Hello everyone, new to the forum, this is my first post. I have a 1993 chevy crewcab 3500 2wd 6.5TD auto trans, it has 224,xxx on it. I have a manual boost controller and only the downpipe on the exhaust side( the exhaust fell off @ the downpipe). Heres the problem the truck starts and runs great, runs about 7psi of boost no smoke. But when I was towing a 9,000# trailer up a 5% grade hill it would only pull at about 25mph. While pulling up the hill the water temp never went above 190deg. and oil was @ 40psi (exhuast was clean, no smoke) Then I turned on the 4-ways (being I was only going 25mph) and the engine started to surge every time the 4-ways came on (the engine would lose even more power ever time they flashed) so I had to turn the off right away! When the truck is empty it will do 70mph up the hill no problem! Now I dont expect it to tow up the hill @ 70 but I thought it would do at least 40! I dont know what could be wrong any help would be great!

Thanks Adam

are u getting a good running start on the hill or do u have to slow down before u hit it, i hauled a 25' gooseneck loaded down with brush from front to rear, not sure about the weight prob. 6 or 7k, and i had no trouble keepin up with traffic i was even passin people. but iv got a couple more mods than you, before i had the chip we used the same trailer to haul about 23K lbs on some big a** hills and it slowed down to 10 or 15 even with a running shot. Not sure what your problem is, u should be doin better than that, maybe someone with a little more knowledge than me will be able to help u

Joehillbilly,

sounds like your truck is doing right for the speed up the hill considering our 95 will pull 6000# up a 3-4 mile 6% hill at about 30-35 mph. As for the surging, check the brakes on that trailer. Sounds like as the 4-ways come on, the brakes are also coming on.

Yeah, your numbers sound about right. When I had my '97 6.5TD/4L80-E up a 5% grade towing about an 8k load I was going in 2nd gear about 30-35 mph the whole way. At one point the temp got to around 240 (this is summer with windows open a/c off), so I had to pull over, pop the hood, and rev the engine to get the temps back down to normal. Then made it up the hill staying below 235... barely.

As far as I'm concerned the 6.5 is a far superior motor to any similar-class gas engine (350, 454, etc.). However compare it to other diesels and, well, its shortcomings become apparent. My new Cummins has pulled full trailer with car on it (~6k lbs) and a 1000 lb engine/trans combo in the bed up hills at 60-70 mph without breaking a sweat.

Then again, who knows when I'll get an injector problem with the HPCR system.

While pulling up the hill the water temp never went above 190deg. and oil was @ 40psi (exhuast was clean, no smoke).
Your '93 will have the electric supply pump on the frame rail right under your seat, check it for operation first, start the truck and let it idle, then open the drain on the top of the fuel filter, if fuel comes out, then the pump works, hook a tube over the fitting and run a little bit into a small container to make sure there's no air. Next, shut the truck off and pull the fuel filter out, if its not white, then replace it. Once you have verified/corrected your fuel supply system is functioning properly, the only thing left is the injection pump/injectors. 4911 most common failures are low power, hard start hot and white smoke from advance failure. I would say you need an injection pump, and if the injectors are original with that many miles, then they've been due atleast twice now.

As far as the surging, I think Silvy is right, check your trailer wiring.

Joe, your pulling power sounds about right; my truck is similar. I have one 10-15% hill I pull a compact tractor & implements (8,000-9,000 lbs) up where I get a slow start due to a tight turn. Truck works real hard, and I'm usually doing around 15 MPH in 1st (not the granny low gear). Too much to try for second. I just grind up the hill until it levels out a bit and I can upshift. Truck pulls fine at highway speeds of 55-65 MPH. I have about 100K, with the original injectors and injection pump

What helped my pulling most was losing the crinkled, twisted OEM downpipe from the turbo when I put on the 3-1/2" low restriction exhaust.

John

Adam,

Welcome to the site, Your condition is curable, GM really limits potential of these, with their conservative programming, go to FAQs & see what you can do to give it a little more without putting the engine at risk. Step by step as you can afford it is the way to go, I haul 18K every once in a while, granted not too many grades around here, but the ones we have can make you take notice with that kind of a load, I can run to 70 mph running flat faster than that I get skeered, I slow to 60 going up a grade. I'd check into fuel delivery to IP as TDG suggests some tips in FAQs on that as well, I had same problem pulling my 5600# empty GN trailer, dropped the trailer & ran like a scalded dog, culprit was partially blocked fuel filter that only had 5 K miles on it.

