Drove new LBZ Duramax today.

[_MACKIN]

I noticied today at work that the Duramax doesn't have a wait to start light. . What does it use to warm up the cylinders?



Popped the hood on the truck and I feel sorry for the guy working on that engine. Looks like to have to tear it half apart just to get to the injectors.

Sure it has a wait to start lamp and glow plugs.



Nah most GM techs are getting good at injector replacement and GM has made significant changes to make it that much easier since 01.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

The dmax wait-to-start light is a little coil looking light in the upper left of the panel. Recycled it 3x when it was -30F here yesterday and managed to get it going. Afterwards I found where they have the block heater trussed up and will be plugging it in henceforth when -10F or so.



Clutch doesn't want to work too good at -30F.

 

[Nate]

Hmm... the truck at work doesn't have that for one reason or another. I was looking for that (looks like the one Ford has?) or a wait to start or something, but there's just the engine light that comes on, and brakes, etc.



It was 8* this morning and I just turned the key and it fired right up... no way my truck would do that. I don't know if I really am happy with the power it has though. It's ok, but nothing stellar.

 

[EBottema]

Everyone seems to bash drums however they are very simple and work great. Semi's use them without a problem, why cant our trucks use them? They last much longer than discs and a disc drum combo is great...



Also, the mini drums inside the rear discs are a great great idea. They work good and is the way to go on a car, not a heavy truck. However, using inferior parts will cause problems.

 

[robertyoke]

Everyone seems to bash drums however they are very simple and work great. Semi's use them without a problem, why cant our trucks use them? They last much longer than discs and a disc drum combo is great...

because you have to adjust them! most people won't do it or don't know to do it.

my 98 had drums and they were in good shape at over 100k

-robert

 

[Yo Hoot]

The only thing I liked about the D-Max is the strictly business interior. It is couch comfy, and the layout makes sense. In contrast I hate the motor, I hate the way the motor sounds, even with mods & an exhaust the D-Max still sounds like poo poo. The cost sucks, the clearance is horrid, enough said. Once you go Cummins you never go back.



-Ryan

GM does make a nice interior but it's not the end all interior either. They come with a few more bells and whistles. Sorry guys but I don't care about who's got more gadgets than who as long as the basics and a few extras are available. The 2006 comparisons you won't find GM having much more than Dodge available. To me, buying a 4x4 diesel pickup truck, the interior is not on the top of my decision list. Dodge found a way to do most all the things I need in the interior in a way that it's not cluttered with switches, knobs and buttons like the GM's. I get in my truck, start it up, turn on the tunes, turn on the heat,A/C, stick it in gear and go. I got steering wheel audio controls but I can reach the radio just as easily. I got cruise control, Infinity sound, 6 disc changer. Power windows, doorlocks, power seat, heated outside mirrors, much better ones than GM for that matter. Am I missing something here? OK the seats might not be as cushy but they fit under my butt quite well. Long trips they are more comfortable than my DURAMAX crew cab I owned for three years. The one that blew a head gasket, had defueling issues that GM NEVER fixed. It would fall on its face under load. These two issues alone were enough for me to think twice about ever buying another GM diesel again, no matter who they have design it. GM is known for taking a design team and throwing requirements at them that make for a loser design before it even gets off the drawing board. The ultimate failure of the Duramax is the injector failure rates. I wouldn't touch one today with a 10 foot pole. Any Dmax that has 100,000 miles on it has either had it's injectors replaced or is getting ready to. That's sad for a diesel. OK we have the same system in the common rail Cummins. I argue it's the same but different. Our injectors are different. You cannot put a Dmax injector in a Cummins. They are fed fuel differently No lines attached to them. MUCH, MUCH better design based on the GM failure.



What's important to me is the truck overall, as a truck, the diesel, as a diesel, and the rest of the drivetrain's usabilty and durability. The 48RE is now proven to be an excellent tranmission. Maybe not as many gears. With the two torque locks it feels like there are at least five gears. The Allison is finicky under extra power. I could limp my Allison at will with 100hp over stock. Got 32,000 on my 48RE with 425 dynoed RWHP. It will never limp. It doesn't have limp. Sure it will fail over time if you over do it but so will the Allison. It's been proven. I'll take no limp.



