Filled out a form from GMC at the rodeo for a free t-shirt, and they sent me a brochure for medium duty trucks. Flipped through it and came to the engines, and found that duramax has a I-6 turbo diesel, 7.8 liters. It's rated from 200hp/530ft-lbs to 300hp/860 ft-lbs. It's only available in the C6500-C8500 med. duty trucks. The brochure does say that the duramax 6.6 V8 turbo diesel meets clean fuel standards, so I guess the I6 doesn't, and that's why it's only available in the C6500 and up. I found it interesting that they had a I6, just wanted to share it with y'all.

 

yeah i had to verify that myself...i thought that 7.8 was a v8....never occured to me it could be an inline 6....im intrigued....isuzu makes good motors...i just dont like the idea of a v8 diesel ever!....i must say that those chevy Kodiaks are really really ugly though...uglier even than the HD chevs with the avalanche fronts

 

Thats we "dodge owners" Do have what is probably the best diesel in a pick up truck. And i believe every brand could agree to that. But that Duramax is nothing to shake a stick at. I myself, Wouldnt mind having one. I hear they are quite the stout lil engine, And isuzu has tons of experience in diesel engines as well. Sometimes i have to wonder what cummins will keep comming up with to keep ahead of the game? Im starting to hear some pretty impressive numbers out of the mileage on the dmax. And i belive a lot of its bad rep comes from its first year. Which did stick her up a lil bit. I would be a lil PO to buy a new truck and to have the pan full of coolant or diesel 10k down the road. Ive tried to run with them unloaded, and they got me. Which i cant wait for banks to come out with the variable turbo, Dmax already has one, wish i did haha. And they dont fall too far behind if at all Loaded. I guess im not hauling 20k of crap around my neighbor has an 01 dmax hasnt had any probs with and shell pull right along my 04 ram. Now if Chevy only offered a Solid front axle i pry woulda been all over them, being they got the rear end right and offer a locker,....... dodge lost it on that one. Wonder how much one out of a powerwagon would cost

 

kingofdodge7131,
Do you know that Dodge uses the same rear axle as the GM Duramax? Including the gear locker. AAM 11.5"

MikeyB

 

Yep. The V-8's are great for all of 200k. I-6 will last as long as you can afford to keep changing the oil Ill keep my cummins. How i am; i can smoke a stock D-Max pretty good, and take a stock 6.0l too, so im happy with that. 10 year old 12 valve laying down the smack!

Eric

 

Yeah i was aware of that, kinda why i cant figure out why dodge doesnt offer it.

 

Ran a large Hitachi High hoe last winter. Isuzu I-6 power, inline mechanical pump, looked like a "P-pump" great little engine, started unassisted at -30 not plugged in. Very quiet, lots of power. Just had lots of fuel gelling issues with crp in the tank and water in the cold temps though. Nice engine.

 

If chevy went back to a solid front axle and put some version of this I6 in the trucks, I'd have no problem going back to chevy. But right now they have the V-8 diesel and IFS, both of which I don't like at all. And they uglied up the front end a few years back, IMO.