Big White Truck

sawmilldon · Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:03 pm Post subject:

The thing I like about the stock Duramax is that if you do not tweak it, you are not supposed to be able to damage the tranny.

I have a bone stock '03 and I do not wish for more oomph, but I have met people who put a chip in theirs, still not sure why.

If you look around, there are websites that show people that modify that powerplant and they can do a quarter mile in the 10 second range.

I guess I value my investment too much to care about going fast anymore.

Will-C · Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:30 pm Post subject: Big White Truck

Hi,
I have heard people say to me I put a chip in my truck it can smoke all four tires in four wheel drive. It seemed odd from any way I looked at it. Rumor has it that Gumint Motors is cutting a larger hole in the bumpers of the 2010's Chevy HD 2500 pickups something about larger transmission coolers and maybe an eight speed or more gears in the transmission. Mild tweaks to the body. A 310 hp version is said to be in the works for 11 or 12.
D.D.

Wefings · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:43 am Post subject:

Dave I have a '05 D Max 3/4 ton crew short 4 WD W/ 3.73 gear. When I chipped[Quadzilla],4"exhausted[oops the cataclysmic converter fell out],cold air intaked her the mileage went up significantly . Like well over 20 on the hiway at 80 MPH good . I run the 70+H.P. program . Dosent smoke unless you put your foot in it , eats hills,and has been flawless . The programmer will retrain the tranny for different power levels, correct speedo for when you wear out the weenie factory tires in less than 30k and replace them with 285s. As the trucks got newer they got worse and worse mileage.'04 and '05 were pretty good years.might look around for a driveway decoration RV puller for less $.
I wouldn't have anything but a diesel .And I have loved the GM experience.
Marc
more than you want to know HERE

Will-C · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:19 pm Post subject: Big White Truck

Marc,
I'm going to buy a Duramax /Chevy. I thought they did ok stock with out the mods. I'm hoping it gets better mileage pulling a boat than the Toyoda's do pulling themselves. Man, are they a little too thirsty or what? I'd be afraid to make any changes to a new vehicle now that the Gumint is in the warranty department business. Since you took all my cash I have to wait awhile till I get a few more welfare checks so I can buy a real truck to travel around the country like a real c-brat should. The misses is retired now, so I have keep at it so the poor folks can get free everything. Lifes a bitch.
Kind Regards,
D.D.

Wefings · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:28 pm Post subject:

I never had a warranty problem so the mods are a moot point for me . I feel so bad taking all your money that maybe Ill just loan you my truck ......
Marc

Levitation · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:02 am Post subject:

Anyway, there are lots of good solutions out there.. Friend of mine bought a lightly used Ford with the 7.3L engine for his 5th WHeel RV... Pulls like a horse...
I bought new because it is likely my last new truck in this life and will be pulling my retirement boat and is expected to last until I am too senile to drive it...

TBWT will be going to Virginia tomorrow to haul said boat back to Michigan...

On the cargo rails question, I also have that... No real answers for you as I have done no research... I had the box sprayed with Line-X yesterday and a Tonneau cover put on... They found that the latches on the cover will not clear the rails - new situation for them so they called the Tonneau factory and got the answer - there is a different latch to use with the rails... I opted to put on the cover for this trip and leave the rails off while they get the correct latches to go with the rail system... They will change the latches and re-install my cargo rails next week when I get back...

Sneaks · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:55 am Post subject:

kennharriet · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:21 pm Post subject:

Great truck! We have the 07 Classic Siverado, duramax w/allison. Check out a forum called dieselplace.com. Lots of good advice from experienced owners and mechanics.

From my research, use nothing but synthetic motor oil. It is three times as expensive, but lasts at least three times as long. My personal preference is Mobil Delvac 1. If you want to make your truck last a very long time, change every gearbox fluid at 25,000 mi. With a dual bi-pass oil filter system, and synthetic oil, you can even extend your motor oil changes to 25,000 mi. Initially do an oil analysis at say every 10,000 mi, but many have proven that synthetic oil is still doing it's job with this system at 25,000 mi. It will pay, especially considering everything on a duramax costs about $8,000, engine or transmission. Take care of it and there is little it will not haul or pull.

Levitation · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:59 am Post subject:

I don't want to turn this into an interminable discussion of synthetic versus dino poop - for that you can go to the Duramax forums where they are experts on saying the same thing over and over... Then peruse bobtheoilguy for a dose of reality...

My position is that, unless you are hauling boats or cars for a living and putting on 80,000 miles a year there is no advantage to synthetics and long oil change intervals.. In fact there is a disadvantage to having oil changes longer than the calendar year - in that you are not under there and looking at the oil and the filter on a regular basis... Suffice to say, I use Rotella T 15W40 on all my diesel engines, truck, tractors, dozers... I change the oil and filter on a regular basis...

kennharriet · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:56 am Post subject:

Levitation

Good point. Everything I have read suggests that you should not exceed 1 yr. on oil changes intervals, even with a dual bi-pass system. I figure if you put less than 10,000/yr on the engine, synthetic would not pay. The DIC on our truck usually shows a change due at about 8,000 mi. I have been changing by the DIC and using synthetic. I know it is overkill, but it is likely the only new vehicle we will ever own and I hope it outlasts us.

Levitation · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject:

Well, BWT left Hemlock, Mi just after noon on Friday and ran until after midnight when I finally ran out of strength... Saturday 5:30 AM we were up and soon back on the road and finished the last hour and a half to meet with Mike and Linda... After a brief demo run on the lake Mike loaded his boat onto the trailer for the last time, we all said good by and I started back for Michigan... I pushed the throttle until by 1AM I was totally wiped out and unable to finish the all night run back to home - starting to hallucinate at shadows - durn, getting to 70 kinda took the starch out of me... I used to drive 24 hours straight in my younger days...
At that point we were a half hour from my daughter's cottage on Catawba Island on Lake Erie so we went there... Got into bed by two, was up at 6:30... Had Sunday breakfast with the family, tended to some family matters and was back on the road by 10AM... Finished pounding my way into Michigan when I backed the trailer a quarter mile up our driveway at 2:30 PM Sunday ( had to do some tree trimming along the way) and onto a level spot on the front lawn near the pond...

Total mileage was a hair over 1800 miles... MPG going South was 19.8... Coming North with the boat it was 11.0...
There are some hellacious hills in those mountains with narrow little roads - not the most auspicious run for a new truck and boat on a trailer...

Captains Cat · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:35 pm Post subject:

Good job Denny. Now we need some pictures! My Dodge Gas V-10 gets around 10-11 wether I tow anything or not!

Now that youve got a tug, don't be a stranger here!

Charlie

thataway · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:44 pm Post subject:

Jonathon Welsh, Wall Street Journal Car column editor, wrote recently that he felt that a 2 year oil change interval for very low mileage cars is satisfactory. There are acids and break down products which can be damaging to the bearings and surfaces, so I personally change at least once a year in the low mileage vehicle ( less than 1000 miles a year).[/i]

Levitation · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:04 am Post subject:

Charlie,
Now that I have a boat I will be too busy trying to keep it clean and not sinking to waste time trading gibes with a bunch of boating reprobates - jeez, don't you people have better things to do than chatter about boats all day long?... Thumbs Up

Captains Cat · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:00 am Post subject:

Heck, we've got Three (count 'em) boats and I still find time to spend here. We used to call it the "pub"...