The TerraShuttle build- a 1993 Chevrolet K3500 6.5L turbo diesel 4x4 quad-cab TC rig

Sentinelist

Adventurer
Well, all- I fixed my issue. It was simply the oil pressure switch, at $50 from the dealer and 20 min. of my sweat equity. Oh well, still learning the truck. I'll be celebrating my sudden momentous and cheap resolution by putting the rest of the parts on anyway! They're still needed for resiliency and to make it more reliable... especially the A-Team turbo and exhaust... at least that's what I told my wife...
 

VTreker08

New member
I like your setup. My family has used the camper/pickup combo extensively growing up. We took different variations all over the oregon/california mountains and they where able to get 95% of places we wanted to go. Long wheel base and high center of gravity will always be a limitation, but not necessarily that big of a hindrance.
 

Bushcoat

one trail at a time
A-Team Turbo and Diamond Eye exhaust, among some other fuel delivery upgrade parts, are now on order. This weekend should be fun.

I'm also hoping to get the solar setup underway, including a small panel that will be mounted on the other side of the gauge hood facing the windshield just to tend the truck batteries.


this is a happy combo, i run the att and diamond eye no cat, no muff on my 99.
 

Sentinelist

Adventurer
Thanks, all. I'm really looking forward to what this thing will be like with the turbo and exhaust. The truck is so stout on its own, it really doesn't handle horribly different with the camper on the back. All changes in any direction are slight over what it was sans-camper. Another great benefit of buying more truck than you need, and putting only as much camper on it as will fit. This is a school of thought that needs to be learned more often! Stoppit with your 2500s and 15' long triple-slide monsters! :p

I've also really grown on the Olympic white and black fender flares- the chrome strips you see on most don't look as modern and strong as these still do. Love it. I had originally ordered the Torklift rear tie-downs, but ended up ordering the wrong set after it turned out my towing package is aftermarket, not OE, so they didn't fit. I was having the install done in Colorado and it was basically Happijack rears-or-you-can't-drive-it-home, so I ponied up for the whole kit to get out the door. I'll likely redo that properly later this year! It was annoying (my fault), especially having the shop suddenly drilling unplanned holes in my bumper to make it all happen at the time.
 

UHAULER

Explorer
Thanks, all. I'm really looking forward to what this thing will be like with the turbo and exhaust. The truck is so stout on its own, it really doesn't handle horribly different with the camper on the back. All changes in any direction are slight over what it was sans-camper. Another great benefit of buying more truck than you need, and putting only as much camper on it as will fit. This is a school of thought that needs to be learned more often! Stoppit with your 2500s and 15' long triple-slide monsters! :p

I've also really grown on the Olympic white and black fender flares- the chrome strips you see on most don't look as modern and strong as these still do. Love it. I had originally ordered the Torklift rear tie-downs, but ended up ordering the wrong set after it turned out my towing package is aftermarket, not OE, so they didn't fit. I was having the install done in Colorado and it was basically Happijack rears-or-you-can't-drive-it-home, so I ponied up for the whole kit to get out the door. I'll likely redo that properly later this year! It was annoying (my fault), especially having the shop suddenly drilling unplanned holes in my bumper to make it all happen at the time.

I used torklift on the front and happijack buttons on the rear. A lot of more experienced truck camper owners say to run the rear tiedowns loose when offroading. Between running them a little loose and the stock flexy rear bumper it shouldn't pull on the camper tiedown point too hard.
 

norcal*PWRstroke

Adventurer
you are a brave soul with that 93 6.5l, I hope you love wrenching on your rigs because this thing will keep you busy days nights and weekends!!!

looks great and will make alot of memories for the fam
 
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Sentinelist

Adventurer
I used torklift on the front and happijack buttons on the rear. A lot of more experienced truck camper owners say to run the rear tiedowns loose when offroading. Between running them a little loose and the stock flexy rear bumper it shouldn't pull on the camper tiedown point too hard.

That sounds like a great idea- will remember this, thanks.

you are a brave soul with that 93 6.5l, I hope you love wrenching on your rigs because this thing will keep you busy days nights and weekends!!!

looks great and will make alot of memories for the fam

Thanks, and I do love wrenching, but why would you say that? The 6.5L of this era was used in the HUMVEE (military H1), countless school buses, ambulances, etc... these don't sound like vehicles designed to tolerate downtime to me. If anything, they are mission critical, and that was a big draw for me.
 

Sentinelist

Adventurer
I just got back from a long vacation and will soon get busy on my rig again next month. Plans are getting the extra fuel/tank components on, the turbo, the exhaust, and fitting an additional battery system to hook the camper and main solar array to. It will be wired (one-way) to the point where the truck will charge this bank whenever it's running, but if the truck batteries die, there will be enough power to jump itself. Solar tended on both sides, may have a 1500w-ish inverter for AC as well. Still hashing out details, will share soon.
 
i have found that the 6.2 and 6.5 get a bad rap from people who are not firmilar with them. They are ment to be a fuel saving alternative to a SBC. Sure they are not a cummins or 7.3 but if looked after they work fine. They are cheap to maintain and repair when compaired with other pickup diesels. If they were so horrible i can't see why the military stuck with them. Sure the 6.5 has its faults as does every engine but they are not junk like the olds 5.7 diesels.
 

arveetek

Adventurer
i have found that the 6.2 and 6.5 get a bad rap from people who are not firmilar with them. They are ment to be a fuel saving alternative to a SBC. Sure they are not a cummins or 7.3 but if looked after they work fine. They are cheap to maintain and repair when compaired with other pickup diesels. If they were so horrible i can't see why the military stuck with them. Sure the 6.5 has its faults as does every engine but they are not junk like the olds 5.7 diesels.

Double Ditto!

I've now got 275K miles on my 6.5L. Very trouble free, other than the stupid electronic Injection Pump. Even that hasn't been much of an issue.

I've owned quite a few 6.2L's and 6.5Ls. Very reliable engines. They just aren't as powerful as the Cummins and Powerstrokes, but they were designed in the early 80's and were meant to be fuel efficient and to compete with the gas guzzlers of the day.

I still meet people who think the 6.2L/6.5L was based on a gas block. I still can't get over how much bad publicity from the 5.7L diesel carried over, even to this day.

I love my 6.5L!

Casey
 
D

Deleted member 9101

Guest
i have found that the 6.2 and 6.5 get a bad rap from people who are not firmilar with them. They are ment to be a fuel saving alternative to a SBC. Sure they are not a cummins or 7.3 but if looked after they work fine. They are cheap to maintain and repair when compaired with other pickup diesels. If they were so horrible i can't see why the military stuck with them. Sure the 6.5 has its faults as does every engine but they are not junk like the olds 5.7 diesels.



x2!!!!!!!!!
 

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