Simplicity helps too. Dodge beats Ford and GM hands down with simplicity. I LOVE that philosophy Dodge has with trucks. I don't want them to destroy the truck with garbage that creates problems.



GM did good with the Duramax as far as the truck from a overall capability standpoint if you compare it with GM's previous diesels.



But you cannot compare the Isuzu Duramax and the International (Ford) 6. 0 liter with the Cummins. Two light duty V8 smog engines against a true inline medium duty six. Just looking at the cutaway pictures of these engines settles this arguement once and for all.



The latest news from thedieselplace.com



I have been banned from the site (hoot) by moderater MACKIN for standin up to his GM biased ignorant moderating. Don't get me wrong. I knew I had it coming eventually. My history of standing up to reality has gotten me in trouble on these sites a few other times. I was a moderator over there when the place started along with Mackin and Tony. Spent many many hours building up the Dmax and the site. After my truck turned out to be a loser and slowly watching the others brag about how great their trucks were after getting injectors replaced... . even mutiple times, finding out the Allison is a wimp, stock, tired of dragging my arse on the pavement, I traded for my Dodge.



Finally when word got out the Dmax mechanical limitation was found. . all hell broke loose for a bit and quiet is the reigning characteristic in the high performance forums over there.



The Dmax block explodes at 700+ hp.



That was the last straw for me. At this point I was an ex-GM, ex thedieseplace moderater and now a pro-Cummins man! What a rollercoaster. I posted a few times in those Dmax block explosion topics... . a few real players acknowledged the problems and acknowleded that it was being kept quiet for a while but they were finally coming out of the closet.



I love my Cummins and the truck that's wrapped around it. Sure it's got it's issues, they all do. But the main thing is it satisfies me... FOR NOW :-laf



MACKIN... . the power has gone to your head. No other moderator on the place EVER mentioned anything to me about my postings there. Not even Nick the site owner.



You are on my ignore list... . anywhere I go... perpetually. It's the only power I have. I can't even read the post you made in this thread because the forum software tells me you are ignored. Don't waste your time responding... I can't read it and won't.

 

[_MACKIN]

hahhahahhahah

Yo-Hoot



Must be really eating you up to post your view here about your doings on the site I moderate on,desperate for attention :-laf



Your BB history proceeds that you've been kicked off every competing single brand truck forum for bashing. The DieselPlace is no different,now that you own a Dodge.



Hows the diet going?











dieter Last Activity: Today 11:07 AM 68. 162. 85. 49. You just can't get enough





Sorry for being off-topic,but I was brought down this road.

 

[GButia]

Mackin... . that was a pretty classless act. You need to go away and stay at the diesel place. I too was once a dmax owner and am now a dodge onwner. I have disagreed with lots Hoot has said, but to act the way you have is out of line. And even if what you have said is true you are no better. In fact it is worse. Your site has gone down hill from the time I joined a year and a half ago. It has become so ridiculously biased... especially from a supporting vendors point of view. TTS this and TTS that..... Steve Cole has atacked other supporting vendors with no concesquence... . only because you and the other DP staff have TTS products? Its a shame you have to exclude Hoot from the DP because of your views..... many others have asked where he has gone. If you want to be fair, let him defend himself over there! Now, take your negativity and please leave.

 

[_MACKIN]

Ya ok G'

 

[EBottema]

Mackin, You sound like a child. Take your MTV, South Central LA lingo "G" and go away. Chevy makes an inferior engine, inferior transmission and thus, an inferior truck. Ford also makes a junk engine. V8 diesels are not the way to go. Simplicity of the I-6 is wonderful. However, ruining any engine with too many electronics is bad. I thought the dodge had a lot but look at your duramax. None of the 3 brands make a great truck, the dodge overall is the best choice... . Ohhh last but not least Dodge still uses common sense and a straight axle, not that wonderful IFS.



