Duramax Video

[Ereynolds72]

I'm looking for that video where the guy was towing with his duramax and trying to make a claim against GM when this dodge towing a 5th wheel and a jeep passes him on the highway. I love that video and would love to share it with all my friends. Does anyone have a link to it?

 

[MFalkinham]

Here you go. I love listening to him complain about the "old Dodge" blowing away his "superior" Duramax!

LLY Overheating Lawsuit - Money Maker Video This - Video

 

[Crazy Horse]

I don't know why the guy doesn't cut his losses and get into an "old Dodge" . Life is too short to get all riled up .

 

[Grizzly]

One should never underestimate a Dodge with a Cummins.

 

[KBalzuweit]

Some reason some of LLY's overheated, my 06 LBZ started to run hot and I had the stack (radiator, intercooler, and condensor) cleaned and it was back to normal.

 

[jgillott]

I understand that the guy's point in shooting the video. But, I don't think I could have run my truck, no matter how much I didn't like it, that hot for that length of time.

 

[TAbbott]

The way he had that trailer loaded, with the truck pointed the wrong direction and far enough back to catch every bit of wind, coupled with the way he abused it, it's no wonder it overheated. I'm surprised it did as well as it did.

 

[SHobbs]

That video cracks me up. The "Old Dodge" spanking that "superior" Duramax. Anyone ever find out if the Dodge owner is a TDR member? Check out his "cute" ringtone about 13 minutes 25 seconds into the video.

 

[CurtLee]

Who tows a UHAUL box truck backwards?? No wonder it over heated.

 

[JCasper]

Who tows a UHAUL box truck backwards?? No wonder it over heated.

True, but what about the guys that haul commercialy and haul big containers? They are just as square and probably bigger.

 

[RAmy]

yea, the backwards uhaul truck was the first thing that made me go 'huh'. how much do one of those traveler trailers/campers weigh? i didnt think they would be as heavy nor as wind resistant as the way he loaded his trailer. it makes me laugh every time i see that video tho. would be even funnier if it was a mid '90's 12 valve that he couldnt catch. this guy is hilarious.



checked the weight and the dodge trailer is only about 6000lbs + jeep roughly 4500.

just listening to that duramax hunt and watching the cummins pull away like crazy... i cant stop laughing. if that was me i would go straight to a dodge dealer and get a cummins as soon as i got home.

i honestly bet that this guys video back in '06 made a lot of people go buy a dodge. who needs this kind of embarisment.

 

[SMcGrady]

What a knucklehead!

1. Driving his truck to the max like that, for that lenght of time

2. on a Hwy with little to no shoulder, hogging the left lane while everyone is passing him on the right

3. while holding a video camera that he is constanly aiming at his array of gauges, instead of watching where he is going

4. while talking on a cell phone???

I am not supprised he bought a chevy...

what an idiot...

 

[Ereynolds72]

Here you go. I love listening to him complain about the "old Dodge" blowing away his "superior" Duramax!



LLY Overheating Lawsuit - Money Maker Video This - Video

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I think this video is hillarious. There's a lot wrong with what he's doing but I love that this "old dodge" just blows his doors off.



... and no. I wouldn't run my truck like that either; even if I stole' it.

 

[Cummins Thunder]

I am pretty sure he loaded it backwards on purpose. He wanted to load the truck as hard as possible so that it would overheat. Remember that he was going against GM for a buy back. You should be able to run a STOCK diesel truck WOT at highway speeds and not have it over heat.

 

[Grizzly]

I am pretty sure he loaded it backwards on purpose. He wanted to load the truck as hard as possible so that it would overheat. Remember that he was going against GM for a buy back. You should be able to run a STOCK diesel truck WOT at highway speeds and not have it over heat.

I agree with you . I think the GM guy was just putting on a show for a buy back or something. Probably didn't have all the coolant in the radiator.

 

[HBarlow]

I read somewhere on an RVing website or possibly on the GM website that the author of the video won his lawsuit against GM over his overheating GM Duramax.



A truthful, objective GM Duramax owner from the HitchHiker website is a forum moderator on RV. Net. I read a post where he directed readers to a very long thread on the GM site about '04 Duramax trucks. Overheating was a very common problem on that engine model and many were bought back according to the website.



GM continues to have problems with them but accoring to discussions I have read GM has modified the gauge indications and alarm settings so the average owner towing doesn't know his truck is overheating.



Some think the choices between a Dodge-Cummins, GM-Isuzu, and Ford-Navistar are just a matter of personal preference. They claim all will pull a trailer and all are equal. They are wrong. The platforms may be similar and a matter of choice . . . but the engines are not.



The GM Isuzu and Ford Navistar engines don't even come close to the low end torque, pulling power, fuel economy, long term reliability, and proven longevity of the Cummins ISB. I have never heard of an overheating Cummins unless the radiator was blocked by crankcase oil and road debris or the fan clutch had failed. I've never overheated one I owned.



I also have never heard of a Cummins ISB with a crankshaft, rod, or bearing failure.

 

[RVPILOT]

overheating ???

Well here is some news about overheating on my Cummins. I have overheated my Dodge several times in the past, due to overloading, fan clutch failure and and othe stuff. the gauge went off the scale and there for several minutes, like 5 or 10. The good news is that I have 900,000 thousand miles on this motor, all internal parts still there, including injectors ,and doing what they are supposed to do. I think the Duramax guy will be looking for a replacement motor at 30,000 miles ? Stormy

 

[CurtLee]

True, but what about the guys that haul commercialy and haul big containers? They are just as square and probably bigger.

Thats a Duramax for you. :-laf But seriously now thats the problem with the duramax & power joke there not one bit reliable

 

[IBarr]

I realize this is getting dug up from the archives, but there's a lot more to this story than mentioned here.

You can look it up on the net if anyone wants to read it by searching "txchristopher". he is the guy in the video -- who now sells an aftermarket cure for overheating Durmaxes.

Here's what I know based on reading posts txchristopher wrote on various forums on the net:

He bought that truck new in 2004 or 2005, and immediately began having overheating issues when he used it to tow in the Texas heat. They tried everything from replacing fans to reprogramming, so he used it as he needed, and eventually, it overheated too many times and ruined the engine. GM then replaced the engine, but raised the temps at which the alarms go off for overheating. He had it in to the dealership so many times that they finally told him not to come back as they had done all they could/would do for him. He later started the lawsuit against GM, claiming that the truck couldn't do it's rated load in everyday conditions without overheating. He was within all of his weight limits including GCW and GAWRs with the U haul on his trailer.

There are a number of factors that contribute to the LLY Duramax overheating issue, but to sum it up, it's poor engineering on GMs part. If you want to know all of the details, search for posts on Rv.net by "killerbee" and read the links in his signature. He's an automotive engineer who has picked up the LLY overheating issue as a hobby, and as I understand it as an LLY owner.

Anyway, txchristopher eventually won his lawsuit against GM, was awarded $30,000 and got to keep his truck. It's quite an interesting read.

The video may not be so flattering for the guy, but I admire his willingness to take it all the way (which took years).

It is entertaining to watch the 2nd gen Cummins walk away from his Duramax.

It is also interesting to see how the Duramax tries to "protect itself" from him trying to maintain speed -- first shutting the A/C off, then defueling to lower heat output, and finally going into limp mode.

 

[HBarlow]

Good post IBarr. I had heard part of the story but not all of it. I agree with your observations.