duramax SUBURBAN and VAN is comming !!! [Archive]

Piney

02-06-2003, 23:28

I'm guessing it will be in the 3/4 ton versions of the van and suburban?? A conversion van with a duramax would be sick....I mean swwweeet. The GM vans have also come out with AWD. Again...that would be swwwweeeet! :D

[ 02-06-2003: Message edited by: Piney ]

FisHn2DMax

02-07-2003, 03:47

Has anyone seen a Class "C" GM chassis motorhome with a DuraMax/Allsion combo?

I've seen mostly Ford f-450/550 chassis with the ford triton V-10 gas and I've seen a powerstroke version, but I've never come across a DuraMax in Class "C" or "A" motorhome chassis?

I'm looking for a Class "C" 29 to 31' motorhome with the DuraMax/Allison combo. Last year at a the Local RV show, one of the dealers said that one of the RV manufactuers had the D/A combo, but I sure haven't seen it, nor can I find it on the Net?

:eek: tongue.gif

4meseb

02-07-2003, 19:01

Sounds like a Great Idea to me.
Maybe they'll put one of these new 6 speed automatic transmissions in it too.
http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=42337

Scott :rolleyes:

CanadaKev

02-08-2003, 12:00

20" wheels too!! smile.gif
Think they'll put them on the duallys as well?

Kev

Chris N5CWM

02-08-2003, 21:50

Been waiting for what seems to be an eternity to see some kind of press release regarding DMaxing the Suburban/Yukon XL! Now when I actually see one on the lot, then I'll believe it. But it is promising to hear something finally! smile.gif

Wheat Whacker

02-15-2003, 21:44

Talked to the GM rep today at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville today and asked him about the Dmax Suburbans. He said that they are supposed to be out for the 2005 model year. He also said they are supposed to be mated to an Allison. They are supposed to be building another plant to build Diesels in and possibly an inline Diesel(didn't know if I4 or I6). He wasn't sure which one they would put in the Suburbans though.

Diesel Dog

02-19-2003, 05:04

2005!! jeez, originaly it was going to be 2003. I am very sceptical at this point. I wish it would happen, but GM has been very secretive and slow in developing it. The proof is in the pudding. I have about given up though, and may have to settle for something else. Boy will I be upset if I do and they come out with a D-Max 'burb that I can't buy because I already got something else. that's how my luck goes though. GM strikes again!

Kent Tuttle

02-19-2003, 09:00

Diesel Dog, I'm with you on this whole diesel sub thing. I think GM is really missing the boat. I replaced my 99 sub with the truck because I wanted the D/A combo but if this combo had been available in the sub, or even just the motor I'm pretty certain I would have one in the drive way. Oh well, guess we will have to wait and see over the next couple of years :rolleyes:

elcamino

02-20-2003, 11:59

Don't hold your breath.

There was something in the paper last night about new EPA mileage ratings on SUV's and Ford and GM are po'd about it. It going to cost them billions of $$ to meet the new guideline and may result in downsizing of trucks and SUV's to meet them the article goes on to mention.

Professor

02-20-2003, 13:14

I don

More Power

07-17-2003, 11:59

http://www.thedieselpage.com/members/duramax/dmaxburb.htm

The first one!

MP

Victory Red

07-17-2003, 18:52

I too would jump at a Burb or custom van diesel. 1 week away from the family road trip 1100+miles each way. Intially was going to be six of us, now my mom-in-law and baby are being flown out instead(only way I can consider it a vacation from the get go :rolleyes: ). Anyhow the CC is nice, but still not a full size van or suv. Even if I had to give up some towing or hp(not my allison though) I'd be more than happy. General are you reading this?????

Diesel Dog

07-18-2003, 02:24

No they are not, unfortunitely. If they where even taking the idea seriously, we would have heard something by now. They gave up that market share and I doubt they will ever try to get it back. If they ever do, it will likely be too late, as people who really want the diesel SUV will have already converted to the other side. Ever day more and more of the 6.5L Suburbans hit the scrap heap. Many are replaced by the competitions diesel SUV option.
The darn glass is half empty on this one in my view. :(

koolgt

07-18-2003, 10:38

Originally posted by Diesel Dog:
No they are not, unfortunitely. If they where even taking the idea seriously, we would have heard something by now. They gave up that market share and I doubt they will ever try to get it back. If they ever do, it will likely be too late, as people who really want the diesel SUV will have already converted to the other side. Ever day more and more of the 6.5L Suburbans hit the scrap heap. Many are replaced by the competitions diesel SUV option.
The darn glass is half empty on this one in my view. :( hello there, i know i am new here, and dont mean to step on any toes or prove anyone wrong, but they are producing the duramax for the burb...they are making a V6 duramax with comperable power to its v8 brother, this plant should be producing engines by 2005 this is what i have heard around the plant...but havent heard anything lately

[ 07-18-2003, 12:54 PM: Message edited by: koolgt ]

sonofagun

07-18-2003, 11:24

Nice article Jim,

Now if the General could do it as well and in our lifetimes that would be a good thing for those waiting in line.

bob

Alli-max

07-18-2003, 14:45

Look at our MODERATOR!!!!!