I won't even get on the topic of those lovely Chevy Vortec intake gaskets... . Gotta love a good gm product.

 

[GButia]

Yo-Hoot



Must be really eating you up to post your view here about your doings on the site I moderate on,desperate for attention :-laf



Your BB history proceeds that you've been kicked off every competing single brand truck forum for bashing. The DieselPlace is no different,now that you own a Dodge.



Hows the diet going?











dieter Last Activity: Today 11:07 AM 68. 162. 85. 49. You just can't get enough





Sorry for being off-topic,but I was brought down this road.

As far as posting his view here... . its the only option YOU gave is it not..... like I said... . others have been curious..... this was the only option to post here. At least we know what happened. So why are you a TDR member? You don't own a dodge, just curious what YOUR motives are..... see how easily the tables are turned?

 

[amsoilman]

Lets ALL try to get along, and quit making "CHILDISH" remarks! IF it continues, the thread will be pulled.



Thanks in advance

 

[_MACKIN]

Mackin, You sound like a child. Take your MTV, South Central LA lingo "G" and go away. Chevy makes an inferior engine, inferior transmission and thus, an inferior truck. Ford also makes a junk engine. V8 diesels are not the way to go. Simplicity of the I-6 is wonderful. However, ruining any engine with too many electronics is bad. I thought the dodge had a lot but look at your duramax. None of the 3 brands make a great truck, the dodge overall is the best choice... . Ohhh last but not least Dodge still uses common sense and a straight axle, not that wonderful IFS.



I won't even get on the topic of those lovely Chevy Vortec intake gaskets... . Gotta love a good gm product.

Ya ok E' now you know where I got the G from. You guys kill me

 

[GButia]

You are one funny guy... . I guess your not gonna answer any of my questions..... Go figure.....

 

[_MACKIN]

I really don't know what you expect. Since your begging for information and Hoot the attention I'll give you a little insight. I have no reason why Micheal would even want his dirty laundry hanging here,but he brought it up.



This is the second time Mike was booted from the site. The first time he left on his own His reason he left ,because people were running down the Dodge on the site and he felt that we didn't give it adequate protection. Take in mind the site was built around the GM diesel family primarily. Hoot was at the time a GM tried and true owner. This is quite ironic and very hypocritical if you think about it!



When he left out f spite Mike deleted any content that he could to harm the site that he had posted. This really irked the site owner Nick and he was adamant that he banned Micheal from the site.



I went to bat for Hoot to be reinstated as he had apologized and realized it was wrong. Nick really didn't want him back and to this day for Hoot to think Nick couldn't careless and hasn't spoken out to me that he is disposable is comical. In addition the other moderators and MANY members have been outspoken about "leave already". The same not so subliminal statements your making to me except I have done nothing wrong here on this site.



His constant anti-Duramax banter and his disregard for the staff especially me as I helped him in the past was enough.



He had his chance numerous times to participate as a decent member but he chose not to. He knows his time was coming to a end read his post that he put here. He's doing this for the attention,he knows he was being a a-hole I have it right in a PM.



Good luck to you guys here.



=======================



My TDR membership is 4 years in the running your welcome to check it out. I like to read about all brands and participate in the Duramax threads when at all possible. I'm not here to bash the brand or individuals.





IMO you gents should adhere to the Moderator and what he posted in this thread. The childish remarks are immature,grow up.





Regards

 

[GButia]

Mackin... there was nothing subliminal in my posts... nothing childish in my posts... . just looking for answers. 3 posts later you have answered. Thank you.

 

[Yo Hoot]

I got the boot because I stood up and told MACKIN he sucked as a moderator. I did that more than once. Moderators don't call people names or play games with memberships. I watched him jerk one guy off that posted telling people "Do not buy an LBZ". . He treated the fellow like a piece of crap... even announced a countdown to his removal.



Personally I pretty much posted in the Dodge topics in the last year over there. I got into some heated debates over the Dmax longevity and durability. I don't typically call people names, I tell it like it is... or what I think it is. Made a fool out of myself at times but wasn't afraid to come back and keep pushing my so called "agenda". Agenda... give me a break. These sites are based on agendas.



