i was thinking of getting a 95 to 99 6.5l turbo diesel z71. for daily driver. dont know a whole lot about them. do they get realy good fuel millage. they are kinda cheep now too. i dont want a duramax because parts are super expencive and i have done a few injectors and pumps and they are a b to to. i know the parts are a hole lot cheeper than the duramax. do you guys think its a good choise for dd. what years are the best. what should i look out for.
are they good trucks. thanks

 

heck no from anyone I know that had one, there gutless, unreliable and terrible for cracking heads. Now a duramax is definently worth buying, theres upgraded injectors you can buy now, and online there around 125 per injector, which is enough but they last alot longer, and if you can turn a wrench you can install them yourself. the duramax will outlast, out perform, and cost you less in the long run then the 6.5. Now if you only want something with alright power with great mpg go find a half ton with the 6.2 n/a diesel, I had one and got amazing fuel mileage

 

do duramax get goog milliage. i worked on a few and its a pos to work on have to take out everything to get injectors out. i was told only 05 up are woth getting plus they are crazy expencive too. i thought the 6.5 was alot easyer to wrk on. but if the miilage is no good whats the point. i have seen duramax blow head gaskets and have to pull the cab off frame to get the heads off. i never seen a 6.5 with blown head gasket yet. i know ther slow. i was just hoping they got good millage. if not it not worth it. what the cheepesd duramax worth now a days.

 

i had a '95 and it was a piece of crap...went thru 4 injector pumps and no it did not get good mpg either...

 

What are you going to be doing with this DD?

 

not much just to work and back. maybe tow something once and a while. gas is high i thought a diesel truck compared to a 5.7 gast would be alot cheeper to run.

 

94 up 6.5 absolute piece of ****. The 92-93 6.5's with the mechanical pump were the only good ones made.

I can remember a few trucks being pulled off of the car transporter DOA with bad injection pumps when they were being dropped off at the dealer my dad worked at. They died in transport.

 

Ive never heard of anyone having to pull the cab off the frame to get the heads off, sure you have to unbolt the cab and jack the front up some which is a 10 minute job. Ive seen and heard of tons of 6.5 with blown head gaskets and cracked heads, Ive heard of a few random d-max's here and there with a blown head gasket or just blown up, but they have a better reputation then the 6.5 by far. Upgrade the 01-04 d-max with the newer injectors and its a stout, reliable, powerfull performer

 

I've pulled the cab on duramaxes when I've done heads. 30-45 minutes and you can get at the whole motor without bending over the fenders. Everything is right there like it's sitting on an engine stand.

 

wow bullygoat it took me forever to do the 3 i did. ive seen alot of other techs take a week to do it. most of the time all the turbo bolts are sized and have to move everything out of the way to get to the injectors on duramax.