Throwing out words like OFF THE HOOK! hehee...

Let me axe you a question SteveO... is it off the hook or off da huuuuk? ;)

chevmeister

07-18-2003, 16:56

whew glad there waiting for 2005. Last year I bought two new vehicles, this year I traded my wifes in already. If i traded her trailblazer in this year or next she would divorce me.
hmmm a dmax suburban.....
She would probably come back eventually?? right?

Diesel Dog

07-19-2003, 05:10

Kool,
Your not stepping on anything. We get zero info from GM. I e-mailed them three times over 2 years before I gave up and converted to a gasser. They kept saying that there are no plans to make a d-max suburban. Dealers here and there claim they are, and rumors abound. The problem is that GM won't talk normally, but when they do it's all hush hush and turns out to be misinformation. Guys, remember when it was the 2003 model year when it would be available?? Then the lamest exceses came out:
1) "We can't fit the Alllison in the suburban body without raising it, and that would be dangerous" Boy am I scared...
2) "We can't get the rear heat to work with the duramax" Cummon guys, that's a pretty lame excuse, why not use "the dog ate it" If you can't figure such a simple thing out, you have no business designing vehicles... or crossing the road.
Do tell what information you have please. There are still some other members here who would buy one. I shot my wad on last weeks purchase for at least 6-7 years.
If you get the impression that I am fed up, you are right on target.

koolgt

07-19-2003, 13:25

im glad im not stepping on toes...i hear stuff going around the plant some rumors some hold truth...i will tell you though the new 04i Duramax, will blow the old one out of the water, but dont look for it till after january, that is when we start producing it, we have ran some test engines through the line, i like the looks of the new dmax, and ur gonna love the new gerritt vained turbo:)

Fat Boy

07-19-2003, 22:48

That is one sweet rig! ME WANT! ME WANT!

But how, pray tell, did Mr. Armstrong manage to produce a fully functional Duramax Suburban for less than $25,000? The drive train alone would've been in excess of $15,000!!! Then throw in the body, glass, all interior components, computer/wairing harness, frame rail sections, accessories, trim, bumpers, etc...

I don't think there's any way that this could be done for that price, even with the use of "new" salvage parts as is mentioned in the article. The use of these "new" salvage parts also raises some questions about safety and reliability.

Not wanting to rain on the parade, but I'm calling foul on this one...

If, however, this is legit, and Bill did build this AWESOME rig for less than $25k, then I'll be starting my own project this weekend! Any comments Bill?

Even if it's not possible without special connections, thanks for giving us Sub-lovers hope...

Thanks,
Fat Boy

P.S. I'm also wondering why Bill didn't just start with a K2500 frame, and what difference a 2500-series body would have made?

WhiteDuramax

07-20-2003, 13:02

Koolgt,
you are pretty close to me, i live outside of ansonia. You have a Duramax i take it?

koolgt

07-20-2003, 22:26

Originally posted by WhiteDuramax:
Koolgt,
you are pretty close to me, i live outside of ansonia. You have a Duramax i take it? i dont have one personally..my close cousin has a fully loaded duramax LT longbed crewcab..i just work there:)

Michigana_Joe

10-04-2003, 10:21

Got the latest word on Duramax platforms from someone in the know.

The van will have it in 2006. That is *it*.

Really is a shame the H2/Tahoe/Suburban don't have it. Probably due to changing emission standards I imagine...

OC_DMAX

10-04-2003, 10:37

Given the fact that Koolgt is working holidays, overtime, etc to just meet the current demand, I would suspect that their plant is at capacity. No use offering the DMAX in more platforms if the capacity you have just meets your current requirements. Just speculation here.

