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.

2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD Trucks Officially Debut

If you’re a diesel enthusiast like me, you may have seen some shots of Chevrolet’s Silverado HD prior to their official debut. They’re vastly different than any truck Chevrolet has made so far. The 2020 Silverado HD features a redesigned exterior that is taller, wider, and longer. Compared to the 2019 Silverado HD crew cab SRW standard box, the new 2020 counterparts have a 5.2″ longer wheelbase, they’re 10″ longer, 1.6″ Taller, and 1.4″ wider. When I said they’re taller and bigger overall, I meant it.

It’s also the most capable Chevy to date, featuring a max towing capability of 35,500 lbs. A myriad of new features inside and out make using the truck and towing easier, including new integrated bed steps and the DuraBed cargo box. Five trims are available for Chevrolet’s new HD: the Work Truck (WT), LT, LTZ, Custom, and High Country Editions. While there are differences in features across the trim spectrum, it’s crystal clear that Chevrolet built all of these trucks with one thing in mind. Functionality.

How do we know all this? Chevrolet actually invited us out their event where we, along with some other media members, had exclusive access to these trucks. Here is what you need to know about the all new 2020 Silverado HD.

2020 Silverado HD New Exterior

The 2020 Silverado HD is Chevrolet’s third new Silverado in 18 months. The Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD were released last year, as well as Chevrolet’s new Silverado 1500. While all these trucks are coming out around the same time, they don’t share any similarities when it comes to their exteriors. In fact, the only metal the Silverado 1500 and the Heavy duty shares is the roof. The new generation 2020 Silverado HD received a major overhaul from their previous L5P too.

A massive new grille paired with a hood that contains a larger hood scoop gives the new Chevy HD’s cooling system a boost. New headlights were added, as well as optional fog lights, and clearance lamps. For the first time ever, Chevrolet’s heavy duty trucks also have LED strips built into the headlights of certain models. While it’s a small detail, I believe it adds significantly to the luxury aspect of these trucks.

New tow mirrors are standard on all new 2020 Chevrolet HD trucks. These new tow mirrors extend and retract, and have an available power extension feature to make adjusting the mirrors while driving easy. A larger surface area gives Chevy HD owners a larger view of what’s behind their trucks. New spot lamps that face forward at 45-degree angles provide better illumination at night and the mirror housings actually contain side-view cameras that can also be paired with puddle lights and rear spot lamps.

2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD Mirror
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD High Country Mirrors

In addition to their existing bed step feature, they added steps to the side panels of the truck bed, to give customers an easier access point to the front of the bed.

2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD bed step
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD bed step

Compared to the 2019 Silverado HD crew cab SRW standard box, the new 2020 counterparts have a 5.2″ longer wheelbase, they’re 10″ longer, 1.6″ Taller, and 1.4″ wider. When I said they’re taller and bigger overall, I meant it.

Chevrolet’s New DuraBed

As someone who uses their truck daily for work, a truck’s bed is critical to me. Chevrolet really outdid themselves with their new DuraBed cargo box. For the first time ever, Chevy HD’s won’t share a bed with their lighter-duty relatives. These beds add 6.7 inches of width of useable space to standard box models. The standard box receives an added 3 inches of length too. This results in an added 14% increase in total cargo box volume for regular bed trucks, and a 9.5% increase for long bed application.

Chevrolet managed to add in a variety of other useful features as well. Chevrolet’s EZ-Lift/Lower tailgate was so impressive to me the first time I saw it. They were so impressive I purchased an aftermarket part, the Dee Zee Tailgate Assist to have these features on my own truck. The new tailgates for these trucks takes innovation a bit farther. They have an exclusive power up/down feature to raise and lower the tailgate. Gone are the days of the slamming tailgate or struggling to lift a heavy tailgate! Gone are the days where you need to lift or lower your tailgate yourself too. Twelve fixed tie-down rings and an available 120V power outlet also add to the functionality of Chevrolet’s new DuraBed.

