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View Full Version : Duramax needs to be recalled and repalced with the Cat.



4x4hunter
12-26-2004, 07:38
Duramax might be adequate in your 2500 or 3500 daily driver but it can't live up GM's claims as a commercial-type engine in their Medium Duty truck line.

We run 4500 Kodiaks and deliver power boats and yachts - all loads are below GM's listed GCWs.

After a 4 month battle, GM repurchased one of our units under the Texas Lemon Law. It wouldn't, couldn't run despite 4 different dealerships trying to make it run. Turbo, catalytic convertor, left cylinder head, injectors and numerous sensors, etc. replaced. Problems started at approx. 19,000 miles. What a piece of junk, costing us some $87,000 in lost business. The dealer we delivered this unit to, still has it in storage since 7/'04 waiting for GM to collect it.

The truck that replaced this one is now encountering similar problems. RPM drops to 2000, no power. It has 24,000 miles on the clock. It's broken down at the 10th dealership in a row, over some 2200 miles, in Englewood, CO. On this journey, truck was towed into Tucson, just before Thanksgiving, where they took a week to replace the turbo. (We believe this was not our problem). Good luck in finding any parts for your LLY at the dealers! It made it 60 miles from there to Benson and was towed in and delaer replaced the fuel filter. (even though fuel filter was replaced 1000 miles prior).

Then broke down in Albuq., NM where another fule filter was replaced. Driver insisted this fuel filter be cut open and fuel tanks checked for water or contamination. Filter absolutely clean and tests on tanks negative.

Driver limped in to Dallas (home base) and dealer took complete fuel delivery system apart as too high vacuum readings. After a week forund small cracked plastic fitting on fuel filter housing.

Truck went to Detroit. Electrical problems on the way. That took 3 dealers before was correctly fixed. After loading power boat in Detroit for San Diego - 2000 RPMs and no power. Dealer diagnosed bad catalytic convertor. 3 days to order and install (this is Detroit! Motor city! Not far from Flint! No dealers have any in stock!)

After encountering same problems en route, and 3 more dealers, scratching their asses (which also requires some sort of diagnostic code!) we're now down in CO still trying to get to Calif. and deliver a 7800 pound boat. No way will it make the grades through CO.

In our experience this engine is Isuzu junk and just doesn't cut it. If have to replace this unit we'll have to go up to a 6500 and get the Cat. Too bad GM doesn't offer the Cat in their smaller class trucks - then again many more complaints like ours, they just might have to.

J-M
12-26-2004, 08:37
Wow. I hate to hear of the bad luck you are having, since I just bought a 4500. We have pulled to Ohio and Florida and back. The truck ran fine. Lacks the power the 02 with the Juice had , run pulled great other wise. Please keep me informed on what you find . thanks

More Power
12-26-2004, 16:20
4x,

The following two examples of medium-duty use and really heavy-duty use in a 3500 suggest an alternative ending to this story.

The Duramax Diesel Power Tour (http://www.thedieselpage.com/duramax/powrtour.htm) accumulated 60-70K at last report before Powertrain pulled the plug on the Power Tour.

Pull-Off V (http://www.thedieselpage.com/features/pulloff04.htm) included a C4500 D/A. The owner uses his truck to hot-shot new RV travel trailers and 5th wheels all over the country. The only concern I remember from talking with the owner was a front-end alignment issue. If I remember correctly, he had about 40K on his C4500 in July.

MP

Tractor
12-26-2004, 17:15
All are good,All are bad at times. I,am a CAT Guy. Wish I could get one in a Dually. At work we recently had engine troubles with 2 3176 CAT,s at about 100,000 to 150,000 miles. One just droped a valve I belief. They get the heck beat out of them plowing snow. But well maintained. We got great service out of the old Detroit Diesels. Used to pull a 110,000lb hot oil plant with a 8v71 all over our district. Which included several pulls through the Bear Lodge mountains over by Sundance, Wyo. It was turned up a bit. Used to call him BRUTUS.
TRACTOR

JB6600
12-27-2004, 15:39
We have a C-4500 to pull our 5th wheel with.So far we have not had any problems with it.Have been to the west coast and back plus several other trips.Trailer loaded weighs around 13k.
http://users.tc3net.com/jbrown/MVC-014S.JPG

dmaxalliTech
12-27-2004, 16:21
If I may go out on a limb here, I'd say the truck, albeit not fixed, is not the true problem. Sounds to me like the overall general lack of knowledge at work here. Looking at what has been done to both trucks, I see a lot of parts replacing. I relize it has to be hard to find a good dealer to go to when traveling cross country like that all the time, but I think thats what it boils down too....finding somebody that can fix what may be a relatively minor issue

J-M
12-27-2004, 16:39
Nice truck JB6600. What have you done to it? Or is it still stock from the factory? I am looking for an air filter for mine, can't seam to find anything.