GMC Dealer

10-04-2003, 14:34

I talked to my Medium Duty product trainer the other day and he told me that GM is NOT going to put the D-Max in the Yukon XL (or Sub.) because they would have to crash test the vehicles again. This apparently would cost too much. They will put a detuned D-max in the Vans with the 4L85E trans.

koolgt

10-04-2003, 19:47

Originally posted by OC_DMAX:
Given the fact that Koolgt is working holidays, overtime, etc to just meet the current demand, I would suspect that their plant is at capacity. No use offering the DMAX in more platforms if the capacity you have just meets your current requirements. Just speculation here. hey i respect u alot more for understanding, right now our plant is waaaay over production capacibility..the DMax plant was only made to run around 280 or so engines a day, GM did not expect the duramax to take off like it did..now were producing over 660 engines a day, we broke an all time record this past month of september, since start of production in 2000 we hit a new record 15,145 engines in a month...and since we hit that record, GM has asked up for alot more GM wants 16,500 engines by the end of october, and we plan on doing it...for as busy as we are now, and the many hours overtime, holidays, and weekends we are working now, we are reaching 99.8% quality which is awsome compared to how worn out we all are:) but to stay on topic, GM and isuzu are still engineering the V6 but when it does come out it, will be in the burb, the tahoe, and the van, its an unexplored avenue that GM is going to take, and take by storm:)

Cliffee

10-04-2003, 20:12

The suburban will not get the Allison. It has to do with a ground clearance issue. I heard about the Duramax/Suburban almost 2 years ago.

jbplock

10-05-2003, 04:11

Originally posted by koolgt:
...and since we hit that record, GM has asked up for alot more GM wants 16,500 engines by the end of october, and we plan on doing it...for as busy as we are now, and the many hours overtime, holidays, and weekends we are working now, we are reaching 99.8% quality which is awsome compared to how worn out we all are koolgt,
As a loyal GM customer it’s very encouraging to hear you express the dedication you and your coworkers have toward building our Duramax engines. The fact that you are producing 660 engines a day with a 99.8% quality process truly is awesome. A forum like this will naturally be a magnet for Dmax problems, but I’m sure they are small in number compared to the ones that are running without issues. Not to discount those who are having problems, but I think we all agree GM got it right with the Duramax and it can only get better. Let the folks in your plant know we appreciate their hard work!! http://forum.thedieselpage.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif

[ 10-05-2003, 05:19 AM: Message edited by: jbplock ]

bluenote

10-05-2003, 04:23

koolgt-

Do you have any idea of the total number of 6.6 duramax engines you guys have produced to date?

mackin

10-05-2003, 07:08

Originally posted by koolgt:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by WhiteDuramax:
Koolgt,
you are pretty close to me, i live outside of ansonia. You have a Duramax i take it? i dont have one personally..my close cousin has a fully loaded duramax LT longbed crewcab..i just work there:) [/QUOTE]With all the current purchase incentives you should jump on board .... ;)

Shoot me a e-mail got a couple questions for ya if you would ....

Mac smile.gif

jeephauler

10-05-2003, 09:41

Word I get is we won't see a Duramax in a suburban for some time, at least not mated to an Allison. Supposedly it (allison) "will not fit". Perhaps its a ground clearance issue as noted in a response above. Source said would be very lucky to see one by 2005.

koolgt

10-05-2003, 12:09

Originally posted by bluenote:
koolgt-

Do you have any idea of the total number of 6.6 duramax engines you guys have produced to date? yeah i sure do...i think the last engine i worked on friday was like 34500 or something around that number

bluenote

10-05-2003, 15:32

i think the last engine i worked on friday was like 34500 or something around that numberkoolgt-

34,500?? Is that how many you've personally worked on? I was interested in the total number produced by the plant since the '01 models came out. I was guessing it might be approaching the half million range?

koolgt

10-05-2003, 19:27

Originally posted by bluenote:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />i think the last engine i worked on friday was like 34500 or something around that numberkoolgt-

34,500?? Is that how many you've personally worked on? I was interested in the total number produced by the plant since the '01 models came out. I was guessing it might be approaching the half million range? [/QUOTE]whoops lol sorry my numbers were off..make the 345,000: :D that number comes right off the block there have been that many blocks made since the start of the duramax production back in july of 99

Michigana_Joe

10-07-2003, 19:37

The reason Duramax capacity is not being increased nor expanded to other platforms is likely due to changing emission standards.

Lutz: Diesels Are Nonstarters for U.S.

3/20/03

GENEVA

Cancerman

10-08-2003, 12:15

There is a good article on Diesels at www.designnews.com. (http://www.designnews.com.)

Look at the October 6th issue and the article is titled "D-Days in Detroit".

The new third generation Siemens and Bosch common rail using piezo crystals sounds neat.