Chevy Diesel Specs

6.6 (403 CID) Duramax with Allison Auto- 310HP 590 Torque / With 6 Speed Man. 300HP 520 Torque

Fuel economy. Beats me since it depends almost entirely on how you drive it.

The EPA ratings system is a joke anyway. They have not actually tested ANY auto to get the ratings. They test a prototype engine before it is installed in a vehicle and then measure the emissions out the tailpipe to get the economy rating. The different ratings for the different vehicles are strictly based on the weight of the vehicle at time of delivery. Not any other testing. So if you take a

1500 Chevy and equipped it with the same engine as a 2500 Chevy the 2500 will be rated lower if it weighs more. BUT in the case of quite a few engines this isn't true. Take a look at the old 350, In ANY vehicle equipped with one the mileage seems to be between 14 and 19 MPG. doesn't matter what the base vehicle weighs. But if you start towing kiss the mileage goodbye...

Here's what I get on my DMax. It has less than 4000 miles on it so I would hope it would get better as it gets more miles on it.

Stop and go around town - 14 mpg Back and forth to work - 6 miles, few stops, and mostly at 45 - 55 mph - 16 mpg

75 - 80 mph on freeway - 18 mpg 60 - 70 mph highway - 21 mpg

I'm very happy with it thus far!

That Sucks...I had a 2500 Ram '03... Got better than 20 in and around town got 30 At steady 55 got about 25 upwards of 70

2500 and 3500 Series with Diesel are not rated as they are considered "Trucks". Trucks are exempt under the current EPA rules for ratings.

Yeah, but that was a Dodge! One cheap truck, that's why they're everywhere! Cheap, cheap, cheap.

Yeah but you had to drive a dodge. Not worth it.

All kidding aside, the cummins engines I have driven were really poor on low end torque. They wouldn't go till you got over 2500 rpm's. The duramax will give almost all of it's torque at 1800 rpm's. It really feels like a hotrod off the line.

Hardly. It's because thier motor is smaller (5.7L I think) and yet gives way more power.

Try the 6 speed on the newer model motors....They peak at 1800 I believe... Least my '03 did

I heard they had revised their engine when chevy came out with the Duramax. Haven't driven one yet. Competition is great for the consumer. After the duramax waxed the ford and dodge, they both came out with stronger quieter engines. Then chevy stepped up their engine a notch for 04. Maybe in 10 years we will have engines that develop over 1000 ft lbs. of torque.

I'd agree on that one! My Duramax will pin you back in your seat. I had a

6.0 gass burner with 4.10 rearend and the DMax has a lot more pep.

Got a Durmax myself but I think the big gas (8L) still has the edge on power and pulling. In the long pull I have them beat as they have to stop for gas every 40 miles.

Thanks for the info. I looked around Chevy's site (and Dodge's) and couldn't find much info on the duramax. I knew they didn't post mpg, though - the car lobby in congress is too strong. Thanks

Randy Farnsworth Author of "A Stand Yet Taken"

Not having driven one, I would imagine the 502 would require some rpm's to get at that power. The diesel has the power RIGHT NOW. I can imagine that giant sucking sound you would hear when you step down on that big block. Any first hand experience driving and towing with the 8.something chevy?

Wrong. The EPA doesn't require MPG on Diesels....

I was thinking more of fast short pulls. Gas engines get rpm faster than diesels. Better for fast starts. But for heavy pulls I'll take the Diesel.

it has nothing to do with "the car lobby" 8501+# vehicles aren't required to list their fuel economy.

-Bret

But it's still a Dodge. Yuck!

They're a throw away vehicle, not worth rebuilding.

That's just the thing. The diesel doesn't require the rpm's to develop the power. You just give it the fuel and you have the power. No waiting for the power to build. When you mash the pedal down, it just keeps pushing you back in the seat with little or no change when it shifts.

I decided to look around the web to see if any one could shed some light on what I was saying. Searched for "gas vs diesel". It seems to be a difference between HP and Torque. Gas gets it HP faster but the Diesel has the torque.