XDP Story Features Upgrades for the Diesel-Powered 2001-2004 GM 6.6L LB7 Duramax

It's well known that General Motors had a few stumbles with regards to early efforts to produce diesel vehicles. Fortunately they found their footing and for many, the Silverado is golden. 

In June XDP published an informative story on the 2001-2004 GM 6.6L LB7 Duramax. The article begins by noting how the heavy-duty truck scene was altered when Dodge teamed up with Cummins. A dozen years later, GM introduced a diesel engine that would make them a contender in the diesel market. Introduced in 2001, the superior Duramax replaced the Detroit Diesel 6.5L, incorporating state-of-the-art technology.

According to the XDP story, the design of this new engine was initiated four years earlier when GM and Isuzu linked arms to create a partnership called DMAX Ltd. Production of the LB7 commenced three years later. The 6.6L V8 had four valves per cylinder and delivered 300 hp along with 520 lb-ft of torque.

This was a revolutionary engine, with turbocharger, intercooler and direct injection (features that are commonplace today but were not at that time.) Its most significant feature was the use of common rail technology developed by Bosch, a first amongst the big three, two years before Dodge and seven before Ford. The engine was also lighter, with aluminum cylinder heads. Ford adopted lightweight aluminum cylinder heads a dozen years later in its 2011 Powerstroke.

The author places a spotlight on the real "star of the show" for many enthusiasts. The Allison 1000 was "arguably the first automatic transmission in its class worthy of being mated to a diesel." In short, it was a marriage made in heaven. 

If you preferred a manual, instead of the 5-speed Allison tranny, you could choose a ZF 6-speed manual. The Allison 1000, however, became the more popular choice.

The new LB7 Duramax was available in some of the other GM brands including the GMC Sierra 2500HD and 300HD, and the medium duty Chev Kodiak and GMC TopKick. In addition to the engine and drivetrain upgrades there were also some new body styles introduced. The author goes into detail on many of these features as well.

The article is actually a Buyer's Guide with XDP noting out the pros and cons of this iteration of the Silverado. The biggest problem had to do with the LB7 fuel injectors. The fuel injector problems were so common that they had a recall to replace them with an updated design. Warranties helped keep GM owners from bailing out completely. 

XDP cited the primary pros and cons as follows:

Pros
Allison Automatic Transmission
IFS For a Smooth/Comfortable Ride
Common Rail Fuel System with CP3 Pump
Different Exterior Styling Choices (’01-’02 Silverado, ’03-’04 Silverado, or GMC Sierra)

Cons
Body/Frame Rust
Weak Tie Rod Ends
Brake/Fuel Lines Prone to Rust
Factory Dowel Pin that Holds the Harmonic Balancer in place can Shear.

* * * 
The latter part of the article--Popular Aftermarket Upgrades--is really the meat of the story. Everything else is setup, laying the foundation for readers to make informed decisions.

If you have a 2001-2004 GM 6.6L LB7 Duramax, this is a highly informative Buyer's Guide piece that you may wish to read and bookmark. Check it out here: https://tinyurl.com/hz7k6ktc

Related Links
Duramax Diesel Vehicles
Shopping for a Used Diesel Truck? Here's the Best & the Worst
Blue Flame Diesel Oils & other Champion Products at XDP

New Diesel Engine Oil Technologies Lead To Improved Performance and Efficiency

Photo by Josiah Farrow on Unsplash

Since the mid-1970s the U.S. government has taken on the role of setting standards for fuel efficiency and reduction of emissions. In 1975 Congress implemented Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which has been a driver for much of the change that has occurred in engine design during the past five decades. The trigger at that time was the OPEC oil embargo that caused shortages and a spike in fuel prices, so the initial standards were more focused on fuel consumption.

Efforts to reduce emissions gradually increased in importance in subsequent decades. Along with engine design improvements it became apparent that more advanced lubricants were needed to achieve the goals being required by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Near the end of July Fleet Owner magazine published a story about emissions efficiency related to new diesel engine oil technologies. The aim of this story is to help fleet owners and managers understand the new formulations being introduced to satisfy global fuel economy targets. What follows are some highlights from this article.

An engine oil's main task is to reduce friction and ensure that moving parts are kept from coming in contact with one another. (This latter function is why film strength is increasingly important.) Oil is also necessary to transfer heat away from the engine and remove impurities and debris that might collect on critical parts.

