chevy duramax disel

I didn't put my year, but it is a 2013

Tequila wrote:
I actually liked the front end of it.

Agree when its not wearing out prematurely its a GREAT front end. Spending a couple of thousand to rebuild it every 60-70K miles not so great. I replaced everything with Timken wheel bearings, Moog/Spicer arms/balls, and a Cognito pitman/idler brace kit this last time around. Hopefully I will get at least 100K out of this setup!

And no I am not hard on front ends (I am the guy that NEVER turns the wheel at a standstill). The entire GMT800/900 HD truck line has a very well established history of weak front ends/wheel bearings.

BOT....

There is no lubrication issues with the LB7 injectors. The LLY and LBZ had the same "type" of fuel system and they didn't have rampant injector problems.

The problem the LB7 injectors had was they were JUNK directly from Bosch AND had poor filtering. Bosch admitted that and came out with a new injector design which worked as good as the LBZ design.

The problem people had with multiple injector problems was old stock got into the supply line and they were sold as second gen injectors. Or people bought "rebuilt" injectors on Flebay. It was reported that even dealers were getting old stock and using it as new or they knew about it and did it on purpose.

I actually liked the front end of it. My new dodge feels like it wanders. I am gettign the steering box reinforcment mod done. There is also the death wobble issue which I hope this will avoid. Dodge ball joints are usually only good for about 40,000 miles according to my mechanic.

Only complaint I ever had with my Chev was injectors, and that is a biggie.

AS jkmaotto points out lubrication is an issue. the LB7 uses common rail injectors, the only lubrication they get is from the fuel.

http://www.hotshotsecret.com/diagnose/chevygmc-pickup/66-duramax-issues/66-duramax-white-smoke/

2006 2500HD LBZ SRW 4x4, stock drivetrain, all MPG numbers hand calculated from gas pump volume and GPS mileage numbers (not the stock odo or DIC both of which are quite a bit off and optimistic), 65mph cruise:
5400lb wide/tall TT = 10.7 MPG
Tall hardside TC = 13.2 MPG

Awesome truck (except for the poor excuse of a front end).

Just completed a 1500 mile round trip with my 02 Duramax. Round trip average was 11.73 mpg pulling a 30 foot 5th wheel. This set of injectors has 38000 miles. I use 2 stroke oil in each fill of diesel to keep the injectors lubricated.

Old Duck wrote:
Mine is an 02 LB7, bone stock except the SB air intake I just installed this week (exhaust to come next month). I'm the second owner, purchased it in 05 with 42,000 miles, now has 98,000. Knock on wood, no injector issues yet but I'm planning to check my local dealer to see if they have records of having been replaced. The truck does everything I need and have no plans to make a change and actually prefer this body to the newer style.

After a bunch of research I purchased this to tow a 25'TT about 7000 ills. I'll always remember the first long hill I pulled, was 55mph at the bottom, easily pulled the climb and was at 60 at the top. I was impressed with the DMax. Then I went down the hill, never hitting the brakes and was even more impressed with the Allison tranny.

To help avoid injector issues. look at a FASS lift pump install, I was told part of this issue is poor flirtation and look for a gas additive called Hotshots http://www.hotshotsecret.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/HSS-Product-Guide.pdf. Apparently adding that every 6 months also helps. Quite a few videos about it on Truck U.Of course I found all that out after going through 4 sets.

It is unusual for a LB7 to go more than 75,000 K without injector issues. The tip off is white smoke on idle.

My 1st set went at 60K, the second at at 100K and the 3rd at 125K. It is 11 hours labor to get at them which means you need to replace all 8. My last failure I just replaced the one bad one since I had decided to dump the truck & I suspect I got a bad one when I had them changed the previous. I bought a dodge instead which I do not like as much, but its only an hour to change injectors on it.

BTW on my chev I got 14 mpg towing, 21 without a load (highway). I used optilube XPD and found it added at least 1 mpg after several tanks.

12, + or - .5 towing fast over 10's of thousands of miles with a 28' TT.
About 17 solo.

Mine is an 02 LB7, bone stock except the SB air intake I just installed this week (exhaust to come next month). I'm the second owner, purchased it in 05 with 42,000 miles, now has 98,000. Knock on wood, no injector issues yet but I'm planning to check my local dealer to see if they have records of having been replaced. The truck does everything I need and have no plans to make a change and actually prefer this body to the newer style.

After a bunch of research I purchased this to tow a 25'TT about 7000 lbs. I'll always remember the first long hill I pulled, was 55mph at the bottom, easily pulled the climb and was at 60 at the top. I was impressed with the DMax. Then I went down the hill, never hitting the brakes and was even more impressed with the Allison tranny.

I have a 2013 GMC 2500 HD with the Duramax. I average 12 towing and 17 not towing. These numbers are calculated over 70 tanks of fuel with three 2000 mile round trips to Mesa, AZ towing either my 5ver or a 20 foot cargo trailer.