CALL US AT: 828-453-7779
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I order an engine from your company?
Simply give us a call and we will discuss your particular application, and answer any questions you may have. If you came to our site through eBay you can place your order there, but we need to get all the information about your truck, and give you a freight total before an order can be initiated, please call us first, and then you may place your order. This will avoid allot of emailing and miscommunication regarding totals and building the proper engine for your truck.
- Why should I buy your engine instead of some others I see online?
We can save you money while offering a quality product. No cutting corners. We take pride in our product and are willing to stand behind it. Beware of engines sold by price alone, do they offer a warranty? Do they upgrade the oiling system?, Do they offer extensive knowledge of the 6.5, or is it just one of their many listings? Do they weld on broken parts? Can you talk to someone on the phone that knows the 6.5 engine? Do they know the 6.5’s weaknesses and how to properly address them?
- What will I have to transfer onto my new Long block engine?
You will need to transfer your fuel system, intake, exhaust and your pulley driven components. - How long will it take to get my new engine if I buy from 6-5liter.com?
How soon you receive your engine will depend on where you are located and how you pay, and our current order backlog. Often we can ship within 2-3 days of your payment or possibly faster with our check by phone system. Truck freight transit times range from 2 days to 7 business days within the continental United States. We can tell you more specifically when we know your shipping address.
- What is the difference between a Long block & Drop-in ?
“Long block” is a common industry term used to describe how complete a replacement engine is. A typical Long block includes all of the bottom end of the engine and the heads. This means all the internal components are installed.
In addition to the industry “standard” our Longblock engines include the Oil pan, Valve Covers, Timing Chain and Timing Chain Cover, - all pre-installed. "Drop-in" includes all of the "Longblock" assembly plus; Turbo, Fuel System, (Injection Pump, Metal lines & Injectors), Intake Manifold, Exhaust Manifolds and a New Water pump.
- Where are we located?
We are located in historic Bostic, North Carolina U.S.A. – a small rural town near Charlotte. Our address is: 157 North Main Street Bostic, NC 28018
- What gaskets will I need?
You will need a long block installation gasket set, available from us or your local supplier. Some engines use exhaust flange gaskets, if yours does, then you will need to get those from your local parts supplier. It is also an excellent opportunity to replace the two doughnut gaskets for the exhaust crossover pipe.
- What do I need to do upon installation to Validate Warranty?
Nothing you shouldn’t do anyway, You will need to replace all the glow plugs, flush the oil cooler and oil lines and properly prime the oiling system before initial startup. Having the injection pump timed properly is also imperative. If your not sure about any of these points, we can help over the phone before, during and after your installation.
- Can I put a Turbo Hummer or Van engine in my pickup truck?
No, It will not work. The turbo mounts in the center/rear of the engine, putting it way into the firewall on a pickup, also the exhaust system and heads are different.
- How do I return the Core?
Simply give us a call when the core is ready and we will schedule a pickup. We pay for the return freight.
- Will 18:1 pistons give me more power?
An 18:1 engine is generally a bad choice in a vehicle. 18:1 engines are for marine applications where the engine will be under wide-open throttle for hours at a time. Your truck does not operate under these conditions. The lower compression produces LESS power but keeps the combustion chamber temperatures down in the extreme marine application. Just to make up for the loss of compression from the stock 21:1 (Trucks) to the 18:1 (Marine), you would have to push around 25 psi of boost into the engine. The GM-8 turbo your truck is equipped with from the factory is only able to produce 15-16 psi max. Even if you manage to custom mount another turbo that could produce 25psi, the rest of the engine is not built to withstand the increased pressures.
- How do I know if I have a “Sidemount” turbo engine or a “Topmount” application?
If you own a pickup truck, and it is turbo, then you have a Sidemount turbo engine, no question.
If you own a van or Hummer and it is a turbo engine, Then it is a Centermount.
If you have a bus or RV it could be either. – call us we can help you identify what you need.
What are the most common problems associated with the 6.5 Diesel Engine? Problems, Oh where shall we start?
#3. Crank Breakage/ Failure. This may occur for two reasons:
#1.The first problem most 6.5 owners will face is injection pump problems, (usually the PMD module), (the little black box on the side of the pump).They cook down there in the valley of the engine. The truck may experience stalling or a no start condition. The fix is the improved PMD and a remote mounting kit.
#2. Cracking of the Castings. The results can be: coolent loss, white smoke, overheating, hydro-lock or cylinder miss. The fix is a new long-block engine, preferably with the new updated castings, designed to alleviate the cracking issues.
a. The lower end of the OEM block is weak. The caps or main bearing support/s develop cracks and no longer support the crank, (Automotive 6.5's use cast cranks, the don't flex, they snap).
b. The harmonic balancer fails. The results are obvious, the fix is the improved block and new harmonic balancer. Our new block has heavier main webbing and main bearing support to greatly improve bottom-end & crank durability and longevity, they also come with new harmonic balancers.
#4. Overheating under heavy prolonged load, due to poor design by GM. In 1997 the water pump, radiator fan & thermostat housing were improved, and these improvements do help. The new casting heads feature improved coolent passages. The 6.5 cools best when the '97 upgrades are used in conjunction with the improved heads available on the NEW Longblock.
These are by far the most common problems we run into. Most people get between 120K & 180K on there factory engine before catastrophic failure, some of our customers report as much as 400K some as little as 60K!! Ouch!! ...this was in an H-1, the most expensive platform a 6.5 came in! - hardly seemed fair.
The good news is that with new, improved and innovative products, we can now offer a solution to these problems and make the 6.5 diesel a great engine to own and operate. The 6.5 is still one of the most fuel efficient diesels ever offered in a full size pickup. Our customers routinely report 18-21 mpg in their 1 ton truck chassis, this is far better mileage than the newer 6.0/6.4l Ford or even the 6.6l Duramax!
- Why don't you offer many 6.5 diesel performance parts like other websites?
You can get useless doo-dads and even a few meaningful upgrades like cooling system upgrades and PMD coolers all over the internet, that water pump is the same as the one you can get at your local parts retailer. The only decent intercooler is $1200 and its a waste of money for the 6.5. - I know I owned one. We're not interested in offering the same stuff you can find anywhere. We offer great engines and truly unique parts that can not be found elsewhere. I personally have put almost $7000 worth of performance upgrades into 6.5 engine, and have been thoroughly unimpressed. We refuse to push performance parts for an engine that does not respond well to them, (computer chip & cooling system upgrades are a few of the exceptions).
Often many of the "upgrades" result in a finicky, overheating and unreliable truck. What good is additional power if you have to back off the throttle because the engine gets hot? Many who have really towed with the 6.5 are familiar with that nagging feeling of having to keep constant watch on the temperature gauge.
We focus on engine reliability and addressing the shortcomings of the OEM engine & components. We have found durability & reliability to be the best approach. With the proper updates/upgrades to the oiling system, block and heads, PMD and cooling system, the 6.5 can serve you well, with great low-end torque and unmatched fuel economy. Save yourself the frustration and expense of ineffective add-ons.
P: 828-453-7779
F: 828-382-0298
157 North Main Street Bostic, NC 28018
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