Looking for a Duramax

[OrangeToys]

Ok so I've been convinced in my other thread "justifying a diesel" that I need one. Im set on a Duramax but I'm not sure what years are the better ones and what to look for when getting a diesel truck.
I'm not concerned about any of the Duramax motors being a bad for any given year. Thanks for the help!

 

[WilliamBos]

Ok so I've been convinced in my other thread "justifying a diesel" that I need one. Im set on a Duramax but I'm not sure what years are the better ones and what to look for when getting a diesel truck.
I'm not concerned about any of the Duramax motors being a bad for any given year. Thanks for the help!

2007 LBZ is the best of the bunch!!

 

[Lt CHEG]

There are some differences that are worth looking out for if you aren't going to keep it stock. I would say regardless of your intentions that the first generation LB7's would be the least desireable. The injectors are under the valve covers, harder to replace and the ones that came with the trucks or produced shortly after just aren't as good as the newer ones. The LLY and LBZ DMaxes were definitely an improvement and are pretty good in their own right. The LBZ is generally the most desireable, especially for modifications due to its beefed up crank which will handle more horsepower. The LBZ is also popular because it is the last engine made before DPF. I've got a 2013 LML DMax and I love it. It's a beast, yet well mannered, quiet (yet you still know its a diesel at idle), gets good fuel economy and by all accounts they've got the bugs worked out. I guess my order of preference would be (from most desireable to least desireable) LML, LBZ, tie between LMM and LLY, then LB7.

 

[woody]

how do you tell which one is in which truck

 

[dodge man]

I'm no expert, but I think 06 and 07 are the best years.

 

[Diamondpilot]

06 and 07 LBZ is the best. Neighbor has his for sale. Early 06 to the start are junk in my opinion. I had a 05 that sure was.

Chris

 

[YesDeere]

Mine is an 04 with the LLY. Has 135,000 miles on it now and is running strong. Has had the banks 6 gun on it the whole time. 2 problem motor wise I have had is the injector harness and that was done under warranty(TSB). The other was the fuel pressure regulator (rough idle).


Motor and trans have been solid on this truck and it has not been babied. I bought it used from a friend at 45,000 miles. Lets just say we both like to run vehicles hard.

I have had to replace my share of front end parts though. Having 315's on it doesn't help. Idler and pitman done 2 times. Tie rods once. Both bearings once.

 

[Peacock]

All the DMax engines are of a solid design. LB7 injectors will last over 100k easily if you use a decent fuel filter and change the thing.

The DMax is nearly as reliable as a comparable year Cummins.

People like to rag on the LB7 because of the injector design, but GM extended the warranty by quite a bit. I've put a bunch of injectors in the 'legendary' 7.3 PS, but I never saw a warranty extension on those! Not to mention the 6.0

 

[WilliamBos]

06 and 07 LBZ is the best. Neighbor has his for sale. Early 06 to the start are junk in my opinion. I had a 05 that sure was.

Chris

I agree, 01 to early 06 are not worth owning, unless you plan on an engine from Merchant auto. Otherwise, an LBZ or a new 2013.

 

[buickanddeere]

Didn't see your other thread. Why do you need to purchase $4.25 diesel instead of $3.75 gasoline? Service glow plugs. Replace two batteries. Pay more for oil changes. Service HP common rail injectors. Replace a turbo someday. Replace a higher $ starter. And if going post 2007. There will be service costs for the filter and urea injector.

 

[Loadstar]

I would shoot for a LBZ. My buddy has a 02 LB7 it is a great truck but he is fighting for a second set of injectors under Warrenty. He has a ton of filtration and a fass pump and another set is falling victim. I have an o1 7.3 and I really like mine and I really like his LB7. It's nice to not have to mess with spark plugs, coil packs, weakness, and inferior motors not built to last.

 

[WilliamBos]

Didn't see your other thread. Why do you need to purchase $4.25 diesel instead of $3.75 gasoline? Service glow plugs. Replace two batteries. Pay more for oil changes. Service HP common rail injectors. Replace a turbo someday. Replace a higher $ starter. And if going post 2007. There will be service costs for the filter and urea injector.

The 2007 GM LBZ Duramax had neither a DPF, nor running SCR. DPF started in 2007.5, SCR in 2011.

The SCR is a good thing, if doing any kind of hauling, the diesel will pay for itself.

Oil changes only cost mote if you pay someone to do them.

Gas engines are far from maintenance free.

 

[bdeboer]

2006 is first year for the 6 speed vs. 5 speed Allison. 2007.5 and newer the LMM motor came out with the DPF pollution system. LML came out in 2011 with Urea tank to go with the DPF. Transfer cases in some trucks have an issue over 100K miles with pump rubbing a hole in it. Merchant has a kit to prevent this.

Just made a 1400 mile round trip pulling a 30' travel trailer with our '08. Just wish it had more room in the crew cab, kids are getting bigger.

 

[WilliamBos]

2006 is first year for the 6 speed vs. 5 speed Allison. 2007.5 and newer the LMM motor came out with the DPF pollution system. LML came out in 2011 with Urea tank to go with the DPF. Transfer cases in some trucks have an issue over 100K miles with pump rubbing a hole in it. Merchant has a kit to prevent this.

Just made a 1400 mile round trip pulling a 30' travel trailer with our '08. Just wish it had more room in the crew cab, kids are getting bigger.

How was the MPG on that trip?

 

[bdeboer]

How was the MPG on that trip?

11 mpg to 12.5 mpg depending on the terrain.

 

[mikehaugen]

I would shoot for a LBZ. My buddy has a 02 LB7 it is a great truck but he is fighting for a second set of injectors under Warrenty. He has a ton of filtration and a fass pump and another set is falling victim. I have an o1 7.3 and I really like mine and I really like his LB7. It's nice to not have to mess with spark plugs, coil packs, weakness, and inferior motors not built to last.

I would like to own a diesel, so down get me wrong... I am not bashing them, but this is kind a blunt statement. I have a '03 impala with about 700 miles short of 200k. I replaced the spark plugs around 120k just for the heck of it, was about $50, never coil packs. '96 ram with 160k, replaced spark plugs and coil once just for the heck of it. I really don't see these are major arguments against gas engines. As far as built to last, I could replace the motor in the impala at 250k for under $3k (probably less, I really haven't check) but I don't see this motor having any major issues in the next 100k miles. What did it cost for "his second set of injectors?"

Again, not bashing diesels as I do really want one, but that to me is a weak argument against gas motors.

 

[WilliamBos]

11 mpg to 12.5 mpg depending on the terrain.

Did you have a regen during the trip?

 

[bdeboer]

Did you have a regen during the trip?

I didn't notice the truck doing a regen. during the trip. Probably less then a 100 miles were without the trailer though. The frequency of the regen. cycles do seem to be related to running loaded or unloaded.

 

[buickanddeere]

See Mike Haugen's reply. Some people still think gassers have carbs, heat riser valves, V belts, points ignition and run on leaded fuel.
Today's gassers routinely go 300,000 miles with just filters , two spark plug changes and oil changes. The EPA has made a point of making the diesel more expensive and less reliable.
The glory days of diesel pickups when there were superior to gassers was cummins from 1981 until the common rail engines were introduced.

 

[buickanddeere]

See Mike Haugen's reply. Some people still think gassers have carbs, heat riser valves, V belts, points ignition and run on leaded fuel.
Today's gassers routinely go 300,000 miles with just filters , two spark plug changes and oil changes. The EPA has made a point of making the diesel more expensive and less reliable.
The glory days of diesel pickups when there were superior to gassers was cummins from 1981 until the common rail engines were introduced.