I just wanted to see if it would be possible to drop a diesel in my wife's new SUV. The truck is all wheel drive, so that brings issues with it.

Do it, I wanna see how it fits

Jon

I'll have to sit down and figure out what all is involved.

This is where a duramax would fit real nice. Or are you gonna stick to the CTD?

any non-GM engine will be a nightmare to integrate with the denali's electrical/computer system.

The GM trucks/SUV's are MUCH MUCH more integrated and complicated in that department compared to dodge/ford trucks.

duramax will require a body lift if you want to run an allison. You could also run a 4L85hd and no body lift. Any 03-06 duramax harness will more or less be plug and play with the rest of the denali body/engien compartment harness with minimal cutting and splicing. The stock denali transfer case will probably hate life behind a dmax. NP141 I think?? Need to convert to an NP263 push button shift. Floor shift wont work because the denali center console is in the way.

It would be a cool swap tho.

ben

I would love to put a CTD in it, but as the previous poster said it would be a PIA. I kinda figured a lot would go into it no matter what, but the Dmax sounds like the best option. As far as the transmission goes, I'd like to keep it all wheel drive. Is there an AWD tranny made that can stand up to the Dmax? Which Dmax motor should I start looking at. I like all the fancy readouts, but they are not a requirement for me.

I would love to put a CTD in it, but as the previous poster said it would be a PIA. I kinda figured a lot would go into it no matter what, but the Dmax sounds like the best option. As far as the transmission goes, I'd like to keep it all wheel drive. Is there an AWD tranny made that can stand up to the Dmax? Which Dmax motor should I start looking at. I like all the fancy readouts, but they are not a requirement for me.

Fancy readouts?

I dont think the stock denali awd xfer case will hold up if you really mod the dmax. You can easilly make it 4wd, just use a stock dmax xfer case. How much power are you looking to make? That will probably determine what trans you will need to use. Even a built 4L80 will not hold up to 'extreme' power from a diesel. I dont know what the exact limit of a built one is though. Allison is probably the least desireable option, only because you would need to put a body lift on the Denali. I dont know if thats something you want to mess around with or not. Maybe even run a built billet dodge trans... :eek:

As for engines, I would choose an 03-04 LB7, or 04-05 LLY. Easiest to integrate. If you wanted to do an LBZ you would have to change the instrument cluster, install and wire the different shifter (that has the tap-shift tiptronic buttons on it), and run some extra wires for the high speed GMLAN data bus that the LBZ requires. Plus with an LLY or LB7 you have the option of making a custom 5-position switchable on the fly tune with EFILive. LBZ can be tuned with EFILive, but there is no switchable tune option availible.

Otherwise everything should be pretty "bolt up". As you probably know, the silverado's, sierras, denali's, tahoes, subrubans, escalades are all built on the same GMT-800 series platform. Pretty much all body panels, wiring harnesses, mounting points for radiators, trans coolers, etc are all the same so its not like you will have to deal with headaches of "shoehorning" things in or complicated custom fab stuff. The main dmax wiring harness should literally be plug and play with the rest of the vehicle, etc...

It seems like it would be a big headache doing this kind of swap, but GM is pretty good about commonizing things and making parts easilly interchangable between vehicles of the same base platform.

let me know if you have any other questions, Ill try to help out where I can.

ben

Stock power of a Dmax would be fine for me. My wife isn't really a hot rodder, so I don't need to boost the power. I just want it to be diesel powered.

i see nightmares with electrical.

there are alot of modules on that truck.

i see nightmares with electrical.

there are alot of modules on that truck.

I hear ya there, but I am sure I could figure all that out before it became a nightmare.

I know there is actually a small company out of CO doing these conversions. They were selling one on ebay not that long ago and I posted the link on here.

Someone else posted the link to the site: http://www.duramaxsuburban.com/Duramax_Suburban/Home.html

Here it is for sale:http://www.blwilliamsllc.com/inventory/39.html

I dont know if its worth 79K though. Brand new SLT suburban loaded out is under 50K.

I emailed them at DieselSuburban.com. It would be 55K to convert it to a diesel. They have to put on a 3/4 ton chassis. I guess I won't be doing this.

I emailed them at DieselSuburban.com. It would be 55K to convert it to a diesel. They have to put on a 3/4 ton chassis. I guess I won't be doing this.

You have a 1500 chassis? Yah, that isnt going to cut it. But 55K to convert is pretty high, even for a sweet job like they do. But then I have never done it so I guess I really couldnt say.

I can say maybe its time for me to take diesel conversions up as a hobby and sell them if that is what they are charging!

How much heavier is a Dmax than the 6L that is in the truck now?

How much heavier is a Dmax than the 6L that is in the truck now?

I know its heavier then the gasser in it right now but not by how much.

i see nightmares with electrical.

there are alot of modules on that truck.

