I need upgrades

[walt9977]

I just bought a 94 turbo Chevy to pull a 40 foot trailer. After a pull I know I need more power. Can anyone lead me in the right direction as far as upgrades to get more power? This is my first chevy turbo truck.

 

[ameristar1]

The two places to talk to are Heath Diesel and Kennedy Diesel. The GM 6.2/6.5 is their area of specialization. Join the Diesel Page, one of the first websites (12 years old) devoted to the GM diesels.
As far as what to do, they do have software upgrades (if it's computer controlled), upgraded pumps, injectors, and on the Diesel Page an article on doing a HX35 turbo swap. Heath Diesel did a Bonneville racer recently with twin turbos and it did 150+mph and averaged 30+mpg.
When they are built right, they can get the job done.

 

[walt9977]

Thank you so much.

 

[Dave Barbieri]

I just bought a 94 turbo Chevy to pull a 40 foot trailer. After a pull I know I need more power. Can anyone lead me in the right direction as far as upgrades to get more power? This is my first chevy turbo truck.

Welcome to Oilburners, Walt! I bought my 94 dually two years ago, and spent the first year getting it running! It's now my daily driver and I love it!! Speaking from experience, here's some suggestions:

1. Follow Ameristar's advice - join other 6.5 webpages and start reading. Another excellent site is dieseltowingresource.com. Sign up and don't be shy about using the 'search' function.

2. Purchase a good set of factory manuals. Shop ebay and craigslist. Anecdotal info is nice ("Well, it worked for me...." ), but you can't beat having hard data from the OEM.

3. To begin with, concentrate on the basics. Make sure you're building on a sound foundation:

Make sure your cooling system is operating at peak efficiency. Is the radiator itself REALLY CLEAN inside and out? Thermostat, fan clutch and water pump all working as advertised? Don't guess, be sure!

Pump timing correct? You can pay to have it set, or you can invest in the equipment to do it yourself. Not difficult, just tedious. Engh Motors sells an outstanding software/hardware package called GMTDScan. Well worth the investment!

How's your exhaust system? The factory OEM downpipe is VERY restrictive. Replacments can be had for under $100 and the benefit is immediately noticeable. Adding a free-flowing 3" system behind the dp will add to the improvments - lower egt's, better mpg's, better accelleration, and a GREAT sound.

Perform the 'snorklectomy' mentioned here and on The Place. This frees up your intake's ability to get air into the turbo. Free and effective.

Finally, check ALL your grounding points. Make sure that the ground wire and area are clean, bright and tight. No corrosion on/in the wires or on the attaching point. If necessary, build new ground wires.

Check your battery cables for signs of corrosion wicking thru them. Mine had green corrosion for over a foot beyond the terminal end. I rebuilt every cable using #2 welding cable.

These are the basics. Do them first. You'll find that your engine runs better and cooler (and cheaper!). This also sets the stage for you to reap maximum benefits from any future performance mod.

 

[cumminschevy]

man where was this site when i had my 6.5td lol. i loved my 6.5 also but i needed some big time mods. i have another one with the heads off and thought about fixing it i got it that way. but i had heard you need to change out the pistons to get a lower compression ratio to add more boost without blowing out head gaskets