2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD Performance

While the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD equipped with the L5P Duramax didn’t post any noticeable gains in the Horsepower and Torque departments, Chevrolet once again added to the functionality aspects of these trucks. Increasing towing capacity by 52% was a tall task. In order to accomplish this feat, a new 10-speed Allison Transmission was partnered with the 6.6L L5P Duramax engine. This will allow the truck to deliver 910 lb/ft of torque in lower gears. A new, variable speed, 28 inch cooling fan was added, along with the addition of several blades to the existing oil cooler. Engine braking capacity was also increased by 14%.

“4 Auto Mode” is electronically controlled by Chevy’s new Autotrac active two-speed transfer case, allowing the truck to shift between 4WD and 2WD in varying road conditions. An enhanced version of their existing ladder-frame was created to support the new GCWR of up to 43,500 lbs. Larger, more durable front and rear axles, as well as beefed-up prop-shafts were used to achieve “best-in-class-so-far” tow capacity.

Interior & Trailering Technology

Chevrolet made just as many drastic changes regarding their interiors and their new trailering technology. Similar to GMC’s Sierra HD, the 2020 Chevy HD trucks received the addition of numerous trailering technologies. So many, in fact, that we will write a separate article altogether to cover it all in detail. Fifteen unique camera views give drivers unparalleled visibility. I’m the most excited for their transparent trailer view, which gives you a view as if the trailer wasn’t there. The 2020 Chevrolet HD trucks also gained auto park brake assist and park grade hold assist features.

Drivers and front-seat passengers enjoy class-leading head and leg room. Crew Cabs gained three inches of leg room. The trucks also received a new infotainment system and an available head-up display. Higher trim models also gained a digital gauge display.

Don’t Miss Out, Theres More

Check out our live walk-around of the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD. There is so much information we have yet to share! Don’t Miss out! Make sure you subscribe below.

GM Reveals their New 2020 GMC Sierra HD

With Chevrolet set to debut their new 2020 Silverado HD trucks in February, it was a safe bet that GMC would release their new 2020 Sierra HD around a similar time. While both the Silverado HD and Sierra HD share the legendary Duramax-Allison combination, these trucks have vastly different exterior appearances, different interiors, and different features. GMC just revealed their 2020 GMC Sierra HD and gave us a taste of what the new heavy duty GMC trucks have to offer. Here is what we’ll be missing out on until Late Summer this year, when they become available.

The New 2020 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty Exterior

The new 2020 GMC Sierra HD received an exterior overhaul. The new Sierra HD is both taller and longer. The front of the truck features an elevated hood line and a new grille that helps aid in air induction. Door mounted tow mirrors provide drivers with power extending and retracting mirrors. All new segment-exclusive bed-side steps provide easier access to the bed and cargo. These bed-side steps compliment GMC’s existing Corner steps that are found in the rear bumper. The 2020 Sierra HD trucks also received the first ever six-function Multipro tailgate. Stay posted, we’ll be going over the new tailgate in another post.

New lighting including headlights, running lights, taillights, fog lights, and cab lights also adorn the truck, using LED technology for better illumination. The towing mirrors also come with available led lighting.

Interior Changes

The 2020 GMC Sierra HD also contains a new interior that proudly takes the trophy for best-in-class front head-room and leg-room for crew cab trucks. GMC owners will have a superior perspective of the road because of a new, higher seating position. A segment-first heavy-duty head-up display helps drivers pay greater attention to both the road and their truck. As if that wasn’t enough, Premium leather seating, authentic open-pore wood trim, and dark aluminum decor add to the luxury and interior appeal of GMC’s new 2020 Sierra HD.

New Technology on 2020 GMC Sierra HD Trucks

The 2020 GMC Sierra HD not only has a totally redesigned exterior and interior, but also a myriad of new features designed to provide customers with a premium truck that make life easier. Drivers who frequently tow will be thrilled with the addition of numerous technological additions geared towards towing. These new additions include a new ProGrade trailering system with up to 15 available trailer views, rear camera mirror, and an all-new smart trailer system to be used with compatible “Smart” trailers. We will go more in depth on the Sierra HD’s new technology in a following article.

