I just purchased a 1997 GMC 6.5 TD SLX 2500 extended cab. I've had it for alittle over 1 month. I really like this truck, it has 130K miles was a one owner and was used for towing a 25' 5'th wheel trailor. It has a banks transmission temp gauge mounted on the pillar and a K&N air filter. It's interior is like new and it drives down the road nicer then any truck I have ever owned. The power seats are great, the radio and cd player are fine and the heater works well. Mileage is between 20 and 23 mpg for a city highway mix, which is better then I had hoped for. All in all, I cannot find a single fault with this truck after driving it daily for 1 month. I am in Ontario and this has been a very cold month, as long as the truck is plugged over night, it starts fine. I have owned 2 GMC 1988 and newer trucks with the tbi 305 engine. I have been able to keep these vechiles running reliably myself with basic mechanical skills. Aside from using these vechiles as daily commuters, I also draw wood from a woodlot, and a few years ago I got the camping bug and started pulling a 23' trailor.

When I came time to replace my last gasser, I thought I would move up to a 3/4 ton diesel. I was right on my weight limit with my 1/2 ton and I liked the ideal of getting a diesel. I was also looking to improve my gas mileage from 13 mpg empty and 9 mpg while towing. It took me a long time to find a diesel 3/4 ton extended cab in my area. Many of the vechiles I found were older, very high mileage trucks. Most were GM's or Fords. I have always owned GM's and thought I would be safe sticking with GM if I could find one. I finally found this truck at an RV dealership, it had the brake controler and the bed rails already installed, the price was good and it came with a 6 month limited power train warrenty. While I had done some research on the internet before I bought the truck, I really didn't start learning about the GM diesel and it's potiential short comings till after I got the truck and started visiting sites like this one and others. Since then I have learned that I am just out of any warrenty for my IP pump and my vechile maybe prone to cracked heads and worse a cracked block. While my truck is running fine, the number of people posting threads about cracked blocks is becoming a real concern for me. I realize that the internet tends to magnify these kinds of problems in that for every post about a cracked block, there are 100 people who have no problems. However this kind of failure still concerns me. If my block cracks it would be beyond my ablility to change it out, and I don't know of a good diesel mechanic in my area yet. As I said, I really like this truck, the power and the sound of the diesel is great and I was looking forward to learning all about the 6.5 engine and doing my own basic maintinance, however now I'm wondering if I should sell it while it is still running good and go back to gas, and or save my money for a Duramax. Sorry about the rambling post, but any comments or advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Keep reading here and stay up on your maintance. If you like the truck as much as you say and it runs as good as you say then why sell a good thing. If down the road those two problems you mentioned show up there are other ways to get it back on the road ie Eng Swap or head swap. You have a dy-o-mite truck in your hands of which there are thousands and thousands on the roads around the world and as you point out the internet tends to magnify these kinds of problems. If you really want a D-Max, great choice too, then start shopping for one till you find one in our price range and trade up.
Just my 2 cents worth

The 6.5L is not much different from a chevy 305 in it's basic design, just a few special parts. There isn't much a guy can't do himself, with a little research, including headgaskets and the usual pump or HB.

There's a few electrical parts to contend with (pmd, OPS, LP, ect) but in no time you'll understand what your dealing with.

Yeah sell it too me deliver it to Montana and I'll take that troubled truck off your hands for $2,000.:rolleyes:

Is it a 4x4? If it is I might be interested. I could use the extra cab space. Keep believing the negative points. THis is a website to air them and gain the knowledge for repairs. You don't here people at the Dr. talking about the things that don't hurt.

The 6.5 is a bargain diesel. It's the least powerful and the least strong, that said it will outlast any pretty much any gas motor and, as you noticed, get much better mileage (mine never got mileage that was as good as what you're reporting). If it's running and driving great, then why get rid of it, unless you want more power? Mine hit 172k before it threw a rod, and I was very hard on it. Hold on to the truck, get a lot of good use out of it, and enjoy it. As much as I love my new truck, there were some things about my old 6.5 that I miss.

Yeah sell it too me deliver it to Montana and I'll take that troubled truck off your hands for $2,000.:rolleyes:
:iamwithst I'll even sweeten the pot and offer to come and get if for $2000!;)

jcol, i think if you want to get rid of your truck just about everyone on this site would make you an offer. know why? we are addicts. we are addicted to the 6.5 and we know what to look for if we have a problem. if we cant solve the problem we come here. if you need help or cant figure a problem out post here. i'm sure you will get help within lets say 2 minutes, give or take a second or two. you will find out that wrenchin on the 6.5 is not so bad. in fact i went 134,000 miles on mine with just basic maintainance. the 6.5 can be very reliable. i had great luck with mine and with the mileage i get it more than paid for itself many times over. if you want to sell it you can add my name to that list.

The 6.5 is a bargain diesel. It's the least powerful and the least strong, .
This situation can be improved upon & if done correctly you aren't putting engine longevity at risk.

Wow, some great responses here. This post had gone quiet for a few days so I didn't notice some of the later replies. As far asking about whether or not I should sell the truck, that came after reading about all of the cracked blocks that are being recorded at another site. Some of these are real horror stories and most seem to occur right around the year 97 and the milage 130,000 miles of my truck. It just got me worrying alittle. But another 2 weeks of trouble free driving have passed and last weekend I made a short trip across the border to my nearst US Wallmart and bought 3 gallons of Shell Rotell synthetic which is on sale. I'm going to change the oil this weekend. So once that happeneds I will be truely committed to this truck. Thanks for the words of encouragement and all the offers to buy this truck,, but for now I think I'll keep it.

jcol, i knew you would make that choice. now you have offically become a 6.5 junkie. i was going to make you an offer on your ride but i knew you would see the light. now with some simple mods you will want to keep it forever. good luck and keep us posted.