New 3.0L I6 Duramax Available on the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Chevrolet just announced details on their new 3.0L Inline-six Cylinder Duramax engine that will be available on the 2020 Silverado 1500. While GM is the only manufacturer with diesel options in the light truck market in the 2.8L LWN Duramax in the Colorado or Canyon trucks, they are the last of the big three to have a diesel option in the 1/2 ton truck market. Ford already has a 3.0L V6 Powerstroke engine available on F150s while FCA has their 3.0L V6 EcoDiesel engine that will also be available in 2020 on the Ram 1500. The new 3.0L Duramax engine will produce a class-leading 277 horsepower and only fall slightly behind Ram with 460 lb-ft of torque.

Chevrolet Chooses An Inline-Six Design for the 3.0L Duramax Engine

3.0L Duramax Engine Available on the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
New Inline-six 3.0L Duramax Diesel engine available on the new Silverado 1500. Photo courtesy of Chevrolet Media

Chevrolet’s engineers wanted to create an engine that provides Silverado 1500 owners with a world-class experience and unmatched durability. The inline-six design is a favorite amongst heavy-duty Ram truck owners who have an inline-six Cummins engine. Will Chevrolet’s new 3.0L inline-six Duramax turbodiesel engine offer the same reliability though?

The 3.0L Duramax engine block is made from cast aluminum alloy that reduces engine mass by up to 25% according to Chevrolet. The engine block features a deep-skirt design in which the block casting extends below the crankshaft centerline. Iron cylinder lines are present within the block to increase durability. 7 iron main bearing caps also add strength to the block and allow for accurate location of the rotating assembly.

The engines rotating assembly features forged steel connecting rods, a forged steel crankshaft, and aluminum pistons. These aluminum pistons are made of an aluminum-silicon blend to increase heat resistance and reduce engine noise.

The 3.0L Inline-Six Duramax engine will also contain an aluminum cylinder head, with a composite cam cover. This engine uses a Dual Overhead Camshaft design (DOHC). Unlike many other trucks, the camshaft drivetrain will be located on the rear of the engine. According to Chevrolet, this was done for greater refinement and packaging considerations.

10L80 10-Speed Automatic Transmission

The 10L80 10-speed Automatic transmission originally came from a joint-venture by GM and Ford. Ford’s variant is known as the 10R80 and has been used in many of the F-150 trucks. The 10L80 10-speed automatic transmission used on the 3.0L Duramax-equipped trucks will feature a centrifugal pendulum absorber torque converter. This torque converter improves smoothness by reducing vibration.

Towing With the 2020 Silverado 1500 3.0L Duramax Diesel

2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 3.0L Duramax Towing
The 2020 Silverado 1500 with the 3.0L Duramax will offer max tow capacity of 9,300 lbs.

Towing numbers are a bit disappointing compared to the tow capacity of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel or the 3.0L Powerstroke engine found on the new F-150s. Max tow capacity for the 2020 Silverado 1500 equipped with the 3.0L Duramax is roughly 9,300 lbs. Keep in mind, actual tow capacity differs depending on different features of the trucks. While the numbers don’t help Chevrolet claim the throne in the towing wars, the new Duramax should still meet the needs of most Silverado 1500 owners. Chevrolet did a good job at making sure the 3.0L Duramax gets torque early. The trucks reach 95% of peak torque at just 1,250 rpms. The truck then reaches peak torque 1,500 rpms maintains peak torque until 3,000 rpms. A water charge air cooler along with a new, low pressure EGR help achieve torque earlier.

The new Silverado 1500 with the 3.0L Duramax will feature exhaust braking to reduce brake wear and slow the vehicle quicker. Exhaust braking occurs in tow/haul mode, courtesy of the variable geometry turbocharger (VGT).

How Much Will A 2020 Silverado 1500 with the New 3.0L Duramax Cost?

