Really new to a diesel engine but bought '95 GMC 1500 Sierra 6.5 2WD with 104K because of low mileage and great body condition. Runs good but inspection revealed severe rusting of left and right exhaust manifolds and Y-pipe. My mechanic having trouble in finding replacements for the non-turbo engine. Can anyone help?

Welcome to the 'Place, pickshin.......

Everything is the same, but no turbo - for the exh manifolds, pull and have them sandblasted - any good muffler shop can brew up a set of pipes - go thru the Diagnostic Checklist to see what shape it's in, what it needs.

Really new to a diesel engine but bought '95 GMC 1500 Sierra 6.5 2WD with 104K because of low mileage and great body condition. Runs good but inspection revealed severe rusting of left and right exhaust manifolds and Y-pipe. My mechanic having trouble in finding replacements for the non-turbo engine. Can anyone help?
If you are not going the turbo route, check the 6.2 forum they have a link floating around with a company that makes headers for the 6.2/6.5. I think that will work on your application.

Welcome to the 'Place, pickshin.......

Everything is the same, but no turbo - for the exh manifolds, pull and have them sandblasted - any good muffler shop can brew up a set of pipes - go thru the Diagnostic Checklist to see what shape it's in, what it needs.
Do I understand right that the manifolds for the turbo and non-turbo are the same? I got the impression from my mechanic that they were different.

If you are not going the turbo route, check the 6.2 forum they have a link floating around with a company that makes headers for the 6.2/6.5. I think that will work on your application.
Thanks. I will check the other group out. I hadn't thought of it before but ... what are the advantages of a conversion to turbo, would be involved to do it and do you have a ballpark idea of the cost?

The passenger-side manifold is quite different for the turbo-version - if not cracked, just pull yours and have them sand-blasted to clean them up - or, hit the local boneyards, get the turbo, manifolds and pipes off a 6.5TD version - everything bolts right up - all else is identical between the turbo and the n\a version engines

You would need any year R.H. turbo exhaust manifold but a 96 up turbo is a desired GM8 turbo.App $500.00 used,manifold & turbo.You will need a Heath "Turbomaster" wastegate control as OEM was vacuum operated.$110.00. While your at it get rid of the EGR upper & lower intake manifolds. Replace manifolds with 8600 GVW or greater "F" engine in vin manifolds App $200.00 . Also if you want all this to work optimally you need an after market mandrel bent down pipe & cross over pipe,low restriction 3 inch muffler & mandrel bent tailpipe. app$300.00 to $400.00. This makes sense to do it all at once as you allready need the exhaust work, right! Of course the least expense is to just replace the rusty crossover.I have a no rust one from a year 2000 ,60k mile so .calif truck if it will help you.