Diesel Resource | Your go-to diesel experts

How to Maintain Your 2016+ GM Midsize Diesel Truck Or Express/Savana Vans

In 2016, GM introduced their 2.8L Duramax engine, mated to their Midsize pickup trucks, the Colorado and Canyon. Up to 30 Miles per gallon is possible with these trucks, making their fuel economy similar to many cars on the road. Despite an Inline-4 Cylinder design, these trucks can still tow up to 7,700 pounds, making them just as capable in the towing department as they are in the fuel economy one. GM also introduced the 2.8L LWN Duramax to the Express and Savana vans, bringing these impressive towing and fuel economy characteristics to their commercial customers. Despite their impressive capabilities though, the LWN Duramax still needs routine maintenance if you want it to last a long time.

If you’re handy, maintaining your LWN Duramax by yourself can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars over your vehicle’s lifetime. Dealerships charge an arm and a leg for an oil change alone, throw in replacing the fuel filters and you’re looking at a bill of $300 or more. In this post, our Comprehensive Guide to 2.8L LWN Duramax Maintenance, we’ll give you the proper service schedule to follow, fluid capacities, and a complete list of parts to make it easy for your to maintain your LWN Duramax on your own.

How Often Do I Need to Service My 2.8L LWN Duramax?

How often you need to service your LWN depends on a number of factors. If you just bought one and it is used, we recommend doing a complete maintenance overhaul if the truck has more than 30,000 miles. This includes changing all the fluids, filters, and the engine oil because you don’t know what the previous owner did with the truck. This is especially important if you purchased an off-road edition Colorado or Canyon that you think could have been taken mudding or other forms of off-roading. GM calls for fluid replacement in the axles and transfer case immediately if they’ve been submerged under water or mud. We recommend not taking a risk and just doing the overhaul, to err on the side of caution.

If you purchased a new 2.8L Duramax, you can follow GM’s recommended maintenance intervals. There are two different service schedules you can follow though. The normal operating conditions service schedule applies to vehicles that don’t tow heavy loads frequently, are used mostly for commuting, and don’t idle or drive through city traffic often. This service schedule is most commonly used for personal vehicles that are used as a means of transportation. The severe operating conditions service schedule is for vehicles that tow heavy loads frequently, idle a lot, and are used for off-roading or fleet vehicles. Most commercial vehicles will fall under this category.

Normal Operating Conditions – LWN

Severe Operating Conditions – LWN

Other Things To Do Every Oil Change

Here are some other maintenance items you need to take care of every time you service your LWN Duramax.

• Check all tires for signs or wear or damage
• Thoroughly inspect all suspension and steering components, grease joints if needed.
• Check for leaks out of all components holding fluid or oil. Check your driveway where you most frequently park for signs of any leaks.
• Make sure all components are filled to the proper fluid levels.
• Check your brake system.
• Inspect your battery and clean the terminals if needed.

2.8L LWN Duramax Fluid Capacity

Before you can get started on 2.8L LWN Duramax maintenance, you need to know how much fluid you’re going to need to purchase. Pay close attention to detail in this chart because there are different fluid capacities for the van LWN Duramax versus the truck LWN Duramax.

2.8L LWN Duramax Parts List – Fluids, Filters, and Engine Oil

If you want to do 2.8L LWN Duramax maintenance right, you’re going to have to use OEM or AC Delco parts. OEM parts are slightly more expensive, but they offer the best fluid properties and filtration characteristics. Your vehicle was designed to be used with those parts. KEEP USING THEM. You might save a couple of dollars now by using aftermarket filters and fluids, but it’ll cost you in the long run.

In the chart below, we’ve listed the fluids, filters, and engine oil you’re going to need to properly maintain your LWN Duramax. We’ve even included links to where you can purchase these products on Amazon and take advantage of your Prime Membership. Simply click on any of the red, bold part numbers to visit that part’s corresponding amazon sales page. These links are affiliate links so by buying your maintenance products from our links, we will receive a small commission that allows us to continue producing great diesel content for our readers. Thanks for the support!

Parts Chart

*** May need to add friction additive in addition to gear oil. See your owner’s manual for details.

Learn More About the LWN Duramax

Want to learn more about the 2.8L LWN Duramax? Visit one of our other LWN resources by clicking on one of the links below.

• 2.8L LWN Duramax Specifications, Fuel Economy, and Tow Ratings