GSC is a 6.5L diesel a good truck? 10 years of Casper!

I get asked a lot. Are 6.5s a good truck? The answer is yes. But there is a catch. If they weren’t well kept and maintained then you’ll fight issues for months before they end up a great work horse.
This is the tenth year of Casper coming out of the junk yard and I can say I don’t regret my 6.5L diesel journey in any way shape or form.
Thanks everyone! Catch me at the Facebook page!

[@PowellMoore]

Been daily driving mine for about 2 years now and it hasn't left me stranded once, been an awesome truck. Just simple mods done, lift pump, exhaust and manual wastegate actuator etc..

[@gingersnapcustoms]

I finally retired casper to farm truck due to the 140 miles round trip a day for work now. But it still gets it’s legs stretched regularly!

[@js1451]

Great to hear what you’ve done with the truck and what others can do over time.

[@buffalodiesel1809]

Nice to see you saved a 6.5 // I am driving a 1993 Cheyenne 3/4 ton 6.5L Manual trans / stretch cab 8 foot bed with one ton axle It is still in road riding condition. Still in original condition. Hope you keep your running for a long time.

[@tylerzwingman6754]

Nice video, thinking of scooping one up as a service/work truck. Found a low mileage one, I was looking to see what reliability wise I could do. This helped.

[@suburban_life]

I love my 6.5 3/4 ton 4x4 Suburban, she has been a beast with all of the upgrades, hoping to get some more upgrades soon. These motors are severely underestimated.

[@gingersnapcustoms]

I built a 96 for my brother when he was in highschool and he loved that truck. Definitely an underrated vehicle

[@zachfowler1410]

Have had panda now for 6 years and with all the help from gingersnap customs she has been running amazing all these years! Huge thanks to you courtland, im super grateful to have a friend out their like you! Casper has inspired me

[@gingersnapcustoms]

Panda has been an amazing truck and I’m lucky to have seen both yours and Ben’s over the years!

[@kevinsheehan983]

My ‘94 K1500 only ha 61k miles. I don’t tow, only do 1/2 ton hauling. Since my truck is extremely nice it has Hagerty insurance & gets parked for winter. I’ve been doing upgrades for fun. S&B intake, 4” exhaust, 2-1/2” crossover, Raptor BCD lift pump & FTB upgrade. It has new stock injectors & injector pump. Plus a lot of other Leroy upgrades. I love the truck. I enjoy your videos, they help me thanks

[@gingersnapcustoms]

That’s like new compared to most I’ve heard of or seen. Glad the videos help!

[@pnwchris2000]

I just snagged a ‘95 K2500 Suburban with a 6.5L. Looking forward to overlanding it and making it my winter rig instead of my ‘94 K3500 Dually.

[@Epad2116pineappl]

I miss mine drove it for a few and then i blew head gaskets and so i just went with a 12v in mine but i honestly miss my 6.5 something about these motors just speak to me.

[@JREACHER1954]

Another good one Court! It will be 29 years on mine come February and it has been a great truck. Can attest to the reliability of the add ons as I have yet to replace a single one over the years. Maybe I missed it but it appears you're not running an intercooler anymore. Offhand can you tell me what IAT's you're getting with current setup?

[@gingersnapcustoms]

I’ll be 30 in March. Pretty sad these trucks are as old as I am and I know what I know about them! I had to pull the IC because of the size of the S300. My peak IAT right now is between 240-265*. I have it written somewhere but can remember where.

[@JREACHER1954]

@@gingersnapcustoms Thanks. The new stuff with emissions and def keeps me throwing money at the 6.5. I don't knock the latest technology but the current prices they want are outrageous. Almost 30? I have boots that are nearly twice your age. 😄

[@gingersnapcustoms]

@@JREACHER1954 most people have items older than me lol. I can’t blame you for keeping the 6.5 alive. I’m also struggling to want to move on from anything newer than my LB7

[@codybarrus8361]

Can we get an exact spec sheet of everything you’re running for those that would like to copy your build ?

[@gingersnapcustoms]

I’m slowly working on that at the Facebook page. I’ve started using photo albums to list parts and build items.

[@paulherzmann6237]

Did you not like the Super 60 or 54? Was just about to buy one for my 6.2. thanks

[@gingersnapcustoms]

They are just an HX40 and HX35. After much testing I prefer the S300 borg over the HX40 and a run of the mill hx35 does just fine on these trucks.

[@mikemoore8138]

GSC, Buddy, I have a 93 k3500 standard trans dually 4x4. I'm having some issues with it. I've scoured forums. Is there any way I could get your email or contact info to pick your brain. I love this truck and want it working and running as it should. Maybe I could upload a video that you could watch and give me some ideas. I believe the issue could be a lift pump and ops. But I'm not positive, given the additional issues I am now having while driving and not just at idle.

[@gingersnapcustoms]

Send a message to the Gingersnap Customs Facebook page and I’ll help the best I can to solve the issue. Being a 93 it’s a bit easier to trouble shoot at least

[@Desertjoe789]

How much weight do you tow with yours? I have a k2500 suburban and with a 4500 pound dump trailer with a 6000 pound bobcat inside is a tough pull, easy to overheat truck in summer. I suspect the radiator is clogged. Been through the thermostats and fan clutch already. Previous owner had rusty water in the engine…

[@gingersnapcustoms]

On average 7500-10,000lbs. Depends on what I’m moving and for who. Power washing the cooling stack was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

[@Desertjoe789]

@@gingersnapcustoms my buddy toes over 20k with his old dodge Cummins truck. Kind of embarrassing for my suburban. Lol. What is power washing the cooling stack? Is that the radiator and other coolers? I did send stuff water through mine and got a lot of mud out of the fins which helped but it doesn’t seem 100%. It’s easy to over heat truck around town in the summer and not even using ac… new tstats and tank, and fan clutch and coolant flushed. Do you have a video on the power washing? My truck has 3.73 gears and 35 inch tires 🙄 so 10k towing is pushing it. I’d love to get some new stock wheels and smaller tires. Not sure what would look good with the lift it has. 🤷🏻 tire size wise.

