TowRig.com - Diesel Discussion and Tow Tech

I'm new to diesels and I currently have a 2001 Chevy 2500HD with the 6.0L and was wondering how the 6.5 would compare to that in terms of towing?

I'm wanting something that gets better MPGs than my 6.0 but can't afford a big fancy new Duramax.

I would get either a 2500 Suburban or 2500 truck, '96 and newer, is there a year or years better than others?

Also what would be the top 5 mods within a $3K budget you would do to your 6.5TD to help with towing and MPGs?

If there is another good forum to look at please direct me in that direction.

Thanks,
Rankin

Dieselplace.com is another good forum. I have never towed with a 6.0L so I can't say how it compares. My buddy has a 1999 vortec 454 and his mileage sucks. He only gets about 6 towing and I'm getting 10-12 towing 9000 lbs. But best place is dieselplace.com. They have more people.

Thanks for the reply, I have already been there and posted the same question there.

It came down to the 6.5 getting better MPGs over the 6.0 but the 6.0 would be able to tow better up hill. As I have never towed with a 6.5, I know that to tow up big hills the 6.0 realy pushes the rpms to try and maintain speeds.

I really like the sound of MPGs and I really don't tow that often I don't think it would be that big of a deal. I now have to try and find a 3/4 ton, 6.5, 4x4 Suburban with LOW miles.

Thanks,
Rankin

I thought I saw it over on that forum too. I had a 350 suburban and it wouldn't tow our toyhauler very well on hills. I was told by a few people I don't want a 6.5L. Me, being a chevy guy bought one anyway. The Duramax was out of my price range. I don't know if I got lucky or I just got a good one. But with the mods I have done it pulls our 9000 lb. toyhauler pretty easy on the hills. And I have weighed it at a truck scale. I don't ever see myself going back to gas. My duddies 454 is at 4500 RPM pulling his trailer up Blue Canyon at 45 MPH. I am at around 2500 in Drive with converter locked at 55-60. I really like my 6.5L. No it's not the fastest but with my mods it does really well. The other thing is wind resistance of the trailer. I towed a 1990 Suburban back from San Jose, CA to Sacramento and you didn't even know it was there. On the Altamont Pass it only came out of OD once and maintained 60 mph easy. I could accelerate if I wanted. I stopped and a CAT Scale on I5 and weighed it and truck and trailer was 15,120 lbs. Hope this helps a little.

Yeah thats how I'm looking at this, both the 6.5 and 6.0 may not be the fastest trucks out there, but when my 6.0 is @4500 and only keeping it at ~50mph and getting bad MPGs all the time or I could have a truck @2500 keeping it at ~55-60mph and getting much better MPGs all the time. I say thats a little better over all to me.

Even if the 6.0 can pull a load up a hill a little faster, I don't pull enough to justify that extra speed at the cost of the really bad MPGs. I would rather have steady and efficient rather than slow and fast and not efficient.

Thanks for the info.

Rankin

just get a 97 powerstroke and be done with it,you can get one in great condition for 10k and maybe less,the 7.3 will walk all over the 6.5.and they sound alot better doin it.:pimp:

Yeah. I don't think so. My buddy bought a 1996 Powerstroke and he walks all over nothing. I have a 25 foot toyhauler with 2 4X4 quads, a sport quad, and a kids quad. He has a 26 foot toyhauler with 2 sport quads and on hot days I am pulling hills faster than him. The first 3 trips he was sitting on the side of the road with sensor problems. Granted we have all that fixed now, but it still isn't a powerhouse like people talk about. He thinks now he is having injector problems, idling wierd and seems to be kind of high EGT. But one of his injectors is what 4 of mine cost. I thought for sure he would walk from me on hills when we were towing. No. Not the case. I'll stick with my 6.5L

just get a 97 powerstroke and be done with it,you can get one in great condition for 10k and maybe less,the 7.3 will walk all over the 6.5.and they sound alot better doin it.:pimp:

I have test driven some '95-'97 powerstrokes ranging in milage from 98,000 to 210,000 and none were that impressive. While I would love to have a white '97 F250 CC/SB, but finding that truck with under 100,000 miles and that has never been pulled hard is slim to none.

A 6.5 may never be able to be tuned and built to a black smoken race truck like some 7.3's can, but it can be tuned and built to be a strong, efficient running oil bunner.

Thanks,
Rankin

My buddy removed his cat. and muffler, and installed the 3" downpipe, and his exhaust temps hit 1100 degrees post turbo now. You can mod the powerstroke more than a 6.5L but wth the mods I've done a powerstroke does no walk from me. We went up to the Sierras for Thanksgiving and I pulled our toyhauler, probably close to 10,000 lbs. up 6-7% grades at 55-60 no problem, I was about half throttle. I would like to do the reflash/chip, but my truck is pulling really well without.