6.5L Turbo refit

[glaser06]

Guys, I found an ad for a pulled 6.5L on craigslist. I wanted to know, what else would I be looking at buying with this in order to refit my 6.2 (M1028 ) with the turbo? I think this is a pretty good deal on the motor if I can get the seller to call me back (tried twice and no luck so far). Says "complete motor with everything" in the ad.

I seem to remember patracy did this conversion to his a while back but I couldn't find the thread. My google-fu is lacking

Also, I'm just east of Atlanta near Stone Mountain if anyone is close-by and wants to show me theirs sometime next month when I get started

 

[CUCVLOVER]

From what patracy has said its a good mod to do.
I haven't checked the numbers yet for the 6.5TD but I know the Banks turbo kit for the 6.2 adds 60 horse and 115 lbs of torque that should help get you down the road. Good luck with your project please tell use how it works out.
Also please let us know how the gearvendors works out.
Chase.

 

[R Racing]

Think this may be the thread but I didn't see a ton of info about the install.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?81654-Introducing-Smokey

 

[glaser06]

Think this may be the thread but I didn't see a ton of info about the install.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?81654-Introducing-Smokey

Yep, found the same one but I had thought I'd read a write-up on the actual install. Don't have the cash for a sidewinder system and a gearvendors, but I can do a 6.5L and the GV. Going to New Orleans from Atlanta at 55mph is getting old after 4 or 5 trips (plus 3 separate trips to South Texas from Atlanta!).

 

[acmunro]

Looks like everything is there in the picture. Not sure if the Air cleaner is included that might be helpful. The one I did I used some pipe fittings at the bell housing oil port to tee off for a oil pressure line to the Turbo. From the tee I used 3/8" stainless steel line to come up near the spot by the passengers side head where the 6.5 has an oil port for this need. A quality turbo rebuild kit would be a good Idea if the turbo is a rebuild candidate. Or a rebuilt turbo. Another item is swap the passengers side valve cover or replumb the CDR valve. I used civi battery trays (turbo clearance) and converted to 12volt on the one I did. Exhaust is another thing. I used the stock drivers side manifold. This requires the crossover pipe to be custom built. I opted to do this because the 6.5 drivers side manifold interfered with the 6.2 oil cooler lines. Then that just leaves the rest of the exhaust. Also you will need a electric fuel pump. The spot for the mech fuel pump is used for the oil return from the turbo. Or you could prob plumb the return back to the pan and retain the stock pump. I am not sure how that would work out. I also made a spring loaded adjustable waste gate. Just a few local hardware items to do that. Good Luck

 

[MatthewH]

If your handy with a welder, you can retain your stock mech lift pump and still have the oil drain in that spot. I did this on my 6.2 using the exact turbo setup your looking at.

 

[av8rnik]

I did the upgrade back in September. You will need to make some decisions:

Oil drain location
CDRV connections
Turbo exhaust routing
Get an EGT and boost gauge if you aren't going to do head studs

Be careful with getting the old exhaust manifold bolts off, i sprayed mine 1-2 times per day (after driving the truck) for a week and didnt have a problem. Go slow with loosening them, you dont want to snap one in the block. Also, go buy new bolts for the exhaust manifolds.

You will either need to put new short injectors on or use two exhaust manifold gaskets on the turbo side because the manifold will not clear the stock injectors with just one gasket. Also, don't bother pulling the driver side exhaust manifold because the one of a 6.5 will not work because the exhaust outlet basically sits right next to the oil lines going to the cooler and you wont be able to get the crossover on. I ended up getting an exhaust shop to put together a crossover for me.

I put an electric fuel pump on and pulled the mechanical lift pump so i could put the oil drain into the block where the mechanical lift pump goes. I used this block off plate because it came with a connection ready to go for the drain line, no fabbing needed (because i didnt have the tools to do it). http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-65397/overview/

I also had to put both batteries up front to have enough room for the turbo, as mentioned above. As acmunro mentioned, go ahead and do a rebuild on the turbo. It is easy to do and not very expensive.

