DURAMAX

YESTERDAY I DROVE A NEW 2005 SILVERADO 2500 HD WITH A DURAMAX. I HAD PREVIOUSLY WRITTEN TO SOMEONE HERE ATHAT THIS ENGINE WILL PULL TO ABOUT 4200 RPM. GUESS I WAS MISTAKEN, IT PULLED TO ABOUT 3200 RPMS. THATS WHERE THE REDLINE WAS ON THE TACH, AND THE ALLISON WOULDNT LET IT WIND ANY HIGHER WITHOUT SHIFTING TO THE NEXT GEAR. THEY STILL FEEL LIKE THE STRONGEST DIESEL OF THE BIG THREE. I JUST WISH THEY HAD MORE RIGHT OFF THE LINE. IM A DRAG RACER AND ALONG WITH MIDRANGE TORQUE, I LIKE A KICK IN THE PANTS WHEN YOU FIRST MASH THE THROTTLE. MAYBE I'LL SAVE SOME BUCKS AND BUY AN 8.1 INSTEAD. IT WILL SUCK ALOT MORE FUEL BUT I WILL NEVER RECOUP THE INITIAL COST OF A DIESEL IN FUEL MILEAGE SAVINGS ANYWAY.

If you get a superchips or hyperchip tuner for the duramax engine.  You can increase your torque and horsepower by almost 45%.  The tuners for some reason just set the diesels into full tilt boogie.  With the gasoline engines you gain around 9 to 12% max. 

the new duramax for 2006 has 360 hp. it my be a little better of line

Just traded up my 2005, 3500 with 5 speed Alison for an 07, 2500hd with a 6 speed Alison.  The power difference both top and bottom end snaps my head back in the 6 speed verses the 5 speed.  I haven't really stomped on it yet as I am still breaking in the engine but the difference is really noticeable.  I am having serious issues with the difference in gas mileage though.  The 5 speed 3500 got 13 -15mpg in the city and 18 -22 mpg highway from day one of owning the truck.  The 6 speed 2500 gets 8 -10 mpg in the city and 14 mpg at best highway......sure I only have 200 miles on it but, come on, how much does the break in really effect the gas mileage?  I am thinking that I may have a problem with the truck but the dealership swears that after the break in period the mileage will improve........I doubt it would improve that much though, right?  I hope I am not wrecking anything more by driving it and not getting it checked further, but like I said the dealership says nothing is wrong just because of the mileage.  I even told them that it backfired on me once and they said it wasn't a big deal.  I just have a bad feeling about it, does anyone have any suggestions?

 The HP increases that can be dialed in with a programmer in seconds are incredible compared to the gasoline versions.  Beware though that the programmer may void part of your warranty.  SCTFlash.com

Do a search for 'nastygirl' at dieselplace.com
 
That truck is pushing over 1000 HP on just diesel (no drugs)....

Ratman what are you going to use the truck for?  The Duramax if great for hauling very heavy trailers or loads, but will never be a great streat rod because of its weight.  My ext. cab Duramax is 6700 lbs. empty and is a great workhorse with tons of torque which is what you need to haul heavy loads.  If you are not going to haul heavy loads you should save some serious money and get a 1500HD with a 6.0 gas.  It will probably outrun a Durmax and be cheaper to maintain, just will not haul as much load.  Look at the weights of the loads you will be hauling and the tow rating chart for the pickups, this will save you a lot of money and give you a truck you will enjoy more and will be easier on your pocket book.  If you will look at the power curve charts for the Duramax vs. any of the gas V-8's you will see why it is not necessary for the Duramax to go over 3400 RPM's.   The Durmax will start pushing 500 lbs. of torque at not a whole lot over 1000 RPM's  so they do not really need to wind up like a gas engine.  Diesel's  are a completely different animal than gas engines and are made to work hard all day long, year in and year out.

quote:

ORIGINAL: art

The Duramax if great for hauling very heavy trailers or loads, but will never be a great streat rod because of its weight. 

