My New Diesel Truck!

[eldirector]

Sorry, no pics yet. I don't pick it up until tomorrow. 2009 3/4 ton GMC Sierra Crew Cab. Duramax and Allison 6-speed. Silver paint, and black interior. Got a decent deal (I think), with a family GM discount, rebate, and trade-in (my '03 GMC).

This is my first diesel, and I am really looking forward to the power and economy I've been hearing so much about.

A few questions for you diesel rig owners:
- Who has the "best" fuel? I figure diesel is like gas, and each station has a different mix/blend. I'll have to find the one this truck likes.
- Any maintenance tips/tricks? Special oils, additives, etc...?
- I'll probably leave the drivetrain alone for a while, but am seriously considering a DPF-delete. Any recommendations for a kit and/or programmer?
- anyone local have a good deal on Roll-n-Lock or JackRabbit tonneau covers?

If this thread is still alive tomorrow afternoon, I'll post up pics...

 

[HICKMAN]

TEASE!!!

 

[femurphy77]

E, congrats on your new ride!! Sounds sweet!! In my 2 years of diesel ownership I have found one thing for sure, the line is always longest at the only pump in the station that has diesel and everyone in front of you is going inside to buy Lottery ticketsIn all seriousness though, don't believe the label on the diesel pump that says it's guaranteed to -20, it's not!!! I learned the hard way one cold zero degree morning to use the anti-gel additive any time the temp is forecast to be below 20 degrees. Probably overkill but don't want to have to deal with that experience again.

 

[GlockRock]

I just bought a 2005 F350 diesel. So far I've gotten about 11 MPG with fuel from Speedway.

 

[Rogue42]

Congrats, love my 2006 GMC diesel. For fuel I would just buy it at the cheapest place but only buy from someplace that has a good volume. Diesel can go bad over time and some small place that hardly sells any could be old, OR in winter still have wrong blend. I usually buy mine at Wally world, If you prepurchase (or have one of their credit cards - yuck) you save .03 per gallon, and they usually have one of the cheapest prices anyways.

If you aren't already there, check out Diesel Place - Duramax Diesel Discussion Forums good site for GM based diesel info.

I use a PPE on mine, but keep it only on level 2 until I can afford to upgrade tranny. Don't want to risk it. But I don't really hot rod it anyways. With the newer ones you gotta be careful with that DPF filter, some programmers will cause more regen cycles.

Don't expect good mileage until its broken in, that will take awhile on a diesel.

 

[longbow]

good job-pre gubermint motors! I was a chevy fan.....I

 

[jontheturboguy]

For tuning, SCT or nothing at all.

For turbo, look up Brayden Fleece of Fleece Performance. Fastest Duramaxes in Indiana.

For fuel - I like to hit the Shell truck stops simply because the fuel is high rotation; meaning its not sitting in their tanks collecting moisture.

The biggest thing about a diesel truck is MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE.

If the owner's manual says don't change the oil for 8,000 miles, change it at 6,000.

Your injectors will thank you.

NEVER DRIVE A TRUCK EMPTY.

If you know you're going to run out, park the truck, and walk.

Get yourself a good set of the following gauges:

-Boost
-Oil Pressure
-Exhaust temp

Have a qualified company (like Fleece or S&R Diesel in Franklin) do the work. Make sure you use the warranty from the stealership.

That's about all I can tell you right now.

 

[versuchstier147]

11 mpg??? Something is very wrong with your truck. I don't take very good care of my '94 7.3L and it still get's 17-18.

Plug it in!! SAE 15 W40 is real thick and will turn to tar. Give it more than enough time to warm up and Don't Touch The Gas Pedal. A lot of people will put 10W 30 in the winter. Let it idle. Don't turn it off if you're just leaving it for a few minutes. Diesels can run around the clock.

Congrats! Diesels are awesome. Even though GM is....... Hey, look on the bright side, it's a Japanese motor!

 

[eldirector]

Well, you guys kept this on the front page, so here are the pics!