I am sure there is more i am not thinking about, but if you have other questions throw them out there. Also here are a few pics of what mine looked like after it was done.

 

[acmunro]

Yes I forgot about the short injectors and lines. I really need to start writing this stuff down. I always think I will just remember. Thats not happening.

 

[glaser06]

Yes I forgot about the short injectors and lines. I really need to start writing this stuff down. I always think I will just remember. Thats not happening.

Yeah, each of my projects has a yellow pad that hangs on the wall. I don't always get it all on there but I'm always surprised by how much I forget between each of them. Oh and I take a buttload of pics on my phone!

 

[glaser06]

Found this rebuild kit on ebay....is this really all that's needed? Just wanted to make sure before pulling the trigger. They had a second kit with a compressor wheel but it was twice as much.

 

[tmbrown08]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?105875-Turbo-time!-Installing-6-5-turbo

This is a build thread for the conversion. Its got good details on the install

 

[av8rnik]

My understanding about the compressor wheel is you only need to replace it if it is pitted or damaged, otherwise that looks like it is everything that i had in the kit i got. Mine is a Holset HX35 though. I would just say look around to see if there is any other place that sells them. I bought mine directly from a Holset dealer so i knew the rebuild kit was a Holset rebuild kit, not some knockoff that might have questionable quality. And if i had an issue i knew i could call someone that knew something about the turbo.

 

[MatthewH]

For those who have finished this conversion, do you have any part numbers for the pass side exhaust donut? Mine was gone when I got the setup, and by application calls for 2 different sizes, one being the same as the drivers side, the other having a larger ID dimension.

Also, for the exhaust pipe/flange that bolts in place, are they the same size for both sides, or is the turbo side larger, talking the crossover pipe.

Thanks

 

[av8rnik]

Dont have a part number for passenger side because mine was in the exhaust manifold. The passenger side exhaust manifold it larger that the stock driver side. If you leave the driver side stock you will have to either fab or have fabbed a "custom" crossover. What i did as a temp fix was get some flex exhaust pipe from a parts store and connect the crossover i got with my turbo and the cut up exhaust pipe from the stock exhaust pipe coming out the driver side. you can kind of see it in my pics, except the one pictures has been welded together. The exhaust shop i went to did that.

 

[MatthewH]

Yup leaving it stock on the drivers side. Crossover is custom anyways, being I'm stuffing a turbo 6.2 into an M37.
Any chance you know it can measure the exhaust pipe size on both sides? I need to get the cups made up, and need a size to start with

 

[av8rnik]

Nope sorry. There is about 6" of snow outside right now. The passenger side is stock 6.5l exhaust manifold. Google search and you should be able to find it.

 

[MatthewH]

Hahaha I understand, been googling, come up with everything from 2.25 to 3", and everybodies aftermarket crossover. I'll keep at it. Thanks

 

[MatthewH]

So after several hours scouring several forums, and calling a couple different exhaust shops as well as performance exhaust companies, here's what I found.
The original crossover pipe for a 6.5 turbo is in fact larger of than what a CUCV runs, however, its a double walled pipe, and are known for delaminating inside, and are often replaced due to this, or corrosion. The inside pipe was roughly 2".
The turbo manifold also uses a larger 3 bolt flange, and exhaust donut than a CUCV manifold, but several aftermarket companies sell a crossover pipe in sizes between 2.25" and 3".
Since my local exhaust shop couldn't find the correct flange size, even by application, and I didn't have a flange and didn't want to remove the manifold, turbo and associated parts, I opted to purchase an aftermarket crossover pipe in 2.25" with the correct flanges for the turbo manifold, and ill swap the CUCV flange onto it for the drivers side.
I'll post pics and dimension's when I get all the parts together, hopefully it will help somebody else down the road

 

[Ilikemtb999]

What I did on mine was cut off the top maybe 4" of the drivers side crossover and mated it to a flowmaster 6.5 crossover (that also needed cutting and modifying).

 

[Ridgeback]

As soon as it warms up outside, I'm gonna go ahead and pull the trigger on this mod. I have all the pieces parts and tools ready to go...just need some time and for it not to be 11 degrees outside!