Diesel engines rely on compression of a mixture of air and fuel for ignition. Turbocharging makes diesel engines operate more efficiently. While turbochargers increase power and efficiency on a diesel engine, however, they also create the potential for more malfunctions.
The Chevrolet 6.5L uses a boost sensor to sense how much extra air is sent into the engine. If the boost sensor malfunctions, the truck's electronic control unit goes into safe mode to prevent any engine damage. As a result, the engine's power is greatly reduced. Replacing the boost sensor will eliminate the problem.
While the Chevrolet 6.5L engine utilizes the heat created by the engine for ignition instead of spark plugs, the engine can still overheat. When the engine overheats it can not properly ignite the air and fuel mixture and it loses power as a result.
The turbocharger in the Chevrolet's 6.5L's engine compresses air and sends it into the engine. Because the turbocharger provides the engine with additional air, if the turbocharger is malfunctioning the engine's horsepower will be reduced. Replacing or rebuilding the turbocharger will solve the issue.
