both of the head gaskets on the 350 where blown and it sat for about 5 yrs. i figured if it sat that long and blew both head gaskets i have to rebuild the engine anyway so i might as well put a diesel in out of a wrecked truck it is 4 wheel drive anyway so it is not a speed demon. how difficult is this to do. and it is a manual . what engine should i use?

 

please move this thread to the right spot. my computer is acting up.

 

I wouldn't do it. Too many things you've not thought of at present.Its not like a Chevy diesel motor is going to fit in there, assuming its legal in your state. Best to fix or replace the 350 or sell it as is. Forget about the diesel motor "option" unless you have lots of money to blow, which it you did you'd not ask such a question here..

 

it was a what if thing. i would have to beef up the suspension at the least and the ecm and the fuel system. i was just thinking out loud

 

Thats great but we try to help people who own Chevy's with real world issues here. This is done free of charge, something you wont find in the real world.

 

i do have real-world problems with the truck i was just wondering what it would take to put a diesel in. the engine was disassembled when i got it and missing a few bolts and brackets.

 

I was wondering if the frame is different from a gaser to diesel?

I sure it can be done...thing is, the gm 6.5 diesel isn't a great engine imo. if your ok with it....find a way and do it. it with take time, effort and $.

A new 350 is dirt cheap and a swap with another 350 is easy.

I haven't done one. I can see the appeal. More power to you.

 

A 6.2 or early 6.5 wouldn't be too difficult, but you could spend the same amount on a 350 rebuild and have a better performing more reliable motor.

 

diesel injectors and injection pumps are expensive...

 

I only mean by real world issu that to often you will be charged $$$ for advice offline by people and automotive shops. Here we are good Samaritans most of who have worked on vehicles for many years. I was going to college to learn to become a mechanic, but my late father needed me to drive for him during harvest season, as his best driver quit to sell tractors, which paid more ( he was a great driver and a great person so I don't blame him for leaving for better pay) so I quit collage to go back to driving fuel trucks as I had done so before, but I had 2 years of collage and four years of auto shop under my belt, so I can perform many mechanical tasks for my friends or other people I like.. BTW we even have a professional working technician here who really knows his profession. That would be tech2,. who has been helping you on here..

I also study the new systems on Chevy/GMC vehicles 1988 and up since things changed a lot during that time. I also own lots of tools and electric powered and equipment. I am an expert A/C mechanic and have put full A/C systems in cars with no factory A/C, as well as worked on many carburetors back before F-I.was standard.
I worked as a partner and purchasing agent after we became a jobber-ship, until we had to sell our business to a larger competitor whom we simply could not compete with to the purchase of huge fuel lots, and undercut sales we couldn't match, particularly as we were a Chevron-branded jobber-ship and they could cut their prices with sub-standard cheap fuel, undercutting our profits with fuels that were awfully produced, so I went back to driving trucks as I ,made more money and I love driving class 8 big rigs, so those are my bona fides.