2008 dura max

Redsky wrote:
Not a bad engine but it has a fuel injection cycle that follows the combustion cycle and some of the diesel ends up in the motor oil. You can get around this in part by much more frequent oil and filter changes. The LMM was replaced by the LML which added a 9th injector that puts fuel into the exhaust stream instead of the cylinders.

I have a LML diesel and would not recommend diesel for use with a camper. It is overkill and adds $9,000 to the price for a new truck and $5,000 to the price for a used truck. Diesel fuel costs more so any savings from more MPG is largely negated.

It is a pain to find diesel when traveling in remote areas. If you get a diesel truck be sure to get a larger fuel tank from Titan. Four out of five gas stations will not have diesel and I find that planning for fuel stops takes a great deal of time and overrides my considerations as to where to stop while traveling. I make more fuel stops to be sure I can make it on the next leg than would be the case if I was buying gasoline.

If I had it to do over I would go with a gas engine and 4.10 gears and be sure that my truck could take a Titan or Arrow oversize fuel tank.

Wha wah...Debby downer
Where did you come from?
Looking at your profile you don't own or truck or a camper
I call troll
Fill out your Sig and profile for some cred

Thanks for the replies. I am going to go look at the truck tomorrow. I've never been a big fan of the diesel in a small truck but those that have them seem to like them. I think I can buy it right, probably use it for my big trip. If I don't like it I can sell it when I get back an buy something else. I am not concerned with weight after all I've run my 815 on 3 different 1/2 ton chevy's. I just think to go to Alaska and back it would be better to get a 3/4. I am not interested in getting into that debate. I know what works for me. For me its just whether to get the diesel or gas.

The gas/diesel debate will go on forever, nothing will change that. All you can hope for is related personal experiences that hopefully match what you plan to do and are helpful in making your decision. I've owned both gas and diesel, they both have their place. I drive a 2008 2500HD for work and unloaded mileage is 16.7, but I do a lot of stop and go driving with a heavy foot. If I baby it, I've gotten about 18 mpg. My 2013 3500HD DRW in my sig line gets 13.0 mpg with a 5000lb. camper and averages better than 18.5 unloaded freeway mileage.

If you want a diesel, get a diesel as you'll never hear a diesel owner pulling a steep grade with a load saying "gee, I wish I had less torque and was getting poorer mileage". My .02 worth.

I have a 2008 Duramax 2500HD CC. As said before 17-19 solo, 10.5-11 with 5ver and about 13 with truck camper. Depends on how fast you drive, road conditions etc. 2002 ext cab got little better mileage. Its around $7000 more for the diesel but I feel its worth it. Have 114,000 on this truck and no problems. Use Amsoil and regular maint. Ron Day

2008 Duramax owner here. Empty I average 16-17 on mostly 2 lane rural roads, 19-20 all highway with the cruse set between 60-65 mph. On my last trip from PA to Yellowstone and back I averaged 14 mpg carrying the camper in my sig. No engine mods other than the PCV reroute.

FreeLanceing,

We had the same Lance 915 on a 2500 Chev 5.7 gas ext cab LB 4X4 truck and on our 04.5 D/A CC LB 4X4 truck. Average mileage on the gas truck was 9.76 mpg with the Lance on as we keep logs. That was over a distance traveled with the TC on of 94,678 miles and 2 trips to Alaska and back from Grand Haven. One trip was 13,137 miles long and 9-1/2 weeks.

The purchased new D/A averages 14.4 over 29,156 miles with just the 915 on and 13.8 with our 2150 lb boat/trailer behind over 43,888 miles. The rest of the miles on the D/A were with pulling our 5th wheel or our TT. We almost never drive the D/A unloaded as we have other vehicles for that but it did get over 20 mpg highway the times we had.

As usual, donn0128 is full of beans on the payload of the GM 2500HD. It's not a Dodge/Ram 2500! You'll be fine with your TC loaded for a long trip to Alaska and even pulling your MC behind on a trailer if you want to. The diesel should give you 30%-40% higher mpgs over a gas engine and the fuel price difference is between 10% and 20%. Lots of savings with diesel on long trips and the engine just purrs slowly all the way and yet climbs grades without downshifting and having a screaming engine like with gas! Usually around 10% difference in Grand Haven. When we left GH on our trip last Sunday, gas was $3.45 and Diesel was $3.58 at Meijer. $3.89 to $4.05 here in Florida or about 17% difference! Just enjoy your wonderful trip and you'll want to go again!

You may have seen our red 04.5 Chevy D/A CC LB 4X4 truck with the 11'4" Lance on it around town as it's on late spring and all summer and fall and we use it a lot. Get dinner takeout and go to the river or the state park etc and eat and enjoy with our Siberian Husky. Also for Tuesday's concerts in Central Park, it's always parked in the new Courthouse parking lot and in the Piano Factory Condo's lot across from the Municipal Marina for the CG Festival and many other of the gobs of events in town. It's driven in town at least 4 days a week.

BTW, the shipping weight for the big optioned out Lance as printed on the shipper from Lance is 3872 lbs and the 2500 with airbags and 265/75/16 "E" tires and Rancho 9000XL adjustable shocks handles the load great. It's capacity is as much or more than the GM 3500 SRW OEM truck! GM only makes one chassis for the HD's and they are all identical.

