Road Trip, Upgrades Rule!!!!!

[ChevysRus]

Well I am just back from a 1700 mile round trip to Seattle and back from SF. Went up to get my car trailer for the summer car show circuit. My son uses the trailer in Seattle for his winter passion...snowmobiles and I get it in the summer for my passion...Streetrods!

OK so what can I say......I am as happy as a pig in s..t! The upgrades and the new airbox are absolutely like day and night! I thought the truck ran great before and I was worried about doing the upgrades...man was I wrong.

My MPG was running about 17.8 highway and city mixed. Running up to Seattle mty averaged 19.4 and the truck never downshifted not once over the syskiyus (spelled that wrong I know)or any other grade between here and Seattle. Just chugged along and kept on getting up! Went 728 miles on one tank of fuel! Very happy to finallyt stop and take a leak Ha Ha (that 45 gallon TransFer flow tank really is handy).

On the way back towing a 28' Haulmark 4900 lbs mty. Averaged 13.8, but the real treat was the power and the ability to run at any speed I chose, pass anyone I wanted to pass and "attack" all the grades and hills coming back. Downshifted, yes absolutely, but only where necessary and upshifted smoothly and quickly. Not as "busy" as before and now only when necessary.
Watching the tach, it rarely jumped above 2500 rpm when it downshifted and before it was always RED LINE TIME! I can't be sure, but it seemed to me downshifts were to 4th under the revised software and before I think all the downshifts were to 3rd. Might be wrong on this, but definitely different under revised software and I like it a lot!

So it was a good trip and now for the fun part...

Wife and I counted 83 2500HD's on the way up and back. 38 of these were DMAX's based on something on the door above the 2500 emblem. Could have been something other than the Duramax emblem as I was not that close to see all of them, but counted everything that had something just above the 2500 emblem. There were several dually's as well, but we didn't count them. Also there were several GMC's but couldn't tell for sure if 2500 and if they were a DMAX as emblems are different so didn't count GMC's. Pretty impressive if you
ask me, that many CHEBBY's on the road. We counted them on both sides of the highway.

Now the highlight was the guy with the 60' Motor Coach (looked like a Marathon $150K+) with the White 2500HD DMAX being towed behind the motor home! I think his mileage would have been better if he switched places and towed the coach with the DMAX LOL! On top of this he had a 4 wheeler ATV in the truck bed. Must be an ex-Enron Executive who sold all his stock early! LOL

OK My truck performed flawlessly and really ran great. I did not use the Tow/Haul mode except twice on a really big grade and a similar steep downgrade (wanted to use the transbrake function).

I enjoyed the new "feel" or "touch" of the fuel pedal. With or without cruise as simple light lift of the pressure would get an upshift quickly.

Anyway, will get a chance to haul the trailer loaded soon and wills ee what changes,

Regards,

[ 04-07-2002: Message edited by: ChevysRus ]</p>

[MudNurI]

sounds to me as your as happy as I am LOL! of course, I didn't pull anything..but its almost quad time.

John and I saw probably 200 HD's being 2500 or 3500...once we got to Florida, we must have seen 15 of them that were lifted, that was a sight.

glad to hear it all went well!

Brandy :D

[stillracing]

I have a CA model and you describe my truck without the mods. What are your updates which you like the best. My signiture is missing a Flowmaster muffler and I took off the catalitic (sorry) converter.

[ChevysRus]

I have to figure out this signature thing so I don't have to answer this so often LOL Mine is a eary 2001 built November 2001. It ran fine before and I was apprehensive about doing the upgrades as some had reported worse performance after the upgrades. But when I had a chance to get the new airbox I went ahead and had all the software upgrades as well. I suppose the best one was the change to the shifting with cruise on. Used to shift with just the slighest grade change and it really came suddenly and harsh! Red line. Now the downshifts were smooth and not high reving of the engine, upshifts followed also smoothly and quick. I got to where I could tell when it was going to upshift by the sound of the "rattle" in the engine. Without cruise and when it downshifted, I could control the upshift timing by just lifting the pedal lightly and it would up shift everytime, even if I was still on the grade.

I think the new airbox has contributed highly to the power improvement as well. So while your 2002 has all these features installed ex factory, my 2001 now has these same factory enhancements and glad it seems to sound like it performs as well as your 2002. I now have 15K on the truck and I will have owned it one year end of this May.

Thanks for your feedback and these trucks really Rock!

[01_Duramax_Dually]

ChevysRus,
Well Hiddy Ho,
You pour on 1700 miles and I did an 1100 mile deal. I did all my miles in a appx a 24 hour period. :eek:
I posted about my run as well. I really leaned on it this time, I was in a hurry.

Glad to hear your trip went well. My wife also counted from time to time the 2500HD's, at one point I think she was up to 30. Almost all of them were pulling 5th wheels and some beauties at that. I saw one Aspenlite 5'er. Must have been 30 footer or more. Looked like a Class A then I pass it and it was being pulled along by a2500HD.. :D

Again saw just a couple of Dually's and again all were white in color and all 8.1's..no DMAX'ers :(

Did you check you oil after the trip?. I was curious if you saw any useage. I checked mine before I left and when I got back. I used what looks to be a pint or so. I did not add any but will watch it.

Regards

Jeff

[ChevysRus]

Well Jeff, I know you spent money in Vegas, but doesn't sound like it was at the Casino's ha ha

I have to correct my above post where I said I had an early 2001. It was built in November 2000 not 2001 obviously. Time flys when you are having fun.

I left with the oil down 2 notches on the stick. I should have changed it before I left, but not enough time. I added a qt. on the way back just because I was towing. I also am a little concerned about the post on the guy who got the new engines on basis some of the early engines didn't have enough oil supply to the upper engine (See Fuel in oil). So any low oil could make that a worse situation so better to keep it topped off. I am now just over 15K and no more free oil changes.

So I am going to go with the Mobil Delvac 1 5W-15 synthetic. If not synthetic then the Delvac 1300S 15W-40. Check the post from "fuel in Oil" for details.

Anyway trip was great, left Seattle yesterday at 0600 and arived home at 8:30 last night. Drove it straight through, but stopped a few times as had my grandaughter with me and she can sit in a car seat only so long! Truck ran awesome and I am learning how to drive it better myself. Ran about 70-75 on the way up and ran about 65-70 on the way back. CA towing limit is 55MPH! I had the unfortunate opportunity to meet a CHP officer up close and very personal a couple of weeks ago where he thanked me for the $332 donation I just made. So I have to cool it for the next 18 months, bummer! :mad: :( redface.gif :confused: