2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Web Site

[AndrewGray]

Hi all. Just wondering if chevy has a web site like this one for their duramax. My boss is going to get a different truck and hes debating between the duramax and the cummins. I have all but beat him with a stick to get him to buy a cummins. :-laf I wanted to see whats happening with the duramax. Hes leaning hard that way and thought maybe i could convince him otherwise. If anyone knows of a site i could look on id appreciate it. Many thanks.

 

[EBottema]

If I was forced to buy a brand new truck, I would probably go with the chevy. True Quad Cab and body looks clean, good transmission and 14 bolt rear end. I dont like the indep. front suspension or a few other things. I would rather have the cummins though. Hard choice. I'm not sure of a message board though

 

[av8r]

Chevy Board

The diesel stop dot com.

 

[Chris N5CWM]

GM/Duramax related forums

There are three right now. The most popular one is The Diesel Place.com.



Also there is The Diesel Page but it isn't as busy on the forums as it used to be.



Then there's GM Diesel.com



Between the three of them, lots of good info.



The main issues with the Duramax/Allison and GM trucks right now that I have gathered is mainly:



1. Injectors/common rail fuel system (injector failures and leaks)



2. Steering rattle (intermediate shaft, GM has been working on a fix for 5 years and still can't get it right)



3. Short bed has a 26 gallon tank. Our Dodges have a 34 gallon tank in the short bed Quad Cab Rams (big issue with me).



Otherwise I too like the GMC 2500HDs. I've been researching them since they came out in 2001 and still haven't bought one yet. Prices are going UP every year and are almost out of sight for me. The MSRP for what I look at runs 46-49K! I can get a Dodge for a lot less. Been looking at the new Dodges too. Someday I may do something but my 2nd gen only has 68K miles on it and still runs and drives fine.

 

[AndrewGray]

Many thanks guys for the info. I have a feeling he is goin for the GMC duramx 4 door. . he wants the room and he likes the way it rides. I want to check out their web site to see what they have for problems too. My boss has heard and read about the lift pump problems and the steering problems that the dodges are having and hes very leary of the dodge because of that and its many the lift pump issue. Wish DC would do something about that i know of a lot of cummins gettin traded or sold around here because of that. Sorry to ramble . Thanks a lot for the info. This is the best site ever!!

 

[Luciano]

2006 Mega cab surprises

Who knows what DC will have for us on 2006 (Mega Cab). There are threads with a lot of good improvements. I'd hang tight.

 

[Chris N5CWM]

re: lift pumps

My boss has heard and read about the lift pump problems and the steering problems that the dodges are having and hes very leary of the dodge because of that and its many the lift pump issue. Wish DC would do something about that i know of a lot of cummins gettin traded or sold around here because of that. Sorry to ramble . Thanks a lot for the info. This is the best site ever!!

Well, we can't deny the fact that the lift pumps have been an issue. And I believe it's only the 2nd gen 24 Valve with the VP44 that have issues. I have not had any problems with my lift pump, or any other part of the truck in almost 70K miles.



If the lift pump is the deal-breaker, then why not install a fuel pressure gauge? Or better yet a supplementary fuel pump? There are quite a few folks here that have done that in various ways.



I think that when it comes down to it, the decision will be made based on his (your bosses) 'gut' feeling as to which truck gives him that 'feel good' feeling when he looks at it in the driveway and as he drives it down the road. I say that because there are issues with both brands and it comes down to what you personally want. It's pretty hard to convince someone to buy something sometimes when they've already gotten their heart set on a decision.



Whichever one he decides I'm sure it will be a good choice. The GMCs are nice trucks! Yet so are the Dodges. I personally would probably have one of each if I could afford it! :-laf

 

[IC Smoke]

The website is like the trucks... . broke down! hahaha :-laf



Just had to put er' in!



Ian

 

[AndrewGray]

I agree he ( my boss) will decide by which one makes him feel comfortable. Im letting him drive my '02 for a few days. Taking it to oklahoma to look at some cattle..... we run a large cattle outfit. He has drove it a little as was impressed but i want him to realy try it for a bit. I told him to do the gauge and change the lift pump i would even install it for him. Ill keep ya informed of his thoughts when he gets back...

 

[Neibe]

I just found the weak link in the Isuzu D-max. It seems the allison likes to shift into reverse when going down the road. There's a pin in the shift linkage that is prone to breaking. A guy at work had his break luckily he was just starting out but it would not go in any gear he had to drive home 30 miles an hour for 150 miles took him over 5 hours. Alot of plow trucks are having problems with this to. I'd hate to be going down the road with a cattle trailer and have the thing break and shift into reverse. Besides tell him it is an ISUZU that should be enough. Why don't they put ISUZU on the door like Dodge puts CUMMINS Ford and Chevy make me laugh they got to come up with names for there motors Duramax and Powerstroke. Cummins speaks for it self. If you need more I got more ammo for discussion. The ISUZU thing should do it though.

 

[AndrewGray]

Thanks Neibe . I did know they were made by isuzu but i forgot LOL. Ill be sure to tell him and rub it in too LOL . I know he will be a real " trooper" about it LOL.

 

[AndrewGray]

Hi all. Got to update you guys on the try out of my 02 cummins by my boss. He ended up driving it for 11 days from here to oklahoma to colorado and back. He was very impressed with the way it run. Now i must say that the truck is all stock except for the straight thru muffler. He ran on open country roads about 80 to 85 and got 17. 7 mpg. On the poorer 2 lanes he ran 65 to 70 and got 23. 2 so not bad mileage! He said he could squawk the tires at every stop light if he wasnt careful lol and stomped every power joker there was even those that were chipped( he has a lot of friends with the drofs) He said it road great and was quiet. The only thing that showed up was the cruise quit workin. Checked it out a little and the lines are good so now have to dig deeper !! OH GEEZ!! He hasnt said which way he will go yet but if his dad decides to trade at the same time it will definitly be a duramax but we will see. Just thought id let ya know what a chevy guy thought of a dodge. One impressed man!!

 

[Chris N5CWM]

New trucks are too much $$$$$

A friend of mine just bought a 2005 Ford F250 4x4, loaded to the gills as they say. Crew cab shortbed 4x4, white. 18" alloy wheels, leather, sunroof, power sliding rear glass, in-dash brake controller, etc. Of course it's a diesel!

Nice truck but it didn't do anything to me deep down that made me want to run down to the nearest Ford dealership and test drive one. I do think they look great though!



I'll keep my current truck. I've driven several new GMC and Chevy Duramax's, quite a few 2003-04-05 Dodge Rams, and I still don't get the same 'GOTTA GET THIS!' gut-feeling that my 2001 Ram gave me. Hard to explain but that's how I feel.



I still love my 2nd Gen Ram!!

 

[Coalsmoke]

I just found the weak link in the Isuzu D-max. It seems the allison likes to shift into reverse when going down the road. There's a pin in the shift linkage that is prone to breaking. A guy at work had his break luckily he was just starting out but it would not go in any gear he had to drive home 30 miles an hour for 150 miles took him over 5 hours. Alot of plow trucks are having problems with this to. I'd hate to be going down the road with a cattle trailer and have the thing break and shift into reverse. Besides tell him it is an ISUZU that should be enough. Why don't they put ISUZU on the door like Dodge puts CUMMINS Ford and Chevy make me laugh they got to come up with names for there motors Duramax and Powerstroke. Cummins speaks for it self. If you need more I got more ammo for discussion. The ISUZU thing should do it though.

I don't think it can be generalized that the engine being an Isuzu is a bad thing. I don't like the Garage Man's Companion trucks, but Isuzu builds some of the toughest medium-dutydiesel engines out there. We run 30,000 + hours on these engines in our excavators on a routine basis and they get worked hard. Maybe they are a different line of Isuzu, or maybe the new engines aren't built like the old ones, but the way the diesel tech was explaining it to me, Duramax takes one heck of a good diesel engine, screws with it a bit, and essentially degrades the Isuzu's good quality before sticking it in their truck.

 

[Neibe]

I don't think it can be generalized that the engine being an Isuzu is a bad thing. I don't like the Garage Man's Companion trucks, but Isuzu builds some of the toughest medium-dutydiesel engines out there. We run 30,000 + hours on these engines in our excavators on a routine basis and they get worked hard. Maybe they are a different line of Isuzu, or maybe the new engines aren't built like the old ones, but the way the diesel tech was explaining it to me, Duramax takes one heck of a good diesel engine, screws with it a bit, and essentially degrades the Isuzu's good quality before sticking it in their truck.

They don't put Isuzu on the door because most people that buy these trucks don't like to be reminded that there is a rice burner under the hood.

 

[Coalsmoke]

true enough.