Attention: TDR Forum Junkies So, up to this point, I have been relatively happy with my new 600. Over this past weekend, I made a run from Denver to So. Cal. for a rockcrawling competition. The new truck feels very stable but, it is gutless and eats fuel like no other. I realize that the engine is not fully broke in by any means but, it gets really expensive to buy fuel in So. Cal. at $2. 65/gal.
I left Denver with a full tank and about 8000 lbs behind it. The first hill on Hwy 70 in Golden made me downshift to 5th. My Duramax never used to need to downshift for that hill. At the end of the first tank of fuel running 75 mph, I avg. 10. 5 mpg. Not too bad for such a fresh motor since I only had 1450 miles on it when I left.
I filled up in Fruita, Colorado and ran to Ritchfield, Utah on my second tank, averaging 75 mph. That tank got 9. 5 mpg. Not really understanding why it dropped but, can still live with it as there are plenty of long climbs running across there.
From Ritchfield I filled up and ran to Las Vegas. That tank only got 8. 5 mpg averaging 75 mph. OK, now this is getting silly as my Dmax would get 12-14mpg on that stretch at that speed with that load.
From there I ran into California and ran around the desert so, ignor that last tank for economy concerns. The problem is that I had very little power pulling the hills on the way out but, thought maybe it was just my expectations were too high for power and there was actually plenty of power for what it was supposed to have.
On the way home, I ran 65 mph and was able to get between 11 and 12 mpg most of the way but, Vail pass is where I determined that this thing is gutless. It fell on its face right at the bottom and I had to downshift to 5th. From there I put it on the floor and it stayed there until the top. I only had one of our buggies on the trailer so, like I said, 8000 lbs. max. I crested the pass at 65 mph but, that was all it had, period.
I am sad about this speed at Vail pass and power because over Easter, we pulled two of our buggies on one trailer over vail pass at the same speed with my buddies Dmax. He was pulling with a completely stock '03 dually and had another 4000 lbs behind it than what I just pulled with.
I am not trying to insinuate that the Dmax is some superior engine or anything else, just looking to see if you guys have any ideas? This hurts as the dmax I sold would walk all over this new truck and get much better fuel economy doing it. Is there something wrong with my new truck?
Oh yeah, on the way back, in the middle of Utah, my seat belt light and bell started going off for no reason. I had to unplug the wire at the buckle to get it to shut up as I was belted in. Thanks to what I have read from you guys here, I knew I could do that and get it to stop chiming.
What do you guys think? Is it really that huge of a difference for economy and power between a fresh engine and a broken in one? I now have over 3500 miles on it since the trip is 1000 miles each way.
I left Denver with a full tank and about 8000 lbs behind it. The first hill on Hwy 70 in Golden made me downshift to 5th. My Duramax never used to need to downshift for that hill. At the end of the first tank of fuel running 75 mph, I avg. 10. 5 mpg. Not too bad for such a fresh motor since I only had 1450 miles on it when I left.
I filled up in Fruita, Colorado and ran to Ritchfield, Utah on my second tank, averaging 75 mph. That tank got 9. 5 mpg. Not really understanding why it dropped but, can still live with it as there are plenty of long climbs running across there.
From Ritchfield I filled up and ran to Las Vegas. That tank only got 8. 5 mpg averaging 75 mph. OK, now this is getting silly as my Dmax would get 12-14mpg on that stretch at that speed with that load.
From there I ran into California and ran around the desert so, ignor that last tank for economy concerns. The problem is that I had very little power pulling the hills on the way out but, thought maybe it was just my expectations were too high for power and there was actually plenty of power for what it was supposed to have.
On the way home, I ran 65 mph and was able to get between 11 and 12 mpg most of the way but, Vail pass is where I determined that this thing is gutless. It fell on its face right at the bottom and I had to downshift to 5th. From there I put it on the floor and it stayed there until the top. I only had one of our buggies on the trailer so, like I said, 8000 lbs. max. I crested the pass at 65 mph but, that was all it had, period.
I am sad about this speed at Vail pass and power because over Easter, we pulled two of our buggies on one trailer over vail pass at the same speed with my buddies Dmax. He was pulling with a completely stock '03 dually and had another 4000 lbs behind it than what I just pulled with.
I am not trying to insinuate that the Dmax is some superior engine or anything else, just looking to see if you guys have any ideas? This hurts as the dmax I sold would walk all over this new truck and get much better fuel economy doing it. Is there something wrong with my new truck?
Oh yeah, on the way back, in the middle of Utah, my seat belt light and bell started going off for no reason. I had to unplug the wire at the buckle to get it to shut up as I was belted in. Thanks to what I have read from you guys here, I knew I could do that and get it to stop chiming.
What do you guys think? Is it really that huge of a difference for economy and power between a fresh engine and a broken in one? I now have over 3500 miles on it since the trip is 1000 miles each way.
