Who here has a Duramax Diesel or knows someone that does?

[MoparMotel]

I was thinking about getting a 4x4 Duramax diesel and was wondering what some peoples feedback are. It would probably be the LBZ with 360 H.P. and 650 Ft/lbs of torque. only thing i would be towing would be a car trailor with a charger on it but just like the diesel better than gas.

[Silver R/T]

id check www.edmunds.com for reviews

[694spdRT]

I prefer the Cummins diesel over any other and that is not just because it is in a Dodge either. That being said the only bad feedback on the Duramax I heard was from a tranny shop that said the early ones were having fuel system issues because of the difference in fuel quality in the states vs abroad where these engines were developed(I think it is an Isuzu designed engine?) I don't know if that was a common problem or isolated issue. The same guy that told me this bought a new Duramax anyway so it may be nothing big.

The feedback I have heard on the 6.0L Powerstrokes is a whole lot worse from a whole lot more people. Most wished they had their old 7.3's back and some Ford guys even switched to Dodges. 

[derailed]

I know a guy who is a contractor and has owned a few diesel trucks over the last few years. He told me he liked the Fords the best for a long time but seems to be in love with this new chevy dually he bought with the duramax in it. He had no complaints at all about it. I to have heard that the 7.3 powerstokes were much better than the 6.0s. Ive also heard from a few people that the chevys were by far the most comfortable new truck but I cant really say myself.

[Todd Wilson]

A friend of mine just bought one with the allison auto.   He is getting about 17mpg with it.  They seem to be doing ok  but when it comes down to getting serious  a straight 6 Cummins will out pull and run longer then the others.    The duramax seems to have lots of extras on the engine. Wires and modules and crap.. The Cummins 6 is a fairly plain engine designed to work hard for a long time.  Ford is having serious problems with the 6.0 Power Stroke.   The old 7.3 navistar unit was a much better engine.



Todd

[MoparMotel]

Thanks for the feedback. I have a Chevy Extended cab 4x4 with the 5.3 gas in it and want to try a Duramax/Allison Crew cab 4x4.

[REDNECK]

 you could buy the new 07 or 08  truck it will have 700 foot pound of torque

[Chryco Psycho]

i have heard of a few of the allisons puking at realtivly low milage & I wouldn`t expect a long life from the engine either , I doubt you will see many duramaxies with 700,000+ miles on them
the Duramx has faster acceleration due to short stroke & light weight internals but nothing out pulls the Cummins Or will get the fuel milage

[71bee]

Thanks for the feedback. I have a Chevy Extended cab 4x4 with the 5.3 gas in it and want to try a Duramax/Allison Crew cab 4x4.

  I worked for a trailer manufacturing company for 15 yrs. we hauled stacks of boat trailers all over the country. my boss really liked the Cummins powered Rams. at first, I wanted to hate these suckers (I'm talking about the 2nd gen. 12 V. Cummins engines) but only because they were so damn noisy, and back then, I didn't know a thing about diesels. after driving a few of them around, I was completely sold and bought me one back in '96. mine is a 4X4 CC, LB, HD and I still drive it daily, it has given me NO problems and has over 200K on the ticker!

When Chevy came out with their new Duramax, the boss thought that he'd give it a try. he purchased only 1 truck, but that thing (I believe it was an '02 model) was in the shop more times than anything we had ever owned before!  Alluminum heads are great if you wanna go down the track a few times, but in a diesel? with a hard working truck, pushing over 17 to 1 compression, your bound to be replacing them soon. also, if you really need a good 4WD system, a solid axle is the only way to go and GM uses the lame assed CV set-ups. 

[Chryco Psycho]

my 89 Cummins has over 300.000 on it with no parts replaced on the engine , the getrag is long gone  but the cummins is fine

[Orange_Crush]

The 6.0 Navistar in the Ford has had its early bugs worked out, but when the trannies break on 'em...they break BIG (read EXPENSIVE)

The Duramaxes are decent engines but the Allison trannies have not been too reliable either.

The Cummins is...well...a Cummins.  The engine will last longer than the truck, transmission, axles...hell, it'll probably outlast YOU.

The NEW 4 speed tranny is bulletproof...its not the same tranny they had before.  It has been beefed up to the point that its rock solid.

[71bee]

The NEW 4 speed tranny is bulletproof...its not the same tranny they had before.  It has been beefed up to the point that its rock solid.

Are you sure about that? God, it's about freakin' time!!! nontheless, I'll stick with my 12 valve and 5 spd. now that's "BULLET-PROOF!" 

[Highbanked Hauler]

my 89 Cummins has over 300.000 on it with no parts replaced on the engine , the getrag is long gone  but the cummins is fine

Someone on the DTR site had a picture of connecting rods from different diesel engines and the rod from the  Cummins was half again the size of anyone else's.If you get a 93 or earlier Dodge they are pretty much idiot proof.