IP & injectors again as TDG says probably a little long in the tooth with those miles, around here I can have injectors cleaned & tested for $8 each, might be worth it to check those, if you don't find problems in lift pump & fuel filter.
What kind of EGT you seeing?

Thanks for all of the info! I dont know what the EGT's are at I didn't get a chance to install the pyrometer yet. The fuel filter is new it has less than 3k on it, but I will put a new one in just to see. I put all new fuel lines on the truck from the tank up to the engine, but reused the fuel pump on the frame rail, I want to replace but can you get that from a local parts store or is it a dealer only part? Also what kind of fuel pressure should it be putting out? I have heard 7psi? Whats the best way to test the fuel pressure? I am planning on getting new injectors and an exhaust system soon any suggestions on what inj. to get? Thanks!

open the T or filter bleed screw engine idling.

I've pulled my 20ft flat bed loaded down with 4 palets of roofing shingles,6-50lb boxes of nails,10 sheets of decking,6rolls of tar paper,3 fourwheelers,and two dirtbikes in the bed.I could run 70 all day long.Theres one hil by my house,im not sure what the grade is buts its pretty steep.I had no pblm going up it....

These testimonials reinforce exactly why I would NOT buy a 6.5 TD for towing. If you want to tow, buy a Powerstroke, Cummins or Duramax. The 6.5TD is a good light duty diesel, used mainly for improved gas mileage and occasional light towing and hauling. Anyone who says otherwise, has obviously never owned a Powerstoke, Cummins or Duramax.

Trust me, if I could buy a Powerstroke Excursion for $7000 I would be all over it. Unfortunately used diesel Excursions are still about $25000 up here in the good old Pac NW.

I'm sorry, did you say Powerjoke?! (Cough) :joke: But seriously, a properly set up 6.5 will suit most peoples pulling needs. I have had 2 now and regularly pull a loaded car trailer in the mountainous roads of BC and have alway's been impressed. In fact, I have a friend with a Powerstroke that cant keep up with only a camper on. The key I think is the same as with any motor, but on the 6.5 it is multiplied........you gotta let it breathe! But hey, that's just my 2 cents.

...What kind of fuel pressure should it be putting out? I have heard 7psi? Whats the best way to test the fuel pressure?...
Spec is 5 +/-.5lbs. You should have >5 at idle, and not drop below 4 full load. Your not so much looking for a specific pressure value, as you are to ensure that the supply pump is supplying sufficient volume/pressure to keep the IP working properly. So if you get 7psi at idle, and drops to 4 under load, I wouldn't worry about replacing the pump.

These testimonials reinforce exactly why I would NOT buy a 6.5 TD for towing. If you want to tow, buy a Powerstroke, Cummins or Duramax. The 6.5TD is a good light duty diesel, used mainly for improved gas mileage and occasional light towing and hauling. Anyone who says otherwise, has obviously never owned a Powerstoke, Cummins or Duramax.

Trust me, if I could buy a Powerstroke Excursion for $7000 I would be all over it. Unfortunately used diesel Excursions are still about $25000 up here in the good old Pac NW.
I tow all over the country with mine. Travel trailer weighs about 9,000 lb. loaded. Have towed 12,000 lb. With the right modifications, the 6.5 will pull with any Powerstroke, Cummins or Duramax. In November 2003, I hit the Eisenhour (sp?) tunnel at 55 mph with my travel trailer in tow...

Also, yours is electronic, his is mechanical. Both scenarios require the same thought approach, but tweaking is much simpler and easier on his.

A modified 6.5TD can maybe keep up with a stock pre-1999 Powerstroke, and I stress MAYBE! However, both a Cummins and Powerstroke can be modified to create at least 80 to 100 more hp than stock, by just by adding a $300 chip.

I have owned both a Powestroke and a 6.5TD and I can say from personal experience that the Powerstroke is a superior setup, especially when it comes to towing. Anyone else who has owned both please feel free to chime in.

To say that a 6.5TD will keep up with a Navistar 444 or Cummins 5.9 TD is like saying a 6.5 TD is every bit as good as a 6.6 Isuzu TD and you sure as heck won’t see many people on this forum try to argue that point.

Ok.

Won't argue that the 6.5 has its limits, set up it can & will haul at least in my case up to 18K every now & again when I need to, & when & if it dies it will cost a whole lot less to get back up and running than any of the other offerings out there. It is a trade off and requires some serious thoughts into what your needs are, but to say in wholesale it is not capable of towing, is where I differ in assesment.