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Under-the-hood picture of the new 3.0L Duramax

Chevrolet considers the 2020 Silverado with the 3.0L Duramax as an upgrade over the standard 5.3L V8 engine. Therefore, 3.0L Duramax prices will be similar to the 6.2L V8. The 3.0L Duramax models will cost $2,495 over the 5.3L V8 and $3,890 more than the 2.7L turbocharged I-4 engine. Unfortunately, the 3.0L Duramax Silverado 1500 will only be available on LT, RST, LTZ, and High Country models. If you’re going to want this new light-duty diesel, you’re going to have to opt-in for a slightly nicer trim.

When will the new 2020 Silverado 1500 Be Available?

Expect the new 2020 Silverado 1500 to hit dealerships later this year! The new 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD trucks will be available later this year too! Click here to visit Chevrolet’s Media Article about the new 3.0L Duramax.

Ford Introduces New Tremor Off-Road Package Available on 2020 Powerstroke Trucks

Ford’s Most Off-Road Capable Powerstroke To Date!

New 2020 Ford SuperDuty with the Tremor Off-Road Package

Ford just announced a new off-road package available for the 2020 SuperDuty trucks! Unlike Ram’s Power Wagon which is only available with the 6.4L Hemi engine, Ford’s Tremor Off-Road package is available on trucks with the 6.7L Powerstroke diesel engine. The Tremor package is also available on Superduty trucks with the new 7.3L gas V8 engine.

What inspired this new off-road package? Ford claims that modern truck owners use their trucks for more than just work. People use trucks for work during the week. On weekends they take the family boat to the lake or go camping. The Tremor Off-Road Package lets Ford truck owners use their trucks for both work and play without compromising payload or tow capacity. Unlike some available truck packages, the Tremor package features numerous upgrades that make Tremor-equipped Superduty trucks very different from standard models.

What Trucks will feature the Tremor Off-Road Package?

Ford F-250 and F-350 Superduty trucks featuring the XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum trims can contain the Tremor package. Only single rear wheel configurations, even in F-350 models, will be available. A 6.75 foot bed is standard for all trucks with the Tremor Off-Road package.

What Off-Road Upgrades Does The Tremor Package Contain?

Ford trucks with the Tremor Off-Road package will feature 35 inch all-terrain GoodYear Wrangler DuraTracs from the factory! This is the biggest tire size ever placed on a stock truck from any manufacturer. These tires are wrapped around 18″ matte-black wheels. Trucks will also feature a 2″ lift in the front. Overall, these upgrades give this version of the Superduty 10.8 inches of ground clearance and best-in-class water ford of 33 inches. Approach angles of 31.65 degrees and departure angles of 24.51 degrees are the best ever found on a SuperDuty.

The Tremor Off-Road package also features unique progressive-rate leaf springs that make driving over rough terrain more comfortable without sacrificing towing capabilities. These new springs work with huge, new shocks custom-tuned for the best on-road and off-road performance. These shocks carry substantial amounts of oil to keep internal temperatures low.

35" GoodYear Wrangler DuraTrac Tires and matte-black 18" wheels are standard on 2020 SuperDuty trucks equipped with the Tremor Off-Road Package.
35″ GoodYear Wrangler DuraTrac Tires and matte-black 18″ wheels are standard on 2020 SuperDuty trucks equipped with the Tremor Off-Road Package.

Other Tremor Off-Road Package Features

Other features of this off-road package include an electronically controlled, locking rear differential and a new Dana limited-slip front differential. This front differential uses the trucks’ brakes to send power to the wheels when a tire has lost traction in certain drive modes. 2020 SuperDuty trucks with the Tremor package will be available with six different drive modes. Drivers can select normal, eco, tow/haul, slippery, or deep/snow modes. A sixth, rock-crawl mode is also available. Trail Control, a feature on the Raptor and Ranger trucks will also be available on this version of the SuperDuty. Off-road running boards and skid plates are also standard, to help protect these trucks.

2020 SuperDuty Tremor Drive Modes
The 2020 SuperDuty Tremor has 6 available drive modes, including a new rock-crawl mode!

When Can You Buy The 2020 SuperDuty Tremor Package Trucks?

This off-road package will be available on the 2020 SuperDuty trucks coming out in late 2019. We’ll have more information about these new trucks soon! Make sure you subscribe below!

You can find Ford Media’s full announcement of this off-road package by clicking here!