I said above the electrical will not be a nightmare. ;)

They probably tell you its a nightmare to make their insane price sound like a better deal. Harnesses are plug and play. If the denali is a 2001-2002, you will need a 2001-2002 dmax engine harness. If the denali is 2003+, then you'll need a 2003+ dmax engine harness. The GMT-800's got a completely overhauled electrical system in 2003, thats why the year engine used is important if you want the harnesses to be plug and play.

All GMT-800 computers speak the same databus language so the main body computer, instrument cluster and stuff wont even care that its now talking to a Dmax ECM instead of a gasser ECM.


dmax is 837 lbs. I dont see any problem putting it in a half ton frame. The 2500 suburban frame isnt much different than a 1500 frame. 55k is "total" out the door for a used 'Burban with the dmax swapped in, not just for the conversion alone.

ben

I said above the electrical will not be a nightmare. ;)

They probably tell you its a nightmare to make their insane price sound like a better deal. Harnesses are plug and play. If the denali is a 2001-2002, you will need a 2001-2002 dmax engine harness. If the denali is 2003+, then you'll need a 2003+ dmax engine harness. The GMT-800's got a completely overhauled electrical system in 2003, thats why the year engine used is important if you want the harnesses to be plug and play.

All GMT-800 computers speak the same databus language so the main body computer, instrument cluster and stuff wont even care that its now talking to a Dmax ECM instead of a gasser ECM.


dmax is 837 lbs. I dont see any problem putting it in a half ton frame. The 2500 suburban frame isnt much different than a 1500 frame. 55k is "total" out the door for a used 'Burban with the dmax swapped in, not just for the conversion alone.

ben

They are current selling a burb for 79K. I think they really are selling just the upgrade for 55K.

I was quoted 55k for just the conversion on a vehicle I already own.

Anyone know what a 6 liter gasser weighs?

I said above the electrical will not be a nightmare. ;)

They probably tell you its a nightmare to make their insane price sound like a better deal. Harnesses are plug and play. If the denali is a 2001-2002, you will need a 2001-2002 dmax engine harness. If the denali is 2003+, then you'll need a 2003+ dmax engine harness. The GMT-800's got a completely overhauled electrical system in 2003, thats why the year engine used is important if you want the harnesses to be plug and play.

All GMT-800 computers speak the same databus language so the main body computer, instrument cluster and stuff wont even care that its now talking to a Dmax ECM instead of a gasser ECM.


dmax is 837 lbs. I dont see any problem putting it in a half ton frame. The 2500 suburban frame isnt much different than a 1500 frame. 55k is "total" out the door for a used 'Burban with the dmax swapped in, not just for the conversion alone.

ben

So, from what I am reading here, its basicly plug and play for those years. And since the chassy is the same with Tahoes does that mean its plug and play for them as well?

So, from what I am reading here, its basicly plug and play for those years. And since the chassy is the same with Tahoes does that mean its plug and play for them as well?

yes correct. All GMT-800 series vehicles, ie, silverado, sierra, tahoe, yukon, escalade, denali, suburban, yukon XL, sierra denali.

Just keep in mind 2002 and earlier and 2003+ harnesses are all different though. 2003 was when they had the "mid-cycle enhancment" and completely overhauled the electrical system.

wow 55k I didnt know that was JUST for the conversion. Im almost positive they werent that expensive. They use used suburbans, and most of the time used engines too...

yes correct. All GMT-800 series vehicles, ie, silverado, sierra, tahoe, yukon, escalade, denali, suburban, yukon XL, sierra denali.

Just keep in mind 2002 and earlier and 2003+ harnesses are all different though. 2003 was when they had the "mid-cycle enhancment" and completely overhauled the electrical system.

wow 55k I didnt know that was JUST for the conversion. Im almost positive they werent that expensive. They use used suburbans, and most of the time used engines too...

I emailed the directly and was quoted 55k for the conversion only. 10k for the 3/4 ton chassis, 29k parts, and 16k labor. That is a bit ridiculous to me.

I emailed the directly and was quoted 55k for the conversion only. 10k for the 3/4 ton chassis, 29k parts, and 16k labor. That is a bit ridiculous to me.

29k in parts and 16k in labor??!?!

29k in parts and 16k in labor??!?!


If this is the CO company they use brand new engines. Might count for a bit of that.

If this is the CO company they use brand new engines. Might count for a bit of that.

sometimes they use used engines too.

Consider an early 6.5 turbo without elecronics. I am not that familiar with the Detroit diesels, but I think there was one year without electronics.

Ronnie

Consider an early 6.5 turbo without elecronics. I am not that familiar with the Detroit diesels, but I think there was one year without electronics.

Ronnie

As Ive said already above twice............................................. .................................................. .................................................. .....


Electronics ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. They are plug and play if you swap a dmax into a Denali.

Making a non-electornic motor work in a Denali would be a HUGE PITA. None of the guages would work, you would need a different ignition switch, all new wiring, trans wouldnt work, PRND321 display wouldnt work, etc.......

ben

i would try to find a cheap/ rolled/wrecked dmax pick up with a good frame and put your body on that or go with a non electonic engine, detorit 353 would sound cool