OT: GMC Duramax 3.0
- Thread starter cowbell88
- Start date
I’m currently in a ‘23 Chevy with the 3.0 Duramax. I love leaving the pump and the computer saying 630 miles to empty. I don’t pay for fuel and I do very little towing so I can’t speak to those issues.
All things considered, I love this truck.
Also.. I think the ‘25 horsepower and torque numbers are slightly better than mine.
All things considered, I love this truck.
Also.. I think the ‘25 horsepower and torque numbers are slightly better than mine.
Do your research. Everybody gonna love that thing, til it breaks.
Last I checked, it has a 17ING OIL PUMP BELT. Typical GM. Ford does same kind of shitt.
I watched a YT video where a GM tech outlined the procedure and cost of replacing this belt, and it was a steep bill for something that has to be done every 100k miles, that is, if the emissions systems don’t fry the engine by then anyway.
Last I checked, it has a 17ING OIL PUMP BELT. Typical GM. Ford does same kind of shitt.
I watched a YT video where a GM tech outlined the procedure and cost of replacing this belt, and it was a steep bill for something that has to be done every 100k miles, that is, if the emissions systems don’t fry the engine by then anyway.
My neighbor has a 2021 Sierra with the 3.0 Duramax with 118k miles. He liked it until last week when he had to replace the transmission. $8k
Just got the wife a 2024 Yukon with the 3.0 Duramax. Only had it since September, but no complaints so far. Good mileage and power.
Originally the oil belt change interval was 150k miles, starting in ‘23 the interval is 200k miles.
I know a guy who’s a crop consultant in NE Arkansas with one. It’s been in the shop 5 times already in less than a year.
Wife has a 2021 Escalade with 3.0 Duramax LM2. She loves it (especially the fuel mileage). Only issue we have had is an exhaust rattle at 20k.
Reading this is why I bit the bullet and have been getting my ‘03 z71 back up and running rather than buying new
Honestly I’m not sure there’s any vehicle that’s a sure thing now for reliability.
No doubt. Vehicles were much more reliable 10 years ago. All the new electronics can be huge reliability issues. For every make & model. Cars & trucks are much worse lately.
A lot of the issues of late with Toyota and Hyundai are poor quality components in the motors. My neighbors Toyota truck is in the list of VINs with a faulty component. They’re going to completely replace his motor.
Yeah. Lot of stupid cost cutting going on. They changed the valve seals in my car for my model year. Of course they leaked leading to oil leakage. So they had to warranty a lot of valve seal replacements, including mine. My car is fine since they put the old valve seals in. But would have been a hell of a lot cheaper for them to just keep using the old seals.
2023 GMC AT4 with the baby duramax. 25k miles.
Biggest issue so far is the oil changes. It calls for DEXOS D. Only 8 oils certified to this standard a few months ago when I found a list.
Given oil requirement - it's pretty much oil changes at dealership only.
Some have trouble with burning oil. I've added oil twice.
Biggest issue so far is the oil changes. It calls for DEXOS D. Only 8 oils certified to this standard a few months ago when I found a list.
Given oil requirement - it's pretty much oil changes at dealership only.
Some have trouble with burning oil. I've added oil twice.
I do my own oil changes, but Mobile 1 has a dexos D oil and I can get it at my local Walmart. You can buy the AC Delco stuff from Amazon fairly reasonable.
The last full size truck worth a **** was the Tundra and they effed that up with the 2022 redesign. If I can ever get any of my kids out of college I'm going to buy a 2021 Tundra with less than 100k on it. My current truck is a 2012 Tundra with 230+k miles on it, never an issue.
The golden years for GM trucks is 2010-2012. That's going to be the sweet spot for performance, reliability, DIY capability and cost/availability of parts. These trucks will do 85% of what the new ones will do for %30 of the price.
My 2013 Duramax had the faulty fuel pump that disintegrated. Had to have a full fuel system replacement. My 2018 had a bunch of issues with the DEF. I have a 2021 with almost 100,000 miles and knock on wood I’ve had zero issues.
As a rule, buy a diesel if you need one. They are built for towing and driving long distances, not short empty trips around town. I don't know how much you drive, or how important saving a little here and there is, but I would guess the increased mileage vs the extra expense of maintaining a diesel (def, higher fuel prices, expensive maintenance) will make the savings negligible. If it's mostly around town you may be dealing with frequent regens and it will drive you nuts. Cold days are fun too.
I pull a 9,000 lbs RV in the Rockies and went with a gas burner over diesel in my 3/4 ton. I sacrifice a bit of easy towing up Teton pass but otherwise it was a no brainer. Most of my driving (hours not miles) is running around town. Even when I tow the mileage is only 2-3 mpg lower than it's diesel equivalent which is more than made up for with cheaper fuel. It also gets cold where I am and below 15°-20° you have to worry about fuel gelling.
If I were looking at GMC's and I cared about moderate or greater towing and/or acceleration, I would just go 6.2 gasser and sleep like a baby. I'd bet it's the single best 1/2 ton truck engine on the road today. But if you put 30k of highway miles a year on a truck and don't like the temptation of a big V8 under your heavy foot, the 3.0 may be your answer.
I thought all GM vehicles were designed to burn oil. My brother-in-law bought a 1500 and it used a quart of oil every 2,000 miles. He said it was normal for that truck. Years ago I had transmission problems with a GM. I haven't had any issues since trading it in and staying away from GM.
Agree with this and if you want towing ability just get the Allison Transmission in the gas burner. I’ve had 5 Duramax trucks since 2004 with over 100k on all of them and had zero issues with the Allison.
A 6.7 Powerstroke engine and Allison transmission is the heavy towing dream team. But I'd say Duramax is much closer to Powerstroke than the Ford transmission is to Allison. If I went diesel, GMC is the choice.
Not to mention, Ford's are ugly as hell. And I say that as a Ford driver.
The only issue I have with Ford is they can’t keep a quiet cab. Get about 40,000 farm miles and all you hear is shít rattling in the doors and wherever else.
None of them were a problem free, but if you factor in the cost of a used or new vehicle, the ability to work on it yourself, the price of parts, the price of insurance and the overall feature set, the model years of 2010-2012 is going to be the sweet spot.
My 2014 F350 has 178,000 miles on it and the cab is quiet as a mouse. Smooth ride as well.
It is 2 wheel drive so It isn't set up for 4 wheeling. It is a tow vehicle that does its job well.
My neighbor had a shop specializing in diesel pickups, retired now, but he said that Dodge had the best engine but the rest of the truck was crap. The GM Duramax was a good motor but a ***** to work on. The Allison transmission was the gold standard and nothing else compared. Fords put his kids through college and supported a very expensive racing habit. When he was still in business he said he hoped Ford never quit making diesel trucks. He drives a GMC.
This is what I have. 2024 Sierra with the 6.2. Better gas mileage than the 5.3, and very little degradation while towing. That 6.2 engine is badass.
Every modern vehicle has issues outside of the known reliable ones, and even the recent model of those have issues. Crap parts and crap labor across the board.
I have a 24 z71 with the 3.0, 15k miles so far. I really like it. Fuel mileage out of this world. Really like being able to tote a side by side semi-regularly without constant jarring and downshifting going up and down hills.
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