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.

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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. 

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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.