My Duramax has 12k on it now and I am starting to think of ways I can maximize fuel savings, etc. All I have done so far is put a K&N air filter in it. Some tell me to put a chip on it, others to go after the breathing angle, still others the exhaust system. I'd be interested to hear what this group might have to say about what THEY would do if it were their truck. Thanks!
(PS... I don't really NEED more power and pep from the truck, but if I could get better mileage AND more zip, well...)
-- "Don't undertake a project unless it is manifestly important and nearly impossible."
from Edge and Bullydog....personally i think im going with Banks cuz he's sorta the Guru when it comes to Diesel performance....but just in case ...heres a couple urls fer ya too look at...hope they help ya some
Just my not-so-humble opinion, but I'd stay away from any sort of oil impregnated air filter. They are notorious for providing less filtration than standard paper and have a history of contaminating sensors on your motor with oil mist. No thanks.
I don't know that you're going to do much better on fuel economy with expensive add-ons and be able to recoup the cost through fuel savings. Personally, I think you should stick with some of the absolute basics, like a good synthetic oil regularly changed, fresh air and fuel filters, and even a secondary fuel filter that screens particles down to 2 microns so the fuel is as clean as it can be by the time it hits your injection pump and injectors. That's all I've done to my '04 Silverado with the Duramax and Allison, and my mileage check just this morning at the pump was 18.8mpg in mostly city driving.
In addition, conservative driving habits will have a much more positive affect on your overall mileage than almost anything else.
You can search this and many other automotive newsgroups for dicussion threads about these type of filters (mostly K&N because they are the most popular). What it boils down to is a direct comparison of the specifications from the manufacturers. K&N (and others) flow better - mostly at the high end of the flow rate - but have a lower filtering effeciency (total amount and size of particulate matter). The truth is an ordinary paper filter still flows much more air than your vehicle will need
99% of the time and have a higher degree of filtering.
I have also read that both GM and Ford have put out bulletins limiting the warranty on vehicles with an oil impregnated air filter installed due to the high incidence of sensor failure from the oil mist. I don't know which - if any - sensors would be affected on a Duramax diesel because the notice came out for the gas motors, but that's more than enough for me. Maybe one of the GM techs who prowl around this group can fill you in with some specifics on this.
My 2 cents worth... You may find just as many K&N owners who will still keep using their products as there are detractors for such oiled non-paper filters. High quality paper filters do a better job of filtering the finer particles (I find a thin coating of very fine black dust on the MAF screen of our '98 6.5TD Tahoe, and also on the inner section of air filter pan of our '86 6.2NA Sub).
I choose to continue using the product, especially on our Tahoe, because of the reusability feature: the design of the air intake system in the Tahoe draws so much crap into the inner fender, the air filter gets clogged quickly with leaves, bugs, dirt and airborne hitchhikers (e.g., dandelions). Those drum air filters run $17-$19 and have to be replaced at each oil change even though I rotate them to expose a clean section to the "sweet spot."
I've tried wrapping the K&N filter with about 10 feet of surgical gauze sprayed with K&N filter oil to see if the deposit of fine black dust is decreased but the results are not conclusive. I was going to try wrapping a paper filter the same way but "Doc" said the oil, if it soaks the paper, will decrease the air flow of the filter -- may still go ahead and try it, though.
How much damage the fine dust particulates will cause is still up for debate. I'm more concerned with the quality of the diesel fuel the engine ingests.
I have 40,000 k on my 2004 3500 Dually,4x4,LT,LWB,Crew-Cab. I haul campers all over the country. I can tell you for a fact a Duramax does not need anything. I am going to run a 5 inch exaust because several of the guys running them on their Chevy's,Dodges and Fords say they have an increase in torque power and fuel mileage. I did talk to a guy who has the same truck as mine and he added a 70-75 hp chip. he said he wished he would have saved his bucks. I also have the K&N. Most of these guys also run Lucas oil everywhere they can on their trucks. They are all very impressed with this product. I know 2 guys that have been using it since day one and both trucks have over 300,000. No Engine problems to mention. One was a 1999 7.3 liter Ford Powerstroke and the other is a 2001 Duramax... The air filter and exast is all I am doing to mine....
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