A New Trim For The 2020 Sierra HD Lineup

The new heavy duty Sierra will also be available in a new trim, the AT4. The AT4 will provide GMC customers with superior off-road capabilities. AT4 trucks receive an off-road suspension, Rancho Shocks, skid plates, and an Eaton locking rear differential. 18″ or 20″ wheels mated with Michelin AT tires provide traction in a variety of terrains. AT4 trucks also come standard with a traction select system, hill descent control and hill start assist. Sierra HD AT4 trucks will also have some differences with their exterior and interior. We go over that in greater detail here.

2020 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty Performance

Because this Duramax still produces 445 horsepower and 910 lb/ft of torque, we believe the 2020 GMC Sierra HD’s L5P engine has not received any major changes. However, GM is pairing the L5P Duramax with a new 10-speed Allison transmission for 2020 trucks. According to GMC, this will help keep the engine in an optimal range in all terrains and load conditions. GMC believes because of a new, stronger frame, trailer tech, and greater performance, the new Sierra HD will be capable of a tow capacity greater than 30,000 lbs.

2020 GMC Sierra 3500HD Dually Pulling Trailer
2020 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Denali Dually Pulling Trailer

Don’t forget to keep up with us as we cover every aspect of these new Sierra HD trucks. They won’t be for sale until close to the 3rd quarter of this year. That means you have quite a few months to convince your wife that you need a new truck!

All Photos used were taken by GMC.

2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD Debuts Next Month

Chevrolet has made some significant investments into diesel technology when it comes to their line of pickups. A couple of years ago, they added the 2.8L Duramax engine to their Colorado truck line. Last year, they released their new Medium-Duty pickup trucks in their 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD. Now, Chevrolet just announced their new body style 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD Duramax trucks will debut in February. Chevrolet says the 2020 Silverado HD will be the most capable and advanced Silverado Heavy Duty to date.

A Truck Built Specifically For HD Silverado Owners

Chevrolet’s Chief Engineer of the Silverado HD, Jaclyn McQuaid, said, “We know the needs and priorities of heavy-duty owners are different than those of light-duty or medium-duty customers”. McQuaid continued, “As such, we built a heavy-duty truck tailor-made for them that has more differentiation than ever before from light-duty models, offers advanced towing technologies to improve towing confidence and includes new features such as the integrated Bedstep, which makes it easier to access the bed while pulling a fifth-wheel trailer.”

So, what does this all mean? Chevrolet is creating an almost entirely new product from their regular Silverado 1500 pickup trucks. In fact, the only exterior component shared in common between the two is the roof panel. This new 2020 Silverado HD is built on the wants and needs of their Heavy-Duty consumers, and will feature new trailer technology features and both a higher payload and towing capacity. The interior will also stand to benefit from the body-style change. There will be an added 3 inches in leg room and a new seating position in crew cab models.

2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD Performance

The new 2020 Silverado HD has several changes performance too. An all new direct injection Gas Engine will be introduced. This new motor will work in conjunction with a Six-Speed transmission. The L5P Duramax engine will also be paired with a new Ten-Speed Allison Transmission, producing a whopping 910 lbs/ft of torque.

2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD Exterior

If you’re familiar with the 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado HD Duramax Trucks, you can point out the differences fairly easily. Chevrolet has changed these new 2020 Silverado HDs from top-to-bottom. In the pictures above, you can clearly see the new body styling, grille, lighting, bumpers, and the mirrors that have been Instagram’s latest truck controversy. Steps have been added to the side panels of the truck’s bed. This allows easier access to the bed of the truck. Now, we have only seen Chevrolet’s High Country edition HD so far. We’ll be updating our posts as soon as we have more information.

Keep In Touch With Us

While the new Silverado HD is making its debut In February, it won’t be for sale until mid-2019. We should have a lot more information about these trucks in the next two weeks. GMC and RAM are also releasing their new Heavy-Duty trucks. Make sure you stay posted!

All Photos Courtesy of Chevrolet.

New 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD

I know, we’re a little bit late to the party. GM released their new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD last year. But we’re writing this article as these new trucks are finally being shipped to dealers nationwide. I actually just saw my first one in person the other day driving down I-75, so I decided now is as good a time as ever to bring some attention to these new workhorses Chevrolet designed to meet the needs of their Commercial customers.