With the technical advances taking place in diesel engine, driven by the need for greater efficiency, the lubricants are experiencing greater stress. Not only must they perform under harsher conditions for longer oil-drain intervals, they must do so in the presence of biofuels, without compromising protection.

In recent decades we've seen the introduction of significantly thinner oils for automobiles. It's been recognized that there are also gains to be made in the heavy duty truck market by means of lower-viscosity oils. How far can one go without compromising engine durability?

The rest of this article presents the results of field trials by Shell pertaining to fuel economy in Class 8 trucks. The data they have analyzed is drawn from 39 million miles of testing with CK-4 and FA-4 technologies. (See: Understanding CK-4 and FA-4) 

The first benefit is that lengthened oil drain intervals can result in major oil savings for fleets due to fewer oil changes. Using a higher quality oil, as opposed to one meeting minimum standards, drain intervals would nearly double and oil usage nearly cut in half.

A higher quality diesel engine oil is more impervious to oil breakdown, which makes longer oil drain intervals possible. The majority of these oils use synthetic or hybrid basestocks. The article details Shell's tiered offerings for the various engine types. You can find the Champion Brand diesel oils for your application here.

Related Links

Here's help to select the right diesel oil for your application:
www.DieselOilMatters.com

OEMs, Fleets Improve Performance and Efficiency with New Engine Oil Technologies

This Custom-Designed Diesel-Powered Land Rover Served Britain's Prince Philip Well

Photo Steve Parsons. Getty Images. No copyright infringement intended.

With our editors on vacation, we're re-posting a few of our favorite stories from the previous year. This story, published this spring, caught a lot of eyeballs. 

Funerals are a pretty big deal when it comes to the rich and famous. This is especially so when royalty is involved That is why we saw news stories from nearly every angle regarding the the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Most of these were articles about the life of Philip, of course, but also articles detailing the history of royal funerals through the decades, the dress code for such funerals, the things that are different from normal because of the pandemic, decisions made that may be unexpected, guest lists and other details that must be attended to.

And then there is the story of Prince Philip's custom-designed diesel-powered Land Rover that will serve as his hearse. 

I've heard of people building their own coffins, but this is the first time I've ever heard about a personally-designed hearse. It is a Land Rover that the prince has been tweaking for 16 or 18 years, depending on which news source your read. Either way, it's actually quite a story.

The Duke driving a Land Rover with the Queen in 1955.

It's well known that people who love Land Rovers really love them. They're dedicated. When Prince Philip began to consider his mortality, and all the fanfare that goes along with royal funerals, he simultaneously began sowing the seeds for a no-frills funeral, starting with the hearse itself. "Just stick me in the back of a Land Rover and driver me to Windsor," he purportedly told the Queen.

Specific decisions made by Prince Philip include the military green paint job, the open top rear, and special rubber grips on silver metal pins to hold the coffin in place. The vehicle itself is a Land Rover Defender TD5 130 chassis cab vehicle. Revealed Thursday for the first time, it generated much publicity on it own. 

According to Sky News, the Prince began the project in 2003 when he turned 82, working directly with Land Rover to get what he wanted. The selection of a 4-wheel drive Defender is intriguing. The Defender, introduced in the 1980s, was in 1998 fitted with a new 2.5-liter, five-cylinder inline turbodiesel engine badged the Td5, which replaced the Tdi in order to meet Euro III emissions regulations. Called either a straight five or an inline five, the cylinders are aligned in a row. It's both compact and efficient, using electronic control systems to produce 122 hp at 4850 rpm.  

There's symbolism in the selection of this vehicle. It's not ostentatious. It's sturdy and utilitarian, a functional vehicle for the common man. The Duke of Edinburgh was so enamored by the idea of using the Land Rover as a hearse that he made two backups in case something went wrong with the first during the intervening years from concept to this moment in time.

Here are links to stories about the hearse and the funeral:

Sky News story about the hearse designed by the Duke of Edinburgh 
Fox News story about Prince Philip's Land Rover hearse
The Royal Funeral
Telegraph feature on the Royal Hearse

We have a number fresh stories lined up for next week. If you have not signed up to our feed, you can find that in the right hand column here.

Throwback Thursday: Towing Insights We All Can Use

With our editors on vacation, we're re-posting a few of our favorite stories from the previous year. This story was published this past November.