The 2008 with the extra polution junk on it will usually get about 1-2 mpg less than the D/A 04.5 to the 07 classics (LLY & LBZ). The main thing to remember for good mpg's is to keep your speed under 60 mph (58-60) when loaded and coast to drain off most speed before using the brakes and avoid jack rabbit starts both for gas and diesel. The upper speed limit in Canada going to Alaska is 90-100 km anyway so that's a max of 62 mph. I think you may already know that!

What you nor anyone do not know but the previous owner/owners is how the 2008 D/A was actually used or maintained or misused. As an automotive engineer, I sure wouldn't ever put a programmer on a truck that certainly doesn't need it or any other vehicle either for that matter as it puts higher stresses on the entire drive train and for what? A very slight gain to one's ego?

Ego has nothing to do with anything. TO get rid of all the emission crap, It has to be programmed to get rid of codes.I have had diesels for awhile and always had a reputable EFI tuner sit in my truck and tune it .And not all programmers are equal.some will stress a motor out.
If I can delete my emissions to put a larger exhaust to lower my egts and gain mpg with a turbo brake and performance has nothing to do with ego.
It doesnt matter if it has a programmer on it if the guy beats the******out of it its been stressed out

travelnutz wrote:
FreeLanceing,

We had the same Lance 915 on a 2500 Chev 5.7 gas ext cab LB 4X4 truck and on our 04.5 D/A CC LB 4X4 truck. Average mileage on the gas truck was 9.76 mpg with the Lance on as we keep logs. That was over a distance traveled with the TC on of 94,678 miles and 2 trips to Alaska and back from Grand Haven. One trip was 13,137 miles long and 9-1/2 weeks.

The purchased new D/A averages 14.4 over 29,156 miles with just the 915 on and 13.8 with our 2150 lb boat/trailer behind over 43,888 miles. The rest of the miles on the D/A were with pulling our 5th wheel or our TT. We almost never drive the D/A unloaded as we have other vehicles for that but it did get over 20 mpg highway the times we had.

As usual, donn0128 is full of beans on the payload of the GM 2500HD. It's not a Dodge/Ram 2500! You'll be fine with your TC loaded for a long trip to Alaska and even pulling your MC behind on a trailer if you want to. The diesel should give you 30%-40% higher mpgs over a gas engine and the fuel price difference is between 10% and 20%. Lots of savings with diesel on long trips and the engine just purrs slowly all the way and yet climbs grades without downshifting and having a screaming engine like with gas! Usually around 10% difference in Grand Haven. When we left GH on our trip last Sunday, gas was $3.45 and Diesel was $3.58 at Meijer. $3.89 to $4.05 here in Florida or about 17% difference! Just enjoy your wonderful trip and you'll want to go again!

You may have seen our red 04.5 Chevy D/A CC LB 4X4 truck with the 11'4" Lance on it around town as it's on late spring and all summer and fall and we use it a lot. Get dinner takeout and go to the river or the state park etc and eat and enjoy with our Siberian Husky. Also for Tuesday's concerts in Central Park, it's always parked in the new Courthouse parking lot and in the Piano Factory Condo's lot across from the Municipal Marina for the CG Festival and many other of the gobs of events in town. It's driven in town at least 4 days a week.

BTW, the shipping weight for the big optioned out Lance as printed on the shipper from Lance is 3872 lbs and the 2500 with airbags and 265/75/16 "E" tires and Rancho 9000XL adjustable shocks handles the load great. It's capacity is as much or more than the GM 3500 SRW OEM truck! GM only makes one chassis for the HD's and they are all identical.

The 2008 with the extra polution junk on it will usually get about 1-2 mpg less than the D/A 04.5 to the 07 classics (LLY & LBZ). The main thing to remember for good mpg's is to keep your speed under 60 mph (58-60) when loaded and coast to drain off most speed before using the brakes and avoid jack rabbit starts both for gas and diesel. The upper speed limit in Canada going to Alaska is 90-100 km anyway so that's a max of 62 mph. I think you may already know that!

What you nor anyone do not know but the previous owner/owners is how the 2008 D/A was actually used or maintained or misused. As an automotive engineer, I sure wouldn't ever put a programmer on a truck that certainly doesn't need it or any other vehicle either for that matter as it puts higher stresses on the entire drive train and for what? A very slight gain to one's ego?

I actually get better mileage with the tuner than without. I keep it on the lowest setting though. And as was mentioned, it was needed to delete the emissions junk.

Deleting the mandated OEM emissions controlling items/system or tampering with the mandated emission system on any vehicle sold and driven in the USA is totally illegal and carries very heavy fines if discovered. What you do is up to you and what may happen to you is deserved and completely your problem! Personally, I hope anyone who altered the OEM emission systems does get caught as the rest of us don't want to breath your illegal polutants.

old guy wrote:
one thing I don't like on the newer diesels, 07 and newer is that darn filter you have to mess with. they get clogged up and you either have to replace them and or have them cleaned, neither is a cheap maintenance thing.

I've never had to "mess with", "replace" or "clean" the "darn filter"

I have 32k miles on my truck.

Empty highway mpg running no faster than 65 mph I get 16-16.5 mpg.
With the camper I get about 12.5.

A friend once posted a message that said "if someone is worried about what MPG their truck gets with an RV on it due to increased cost to drive it, then they shouldn't be owning an RV."