Thanks for the feedback and advice. I'm off to go put a few miles on this thing!

BTW: Stoops Buick/GMC in Plainfield gets a

 

[jeremy]

I just bought a 2005 F350 diesel. So far I've gotten about 11 MPG with fuel from Speedway.

A drive my 06 6.0L like a teenage jack*** and still get a solid 18 mpg out of it no matter where my fuel comes from.
You need to have your truck looked at, seriously.

 

[jeremy]

As far as oil Shell Rotella T is the greatest for your diesel. I have been hitting 10-15000 miles between oil changes. Find someplace around you that can do oil sampling it is well worth the expense!

Oh and just filter your used motor oil and run it in the fuel tank. Don't go over a 50/50% mix with it though.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Sorry, no pics yet. I don't pick it up until tomorrow. 2009 3/4 ton GMC Sierra Crew Cab. Duramax and Allison 6-speed. Silver paint, and black interior. Got a decent deal (I think), with a family GM discount, rebate, and trade-in (my '03 GMC).

This is my first diesel, and I am really looking forward to the power and economy I've been hearing so much about.

A few questions for you diesel rig owners:
- Who has the "best" fuel? I figure diesel is like gas, and each station has a different mix/blend. I'll have to find the one this truck likes.
- Any maintenance tips/tricks? Special oils, additives, etc...?
- I'll probably leave the drivetrain alone for a while, but am seriously considering a DPF-delete. Any recommendations for a kit and/or programmer?
- anyone local have a good deal on Roll-n-Lock or JackRabbit tonneau covers?

If this thread is still alive tomorrow afternoon, I'll post up pics...

Congrats on the new truck! I'm a Dodge /Cummins guy, but won't hold it against ya. The GM trucks are great trucks, and that Allison tranny is bullet proof. I would love to have one behind my Cummins.

Here's some tips from a Diesel Truck owner, and engineer with a major Diesel Engine Company in Southern Indiana.

Fuel: #2 Diesel, or Winter Blend in the Summer. B5 Bio typically performs well in modern Diesels, but make sure to read the owners manual to see if it is compatible with the aftertreatment on your truck.

Oil: Use 15W40 oil formulated for Diesel Engines. You'll probably need to run API grade CJ4+ since it is formulated to produce less ash and will work best with you aftertreatment. Again, consult the owners manual on this one. If you try to use a lower grade oil, such as CI or CH, you could do some permanent damage to the aftertreatment if they are not recommended for use in the truck.

DPF removal: Do you homework on this before you do it. I would recommend against it for a few reasons. 1) It is illegal, since the DPF if an emissions control device. 2) You engine is set up to run with it on, and removing it could cause it to run worse, as there are usually some sensors that provide feedback to the engine on DPF pressure and temperature. 3) Removing the DPF won't make a huge improvement in performance. It may reduce back pressure a bit, but again, your engine is tuned to run with it on.

Programmer: Opinions vary. Couple of things to think about here as well. 1) Some can make your engine non-compliant with emissions, which could mak it illegal. 2) My truck actually ran worse in terms of MPG with a programmer than with it. 3) Adding power directly correlates to shorter engine life. Fortunately with diesels they are usually designed for 250k+ miles or more, so if you don't plan on keeping the truck that long, you probably won't break the motor with a programmer in that time.

Driving Style (I know you didn't ask): You will quickly get addicted to the low end torque a diesel provides, and the quick starts off the line you can make. Just remember that the more accellerator pedal you use, the more fuel you use. I say this, because I was really dissapointed in my fuel mileage when I got my first diesel truck 5 years ago. But I quickly found that I was usuing a lot more go pedal than I needed. But man, it sure is fun dusty rice rockets with your 7000+lb truck!!!


Enjoy, and by the way, great looking truck!

 

[jblomenberg16]

As far as oil Shell Rotella T is the greatest for your diesel. I have been hitting 10-15000 miles between oil changes. Find someplace around you that can do oil sampling it is well worth the expense!