[@gingersnapcustoms]

@@Desertjoe789 it’s just removing everything and power washing blowing mud out of the fins. I don’t have a video of that yet. It’s a spring function here. 3.73 gears and 35s is terrible. You need 4.56 gears and 35s thennn it’ll tow.

[@grindersandgears3445]

@@Desertjoe789 Stock cooling systems are underwhelming even at stock power, if you're going to tow that heavy you should upgrade it all imo. Upgraded fan, WP, and I can't remember what but I think the 97+ and up was better from the factory in some way, and there's an upgrade to go to the newer setup, it's also not a bad idea to connect the rear coolant passage block off plates in the heads, which there is a kit for somewhere as well. I'm in the middle of upgrading all this stuff myself, along with some other upgrades/improvements. And GSC is right about the gearing 3.73's with 35's is not ideal, If I remember the math correctly I'd need 3.73's just to get back to my stock 3.42 ratio on 33s.

[@bobbyboucher5309]

Hey man, I found a navistar block with a forged crank but the lady that sold that and another complete engine to me lost all the bearing caps. What would you do to rectify this problem?

[@gingersnapcustoms]

See if Leroy diesel can just get you bearing caps. From what I recall the Nav blocks are also the same caps as a 98-00 506 block as well.

[@bobbyboucher5309]

@@gingersnapcustoms I was going to ask that before I dug in too far as have other blocks.

[@bobbyboucher5309]

@@gingersnapcustoms So you think if I have 506 caps in excellent condition then I don't need a line bore?

[@gingersnapcustoms]

@@bobbyboucher5309 you will need to line bore no matter what caps you use. Full machine work is going to be a must.

[@bobbyboucher5309]

@@gingersnapcustoms Fair enough, thanks for the info

[@curtispetersen9312]

Hey how hope your season starting out great.... i have issues with my volt meter jumping from 10 to 13 and windows..blinker..lights bring volt down... also glow plugs flicker.... i watched all your videos on grounds and cant seem to find the culprit

[@curtispetersen9312]

93 6.5td dually

[@gingersnapcustoms]

@@curtispetersen9312 on the 92-93 trucks a lot of times it’s the alternator itself starting to go. Or the distribution block on the fire wall needs cleaned.

[@curtispetersen9312]

@@gingersnapcustoms ok I did bring in batteries to get checked and Said the alternator didn't have them fully charged but once I hook everything up I see alternator at 14.2 and both batteries matching the alternator ... I call it BAIN ....but soon switching B to P lol

[@gingersnapcustoms]

@@curtispetersen9312 did you have the battery’s load tested? If one has a bad cell it will drag the other with it

[@curtispetersen9312]

@@gingersnapcustoms it was a Canadian tire test...lol don't no if that says much but 2 batteries couldn't hurt .. it's just weird it will go up then drop ..very very low to just above the red on 9 then I'll drive stats low then ..just all sudden jumps to 10 or 12

[@MidwestMechanics]

You’ve been through 2 transmissions and a million other things, yet it’s a good truck? I feel like this contradicts the entire video unless you were doing things that would damage those parts. My LB7 lasted a long time needing nothing but injectors once. My 7.3 Powerstroke ran stock for years without needing any major repairs either. My 6.5 ran great…for 4 months and then randomly the block cracked and that was that.

[@gingersnapcustoms]

Notice it came out of a junk yard. All of the parts it needed were things I knew about when hauling the corpse home. It turned into the best truck I’ve had. It’s managed to be more dependable than the LBZ, first LB7 and two 7.3s I’ve had. The over all point was maintenance is the key regardless of what it is. 6.5. 7.3. 5.9. Dmax. Without upkeep they are all piles.

[@carlallen6150]

​@@gingersnapcustomsI realize I'm a little late on this comment but there is one major thing you did not say you had to replace and that's the engine itself! So a lot of those parts you had to replace wasn't necessarily the 6.5 itself.. so I definitely got to agree with you the 6.5 taken care of and a few modifications for reliability and performance then the 6.5 is a good engine.. in my experience with my 1993 ç3500 dully the modifications that needed done for reliability was also the same modifications needed done for performance.. I sure wish gm didnt leave so much power and reliability on the table.. wish gm would have stuck with the original 599 block or the 929 block and fine-tuned what they had with those two blocks and maybe even kept the db2 injection pump.. I also know people has had problems with the db2 injection and had better luck with the DS4..

[@gingersnapcustoms]

@@carlallen6150 I’ve never replaced the engine in this truck…

[@SnackyPaper]

What does Casper run in the 1/4 mile?

[@gingersnapcustoms]

Last pass recorded was 15.97@87

[@gingersnapcustoms]

It weight just under 6000lbs

[@markst.germain9286]

After buying 4 injection pumps, my answer is No.

[@buickrepairs1713]

Hate those headlights. Either drive something old or something new. Don't try to make a classic truck look new. New vehicles suck.