Colorado Duramax Waxed My Wrangler 3.6L

[Wiredawg]

Friends

Just thought I'd share my experience of having my 2014 Jeep Wrangler 2dr 3.6L being waxed by a Colorado 2.8L Duramax.

Was getting on interstate near my home and had guy driving a Colorado Duramax right on my butt, so I kicked mine in the butt on the 50ft acceleration lane figuring I'd leave him in the dust... WRONG! He kicked his in, proceeded to pass me and disappear into the horizon. This guy was a major aggressive driver, but I thought it was VERY impressive the performance of this truck. If the wasn't such an ars, I would have given him a thumbs up as he went zooming past me.

Anyhoo, I know for the most part, we dog the other brands here on the TDR, but there are some pretty good OTHER VEHICLES out there.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wayne M.]

Ron, acceleration doesn’t always win the race.
I’m not sure about the baby Max’s that are out there, but if it’s the one I’m thinking of, this has a oil bath belt driven oil pump with a not too long service interval.

 

[Regcabguy]

Banks has this gem for nearly every vehicle out there. The beauty is that it detunes reverse response unlike the other pedal response enhancers. The little Duramax might have had one of these on it.
https://official.bankspower.com/insider_news/rd-banks-pedalmonster/

 

[Wiredawg]

Wayne,

You're absolutely correct, but for most of us that drive ours 99% on road, that this was pretty cool covering an important aspect of daily driver experience. I'm still happy with my Wrangler as it is, but thought I'd share an impressive experience.

I've seen some trail videos that appears the little diesel performs well on the trail too. If I were looking for a small truck 4x4, the Colorado Duramax might would be it.

On a side note, I kept holding out buying a new Wrangler waiting for a diesel offering... in 2014, I did give it up and bought the 3.6L gasser. Now in 2020, its available. Glad I didn't wait, but if something happened to my present Jeep, I might would get 3.0L diesel Jeep.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wiredawg]

Banks has this gem for nearly every vehicle out there. The beauty is that it detunes reverse response unlike the other pedal response enhancers. The little Duramax might have had one of these on it.
https://official.bankspower.com/insider_news/rd-banks-pedalmonster/

My Jeep Wrangler has a Banks Ottomind tuner, on lowest tune adding 15HP that still allows use of 87 octane gas.

On one of the Dishnetwork channels, two drivers picked 4x4s to compete, one picked the Ram 2500 Cummins (I think), and the other a Colorado Duramax. On the level straights, the Ram did better, on the rough stuff the Colorado did better. Apples to apples? Nope! Cool to see both trucks run hard off pavement... Yep.

So, in this case, the mights MIGHT cancel each other out, except I DO have a tuner. Just a note, i bought the Banks tuner to change tire height (33") and ring/pinion from 3.21 to 4.56, and high beams with fogs. As for my opinion on gasser engine programmer, they are ok, but not much bang for the buck compared to diesel ones.

BL, no matter what was done with the Colorado, it was impressive and so have the off road videos of it. I guess the Gladiator is really the only competition to it as the Ram Ecodiesel is full size...

Either way, I still like the discussion and comments.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Timd32]

Did you spin the tires on restart. Sound like he was in the right gear and rpm for a better jump on you.

Something for you to work on.

 

[Wayne M.]

A coworker has a newish leased BMW 3 series, I know it has a turbo 4 in it. Well he followed me down the on ramp, and did the same thing (he’s an earlier shift and he was late ) and I couldn’t believe how that thing scooted.
Modern vehicles can really move, thanks to technology.

 

[Wiredawg]

Hard to say exactly, but I'm guessing I got on it first and then he got on it with his 6spd auto. His just kept going as he passed mine.

I wonder how the Ford Ranger diesels doing?

Back to mine, Interesting the characteristics of the Pentastar v6... it revs pretty high and the 5 spd transmission has mediocre performance. Interesting discovery, the Banks Ottomind programmers pretty much work on any obdII vehicle and the programs are downloaded to it. My Jeep actually has Ram truck ECM in it, as ID'd by the tuner. So this motor is entry level on Ram, Charger, Challenger, Durango, Grand Cherokee. Not sure if it's just ECM programming or different cams, etc.