Oh and just filter your used motor oil and run it in the fuel tank. Don't go over a 50/50% mix with it though.

DO NOT DO THIS IN 2007 and LATER DIESEL TRUCKS!!!! AND IT ISN'T A GOOD IDEA IN MOST DIESELS MADE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS!

This is a sure fire way to trash your fuel system and after treatment. I work for Cummins, and we get reports almost weekly of people that have destroyed their engines by doing this.

Modern fuel injection systems have very tight clearances, and even the finest filtered used motor oil can still clog these fuel systems up and cause permanent damage.

It can also damage or destroy the expensive aftertreatment many 2007 and later trucks are running to control emisions.

 

[jblomenberg16]

A drive my 06 6.0L like a teenage jack*** and still get a solid 18 mpg out of it no matter where my fuel comes from.
You need to have your truck looked at, seriously.

I agree. I"m getting 17-18 out of my 2004 Dodge/ Cummins, and maybe 15 if I drive it very agressively. I think you might have a problem

 

[indykid]

Congrats on one nice truck!

I work for Allison Transmission in Speedway, and although when GM sold us because we were too profitable for them, they kept the Baltimore Allison plant that makes that 6 speed tranny. Part of the stipulation for sale was that we monitor the quality because we don't like hearing about our transmissions failing. You would not believe how hard we test our transmissions. We litterally beat the heck out of them to make them better. I truly hope GM is keeping up their part of the bargain.

Keep us posted on how you like your truck as it ages, and me especially because I work in the Allison test department and would like to know how your tranny treats you.

As for diesel fuel, check the manual. Some engine allow a small amount of gasoline in the winter time mixed in to keep the fuel from clogging the lines. Doesn't take much, but go by the manual.

As for the DPF (particulate trap) they are a pain in the tail, forced on us by a government that wants to cost us as much as possible with little payoff. We have DPFs on the engines that run our test transmissions and feel sorry for the engine manufacturers having to put up with what the government shoves down their throats.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

As far as oil Shell Rotella T is the greatest for your diesel. I have been hitting 10-15000 miles between oil changes. Find someplace around you that can do oil sampling it is well worth the expense!

Oh and just filter your used motor oil and run it in the fuel tank. Don't go over a 50/50% mix with it though.

I'd agree that Rotella T is some of the best oil for diesels. We've been using it in almost all of our diesels for as long as I can remember and its been great. Our Ford tractors are from the late 70's early 80's and have never had any engine work done on any of them and they run great.

as for the putting oil in the fuel, I wouldn't recommend it. That could mess up your fuel system pretty easily.

As for the 05 ford above that was getting bad mileage. I heard similar complaints while I was working at a Ford dealer. Would get those complaints from a small percentage of 6.0 owners. Something could be wrong with it, should have it checked. If nothing can be found a high flow exhaust and retune should help. A friend of my dad's has one with just the exhaust and is getting almost 20mpg from what he said.

 

[Stove]

O5 dmax owner here. I am running a suncoast IV, 1057 converter, air dog lift pumps, 5 inch mbrp exhaust, and custom tuned with efi-live. Tranny and tuning done by fleece performance. Take this advice, you can modify it lightly and be fine, but it you start going crazy it is going to cost you. I started with a handheld programmer, then bumped it up a little and roasted the tranny. So I figured since the tranny is built, might as well put a monster tune in it. I'm at 90k and noticed at small coolant puddle on the concrete. Looks like head gaskets in my future. So I will have head studs put in and turn it up more!! Cannot complain, I am running it on kill most of the time, plow snow with it, farm, pull trailers and so on. I knew it was only a matter of time! It still makes me smile to walk away from most cars on the road.

Look up fleece or danville performance, both are close to you. Also make sure your dealer is mod friendly, or what things they won't give you grief about.

