Duramax showing off-- I was impressed

[WyoJim]

A Young fellow in his 30's was across the island from me filling his Duramax in Dawson Creek B. C. I asked him what he thought of it and he said it was awesome. It had the Allison. He said he didn't know about the longevity, but time would tell. He said he had 72000 on it. Must have been kilometers. He left while I was still pumping.



Just as I was leaving town, still doing 30 mph he went past me like I was stopped. I said to my wife "What the he** was that?" She said "Thats that guy with the Duramax you was talking too" He must have been lurking some place waiting to give me a demonstration.



About a half mile ahead of me he caught traffic and could not pass. I got closer, but he got a break and jumped out into the other lane, then right back in. I thought he couldn't make it and had to pull back. WRONG, he had made the pass just that quick. I was impressed!! Even if he was empty.



He caught more traffic and I caught up to him. Then he got a break and made his pass and I mean to tell you he just flat out pulled away like you put him on fast forward with your tape recorder.

I cruised at 70 and followed him a while but he ran out of sight. I don't like to run over 70 because I was up to 90 passing a chevy pulling a cargo trailer a few days before and blew the lenses off my clearance lights. $2. 59 apiece to replace.

 

[LSMITH]

They do run good. My truck with just an EZ or a VA would not hang with the Dmax. They pull extremely well too, just like the general made them. We can mod our trucks and blow them away easily, but stock to stock they are a lot more powerful than the second gen ISB. You also have to love that Allison. It works RIGHT!!!! I can't even imagine an auto being in the right gear all the time and shifting at the right time in my truck. Maybe when my transmission finally gives up I can get close to the driveability of the Allison.

 

[mholm]

i had the chance to race a ext. cab longbed duramax that was lifted with 35's. we were going up a slight grade and we took off from about 65. When i let off at 100, i had pulled him about 4 truck lengths. they are fast for stock, but it doesnt take much for the all mighty cummins to be able to pull them.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

WyoJim,



Dawson Creek????? I am only 50 miles from there. I still have never met another TDR member. One was close though... ... LOL



Young fellow in his 30's??? I must be a newborn in my late 20's.



Did you go to Alaska?

 

[radar doctor]

Allison in a Dodge

After reading about the Duro Max bombing our Ram, I was wondering if we have any Mechanics out there that have installed a Allison in a Ram?? Can it be done? Would it work with our Computer system's?

 

[WyoJim]

Swamp Donkey..... Yes I did go to Alaska and I went through Fort St. John both going and coming.

You live in a nice area. British Columbia is a friendly Province.

Wish I was in my 20's again and know what I know now.

I celebrated my 47th wedding anniversary on this trip.

 

[Midnite]

Re: Allison in a Dodge

Originally posted by radar doctor

After reading about the Duro Max bombing our Ram, I was wondering if we have any Mechanics out there that have installed a Allison in a Ram?? Can it be done? Would it work with our Computer system's?

I was going through the classifieds not too long ago, and someone posted an add for an Allison AT540, apparently pulled from a school bus in good shape. It sounded like it would bolt up just fine, but I think the real problem would be the electronics (or lack thereof on the Allison).



I would think there would be fewer problems installing one in an older truck, maybe one that had a 47RH (hydraulic, not electronic)? One cool thing is that it looks like some of those AT540/545 transmissions came with a retarder.



But who knows--I work on computers for a living.



Mike

 

[skerkvliet]

I don't pull alot of weight with my CTD like some of you Billy Big Riggers. (yeah, i'm jealous) I pull an enclosed 25ft trailer that weighs 3000 Lbs empty. The cargo varies between 4000 and 5800 Lbs. B-4 I bought the legendary Cummins, I pulled this load with a (well, sort of pulled it) 94 1/2 Suburban with a 170,000 rounds on it. 350, auto, 4X4, 3. 42:1 diff. On my route I pull a couple pretty good grades that are 3/4 mile long. Running in drive with the cruise set at 70, the ol' girl would drop into 2nd, sing her little heart out, and hold 51 mph. I got 6 mpg in the winter and 8 mpg in the summer. (towing) I made this route with a 3/4 ton ext. cab GMC 4X4 Dura puke with allison and 3. 73:1 gears. The pick up had 4K miles on it. 4000 Lbs in the trailer, cruise set @ 70, it held 57 mph on these particular grades. It got a whoppin 9. 8 mpg! You can have it.



My CTD is and 01 2500 H. O. 6spd 3. 55. Same run. Never take it out of the big hole. 12. 5 avg mpg towing @ 70mph, 14 - 14. 5 mpg if I keep down around 65/67 mph.



After going to a straight pipe and ditching the air box, I got into a pixxing match with a maxipad ext. daully. It was a pretty even match to about 90. 90 up I could really walk him. Yes he's heavier, I did have 4X8 sheets of styro foam stacked 2 1/2 feet above the cab and an ext. ladder strapped on top of that. No wieght, but some good wind resistance. He tried three times before I finally hollered at him on the CB and asked him when he was gona turn it on? He said that was all the govenor would let it do. If he had a chip like me, he'd wasted me. I told him it was just a stocker with a straight pipe. I was a liar. Oh well.



That Allison DOES work! To bad it's not in a REAL diesel pick-up.



Steve

 

[JoeyD]

skerkvliet, Please use your preview button before posting. It offers one last chance to realize what BS you just typed.

To say that the GM could only go 5-6mph faster up the hill than your old burb is ridicules. I am not pro GM and wouldn't believe a GM guy saying the same about a Dodge.

You must have been beat SO BAD in a race against a D-Max to have posted this.

 

[Jeff H]

Powerstroke will beat a duramax hooked up to the sled.

 

[JoeyD]

Jeff, Sure it will.