6.5L tow rig?

Ginger

Ginger

Bubbles
Jan 25, 2011
23,997
484
83
Julian's Shed @ Sunnyvale. Holy fuck boys, this sh
I've been looking for a tow rig to tow my 20ft enclosed trailer to the track and back once a week. My NBS 1500 can handle the weight but just doesnt have the power I need. and struggles to leave a stop light, prolly due to the gearing of it, and the heavy 33's.

Anyway, I have been looking on CL for a few weeks, and most people want a small fortune for a used diesel, or they have a non-turbo, which wont be much better than my current truck. Or they have a work truck that has had the shit beaten out of it.

Anyway, i found a few 6.5 liter turbo diesel 3500's and i have only ever ridden in one and it seemed to do decent towing. I know about the heat sink for the injector module, the one im interested in now, is a 93, so it is a mechanical pump.

anyway, wondering if anyone here has towed with one or has more experiance than the "I read about them". Again doesnt need to be a power house, its towing a 2000 lbs car in a 20ft enclosed trailer, with some tools and shit. but i dont want to spend money on a new truck if its not going to be an improvement over what i have.

thanks.
 
Horns

Horns

Diesel Addict
Aug 5, 2012
95
0
6
Iowa
It won't have power much better than your 350 to be honest. The 6.2 and 6.5 were built when they started using diesel as an economy engine, not a power engine. They're both hunks of crap.

Buy a GMT400 crew cab dually and trow a 12v in it :imo:
 
Dan

Dan

Not Banned from GMFS
Mar 23, 2012
674
2
18
31
Columbia, SC
Horns said:
It won't have power much better than your 350 to be honest. The 6.2 and 6.5 were built when they started using diesel as an economy engine, not a power engine. They're both hunks of crap.

Buy a GMT400 crew cab dually and trow a 12v in it :imo:
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Holy shit this. DFW to see that, and the 12v would give you all the power/reliability you need
 
Horns

Horns

Diesel Addict
Aug 5, 2012
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Iowa
I don't know how much cheaper gassers are going for where you live, but a 12v swap on a 3500 gmt400 would cost around the $4k-$6k region. You just have weigh the odds and see if the time/money are worth it to you. You will diffidently have a more powerful and more reliable rig, but if you're only gonna use it here and there to tow a car to the track and what not, maybe the added time/money isn't worth it.

Edit:
BOO5TED said:
:lol: @ "your 350"
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I don't know what he uses to tow the thing right now tbh. I was just going off of what an OBS half ton would have it in since he's looking at an OBS 1 ton.

Edit 2: Guess I missed the "NBS 1500" in the original post, but whatever. That just makes it an even worse comparison.
 
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Horns

Horns

Diesel Addict
Aug 5, 2012
95
0
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Iowa
Ginger said:
im looking to tow once a week to the track and back, roughly a hour drive. its pretty flat. aka no hills, and im trying to not spend over 4000. not looking for swaps. if i want a 12v, im going to buy the whole dodge and tow with that.
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Then I don't see a problem with the 6.5, until the damn thing melts on you. Is there some reason you really need/want a diesel? How about a 454?

Don't get me wrong, I'm the biggest diesel freak you'll meet. I have a 4 cylinder half ton diesel putting out 450 lb.ft. for christ sake. I just really despise of the 6.5L. Lol
 
Ginger

Ginger

Bubbles
Jan 25, 2011
23,997
484
83
Julian's Shed @ Sunnyvale. Holy fuck boys, this sh
BOO5TED said:
He has a NBS 1500 Z71 with a 5.3, I think 04 or 05.
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its an 03 5.3 liter. just doesnt have the umph with the 3.73's and 33's. i have to keep it in 3rd to keep it from falling on its face.

Horns said:
Then I don't see a problem with the 6.5, until the damn thing melts on you. Is there some reason you really need/want a diesel? How about a 454?

Don't get me wrong, I'm the biggest diesel freak you'll meet. I have a 4 cylinder half ton diesel putting out 450 lb.ft. for christ sake. I just really despise of the 6.5L. Lol
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i would be fine with a big block, but almost everything around here big block is square body, and i need overdrive for the highway. i just want the torque so i dont feel like im crawling away from a stop light, or making the the struggle and scream to get to highway speed.

with my budget though, it leaves me with a bunch of rotted out utility bodies, and beat to shit trucks.

I could care less about miles on the thing, as long as its mechanically sound, and isnt rusted or beaten to fuck. In my mind they might have less miles but had the shit beaten out of them that entire time.

the problem im having is finding something that isnt a pile of shit. a few 6.5's have popped up that are crew cab, which is great for fitting my crew, and dont look too beaten. thats why i ask.

also from what i read, the mechanical 6.5's while they have a little less power are more reliable than the electronically controlled ones, and i could crank the injector pump up a hint to gain a little power.
 
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09WhiteHD

FGT with hot wiffuh
Feb 12, 2012
50
0
0
South Louisiana
my 454 did good with a load it made 10-13 consistantly. and i found it towed just as good as a stock 6.5L...... if i would go diesel tow rig it would be an old dodge with a cummins.
 
Horns

Horns

Diesel Addict
Aug 5, 2012
95
0
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Iowa
I wouldn't turn a 6.5 up though. They're known for cracking heads and pistons with stock tuning.
 
C

Charlie

Member
Mar 21, 2012
784
6
18
Why not just re-gear your half ton? Much cheaper than buying/maintaining/registering/insuring another vehicle and it will be more fun to drive the rest of the week. You already put better brakes on it, right?
 
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09WhiteHD

FGT with hot wiffuh
Feb 12, 2012
50
0
0
South Louisiana
the 454 and the 6.5 that i drove seemed similar but the 6.5 did make better milage and the turbo helped it tow a little better but the 454 was a solid performer
 
okbeast

okbeast

Active Member
Feb 8, 2011
1,087
11
38
Not to thread-jack, but if not a 6.5L what do other ppl recommend for a good tow pig? Old, good power, decent on the wallet?
 
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