Older Tow Rigs

onepieceatatime · Mar 21, 2017

Re:

Still rocking my 04 2500hd 8.1

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1tonrenegade · Mar 21, 2017

1986 3+3 camper special 454 4 speed

ridered3 · Mar 21, 2017

What is y'alls opinion on the GM 6.5 Turbo diesel (late 90's) vs the Ford 7.3 Turbo, non intercooled diesel (97 version)? Got a co-worker looking at a few of those options, but I'm useless with the older diesels.

jeeptj99 · Mar 21, 2017

1tonrenegade said:
1986 3+3 camper special 454 4 speed

I want one of those to swap my 12 valve into. My truck is wasting away around my motor :****: I just did the head on it last week and the inside of the motor looked better with 360k on it than some motors I've seen with 100k. I have mine tuned pretty well right now and i'm getting about 17-18 around town and 15 towing like an asshole with 1 jeep behind it.

the_white_shadow · Mar 21, 2017

ridered3 said:
What is y'alls opinion on the GM 6.5 Turbo diesel (late 90's) vs the Ford 7.3 Turbo, non intercooled diesel (97 version)? Got a co-worker looking at a few of those options, but I'm useless with the older diesels.

I do 7.3L all day. More aftermarket support and easy to add an intercooler on if thats an issue. All i have ever read is that the 6.5L, albeit better than the 6.2l, is still a turd.

blacksheep10 · Mar 21, 2017

ridered3 said:
What is y'alls opinion on the GM 6.5 Turbo diesel (late 90's) vs the Ford 7.3 Turbo, non intercooled diesel (97 version)? Got a co-worker looking at a few of those options, but I'm useless with the older diesels.

6.5 is a turd. Wyatt (indashop) had a few go through his moms truck, buddy in TX has heads off his 3x, can't turn them up, can't do much with them. I'd take a big block or even a damn 350 before the 6.5

lowbudgetjunk · Mar 21, 2017

Re:

Yep. Had 6.5's in Humvees. Barely would get out of their own way. Most had less than 30k miles on them.

7.3's are no powerhouses, but reliable with decent torque with minimal mods.

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lowbudgetjunk · Mar 21, 2017

Re:

I have a turbo 2000 7.3 that's around 350-360 HP, it does alright.

Nonturbo 7.3 is an 89 model. It's a dog, but damn reliable. No exhaust gives a cool big block sound unlike anything I've ever heard.

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kickdeez · Mar 21, 2017

1990 GMC 2500 Suburban
454
SM465
NP205
Dodge Dana 60 Front
14 Bolt Full Floater Rear

She doesn't win any races, and she doesn't drive past too many gas stations, but she always gets me where I'm going and back home. Plenty of room for tools, parts, gear, etc. in the rear. And have slept in the back when I didn't feel like packing camping gear.

ridered3 · Mar 21, 2017

Thanks for the quick 6.5 turbo vs 7.3 turbo/non inter-cooled info and opinions. All I really knew about the 6.5 was that it was widely regarded as a dog, but knew nothing about the 7.3 Turbo/non inter-cooled motors.

For him, towing is around 5-7k pounds once or twice a month. Unfortunately for the price he wants to pay, 7.3 Powerstrokes from 99-02 are out of the budget.

So far, can find 7.3 Turbo/non inter-cooled trucks all over the place. So I will pass along info that 7.3 Turbo/non inter-cooled is the winner of that comparison.

ForMud · Mar 21, 2017

Hey now easy on the 6.5s... I tow with 2000, c3500, 2wd, with 6.5...... Dam thing has got over 200,000 miles on it so far. Slow? Hell yes....But so am I. Never in a rush so we cruze along at 65 and let everything go on by. All you gotta remember is to get a good running start when you see a hill ahead.
But you know what, I'll hook it to the trailer and take a 800 mile round trip tomorrow and not worry about making it.

ridered3 · Mar 21, 2017

ForMud said:
Hey now easy on the 6.5s... I tow with 2000, c3500, 2wd, with 6.5...... Dam thing has got over 200,000 miles on it so far. Slow? Hell yes....But so am I. Never in a rush so we cruze along at 65 and let everything go on by. All you gotta remember is to get a good running start when you see a hill ahead.
But you know what, I'll hook it to the trailer and take a 800 mile round trip tomorrow and not worry about making it.

In my case, I drive like an old man so a 6.5 could probably work for me. Do the 6.5's need injectors replaced around 250k-300k miles (like the other diesels)?

In his case, he wants the Power of the 7.3, but not the budget for the 7.3 with turbo and intercooler.

ForMud · Mar 22, 2017

ridered3 said:
In my case, I drive like an old man so a 6.5 could probably work for me. Do the 6.5's need injectors replaced around 250k-300k miles (like the other diesels)?

In his case, he wants the Power of the 7.3, but not the budget for the 7.3 with turbo and intercooler.

I replaced the injectors at about 180,000. I see where they recondment every 100,000. It's pretty cheap to do... Right around $400 for all 8.... Kinda a pain to do, but every doable. I also changed out the harmonic balancer cause their known to give problems too. There's a couple of other problems areas with theses motors.... But their a hell of a lot cheaper to work on than new diesels.

Zjman · Mar 22, 2017

Diesel excursion and f250, both 7.3's and run and tow great, excursion is nice to sleep in overnight, only complaint is small fuel tank on f250. Other than that I think a 7.3 has plenty of power with a few mods

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xjkrawler · Mar 22, 2017

Towing with my 99 2500 6.0

Edit:shrunk the pic

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jeeptj99 · Mar 22, 2017

xjkrawler said:
Towing with my 99 2500 6.0

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Don't forget towing a heavy ass jk around...

gottagofast · Mar 22, 2017

ridered3 said:
Thanks for the quick 6.5 turbo vs 7.3 turbo/non inter-cooled info and opinions. All I really knew about the 6.5 was that it was widely regarded as a dog, but knew nothing about the 7.3 Turbo/non inter-cooled motors.

For him, towing is around 5-7k pounds once or twice a month. Unfortunately for the price he wants to pay, 7.3 Powerstrokes from 99-02 are out of the budget.

So far, can find 7.3 Turbo/non inter-cooled trucks all over the place. So I will pass along info that 7.3 Turbo/non inter-cooled is the winner of that comparison.

If thats all he's pulling tell him to get a GAS smallblock.... I tow at 30,000+ gross with my 7.3 so I have to have a diesel but at 10-12,000 groos twice a month there's no way I'd mess with the expense and headache of a diesel.

ridered3 · Mar 22, 2017

gottagofast said:
If thats all he's pulling tell him to get a GAS smallblock.... I tow at 30,000+ gross with my 7.3 so I have to jave a diesel but at 10-12,000 groos twice a month there's no way I'd mess with the expense and headache of a diesel.

He's coming from a GAS smallblock GM 5.7. Pretty well set on a diesel of some nature to "make cool noises" while driving. Not a coal roller, but I think he's just ready for something vastly different than the old, tired 5.7.

gottagofast · Mar 22, 2017

Lol i guess if someone wants the koolaid there's no stopping em 8)

Back on topic, I have an 88 (square body) GMC 3500 crewcab dually w a 454 th400 for my backup tow pig....
Will try to get a pic up here eventually

xjkrawler · Mar 22, 2017

gottagofast said:
If thats all he's pulling tell him to get a GAS smallblock.... I tow at 30,000+ gross with my 7.3 so I have to have a diesel but at 10-12,000 groos twice a month there's no way I'd mess with the expense and headache of a diesel.

My thoughts exactly. I would love to have a diesel but at the rate that I tow anything other than my jeep i cant justify it right now.