 

[kong1911]

I have an 06 chevy cc dually 4x4 diesel & haven't noticed much difference in mileage with most of the fuels today. Mine is and will remain completely stock. I just returned from a 2 week, 3500 mile trip thru New England with the truck & averaged a hair over 18 mpg. I was very happy with that. I too use Rotella T oil and I might add to keep a clean air filter in the truck. I was getting 15 or so mpg untill I changed the air filter before the trip and it already paid for itself. I bought the 06 new just because I didn't want to have all the emissions junk & especially didn't want the DPF.
I also want to throw out a special thank you to esrice for the friends & family hotel discount that he offered us here on INGO. I used it at a few hotels & saved enough that we could stay at nicer hotels....

 

[Hotdoger]

I just bought a 2005 F350 diesel. So far I've gotten about 11 MPG with fuel from Speedway.

I have an 2002 F350 7.3 diesel, 4 wheel drive, crew cab dullay. 11 is normal with it.

BTW only u joints, tires and brakes in over 100,000 miles.

 

[jontheturboguy]

DO NOT DO THIS IN 2007 and LATER DIESEL TRUCKS!!!! AND IT ISN'T A GOOD IDEA IN MOST DIESELS MADE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS!

This is a sure fire way to trash your fuel system and after treatment. I work for Cummins, and we get reports almost weekly of people that have destroyed their engines by doing this.

Modern fuel injection systems have very tight clearances, and even the finest filtered used motor oil can still clog these fuel systems up and cause permanent damage.

It can also damage or destroy the expensive aftertreatment many 2007 and later trucks are running to control emisions.

He is correct. Listen to this man. The new fuel injectors (Siemens, Bosch, Delphi, etc) have EXTREMELY tight tolerances in them and very fine micron filters.

I too work for Cummins.

Congrats on one nice truck!

I work for Allison Transmission in Speedway, and although when GM sold us because we were too profitable for them, they kept the Baltimore Allison plant that makes that 6 speed tranny. Part of the stipulation for sale was that we monitor the quality because we don't like hearing about our transmissions failing. You would not believe how hard we test our transmissions. We litterally beat the heck out of them to make them better. I truly hope GM is keeping up their part of the bargain.

Keep us posted on how you like your truck as it ages, and me especially because I work in the Allison test department and would like to know how your tranny treats you.

My family owns several Allison dealerships. Allison builds the best auto transmission on the planet, bar none. Keep the transmission cool, and she'll run for a very very long time through all the abuse you can throw at her.

I'd agree that Rotella T is some of the best oil for diesels. We've been using it in almost all of our diesels for as long as I can remember and its been great. Our Ford tractors are from the late 70's early 80's and have never had any engine work done on any of them and they run great.

Rotella T is some of the best. I also like the Delvac 1300 Super as it has more MPZ in it than Rotella. Sometimes its on sale too, and cheaper than the Rotella.

as for the putting oil in the fuel, I wouldn't recommend it. That could mess up your fuel system pretty easily.

Unless you have a way of filtering the used oil down to "x" microns, I would not recommend running any thing but diesel in your NEW diesel truck.

As for the 05 ford above that was getting bad mileage. I heard similar complaints while I was working at a Ford dealer. Would get those complaints from a small percentage of 6.0 owners. Something could be wrong with it, should have it checked. If nothing can be found a high flow exhaust and retune should help. A friend of my dad's has one with just the exhaust and is getting almost 20mpg from what he said.

When I got my 04' 6.0 Powerstroke, it was getting 8mpg. Horrible. Had several boost leaks, clogged fuel filters, old oil, and I replaced all 8 injectors.

After I replaced every thing, I was seeing 20-21mpg. Now with a little over 9,000 on the injectors, I see around 18mpg steadily.

I have an 2002 F350 7.3 diesel, 4 wheel drive, crew cab dullay. 11 is normal with it.

BTW only u joints, tires and brakes in over 100,000 miles.

11 is not "normal." My 96 F350 powerstroke, with an AUTO, would get 16-18mpg.

Sounds like you guys have a bad fuel system, poor injectors, or boost leaks.