Silverado Diesel Half-Ton Promises More Power Than Ever

It has been a most unusual year for the diesel pickup market. Demand for diesel powered trucks remains high, but chip shortages have produced hiccups in fulfilling demand. This was followed by other shortages and news of a halt on production for Duramax-powered GM trucks.

Nevertheless, despite these temporary distractions, there's light at the end of the tunnel and plenty of buzz-producing stories circulating right now. Just yesterday Motor1 published this story titled "2023 Chevrolet Silverado HD Could Get Diesel With Over 500 HP: Report."

As is well-known, Ford F-Series trucks have been the top selling pickup for years. Ram Trucks have had a fairly secure hold on second place based on both reputation and performance. Chevy, however, has not been sitting idle and with the "reveal" of their 2022 Silverado last week showed that they are making an intentional move to displace the Ram to move up the ladder in the half-ton truck hierarchy.

Last week Chevy unveiled its 2022 Silverado, and this week has revealed its plans for the 2023 season. That's what yesterday's report at Motor1 was about.

The article begins by Chris Bruce begins by noting that the largest pickups in the family are still under wraps. GM's spotlight is on the half-ton, calling the Silverado ZR2 "the new flagship off-roader in this model's lineup." The focus is not on styling here. Leadership in the realm of horsepower and torque is the target for Silverados of the future.

Bruce begins with details about how comfortable the truck is before giving us a look under the hood. Here you will find a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine that has a lot of gumption, producing 420 hp and 460 lb-feet of torque. This is hooked up to a 10-speed automatic transmission with extra features to assist in maximizing traction. It also has a "Terrain" driving mode for crawling.

The writer details aspects of the "new look" on this machine as well as tech upgrades and interior improvements, including a fully customizable instrument display. There are gizmos galore. The Safety Assist Suite has collision alerts, lane keeping assistance, automatic emergency braking, and other technically advanced safety features. We've come a long ways since Ralph Nader's Unsafe at Any Speed over 55 years ago.

It's the powertrain upgrades that most interest us here. There are actually four engines available for the 2022 Silverado. They are the turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder, 5.3-liter V8, 6.2-liter V8, and 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel. Describing their capabilities, Bruce writes, "The turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder now makes 310 hp (231 kW) and 420 lb-ft (569 Nm), rather than 310 hp and 348 lb-ft (472 Nm) for the current version. This lets rear-drive versions of the truck now tow up to 9,600 pounds."

And then there is this surprise: a Silverado with a rear-drive 3.0-liter inline-six turbodiesel that can purportedly tow as much as 13,300 pounds. Over six-and-a-half tons. That's a 28 percent increase in towing capacity, achieved in part by a strengthened chassis, improved cooling and 3.73 drive ratio (as opposed to the standard 3.23 ratio.)

The article goes into greater detail than we're providing here, and there are plenty of photos to whet your appetite for more.

See the full story here at Motor1.

2021 Silverado: Diesel Duramax Is The Only Engine You Should Get

Silverado: It's what's under the hood that counts.

Last week GM announced that it would not be producing any more Duramax diesel engines for the rest of 2021. A lot of folks were bummed, both the workers and execs at GM and everyone whose hearts have been captured by the the most recent Duramax iterations.

The good news is that 2022 isn't really that far away, and September is the season when we begin to see next year's cars and trucks being unveiled. Even so, we have automotive journalists continuing to write about the vehicles we love, even if we can't own them yet because of parts shortages.

Along these lines Business2Community.com published a story by Nigel Atkinson about the 2021 Chev Silverado 1500 and its Z71 Duramax diesel engine. Atkinson gushes over this engine like a schoolboy worshipping his first love.

The first paragraph notes that the Silverado's competitors --  Ram 1500 and Ford F-150 -- had interior features that make the Silverado feel "cheap." Nevertheless, when it comes to trucks, it's what's under the hood that counts. And for Atkinson, the 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel inline-six with 4WD is "the only option you should ever choose." Its 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque in conjunction with a smooth 10-speed transmission... who could ask for anything more?

What does a high-tech diesel engine look like today? The Duramax has an aluminum block and cylinder head, twin overhead camshafts, and four valves per cylinder. "I uses a variable-geometry turbo which can adjust the boost pressure based on load, as well as an electronically controlled variable-flow intake manifold. These various features work together to maximize and maintain peak performance, especiall with regards to torque.  

Even though the 6.2-liter V8 delivers the same torque numbers, the Duramax produces power more efficiently, resulting in significant fuel savings. Atkinson said that in the course of a week he averaged nearly 22 mpg, much betterthan the 13.2 mpg in a Trail Boss with the 6.2-liter V8. The greener footprint (i.e., less CO2) is also noteworthy. That benefit alone should turn some heads.

On pavement the Silverado handles just fine and due to noise-cancelling features it doesn't rattle like the old diesels. The truck had trouble with certain kinds of road undulations, though for the most part it handled fine. This shortcoming was not due to the engine but rather to the suspension. When pulling out into traffic it good to know you have some oomph. The truck does 0 to 60 in 7.1 seconds.

Off road the Z71 package is very capable. Skid Plates, Twin Tube Shocks, Hill Descent Control, a 2-speed Transfer Case, Heavy Duty Air Filter and All Terrain Tires are part of this package.

Atkinson and team took to the trails in the Laguna Mountains, east of San Diego and just north of the border, so close that the Border Patrol is active in these parts. With humps and ruts, it's an ideal terrain for testing ground clearance and handling. 

After tackling Thing Valley Road, they went up to the twistier Sheep Mountain Road. The suspension did its job, as did the 4WD traction while climbing uphill. The low 4WD gear coming downhill worked great. 

As noted earlier, the interior was nothing fancy. It's not a luxury truck. The designers evidently focused on being functional. 

After detailing all the bells and whistles (and other options) Atkinson wrote that if it weren't for that turbo-diesel option, he would not recommend the Silverado. After putting it to the test for a week, he's changed his tune. "The motor," he states, "is absolutely brilliant."

Kudos to Chevy for what they have achieved with this engine and transmission. And even though it costs a little more, it's worth it. Or as Atkinson says, "It is money well spent." 

Here's a link to the full article, with photos.
https://www.business2community.com/automotive/2021-chevrolet-silverado-1500-z71-duramax-review-the-diesel-is-the-only-engine-you-should-get-02429584