Features of Chevrolet’s New 2019 Medium-Duty Trucks

As an avid diesel truck enthusiast, I love when auto manufacturers release a diesel truck that just seems to be a little bit badder than the rest of them. Chevrolet just released their brand new 2019 Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD, and no, they don’t look anything like their new 2020 Silverado 2500HD and Silverado 3500HD relatives. The only exterior feature these two different segments share is the iconic Chevrolet bowtie.

Chevrolet claims that this truck is the most customer-centric Medium Duty truck of any major competitor. Powered by a 6.6L Duramax Motor, and an Allison transmission, these new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HDs, 5500HDs, and 6500HDs are up to whatever task you throw at them. Not only do they feature GM’s legendary Allison-Duramax Powertrain combination, but they also have many of Chevrolet’s latest connectivity innovations. These include OnStar, 4G Wi-Fi, Wireless cell phone charging, Bluetooth, and Apple Carplay and Android Auto Support. Optional factory-installed rear air suspension gives the truck a more comfortable ride both on and off-road. Triple-sealed, inset doors dampen noise while driving, and at the job site. These features make Chevrolet’s new 2019 Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD not only a very capable work truck, but a very capable mobile office as well.

As you can imagine, trucks this large can oftentimes be difficult to drive because of their poor turning radius and the driver’s lack of visibility. With these trucks, Chevrolet introduced up to 50-degree wheel cuts, to make sure these trucks can maneuver easily. The lightweight, contoured hood was designed to make sure the driver has maximum vision of the road. Speaking of the hood, they were designed with a front hinge, resulting in a “Clamshell” design. When opened, instead of opening up and to the rear, the hood pulls forward. This makes working on these trucks vastly superior to trucks featuring a standard hood design. Technicians can easily access everything under the hood, and service these trucks without having to use a ladder or climb on top of the truck.

The New 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD, 5500 HD, and 6500HD are Highly Customizable.

The new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD allow for a wide variety of cargo boxes and flat beds. They did this by creating seven different Cab-To-Axle choices, from 60 inches all the way to 162 inches. Chevy’s new medium duty trucks also have five different axle-to-back-of-frame lengths. These trucks also come in a single cab, or crew cab configuration. No matter what your business needs, these new medium-duty trucks can be outfitted for you.

Make Sure You Stay Tuned

Stay tuned! We will be writing about and featuring the new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HDs on our site as soon as we possibly can. All photos used are courtesy of Chevrolet. Find out more about these new Medium-Duty trucks on Chevrolet’s Site here.

L5P Duramax Tuning: The Wait is Almost Over

The Problem

Things are changing in the automotive space. Automotive manufacturers are making a push to make vehicles uncrackable. 15 years ago, you could swap out the exhaust on your truck, or turn the pump for some quick horsepower gains without any issues! Recently, emissions devices were introduced to Diesel trucks to lower emissions output. These devices include DEFs, SCRs, and EGRs. These changes forced us to purchase a tuner to either work with emissions or disable them if you want to use a turbo back exhaust and other performance parts. Tuning always comes out quickly after a new motor is released. So why are we two years in and just now getting close to having L5P Duramax tuning available?

The answer? GM has worked very hard to make these trucks virtually uncrackable. By using state of the art security and encryption methods , they made it extremely difficult for most tuning companies to crack the ECMs and TCMs these trucks are equipped with. From what I understand, every truck is equipped with a different key exchange.  This makes it impossible to create one tuning solution that could be implemented on every l5P. What’s worse is that if one manufacturer is doing this, it’s likely the others aren’t far behind. So to you Powerstroke and Cummins guys, enjoy it while you can!

The Solution for L5P Duramax Tuning

So how are we going to tune our L5P Duramax trucks? You can either compromise and purchase a generic tuner that doesn’t offer delete tuning or you have to swap your ECM and TCM. In the last couple of days, HPTuners has announced their L5P ECM and TCM exchange service. You send them your ECM and TCM and in exchange they will send you their modified version. The new, modified ECM and TCM will allow you to tune your truck. Several companies including duramaxtuner.com and PPEI are working on creating tunes for these new ECM’s. According to HP Tuners website, they will start shipping ECMs by September 21st. This ECM exchange service costs quite a bit, at $2500. This doesn’t include the tunes! We are anticipating costs of $4-5,000 to successfully tune your L5P.