Joe, I have a 92 6.5 5 speed. I have noticed the same thing when the 4-ways on on. Since the injection pump we have is manual I suspect the flashers a taking voltage away from the fuel soleniod. I have a holley red pump with is own wiring circuit.

<TABLE class=tborder cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR title="Post 488597" vAlign=top><TD class=alt1 align=middle width=125>Juancho</TD><TD class=alt2>A modified 6.5TD can maybe keep up with a stock pre-1999 Powerstroke, and I stress MAYBE! However, both a Cummins and Powerstroke can be modified to create at least 80 to 100 more hp than stock, by just by adding a $300 chip.

I have owned both a Powestroke and a 6.5TD and I can say from personal experience that the Powerstroke is a superior setup, especially when it comes to towing. Anyone else who has owned both please feel free to chime in.

To say that a 6.5TD will keep up with a Navistar 444 or Cummins 5.9 TD is like saying a 6.5 TD is every bit as good as a 6.6 Isuzu TD and you sure as heck won’t see many people on this forum try to argue that point.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Well, For starters, who saying that the 6.5 is as good as the Dmax? I'd love to have a dmax between the fenders. As far as the others, I do have personal experience. And yes, you are right about being able to make more power with the others, I certainly won't argue that at all. However, even with my modified 6.5 I pass all the others (cept the dmax) while they are stopping nearly twice as often to fuel up. That to me is worth consideration as well. They all have their strong points, my point here being that the 6.5 is a good performer all around with the right tweeks. As for keeping up with the 444 or the 5.9, why would I want to do that? The stock ones just get in my way, and the modded ones are stopping for fuel after they pass!:lol:

I agree with Juancho. My 6.5 is a very fuel efficient full size diesel pick-up, and my daily driver. When I tow heavy loads over the Coquihalla hwy (6-10% grade for several MILES) I use my Cummins... On a recent hunting trip With Lance Camper, tandem axle trailer, (2 Moose [dead of course], VW baja, 2 honda's, etc. about 8000lbs) average 15MPG for the whole trip, 2000+km many, many hills. I still love the styling of the new-old or is it old-new GMC/Chevs.

Hmm...

My 6.5 ran even with a 2004.5 Dodge Cummins 600/48RE towing an 11,920 lb. trailer in the Diesel Page Pull-Off last year. The Cummins had an AFE intake kit and aftermarket dual exhaust. My 6.5 had 150,000 miles on it at the time...

Granted, in stock form, the 6.5 doesn't tow very well. However, I towed over 50,000 miles (actual towing miles) with mine in stock trim. My point is, the 6.5 can be made to tow with any stock truck on the market today. With a little more work, mildly modified trucks are in range as well.

The only reason I post this is because I don't like people making blanket stattements from uninformed positions. Plus, the guy making the statement has a 1500 VIN S engine to boot. Of course you would use your 2500 Cummins to tow your load rather than your 1500 GM.

Now, I'm sure I'll get put down and belittled. That's fine. I'll just keep on doing what I do and tow heavy with my 6.5. I love the look on Cummins and Powerstroke owners' faces when I pass them!):h

Giddy'up RJ.

Welcome Back.

Well I didnt check fuel pressure yet, but I hooked up the EGT gauge the other day and was hitting right around 1000deg. @ 6psi @ W.O.T. up hill. I just turned up the fuel a little on the inj. pump this past weekend and turned up the boost to about 9psi still about 1000deg. on the same hill. The truck fells much better, but I didnt get to tow with it yet. I want to get new injectors just to help it out, should I go with stock or performance inj? If I get performance ones do I need turn turn the fuel back down?

JH1,
You have me at a loss when you say turned up fuel, splain some more please, you have a mechanical IP???, update your sig in users CP so we don't have to go back to your 1st post to remember what you have in way of equipment, I'd do some more tweaking maybe add some boost with that fuel, you reading EGT pre or post turbo, I just went back to post 1; 224K is long in tooth for those injectors if original for $8 here you can have cleaned & checked maybe similar pricing in your area, any idea how old IP is, it might need a rebuild also, what gears you running?

Well I didnt check fuel pressure yet, but I hooked up the EGT gauge the other day and was hitting right around 1000deg. @ 6psi @ W.O.T. up hill. I just turned up the fuel a little on the inj. pump this past weekend and turned up the boost to about 9psi still about 1000deg. on the same hill. The truck fells much better, but I didnt get to tow with it yet. I want to get new injectors just to help it out, should I go with stock or performance inj? If I get performance ones do I need turn turn the fuel back down?