One of the primary features of diesel engines--besides the fact that they last longer--is the power they generate for towing. Open your eyes and look around. What kinds of engines are doing all the work? It's diesel. 

So, whether you're towing horses to the county fair or hauling a bulldozer to a job site, your truck is likely a diesel powered machine.  

Having the right engine isn't the only thing you need to know about towing. While checking out the Diesel Power Products website yesterday I found this article on towing that was chock full of useful information for people who tow. Having written about towing in the past, I found it to be a fairly thorough discussion of issues you need to concern yourself with. These include:

Attaching the Load

Stopping the Load

Supporting the Load

Securing the Load

Balancing the Load

and Moving the Load

Years ago I heard a story about a bulldozer that slid off the back of a flatbed and killed two people because it wasn't properly secured. This is not an experience you want to have. When I was young I saw an inexperienced driver flip her car while towing a small house trailer. I was with my uncle who was a volunteer fireman and rescue squad worker. We were first on the scene and helped avert a bigger tragedy. 

If you ever do any towing, or plan to, this helpful article on The Basics of Towing with Your Diesel is informative and worth bookmarking.  

Related Links
A Quick Guide to Diesel Power Products 
Pickups That Can Tow More Than 30,000 Pounds

Champion Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oil Recommended for Limited-Edition Shelby F-250 Super Baja Pick-Up

With our editors on vacation, we're re-posting a few of our favorite stories from the previous year. This story appeared in March.

In February the story broke about the new Shelby F-250 Super Baja Limited. It was a fun story because for many, this is what dreams are made of. The name alone is iconic, in part because of its celebrated history. It's not every day that you see a car designer featured on the silver screen. (Ford v. Ferrari) Then again, the Shelby story really does at times appear to be bigger than life.

So it with special enthusiasm that I read yesterday's news headline: 

Champion Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oil Recommended for Limited-Edition Shelby F-250 Super Baja Pick-Up 

Here's the rest of the story.

Champion Oil, a global leader in performance diesel engine oil now celebrating its 65th anniversary, announced that Shelby American is recommending Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oil  for its new Ford Shelby F-250 Super Baja, a Limited-Edition off-roading pick-up truck. 

“We deigned the Shelby F-250 Super Baja pickup to perform under extreme conditions, both on and off-road," said Gary Patterson, president of Shelby American. “With 6.7-liter V8 Power Stroke Turbo Diesel churning out 475-horsepower and 1,050 pound-feet of torque, the truck can really fly. For such an aggressive application, we recommend using Champion’s Blue Flame 15w40 CK4/SN Performance Diesel Engine Oil."  

Built for Shelby in Elkhart, Indiana, by Tuscany Motor Co., and in Las Vegas by the Shelby American team, the trucks will be sold at select Ford dealers in the U.S. Each will be documented in the official Shelby Registry. Production will be limited to only 250 vehicles.

Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oils are formulated with workhorse high-zinc performance additives, superior protection, advanced polymer technology, and high TBN, supported by a carrier blend of synthetic fluids. The Shelby F-250 Super Baja needs a total of 13 quarts of oil including the capacity of the oil filter.

In addition, Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oils deliver unmatched high temperature film strength and lubricity protection, with the muscle to combat oil shear and maximize sustained cylinder compression. They also inhibit oxidation, corrosive acids, sludge and varnish build-up. 

These robust performance oils keep diesel engines going longer by reducing soot-induced engine wear, controlling abrasive soot contamination and preventing high temperature corrosion, even while allowing for improved fuel economy and lower total cost of ownership. They are proven to increase engine horsepower and torque. https://www.championbrands.com/diesel-engine-oils/

About the company: Champion Brands, LLC, is a globally recognized industry leader in specialty lubricants for over 65 years. Champion Brands, LLC also produces and blends over 300 products including fuel, oil, engine additives, and lubricants for the racing, automotive, heavy truck, agricultural, industrial, and specialty markets. For more information about contact Champion at 660-890-6231. Champion Brands, LLC; 1001 Golden Drive, Clinton, MO  http://www.championbrands.com

Spotlight on the 1000hp Turbo Diesel Audi Quattro

With our editors are on vacation, we're re-posting a few of our favorite stories from the previous year. This story appeared in February

The name Audi is synonymous with quality. And why not? Throughout its history the company has epitomized German engineering. 