Basically I got removed because in MACKIN's words... "I have had enough of you" That was his email to me when he cut me.



Nick the site owner got upset with me because my Dodge had a license plate that said "NOMAX" He actually sent me an email backing MACKIN up saying this.



Oh my!



So basically they don't like me so they removed me. I really did not do anything worse than MACKIN the moderator does every day. He breaks their own rules everytime he gets adamant and personal with members, literally calling them names on top of threats.

That was really my beef over there. I was banned for standing up to MACKIN. There was no real reason for my banning given.



Attention? yea it's attention alright. Not neccesarly the kind I like though.



HDMAX over there says I was banned from 6 sites. Are there even 6 diesel sites out there? Now we got liars backing up communists. :-laf



Anyway, I'm not really upset as my time over there was pretty much wasted time anyhow. I just have a bad habit of going out in flames :-laf



Mods on this site... . I won't continue pushing this issue on here. I just wasn't given a warning or a chance to stand up for myself. They know I would not hold back.

 

[JasonCzerak]

As for the gm rear drums, the 1500's have went back to drums for what reason I dont know, the 2500 and higer still have disk.



The park brake on 1500 and 2500 are different 1500 has a drum and shoe type in the rotor, its the one with all the problems, they suck bad, wear out very fast because of contact.

the 2500 and 3500 park brake arent too bad its a mini drum brake in the rotor, I believe its the same design as the 2500 and 3500 dodge too.

the only recall on the chevy 2500 and 3500 is a cable too short causing premature wear.

I drove around pre-production 1500 SS. I was discusted when I applied the breaks and it took a nose dive and came to a slow slow slow stop. and thought, "this is the performace truck?".



Scary part, the rear brakes on my 3400# Audi TT were bigger then the front's on this 5500# SS "race" truck.

 

[_MACKIN]

I got the boot because I stood up and told MACKIN he sucked as a moderator. I did that more than once. Moderators don't call people names or play games with memberships. I watched him jerk one guy off that posted telling people "Do not buy an LBZ". . He treated the fellow like a piece of crap... even announced a countdown to his removal.



Personally I pretty much posted in the Dodge topics in the last year over there. I got into some heated debates over the Dmax longevity and durability. I don't typically call people names, I tell it like it is... or what I think it is. Made a fool out of myself at times but wasn't afraid to come back and keep pushing my so called "agenda". Agenda... give me a break. These sites are based on agendas.



Basically I got removed because in MACKIN's words... "I have had enough of you" That was his email to me when he cut me.



Nick the site owner got upset with me because my Dodge had a license plate that said "NOMAX" He actually sent me an email backing MACKIN up saying this.



Oh my!



So basically they don't like me so they removed me. I really did not do anything worse than MACKIN the moderator does every day. He breaks their own rules everytime he gets adamant and personal with members, literally calling them names on top of threats.

That was really my beef over there. I was banned for standing up to MACKIN. There was no real reason for my banning given.



Attention? yea it's attention alright. Not neccesarly the kind I like though.



HDMAX over there says I was banned from 6 sites. Are there even 6 diesel sites out there? Now we got liars backing up communists. :-laf



Anyway, I'm not really upset as my time over there was pretty much wasted time anyhow. I just have a bad habit of going out in flames :-laf



Mods on this site... . I won't continue pushing this issue on here. I just wasn't given a warning or a chance to stand up for myself. They know I would not hold back.

You are so full of yourself. Nick didn't like you because of the plate. ROTFLMFAO :-laf :-laf :-laf



Yet anouther foolish moment (post) in your BB history,I wont bore the people with the truth.



"You are on my ignore list... . anywhere I go... perpetually. " Yet anouther untruth,should explain the character we had to deal with in the end unfortunately.



===============================

 

[EBottema]

Mackin you need to go packing because your duracrack is a jacking. Heads a crackin and Rods a smacking, that explains mack's duracrackins.