I used to believe the same thing, until I saw a modified F350 Dually smoke every import and every other car at the race track (1/4 mile dragstrip).  These engines can handle alot more HP than their gasoline counterparts (Obviously tranny and other parts must be strengthened to handle the massive HP and Torque), but the results are impressive to say the least.

quote:

ORIGINAL: art

Ratman what are you going to use the truck for?  The Duramax if great for hauling very heavy trailers or loads, but will never be a great streat rod because of its weight.  My ext. cab Duramax is 6700 lbs. empty and is a great workhorse with tons of torque which is what you need to haul heavy loads.  If you are not going to haul heavy loads you should save some serious money and get a 1500HD with a 6.0 gas.  It will probably outrun a Durmax and be cheaper to maintain, just will not haul as much load.  Look at the weights of the loads you will be hauling and the tow rating chart for the pickups, this will save you a lot of money and give you a truck you will enjoy more and will be easier on your pocket book.  If you will look at the power curve charts for the Duramax vs. any of the gas V-8's you will see why it is not necessary for the Duramax to go over 3400 RPM's.   The Durmax will start pushing 500 lbs. of torque at not a whole lot over 1000 RPM's  so they do not really need to wind up like a gas engine.  Diesel's  are a completely different animal than gas engines and are made to work hard all day long, year in and year out.

 
There are plenty of DMAX trucks out there that can spank a brand new Corvette....the DMAX will be modified of course....easy to do with programmers.....
 
Nasty Girl will run in the 10's.....I would consider that to be a pretty good street rod....
 
Don't believe me?  Check out dieselplace.com and read about what some of these guys are doing to their trucks....

I've got 101 miles on my 2007 Duramax and I am already getting 13 mpg.

I was considering the diesel over the gas for a long-term application.  I drive almost 250 miles a day on my little ranger.  I work it pretty hard with the miles and the load I carry in it.  Are you suggesting that the Silverado diesel is just too much truck for how I'm currently using my little ranger.  Would just the move to Silverado 1500HD gas be enough to handle the way I've been using my truck?  I also thought that the gas mileage was much improved and a big benefit to moving to a diesel truck.  What would you suggest?

quote:

ORIGINAL: hinejs

I was considering the diesel over the gas for a long-term application.  I drive almost 250 miles a day on my little ranger.  I work it pretty hard with the miles and the load I carry in it.  Are you suggesting that the Silverado diesel is just too much truck for how I'm currently using my little ranger.  Would just the move to Silverado 1500HD gas be enough to handle the way I've been using my truck?  I also thought that the gas mileage was much improved and a big benefit to moving to a diesel truck.  What would you suggest?

There are pluses and minuses to both.
Diesel - more expensive to purchase, but has better resale value
Diesel - Better gas mileage, but diesel is about 40 cents more a gallon
Diesel - can pull more, haul more
Gas - Cheaper to maintain, but diesel will last longer
Gas - Cheaper to purchase
Gas - quieter engine and no stinky exhaust (Which you should not smell if you keep your windows up and a/c on recirculate)

So it really depends on what you need and willing to pay for.

I have a Duramax and love it but I haul about a 15,000 lb. trailer with it.  I would never ever buy a Duramax to replace whatever you are hauling with a Ranger.  A regular 1500 with a small V-8 would probably haul half again more than what  your Ranger ever could on its best day.  A gas Silverado V-8 serviced correctly will go 300,000 miles, my company has several that have done so.  You will never save enough in fuel to justify a Duramax, actually a Duramax probably will not get as good mileage as the 1500 Silverado. 

I've made vette owners cry with "White Lightning"
... and she's not pushing any boomshine niether

NICE. NOTHIN LIKE A DURAMAX!

quote:

ORIGINAL: Riccas

I've made vette owners cry with "White Lightning"
... and she's not pushing any boomshine niether

 
yes I got a nasty surprise the other day from a duramax all chipped up, was curious why he wanted to race with me, I have an SS maxx chipped and the like so was not worried till I saw his tailpipe blowing pure black.......and away he went.....and my car goes very well.....there is a customer here who swaps z06 every year and his duramaxs as well, his last invention was an 06 with over 1100 HP.......used to do smoke shows and drag race it......his 07 just arrived so should be curious to see how the new emmisions take to the big power