Have been thinking about either fixing this or parting it out for my own use, but @Richcz28 tells me he wants to buy it, so I've decided to see what interest it generates.
1993 K2500, 6.5TD/NV4500/NP241. Mechanically controlled turbodiesel engine, 338,000 miles. Engine has been replaced twice, not sure about the rest of the drivetrain. My parents bought this truck in 2011 to use as a (hobby) farm truck. Dad replaced both batteries, the fuel sending unit, and repaired the rear brakes (including e-brake). I did a head & gasket replacement (including new injectors) to eliminate a water--> oil leak. Upon test firing we discovered that the block was also cracked.
My dad lost interest in it at that point, but he did some horsetrading to have a junkyard engine installed by an acquaintance. The acquaintance installed a used engine with a failed dual-mass flywheel. (failure mode here is that when idling below about 1000RPM the failed balancer knocks the snot out of the crankshaft). Dad has been utterly fed up with the truck ever since, and it's mostly been sitting. He doesn't have many miles on it during the 5 years that he's owned it (maybe 1000?). Aside from myself driving it around the block when I visit the farm, I haven't seen it move for a couple of years. I think the new injectors & return lines stayed with the new heads (which Dad sold), so I'm not claiming that this truck has new injectors.
Current state:
Runs and drives. I set the idle to 1000RPM to avoid crankshaft damage, but flywheel should be replaced. Yesterday. Or the crankshaft is going to need replacement. The dual-mass flywheel is an idea that GM tried out for a few years, but abandoned after figuring out that it had longevity issues. Both later 6.5s and all 6.2 engines came with single-mass flywheels, which is what I would put on the engine if I were going to use it. Glow plugs have been replaced (though I admit skipping the 3rd cylinder on the passenger side because it wasn't fun to get to underneath the turbine). GPs are now controlled by a manual button. Oil leaks at the turbine. NV4500 Transmission shifts normally. 4WD works in both high and low range. Rear end is 10.5" 14BFF with 4.10 gears. Drivetrain clicks and pops between shifts like a Detroit would do. He thought the rear end was loose, so I reset the rear end backlash, but no difference was observed. U-joints aren't excessively loose. I didn't think to check whether the truck actually has a Detroit back there, but if it doesn't, something else is loose in the drive train. The flywheel, clicking, and oil leak are why it has been parked (like I said, he's emotionally done fixing this truck). He has consistently gotten 14MPG with it. It is an A/C truck, but the A/C lines are missing (I believe all other equipment is there).
Body is rusting out (cab corners & fenders first). Whether or not you consider this a rust bucket probably depends on where you live, but it has seen better days. The frame still has some rubberized coating (which I consider a rare blessing). Rich, I don't have a picture of the front frame rails, and I haven't looked at them recently. But I'm confident they aren't rusting structurally yet, or neither Dad nor I would have touched the truck.
The P.O. installed a gooseneck ball in the bed and a spring-mounted trailer hitch at the rear. Electric trailer brake controller. Topper is a Ford topper and is a couple inches too wide for the truck (but does come with the truck if you want it). Cab is pretty standard shortcab. Bench seat rocks fore & aft.
I don't have a picture of it, but Dad does have the original dealer tag showing options purchased when new.
Price? Seems like this series of trucks in decent condition brings $4k-$5k in this area. Given the problems, I'm gonna say $2,000 OBO. If you don't like that, lemme know what you think it's worth (and why), and I'll think about it.
Pictures:
(I see Big Blue hiding in the shed, I must have been working on it that day)
Lemme know if you want pictures of any specific areas.
1993 K2500, 6.5TD/NV4500/NP241. Mechanically controlled turbodiesel engine, 338,000 miles. Engine has been replaced twice, not sure about the rest of the drivetrain. My parents bought this truck in 2011 to use as a (hobby) farm truck. Dad replaced both batteries, the fuel sending unit, and repaired the rear brakes (including e-brake). I did a head & gasket replacement (including new injectors) to eliminate a water--> oil leak. Upon test firing we discovered that the block was also cracked.
My dad lost interest in it at that point, but he did some horsetrading to have a junkyard engine installed by an acquaintance. The acquaintance installed a used engine with a failed dual-mass flywheel. (failure mode here is that when idling below about 1000RPM the failed balancer knocks the snot out of the crankshaft). Dad has been utterly fed up with the truck ever since, and it's mostly been sitting. He doesn't have many miles on it during the 5 years that he's owned it (maybe 1000?). Aside from myself driving it around the block when I visit the farm, I haven't seen it move for a couple of years. I think the new injectors & return lines stayed with the new heads (which Dad sold), so I'm not claiming that this truck has new injectors.Current state:
Runs and drives. I set the idle to 1000RPM to avoid crankshaft damage, but flywheel should be replaced. Yesterday. Or the crankshaft is going to need replacement. The dual-mass flywheel is an idea that GM tried out for a few years, but abandoned after figuring out that it had longevity issues. Both later 6.5s and all 6.2 engines came with single-mass flywheels, which is what I would put on the engine if I were going to use it. Glow plugs have been replaced (though I admit skipping the 3rd cylinder on the passenger side because it wasn't fun to get to underneath the turbine). GPs are now controlled by a manual button. Oil leaks at the turbine. NV4500 Transmission shifts normally. 4WD works in both high and low range. Rear end is 10.5" 14BFF with 4.10 gears. Drivetrain clicks and pops between shifts like a Detroit would do. He thought the rear end was loose, so I reset the rear end backlash, but no difference was observed. U-joints aren't excessively loose. I didn't think to check whether the truck actually has a Detroit back there, but if it doesn't, something else is loose in the drive train. The flywheel, clicking, and oil leak are why it has been parked (like I said, he's emotionally done fixing this truck). He has consistently gotten 14MPG with it. It is an A/C truck, but the A/C lines are missing (I believe all other equipment is there).
Body is rusting out (cab corners & fenders first). Whether or not you consider this a rust bucket probably depends on where you live, but it has seen better days. The frame still has some rubberized coating (which I consider a rare blessing). Rich, I don't have a picture of the front frame rails, and I haven't looked at them recently. But I'm confident they aren't rusting structurally yet, or neither Dad nor I would have touched the truck.
The P.O. installed a gooseneck ball in the bed and a spring-mounted trailer hitch at the rear. Electric trailer brake controller. Topper is a Ford topper and is a couple inches too wide for the truck (but does come with the truck if you want it). Cab is pretty standard shortcab. Bench seat rocks fore & aft.
I don't have a picture of it, but Dad does have the original dealer tag showing options purchased when new.
Price? Seems like this series of trucks in decent condition brings $4k-$5k in this area. Given the problems, I'm gonna say $2,000 OBO. If you don't like that, lemme know what you think it's worth (and why), and I'll think about it.
Pictures:
(I see Big Blue hiding in the shed, I must have been working on it that day)
Lemme know if you want pictures of any specific areas.
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