Thanks Hodge, Yes, that's true. However, in my original post, I mentioned that the 99 is a crew. The 86 is a standard cab.
But, your point is well taken. I know the body styles are different between the 86 and the 99, but I honestly dont know if the 99 - even with a crew - has a seat frame that will let the seat slide back far enough.
If we decide to move forward on this, its a given that we'd first make sure the seat would accommodate him.

 

Just a thought, the diesel place has an excellent 6.5 room, most of them guys drive them trucks because they are cheap and pretty easy to work on, they have alot of the ins and outs on them worked out.

From what i gather, starting out with the right truck, relocating the pmd to behind the bumper and keeping up on the maint. makes them pretty reliable and get descent fuel mileage.

 

6.5 is a good starter diesel for him. i had a 99 k3500. injection pump bad mouthing is from the pump mounted driver (pmd) thats on the pump. relocate it to a cooler spot and all is good. broken cranks are from bad harmonic balancers so get a new one. they are less then 100$. most people just repeat what they read and have not ever even seen one. 6.2/6.5's were made for 20+ years cant be that bad

 

Lots of 6.5's in the marine application, not to mention how many are in school buses. I had one and put 350k miles on it in the pickup and sold it because I had to many vehicles sitting around. The biggest problem with the 6.5 in the pickups was keeping them cool. If its just driven around and light towing, drop a set of 180 stats in it. Winter time, got to plug it in.

 

once again.

I deal with plenty of 6.5 GM diesels.

PMD is the WMD of that engine, relocate it, and the thing runs well, but keep a spare in the glovebox. You can get them cheap on Ebay.

Early units had problems with cracked blocks and broken cranks, that seemed to be resolved by the later 98 - 2000 builds. They also had problems with heads cracking on the early ones. But later models were better.

The Oil pressure sending unit, that powers the lift pump, is the main reason for lift pump failures. Use the OPSU to trigger a relay, to run the pump from battery power. No more problem.

Headlight switches liked to burn up. Too much load with no cooling. Take the load off, by putting headlights and marker lights on separate relays. no more problem.

Oil cooler lines are JUNK. Build better ones that don't leak, or be prepared to get good at changing them.

Most of the trucks I see are in P&D service, so you KNOW they get driven gently.....

Also, check into peninsular diesel. They are 6.5 specialists. There is one here in town, in a 3500HD 4x4. He carries a Vantage 500 air pak welder, bottles and associated crap on board, and can run right overtop of my truck, without a whole bunch of effort.

Every truck/engine combo, is exactly what you make of it.

 

Good info pind, thanks.

 

With the size of your son you need more then leg room, you need head room!! At 7'-2" everything will require some modification, or he will have to adapt to the door post being in his field of vision.

I've got a '95 half ton with a 6.5. It's a good truck for what it is. I replaced GP's, injectors, LP and a few other things when I got it, and it starts without plugging in every day this winter.

What pind says is right on. Parts are readily available, and fairly reasonable. Gov't has been using them for years....

You ask someone who is divorced how married life was....you'll get a different answer then if you asked someone who hasn't divorced!! Go here and read the "stickyes at the very beginning.....
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=21