Chev Colorado w/ Duramax Diesel as a toad?

[msmith1199]

Anybody using the Colorado with the diesel engine as a toad? If so do you like it? Any problems at all with the engine?

I'm getting ready to replace two vehicles, my commuter car and my Dodge Dakota, with one vehicle. I don't commute anymore so I just need one vehicle other than my wife's car. So it's a daily driver that needs to be toad capable. I looked at SUV's and others, but I decided I want to keep a pickup. I was looking at the Ford F-150 with the new aluminum body as they are almost as light as the Colorado and almost the same price too. But I decided I don't want that big of a toad. So I've almost decided on the Colorado and I like the idea of that diesel engine in it, but the engine has only been in use a year.

[msmith1199]

1000 pounds is half a ton. That's quite a bit of weight. My current Dakota is 4600 pounds. I wouldn't want to tow 5600 pounds!

On the negative cable disconnect, I wonder if there is a way to put some type of switch in the line that you could use versus disconnecting the cable?

[DSDP_Don]

Both the Colorado and the Canyon are towable in the 4x4 model. The only issue is that you have to disconnect the negative battery cable when towing. I believe in 2013 or 2014, all of the GM towables required that the negative cable be disconnected. The reason for this is the electric power steering. If you leave the cable connected, it will damage the steering.

My neighbor was one of the first to order and receive a diesel Canyon 4x4. It is such a popular truck that there is already a ton of aftermarket equipment, including a tuner that really bumps up the HP and torque in the diesel.

The Colorado and Canyon, especially in diesel is only about 1000 pounds lighter than the full size 1/2 tons.

[msmith1199]

It definitely has a 4 wheel high and low. I saw that when looking at it, but I really wasn't paying attention to the neutral setting. I just assumed it was there.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

If the transfer case has high and low gear, it will have a neutral. If it's single-speed and full time, it may not have a neutral.

[ChooChooMan74]

msmith1199 wrote:

ChooChooMan74 wrote:

dan-nickie wrote:
My 2016 Colorado Owners Manual says the Diesel is NOT Towable.
I have the V-6 engine.

Can you point that out. I am looking online at the Colorado Owner's Manual and the Diesel Supplement and do not see that.

Owner's Manual Page 330 is Flat Towing.

Diesel Supplement

I checked those links and did some Google searches and don't see this any place else. Chev says as long as the transfer case has a neutral position it can be towed. I wonder if the transfer care in the diesel model doesn't have neutral? I guess I'll have to go find one and take a look.

Contact Green Diesel Engineering. They have a Diesel Colorado that they are "improving". They may be able to tell you if the transfer case has a neutral. Keith is the main man but Matt may also respond.

[msmith1199]

ChooChooMan74 wrote:

dan-nickie wrote:
My 2016 Colorado Owners Manual says the Diesel is NOT Towable.
I have the V-6 engine.

Can you point that out. I am looking online at the Colorado Owner's Manual and the Diesel Supplement and do not see that.

Owner's Manual Page 330 is Flat Towing.

Diesel Supplement

I checked those links and did some Google searches and don't see this any place else. Chev says as long as the transfer case has a neutral position it can be towed. I wonder if the transfer care in the diesel model doesn't have neutral? I guess I'll have to go find one and take a look.

[msmith1199]

dan-nickie wrote:
My 2016 Colorado Owners Manual says the Diesel is NOT Towable.
I have the V-6 engine.

It does? That's not good. My understanding is both are towable. I'll have to check into that.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

msmith1199 wrote:

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
Wow, I did not know GM offered a 4 cyl diesel in their small trucks! That's exciting!

Too bad Ford didn't upgrade the Ranger with a diesel, instead of discontinuing the truck altogether... 😞

It was new for 2015. And the Colorado and the GM canyon are the only smaller pickups that are towable four wheels down without modifications (4x4 only). Dodge doesn't make the Dakota anymore which was towable, and none of the Toyotas or Nissan's are towable.

Thanks.

I tow my Ranger by disconnecting the rear driveshaft from the axle and tying it up so it doesn't fall out of the transmission. The truck is 2wd and has the 5 speed M5OD tranny. It's inconvenient but better than frying the tranny.

