[blazin6two]

Ok heres a easy question....what was the first year for the 6.5L. I got a 86 6.2L Blazer and a buncha other toys. One toy is a 1978 blazer witha 6 inch lift and 33's that is in rough shape. i traded a guys a escort for it. but its gotta lotta potential. its got a rough 350 in it. i wanna know if GM made any 6.5L mechanical engines and how hard it would be to put in my other blazer. also where can i get one and whats a resonable price. i think i saw one for slae last year that had a broke crank but i cant remember if it was 6.2 or 6.5. BTW the 78 is a 4 spd manual and i luve it. thanks.

 

[gmctd]

'92 for the '93 model year, mech inj.

 

[236ek]

Thats right, only 1992 and 1993 6.5l were mechanical injection. The engine long block will fit right into your blazer using all the same engine mounts and will bolt right to your tranny.

This is the problem: The exhaust manifolds for the 6.5 are designed for the newer body style, and there is not enough room on the 73-87 (88-91 R/V) you have to use the manifolds from your 6.2. The right manifold on the 6.5 has the turbo mounting, so you will lose the turbo. So these are your choices:

1: Install 6.5 using your 6.2 manifolds without turbo (normally aspirated)
2: Buy a Banks turbo kit for the 6.2 and install onto the 6.5. The banks
kit comes with a new right manifold that will fit the 6.5 and your body
style.
3: Use the original 6.5 turbo manifold, and highly modify your truck and
exhaust. You have to remove your AC evaporator off the firewall, and
either have heater only, or install an aftermarket AC system. You have
to run your exhaust around the outside of the frame. I saw an install like this, but it was ugly, truck had to be lifted to clear exhaust, and I was not impressed.

 

[blazin6two]

So they never mad a 6.5 N/A from the factory? well the a/c issue isnt a problem since it was never equipped. I want to go with the N/A route since it is my cheap mud truck. do you think i can fab up headers that dont have to go around frame? Or am i trying to hard and should i just buy a used 6.2?

 

[blazin6two]

also. what about military stuff...do hummers have N/A 6.5s

 

[Tracy]

There was the option for N/A 6.5 in 93 and I think at least a few other years, But they are rare. I would just use a 6.2 if one is available to you, very little difference between the engines other than turbo.

 

[autoxsteve]

So they never mad a 6.5 N/A from the factory?

Normally aspirated 6.5L engines existed in 95. My shop manual lists at least two versions of an NA 6.5L engine.

If I were you, I'd try to get a 6.5L engine and a good used Banks kit.

Turbocharging a 6.5L engine makes a lot of difference in performance...

 

[236ek]

If you want to go N/A, then you can use any 6.5 engine. All you have to do is remove all the turbo components and maybe the intake manifold. You still have to use the exhaust manifolds from your 6.2, or if you are going to use aftermarket headers, just buy them for the year and model truck that you have with a 6.2, and they will bolt right onto the 6.5 and clear your frame without problems. As long as you are not going to turbo, a 6.5 is a direct replacement engine for the 6.2 and will not require any mods to your truck. Just use all your original accessoreies from the 6.2. Best to use the injector pump and injectors from the 6.5, but you can use the 6.2 IP, but it requires a bit of tweeking for the higher fuel rates of the 6.5. As far as Hummers, they use the same engine. I think the military version uses a 24 volt electrical system, so everything that bolts to the longblock has to be changed to civilian 12 volt parts.

I have a 1986 Suburban that has a Hummer 6.5 in it. It looks just like the original factory installation, and there is no way to tell it has a 6.5 in it without looking at the casting numbers. I once knew a man in CA that had converted 100s of Hummers to the 6.5. There was nothing wrong with the old 6.2 motors he was pulling out, just that the Hummer owners wanted the bigger motor. I don't think he is doing it anymore, and he had sold all the old 6.2s.

You do want to stay away from the electronic injection. It would be a very difficult install, but you can convert an electronic to mechanical. There are 6.5 mechanical IP without turbos that were used on school buses, vans, P Chassis, and probably others.