GM's Duramax Diesel engine

   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine #41  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

How did the Dodge compare to the GM in 97? I bet next years Dodge equals or surpasses the Duramax spec wise. All it takes these days is a processor download.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by bgott on 10/15/01 11:41 PM (server time).</FONT></P>
 
   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine #42  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

bgott,
In 97 GM wasn't much but an afterthought in a diesel selection. GM has always had terrible diesels because they tryed to design them like a gas engine and not a true diesel engine. Ford and Dodge were really your only choices in 97 and only diehard GM loyalists or those wanting to save a buck and drive a diesel bought them. I do hope that they do well though as it will raise the bar, like you said, for Dodge and Ford to make a better truck.

18-35034-TRACTO~1.GIF
 
   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine
  • Thread Starter
#43  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

Cowboy, I agree, in 97 I looked at the Dodge Cummings diesel and while I liked the concept, the noise it made just sitting there ideling, let alone driving down the road, wasn't satisfactory to me or the boss.
Now the Duramax comes along and boy is it quiet, inside and out, and has good power. I had a 97 Ram with the 360ci V8 before and boy did it have good low end power, but at 15mpg, it could swallow the gas.
The Duramax doesn't have that same initail "seat pressing G force", but within a second or two, catches up and really kicks in at the 2000rpm and the 6 speed trans really keeps the 0-60mph down to about 8secs "from the Motor Trend tests" not mine...

As far as it being a "new ball", and here I'll say I don't believe everything I read on the internet, but given Izuzu's past expierience with diesels and the several years of testing on the Duramax, and the 100k/5yr warranty, I have a pretty good feeling about the engine lasting long enough for me. I had put 60k on my Ram in 5 years.

I've got to go sit down now, my legs are tired from running (65mph) /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

gary
 
   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine #44  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

bgott, I did not seriously consider GM products in '97. A close friend (the B-17 tail gunner I wrote about) had a nightmare with his GM diesel pickup. First engine went out and was replaced under waranty. Second engine went out and was replaced under waranty. He sold the truck with the fresh factory engine (ENGINE #3) running and a warning to the buyer that he didn't think the engines were too good (honest kinda guy).

I only really compared Ford and Dodge and it went like this... I wanted a diesel one ton with extended cab 4wd automatic and Ford did not produce one in '97. I tried at two dealerships and the salesmen were unaware that it didn't exist that year so they tried to order me one and low and behold, no joy! Next I tried to get a cab-chassis (as I would have to remove the stock bed to install my custom service body) but neither Ford nor Dodge would sell me a cab-chassis extended cab, only a regular "short" cab) So by process of elimination (sounds ripe for a pun, doesn't it?) I chose the Dodge, or actually reality chose the Dodge for me. I had owned 6-7 Ford pickups previously (and no other brand of P/U). Last Ford was diesel and I really liked it ('84 non turbo) but it was a 3/4 ton and I wanted to carry a really big self contained camper (Ford was good for about 8800lbs GVW) and the Dodge was rated at 11,000 GVW and had redundancy in the dual rear wheels.

Going into this adventure I was of the mind that there wasn't $0.50 worth of differrence between Ford and Dodge and was looking for a Ford (dumb mindset) but found a Dodge. The Dodge works fine (except for the electric clutch fan which is out now) is very strong, gets fair economy, rides good loaded down, looks OK, etc but even with the EXTREME pricing of the Duramax/Allison I have significantly more in my Dodge trying to get to the same sort of solution.

Don't know the dealer network for the GM P/U but many Dodge dealers can't find their backsides with a map, flashlight, and a troop of boyscouts when it comes to diesels. I have multiple horror stories of that genre (avail on request). The saving grace is that the Cummins shops DO know the engines and have been really tops. The trick is to embarrass the Dodge folks into authorizing Cummins to do the work.