I kind of expected I would have to do the same with the Tacoma's driveshaft, especially since it has the auto tranny, 2wd.

[ChooChooMan74]

dan-nickie wrote:
My 2016 Colorado Owners Manual says the Diesel is NOT Towable.
I have the V-6 engine.

Can you point that out. I am looking online at the Colorado Owner's Manual and the Diesel Supplement and do not see that.

Owner's Manual Page 330 is Flat Towing.

Diesel Supplement

[dan-nickie]

My 2016 Colorado Owners Manual says the Diesel is NOT Towable.
I have the V-6 engine.

[msmith1199]

The only "bad" thing I see about the Colorado so far, and it's mentioned a lot by auto reviewers, is the price. They point out that for just a few bucks more you can get the Sierra versus Colorado so why not get a full size truck versus the small truck. But I'm in the position of not wanting a full size. I'm in California and as a daily driver full size trucks can be a pain. Parking spaces can be small here and a full size truck won't fit in the garage. Not to mention I don't want to tow a full size truck. So the Colorado works for me.

[msmith1199]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
Wow, I did not know GM offered a 4 cyl diesel in their small trucks! That's exciting!

Too bad Ford didn't upgrade the Ranger with a diesel, instead of discontinuing the truck altogether... 😞

It was new for 2015. And the Colorado and the GM canyon are the only smaller pickups that are towable four wheels down without modifications (4x4 only). Dodge doesn't make the Dakota anymore which was towable, and none of the Toyotas or Nissan's are towable.

[msmith1199]

ChooChooMan74 wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:

ChooChooMan74 wrote:
I have the Sister Engine in my Jeep Liberty, and it is a decent engine. When the Liberty isn't road worthy, I would definitely be looking at the Colorado.

Jeep is using the same engine as Chevy?

The GM engine is the next generation 4 cyl DOHC motor from VM Motori. VM Motori, the Italian engine maker, was half owned by GM and Fiat until this year. The Engine in my Ram was destined to be in Euro Cadillacs (My Oil Cap says GM on it, even though it is in a RAM). The VM Motori R428 engine in my Jeep and has a Bosch injector system. The A428 that is in the Colorado has a Denso injector system. The A428 also has some other refinements over the R428.

One thing I like with the GM 2.8 I4 over the Ram 3.0 V6 is the use of an engine driven fan. The biggest downfall in the Ram is keeping it cool.

Thanks for the info. I haven't done any real research into the engine yet. I know it was new to the Colorado as of last year. Sounds like it has been around for a little while so it's been tested.

It's a $4k option in the Colorado and increases the tow capacity to 7500 pounds. I don't tow that much with it, but what I mainly like is the 30 mpg on the highway that it's getting. With a 21 gallon fuel tank that should give you over 500 miles between fill ups. I love avoiding the gas pumps. My commuter car is a VW Jetta TDI and it goes over 500 miles between fill ups and I love it just for that very reason. And VW is going to buy my car back plus give me $7000 in a couple of months. Will make a nice down payment on the Colorado.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

Wow, I did not know GM offered a 4 cyl diesel in their small trucks! That's exciting!

Too bad Ford didn't upgrade the Ranger with a diesel, instead of discontinuing the truck altogether... 😞

[ChooChooMan74]

msmith1199 wrote:

ChooChooMan74 wrote:
I have the Sister Engine in my Jeep Liberty, and it is a decent engine. When the Liberty isn't road worthy, I would definitely be looking at the Colorado.

Jeep is using the same engine as Chevy?

The GM engine is the next generation 4 cyl DOHC motor from VM Motori. VM Motori, the Italian engine maker, was half owned by GM and Fiat until this year. The Engine in my Ram was destined to be in Euro Cadillacs (My Oil Cap says GM on it, even though it is in a RAM). The VM Motori R428 engine in my Jeep and has a Bosch injector system. The A428 that is in the Colorado has a Denso injector system. The A428 also has some other refinements over the R428.

One thing I like with the GM 2.8 I4 over the Ram 3.0 V6 is the use of an engine driven fan. The biggest downfall in the Ram is keeping it cool.