In the Jeep world, at least fo me, it's a love hate thing... love the 2dr, maneuverability, interior, performance of the motor, weight balance, dont care for the auto much, didn't get a standard cuz messed up left ankle/foot. Despite all that, its fun to drive and excels in urban driving. The new 8 spd auto is likely better, but not worth trading.

Cheers, Ron

 

[TFucili]

That 2.8 is made in Thailand, and last I read it was probably being discontinued.

 

[endoscott]

My buddy just bought a Mahindra Roxor for $15K. Many Jeep parts interchangeable.Inline 4 diesel power. Its an off road rig, not for driving on the freeway.You gotta add your own doors and windshield should you need such luxuries. CJ windshield and bumper fit his.

 

[TFucili]

Vision Racing has a tuner for the Roxor that will remove the speed limiter, and let it go 60+ mph.

 

[endoscott]

Cool!

 

[Wayne M.]

Now that’s interesting. Is that Mahindra just off road? Not DOT? Would you get this in place of a Mule or Gator?

 

[GCroyle]

Grudge match, LRE vs Baby Max.

 

[Wiredawg]

Grudge match, LRE vs Baby Max.

LRE would easily win that one.

 

[Ozymandias]

No way to beat a Turbo with a naturally aspirated engine. No way except the displacement is way superior.
Means 2 Liter versus 6 Liter.

 

[TFucili]

Now that’s interesting. Is that Mahindra just off road? Not DOT? Would you get this in place of a Mule or Gator?

Yes, here in the US, it is sold as a SxS. Elsewhere, it is sold as an automobile, AFAIK. They have had a licensing agreement with Jeep since the '40s. They figured going the SxS route would skirt the EPA and crash standards, and keep FCA off their back. Two out of three ain't bad. FCA sued, and has forced them to change the design. Nevertheless, there is a lot of Jeep CJ DNA present.

 

[Wayne M.]

I read about the suit. Dig that clamshell looking grille!

 

[Tuesdak]

Friends

Anyhoo, I know for the most part, we dog the other brands here on the TDR, but there are some pretty good OTHER VEHICLES out there.

Cheers, Ron

Next time you race one of those Colorado 2.8L Duramax make sure you have an out in case they blow the stock engine up.

Little education for those looking at another GM Bean Counter Diesel 2.8L baby Duramax. GM's other bean counter disaster the 6.2L diesel that replaced the Bean Counter 5.7L Olds hand grenade had a cast crank in it that was known to break. Detroit Diesel said use a forged crank in the 6.2L diesel. GM Bean Counters said watch us not care... GM added a 100K warranty on later diesels like the the punched out 6.2 known as a 6.5 with the same cheap cast crank to be able to sell them as their busted crank reputation haunted them. Regardless this 6.5 GM Bean Counter Diesel could loose an injector, melt a piston down, lock it up at TDC, the intact wrist pin could shatter the piston skirt, bend the rod, and beat 8 holes in the cylinder wall without breaking it's wrist pin.

Now GM has figured out how to screw up Wrist Pins in diesel engines. The 2.8L has broken plenty of wrist pins. A plague of blown engines isn't "pretty good": it's AWFUL. And par for the GM Diesel Bean Counter Course. PDF attached of an analysis of just one failure.

GM hasn't learned one dammed thing about how to design and produce a reliable diesel engine. GM needs outside help to do so and even then they still snap crankshafts in the 6.6L Duramax. At least the Isuzu designed 6.6L could usually make it through the 100K warranty without failing the rotating mass.

GM produces cheap diesel engines that border on "You would be better off sucking down the single digit MPG gas with a gas engine."

And now GM wants you to buy a 3.0 I6 diesel with an over-complicated thermally limited cooling system and a belt driven oil pump. Typical inadequate GM cooling system... What could possibly go right?

 

[endoscott]

Now that’s interesting. Is that Mahindra just off road? Not DOT? Would you get this in place of a Mule or Gator?

It will be street legal. But I think top speed 45 mph unless you do a tune of some kind.Its mostly an off road rig. Yeah like a Gator I guess.