Hello.. I am new to this forum.

I have a 2000 Chevy Silverado with the 6.0L gasser with 88500 miles on it. It has the 4L80E (heavy-duty automatic w/overdrive) transmission in it. What I would like to do in the future is replace the gas motor for the 6.5L turbo diesel. Will this swap be relitively simple? From what I understand the 6.5 should bolt up to the transmission I have in the truck. Would this transmission be good for the 6.5L? Or will I have to get a 4L80E that is made for the 6.5L diesel?

Will the 6.5L bolt in too? Or will I have to do some customizing to fit it in?

I know I would need a PCM for the 6.5L and transmission to control them together...

In the information gathering stage.

Thanks..
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Sould be relatively easy, though the bell housing on your 4L80E may be a tight fit for a 6.5L starter.

I don't know for sure, but I thought they were the same bell housing/tranny everything.

Might just be the inspection cover then. I thought something had to be ground on a gasser bellhousing.

So if the motor bolts to the transmission, does the motor bolt into the frame with no mods? I think the 6.5L turbo diesel was still an option in 2000. Didn't the Duramax show up in 2001?

Will he need to be sure to have a diesel spec torque converter? I was thinking the stall was lower than on the gasser.

You will have lots of little stuff to modify/change. The bracketry for the alt, p/s pump A/C compressor, etc., is all different for the diesel engine. It's brackets are unique. The throttle cable will be different as well. The pulleys/belt arrangement can be fun, too.

The radiator hose size is differrent from the gas engine and will need to be adapted. Some guys have the radiator shop fit the proper size hose fittings to the stock radiator tanks. If you have the aluminum radiator with the plastic tanks, you can use copper plumbing fittings to adapt small hose to bigger hose. These are available from hardware stores. You then cut the hoses to fit. I used part of the 6.2 hose and coupled it to half of the gas engine hose with the copper fittings and some hose clamps. (If you cut both hoses in the right spot, the whole fitting is hidden and all you see are the two clamps in the middle of the hose.)

The best way to find everything you need is to check the local salvage yards for a "donor" truck. If none are available, you can do some research and find what you need from a dealer. This is not the most inexpensive way, but gets the job done. Good luck.

The 6.5 was still an option in 2000, but only in the older carry-over body style. It still shouldn't be that hard to convert. The stall speed from the factory in the 4L80-E is the same reguardless of engine.

Thanks for the information.. I guess I will need to concider all things including time.

I would appreciate more input and information if it is available.

VeggieSuburban.. I would like to do what you have done, WVO. :)

Thanks for the information.. I guess I will need to concider all things including time.

I would appreciate more input and information if it is available.

VeggieSuburban.. I would like to do what you have done, WVO. :)

It's working out pretty good, no second thoughts. I had originally considered converting a gasser, but figured I would have enough troubleshooting with the wvo to keep me busy. (really didn't have much). Keep an eye on ebay, autotrader.com, and others and it shouldn't take too much time to find what you want.