This week, Grand Tour Nation published an article by Alex Harrington about an Audi Quattro that makes over a thousand horsepower from its turbo-diesel engine. The story is accompanied by video footage that makes your mouth water. 

The Audi Quattro emerged from the road rally era. It made its first appearance at the 1980 German Motor Show in March of that year with production continuing through 1991. Right from the start the Quattro began winning rallies and races around the world, establishing itself a major force at the time. One item that contributed to its success was a rules change that allowed the use of four-wheel drive in competition racing. In part it seems to be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. 

Harrington begins his account of the car with a tip of the hat to that history.

The Audi Quattro was, and still is, a hero of the Group B Rally era. It used one of the first AWD systems to be used in anything other than off-roading, and that made it one hell of a force to be reckoned with on the stages. The thing is, this means these Quattros are extremely expensive, so many fans have resorted to buying the lower specced variants and modding them. This restomod from LCE Performance found in Markdorf, Germany, is the perfect example of this, and it’s been done very, very well.

Harrington himself comes out of a racing background, hence his interest in a the Quattro seems only natural. The story includes video, more focused on the feeling of the vehicle than words about it. You hear the whirr as the machine rips past the camera, going through the paces.

Under the hood you'll find a network of aftermarket intakes, orchestrated "to improve the amount of air that can be sucked into the turbo-charged five-cylinder engine." 

Here's a pair of sentences that speak volumes:

With 49lbs of boost, it hit 1,081 horsepower. Thankfully, it features a Quattro AWD system to maintain traction when putting those horses to the tarmac.

The power plant is a 2.5-litre turbo diesel from an Audi A6. This vehicle has more than power, though. It's got style. 

Be sure to read the full story and watch the videos here:

This Audi Quattro Restomod Makes 1,000HP From A Turbo Diesel Engine

Making a Splash in the Marine Market: Diesel Outboards Catch Our Attention

This week our editors are on vacation, so we're posting our favorite stories worth repeating from the previous year. This is a story that got a surprising amount of traction when it ran in January.

Just because half the lakes in the country are covered with ice doesn't mean we can't think about the upcoming boating season. Eric Haun, editor of Marine News, wrote an interesting article last summer in Marine Link titled "Making the Case for Diesel Outboards." In it he shares insights about transitions taking place in the marine arena.

Haun begins by pointing out how more and more professionals are switching away from inboard motors to outboards on small military craft, workboats, patrol boats another others kinds of vessels that were historically inboard engine powered. This gives the boats several advantages including easier access to maintenance, quicker replacement and the extra space available inside the boat.

At this point the discussion turns to diesel outboards, which have advantages of their own, one of the foremost being fuel safety. The author writes, Compared to gasoline, diesel is a less flammable fuel and therefore much safer to work with in all working environments. In addition, with diesel engines the combustion of fuel takes place due to the heat generated by the compression of fuel and air inside the cylinder. Compression ignition is safer than petroleum being ignited by a spark plug, or any other spark.

One of Haun's sources was OXE Marine, a Sweden-based diesel outboard manufacturer. According to Myron Mahendra, CEO of OXE Marine, “Many vessels are hindered by regulations to carry petrol onboard if fire safe containment is not provided. The use of petrol is, therefore, a challenge for any vessel with tenders.”

He also spoke with U.K.-based Cox Powertrain, which makes diesel outboards as well. Cox noted that NATO has been pushing a single fuel idea, with the aim of maximizing equipment interoperability by using a single fuel option. This is one of the drivers behind the CXO300 diesel outboard Cox Powertrain has developed.

The end result here is that rescue vessels, naval and military vessels can refuel at the mother ship without being burdened with the hazard of highly volatile gasoline.

"Another benefit associated with diesel is efficiency," writes Haun. "Both Cox and OXE point to significant fuel savings compared to gas. Cox claims its 300-horsepower CXO300 offers roughly 30% fuel savings compared to its gasoline equivalent, while Mahendra says the 300-horsepower OXE 300, due to enter production shortly, uses up to 42% less fuel than a comparable gasoline outboard."

This fuel efficiency results in greater operational range so boats can stay out on the water longer.

Diesel outboards also have the usual advantages of diesel engines, including endurance, torque and flexibility. Though the price advantage goes to gas-powered outboards, one can make up the difference by comparing the life cycle costs of each and in most applications this would be fairly even.

The full article can be found here, with more photos as well.
https://www.marinelink.com/news/making-case-diesel-outboards-479456