J-M
12-27-2004, 16:47
4x4Hunter. Has anyone checked for an improper or lost computor ground or any problems there. A lost or missing computor ground can wreek havock with the truck and cause alot of good techs to scratch their heads?

JB6600
12-27-2004, 17:35
J-M,only thing dones done are the box,Morryde R/L suspention and Set of air ride seats............Ordered the 4:30 axles for a little better milage..JB.

J-M
12-28-2004, 16:05
Mine has the 4.30 gears also.How do you like them so far? We have the Airride air suspension on the rear, man it thet a nice thing. This truck really rides good. Plus tou can dump the air andjust drive under the trailer, hit the switch and air it back up.I am trying to find an after market air filter for this truck,can not seem to find one yet.Got any ideas?

cowboywildbill
12-29-2004, 10:31
Sounds fishy to me, How about some VIN #s maybe someone can check it out.

J-M
12-29-2004, 16:51
CoyboyWildBill, How has things been since I saw ya'll at Congress? J-M.

Kennedy
12-31-2004, 11:17
My Duramax has pulled everything that I've asked it to. I'd be curious to know what form of backup mode you are going into. Is it Trans or engine related?

madmatt
01-12-2005, 18:56
if you don't like the duramax, you'd be disqusted w/ the C7 curently offered in this chassis. They have Engine destroying injector tip failures and are cracking heads internally between the #5&#6 injector bore allowing fuel in coolant and vice versa. not to mention being even worse to work on it is even harder to find a good CAT dealer rather then a great GM shop.

ksss
01-20-2005, 14:08
I hope this is a "freak" occurance and not representative of the 45-5500 as I just bought a 5500 crew cab 4X4 several weeks ago. I am still waiting on the flatbed to be built so I have not run it much yet.

lineman
01-21-2005, 09:44
We have 3 2003 5500 D-Maxs with the Allisons here at work. All have 38'booms on them and all have 20k plus miles on them.All have lots and lots of hours on them because of our line working jobs.Only one has had any real trouble.Mine had all 8 injectors changed out along with one sensor. All the rest have had only some sensors go out.All these miles are in town only,stop and go and long idle times.All the trucks weigh about 17000 lbs.I'm happy with them!

CATCRACKER
01-25-2005, 09:12
how about an option for the 8.3 cummins or the dt466 detroits. some bad engines without all the problems. remember deisel engines are supposed to go at least 400K without major problems. isuzu builds larger inline engines that are bad and would be a perfect fit for this application. I own one in a 2650 linkbelt excavator..its bad to the bone! its a big inline 6

Jim Brzozowski
01-25-2005, 10:23
I'll go out on that same limb with dmaxalliTech, its the people who don't know what they are doing. In MHO its really the fault of the corporate giants who want to use the computer to do the instant design and stay one step ahead of the competition. Back when--- the mechanical control world--the designs didn't change much and everybody and their uncle knew how to work on them if they wanted to. In todays techno world a very very few turn out the designs, they get into production and a very very few are trained adequately to trouble shoot and until they gain some experience time at getting to the real problem, parts changing seems to be what they throw at it until they finally hit on the right part. Unfortunately for some its devistating to their business to be shut down while this occurs. If you talk to enough people it seems we are all in this together. There are a few really great technitions and I've know some obvously num scull service writers that should be somewhere else. I'm extremely happy with my truck so far and like JK it's pulled everything I've asked it to. Hope you get your issues resolved to your satisfaction. Best of luck to yu.

Brad Pelot
01-26-2005, 09:15
The DT 466 engine, is an International. We have had at least 30 of them over the years, great, durable engine.