an auto.

I was wondering about that, good to know.. 

[catlin_cava]

FOund out today the job I may get (if the insurance company allows me) The truck I'll be driving has a 6.5L in it. I made the joke and asked if I could use the Internation with the Cat in it lol

[maxfax]

FOund out today the job I may get (if the insurance company allows me) The truck I'll be driving has a 6.5L in it. I made the joke and asked if I could use the Internation with the Cat in it lol

There's a guy here locally running a '63 Chevy 3/4 ton powered by a 4-71 Detroit... Top speed's about 60 but it will pull anything at that speed..  No power steering, no power brakes, heck not even disc brakes.. Talk about some strong arms and legs..   At least it isn;t 3 on the tree anymore...

[Rabbit on Roids]

Just swap the auto for a manual.  The tranny will be the next thing to die after the pump. 

Like others have said, great engine, bad.... everything else.

Brendan

you know nothing about GM i can see... they basically took a turbo 400, beefed it up, made it electronic controlled, and added an over drive. how are you going to kill a 4L80 with a gutless diesel if you cant kill one with a fire breathing blown 454?

[Rabbit on Roids]

The 4l80E is pretty robust..   Even the 4l60E wasn;t too bad post '96..  Of course proper care has alot to do with it too..  This one's been serviced on time and had an aftermarket cooler installed since new.. Judging by the shift adapts and CVI there's 70% + of the clutches left..  

If it came to a new trans or finding the stuff and swapping to a manual it'd probably be cheaper  and easier to rebuild the auto..

I guess I'm getting old or something, automatics keep becoming more and more appealing....  Mopars excluded..

i still dont care for automatics. the funnest autos ive ever driven had turbos in front of them. its cool being able to spool up the turbo a little, then let off the brakes and firewall it.

[maxfax]

All depends what I'm driving..    I like the auto in the Chevy, but in the F-250 I'm glad for the manual..  Especially behind a wheezy little 5.0..   

Auto transmissions have really come a long way..  Utilizing electronics to shift them was the best thing they did IMHO..  Yeah they had some issues the first few years, Chrysler still has them..  But once the growing pains were out of the way they work pretty darned good..

My mustang has been through various changes..   Started as a C-4 then went to an AOD..  THe AOD held up but shifted horribly, and modifications to the valve body all the time are a pain..  Went to a 5 speed, broke several 5 speeds, went to a 4r70w (wide ratio AOD-E).. I'm extactic with that..   A few quick flashes to the controller and BAM it shifts perfectly every time..  Aditionally if I want it more or less agressive it's a simple flash to the pcm..  I can even set it for full manual shifts... Knock wood I haven;t broken it yet...


Now a VW with an auto, well it isn't a VW, end of story...

[lord_verminaard]

you know nothing about GM i can see... they basically took a turbo 400, beefed it up, made it electronic controlled, and added an over drive. how are you going to kill a 4L80 with a gutless diesel if you cant kill one with a fire breathing blown 454?

You know what?  I'm starting to think that you don't know much of anything about anything.  You always act like you know it all about every topic that comes up and you always need to have the last word.  Well, the truth is, I've worked on and off in the automotive service/parts industry for nearly 10 years, almost half of your entire life, and I've personally sold more rebuilt GM automatic transmissions than you have probably ever even laid eyes on.  I was a true GM fanatic, I rebuilt my first 350 when you were only 8 years old, then I grew up and got a brain.

Frankly I'm sick of your attitude and I doubt I'm the only one.  I wish this forum had an ignore feature because you would be the first person on my list.

Sorry to the original poster for letting this get on your thread.

Brendan

[burn_your_money]

Ok that conversation stops there. Take it to PMs if you feel it necessary.

Back to the 6.5,

If your pump originally had a black box on it you need to swap the pump wiring harness to the new style in order to upgrade to the grey box.

[catlin_cava]

What year the GM Fix the 6.5 so they are reliable?

[maxfax]

If your pump originally had a black box on it you need to swap the pump wiring harness to the new style in order to upgrade to the grey box.

Hmm..  Well I bought the relocation kit which came with about a 6 foot harness that plugged into the original pmd connector and into the new pmd..   

Upon a bit of inspection the pmd I installed was not made by Stanadyne. It's labeled "D-Tech" manufactured by Flight Systems ELectronic Group.. It uses the same connector as the Stanadyne PMD..

I guess it can;t be much worse than the Stanadyne unit...  It's made it about 700 miles so far.. I kinda wish teh exhaust was a bit smokier (isn;t that half the fun of owning a diesel??)) but it's been knocking out low to mid 20's for fuel milage so I'm not going to complain...

[burn_your_money]

The Dtech box is a good one. It's better then the original Stanadyne black box. I'm not sure how it compares to the new grey box yet though. Do you have a resistor in your black box? Most trucks will throw a code if you don't have one installed but some seem to get away with it.

[maxfax]

That's good to hear!!!   This one does have the resistor in the black box..   The instructions with the Dtech box mentioned about swapping that..  I was lazy and just bought another one so I didn't have to try get the old one out..  $7 was well worth it to not have to remove the intake..  I just left the black box hanging on the pump as with the relocation kit there was no need to remove it..   

That relocation kit is truly the part of gold in this mess..  I'm sure the cooler location helps, but also it's simple enough to change the PMD now that one could theoretically keep a spare with them and change it roadside..  Kinda brings back memories of the good ole days with Ford Duraspark modules..

[Pat Dolan]

Doesn't sound like you need any encouragememt to pick up this truck, but if you do:  I have been driving a '97 K15 6.5 for a while, and I think I will keep it.  I've got bigger stuff for big towing/carying, and little stuff for hauling my keister around, but find the Chiverlay "about right" for dragging one car and carrying a half ton of junk at a time.  I have had a 5.7 pickup (that's what your Daddy was replacing) and 6.2 Suburban, and each one has been fantastic transportation and dead reliable.  I get about 20 imperial MPG towing one light car, and it seems to be just "car like" enough for Mamma to drive without too much grief.

[maxfax]

You hit the nail on the head Pat..   It's truck enough for what I need to do, car enough that's it's nice to drive if I'm going any distance...  I've had posession of it for almost a month now and am quite happy with it..

 The only real down falls are that it's too darn nice to go chucking firewood or scrap on the bed and it's not technically mine yet..   THe PO, well current owner yet, is trying out a new truck on the GM 60 day thing..  I guess he isn't unhappy with the new one, but not thrilled with it for what it's gonna cost..  He's pulling a small cattle trailer.. The 5.3 does okay, but power and mileage were better with the 6.5..  And since this one now seems to be working fine he's debating about just keeping it..     I guess I don;t really need the truck and I could use the money elseware, but it is pretty darned nice..    I guess if he decides to keep it I'll continue my search for a diesel Olds wagon