I'll be keeping what I have for as long as is economically practical. If I were shopping today, I'd be looking at Dodges and Fords real serious like and maybe drooling on a Duramax. Couple more years down the road with a good proven track record and Duramax/Allison would be in the horse race as well. I have had too many arrows in the backside to want to be a pioneer all the time.

Patrick
 
   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine #45  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

Patrick,
I agree with everything you say except that Ford did not produce a 1 ton extended cab 4wd with automatic in 1997. It seems like the Ford dealer you were talking to didn't know too much about them either. I say this because my brother has one just like that, my neighbor has one, and my grandpa has two at the ranch with the only difference being those two are stick and not automatics. http://www.edmunds.com/used/1997/fo...cablb/prices.html?submit=Customized+Appraisal

Also here is a website where you can work up the price for that exact same truck.

18-35034-TRACTO~1.GIF
 
   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine #46  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

Richard,
Are they single or dual rear wheel? When in the "model year" were they purchased and were they available in California? Note: there are vehicles made to sell in California and vehicles made for sale in the other 49 states. AND make that two Ford dealers. First one that failed to be able to order what I wanted didn't stop me as I wrote it off to incompetence and went to another dealer but got the same results. Oh well, if Ford did have it maybe this perturbation of the evolutionary course of events toward Dodge will produce a branch with better survival odds. If nothing else a little diversity guards against too limited of a gene pool.
Going into this selection process I thought there wasn't $0.50 difference in Ford and Dodge. With 4+ years of experience I think I did the right thing but freely admit I was buying an engine and a basic platform on which to engineer what I wanted. I am pleased with the 12 valve Cummins "B" engine (as up rated). I was a tad surprised by the advances made between 1984 (My Ford diesel) and 1997 (My Dodge diesel) in creature comforts and the like. I don't window shop and tire kick each model year. When I need a truck I employ a fairly rigorous structured process to evaluate, decide, and purchase, then don't darken the door of a showroom until I need a truck again. The truck before the 1984 was a 1964 Ford 292 propane only not duel fuel so you see I only come up to parascope depth to view the selection when needed, not for sport.
If/when this truck no longer meets my requirements for safety, reliability, function, economy, comfort, and lack of embarrassing appearance (listed in priority order) I will replace it with whatever filters through my structured selection process with the highest marks at that time. I will be happy to include the Duramax/Allison in that horserace if it doesn't get elliminated for cause by some negative family trait or replaced by newer better technology.

Patrick
 
   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine #47  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

bgott,
Chip,processor download, whatever. Not applicable to the ancient technology in my 12 valve Cummins. My uprates were all expensive hardware. Injection pump, injectors, 4in. exhaust, aux OD tranny, HD low stall speed converter all of which works fine but not so cheap or easy as a "programable" powerplant that can be customized in software. I needed a truck. If I could have waited a year I would have got the first Quad Cab A N D the 24 valve software customizable engine. Ranks right up there with my buy high sell low credo.

Patrick
 
   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine #48  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

patrick,
The trucks that my family and friend have are both DRW and SRW. Now about CA that may be. CA might as well be it's own country in reality. I agree with you that there wasn't a whole lot of difference between the two trucks. Either way you couldn't go wrong buying either one. I've just been a Ford man all my life. The family and myself have always driven Ford pickups and have owned every year of diesel that Ford has made from 1983. Great pickups but so is Dodge.

18-35034-TRACTO~1.GIF
 
   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine #49  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

I've got the '98 with the 24 valve. I haven't bombed ( whatever that means ) it yet but I'm not doing any heavy pulling right now. One thing that irks me. All you have to do to uprate this thing is a download to jump this engine from 465 to 505 pounds feet of torque. However, Cummins won't just sell you the download. You have to buy a $900 computer.
 
   / GM's Duramax Diesel engine #50  
Re: GM\'s Duramax Diesel engine

bgott,
Actually if you have the computerized motor you can just buy a chip for less than $300 to get 60 more hp and 100 lbs. of torque.

18-35034-TRACTO~1.GIF
 

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