New Duramax owner with questions

[BadDog]

Well, now you have another newbie to deal with. :D

To get to the point, I just bought a pretty much loaded white '02 2500HD Chevy 4x4 Crew SWB with D/A. I've never even owned a diesel before (at least not long enough to care or learn much about it) so I'm pretty clueless about the whole thing. I've been reading here pretty much since I bought the rig a couple of weeks ago. Now I've joined as well. I'm not a newbie to online message boards so I have been trying to search out as many answers as possible without posting stupid newbie redundant questions. However, I'm left with some questions that I couldn't find clear answers to, or perhaps I just don't have sufficient points of reference to understand what I saw.

1) What in general does a clueless diesel newbie need to know about these things that is not in the service manual and schedule? MudNUrI is on another board where I sometimes hang out and she tells me that the first engine and differential oil change should probably be done well ahead of GM schedule. Around 500 miles or so IIRC. Well, I

[CSDMAX]

BadDog, no biscuit :D

Welcome! With all of the reading about this GREAT truck, heres my 2 cents...
1. Get your fluids changed - Diff, Tranny, and Oil. Go synthetic!
2. Gauges - Boost and EGT (everyone says.. It's a must)
3. Air Filter (AMSOIL or K&N)...you decide (tons of info here on this issue)
4. 4 inch Exhaust (a bunch of different options) Hot products (no puhn intended) - Kennedy Diesel 4 inch system OR Banks 4 inch system.
5. Power upgrades for towing - (should you decide that you need it) Edge Products - The Edge Power Juice, BD Products, Duramaximizer, VanAaken, etc. (again, lots of info avail. just check the search tool)
6. After this, if you are not in the poor house, which probably you are...still recovering from shelling out for your nice new truck, the sky is the limit...wheels, tires, shocks, lifts, blah...blah...blah.

HAVE FUN WITH YOUR NEW TRUCK!!!!!

Don

[01_Duramax_Dually]

BadDog,

Welcome to the Forum.

I second what CSDMAX posted with the addition of adding the deep Allison Trans pan and Transdyn synthetic fluid if you are going to tow.

I follow the supplement manual for maintenance frequency.

[SoCalDMAX]

Congrats on the new truck and welcome to the forum!

I agree 100% with CSDmax and Brandy, the intial fluid changes are to flush out fine particles from machining and initial break-in. Some of the experts suggest changing engine oil at roughly 500, 1,500 and maybe 3,000, definitely more often than owners manual just for break-in period. Gauges really are invaluable, they can keep you within safe parameters.

If you're only doing 1 mod, right now the Juice is the best bang for the buck, but if you wait a few weeks, another device, a programmer will be coming out. It'll be interesting to see what that will be able to do.

The ride is pretty good, but the stock shocks are horrible. Consider Bilsteins or Rancho RS9000 shocks, big improvement in ride for about $200.

There are replacement tanks that fit in the stock location. Do a search on fuel tanks, lots of good leads on those. IIRC, they are 45gal, actually hold closer to 50gal.

Regards, Steve

[ChevysRus]

Well that's all great advice and you will learn more as time goes on as we all have. BUT if you don't do anything else, you have to do these 2 things right away as you are probably at 3K by now.

1. Change the tranny spin on filter! Urgent and don't lose the magnet on the filter. You don't have to change the tranny fluid, just the spin on filter no later than 5K, but sooner is better. If you can change the fluid too then all the better, but the spin on filter is the urgent item.

2. Get that rear diff fluid out of there immediately. This should be drained at 500 miles, but even more so since you already took a trip and towed with the truck. Use the GM special fluid, it's pricy, but you need to do this urgently, then you can review and decide on what fluid to use next time at 25K or somewhere less than that if you do a lot of towing.

3. Oil change at 3K is OK, use Dino for the first change (you want to flush out stuff if any)or let the dealer do it so you have a record of the first one. After that go to synthetic. Mobil Delvac 1 is (at the risk of getting 100,000 different opinions) the "Right" oil for the Dmax.

It all seems like a strange new world here in dieselville, but the rules are the same as if you bought a gasser, timely maintenance is the key to a long and happy relationship with your vehicles.

Guages are essential if you have peformance mods, if you have no performance mods, then guages are not essential, just nice to have.

Don't run out and get the Juice just yet, enjoy the truck and get to know it, first. I mean how fast do you want to run anyway, with your possessions, family, dogs and cats etc. You have no problem towing at 98 MPH (other than the legal and sane aspects) so why go up the hills at 80 with the juice when you can easily never have to get under 55 MPH stock. I mean you will be passing everything else on that hill anyway.

Fuel capacity is an issue with the shortbox. I ahve the 45 gallon TransFer Flow tank, but you are right it is costly, but worth it to me. I can buy much more cheap diesel (also can buy more expensive diesel if I wait too long to fill up) and I can run longer as well which saves me time and time is money. I figure I will break even on this tank in one more trip. I pay myself $100 an hour and just need to save 8-10 hours to cover the cost of the tank, (hey this is what I told my wife when I bought the tank, leave me alone will ya)LOL

Anyway welcome and have fun with the truck, but in all seriousness the urgent items if you have not done anything yet is, 1)Change the tranny spin on filter, 2)rear diff fluid change, 3) oil and filter change.

Rest you have time to read and learn

have fun

[NutNbutGMC]

^...Congrats on the new machine. Break it in properly... Drive it like you stole it.

Welcome to the forum.

[BadDog]

Thanks for all the replies and info. I've got allot to learn. :D

So, this is where I'm at (I think).

ASAP!

1) Engine oil change with 15W40 dino juice along with a Wix filter. I can get Wix at Napa and they have a good rep (as far as I know). Amsoil doesn

[Paintdude]

Transfer Flow make a replacement saddle tank 45 gallons..That would keep your bed free..

Those guys have covered the maintance stuff pretty well..I am gonna change my trans filter every engine oil change..

The fuel neck needs updated also,(transfer flow) and I agree the shocks are no good.Towing mirrors if you are gonna tow an enclosed unit of some kind.

Nerf bars are a must to aid getting in and out of the truck and some rust proofing in the doors-cab corners and bedside..Then a good coat of ZAINO..

I would spend money on fuel tank and shocks before the juice..

I put a Cowl induction hood on mine this week..It was off of my 2000 Z71.. smile.gif

[mackin]

BadDog ,

Welcome,

If $$ is an issue I would after the Maintenance of course, I would do...
In this order=> 4,3,1,2........Why?

Better breathing will give you a nice faster spool up of the turbo,more power comming out of the hole.....Cost if you do it yourself depending on the exhaust you chose around $650+.......Then gauges because if you tow, NO JUICE for you, just not safe in most opinions.......Then the mod of all mods,The "JUICE"forget the rest it's the "BEST".....There is no turning back after that ......Toss in some of the other cosmetic stuff (mats,nerf bars,etc) some more mechanical,Tranny Deep pan, Wheels and tires, then you'll want shocks, it goes on and on, and you can help me rob a bank cause I'm running a little short too.....

MAC . ;)

[ 08-02-2002: Message edited by: mackin ]</p>

[snowmo]

Hey perfect thread and timming - thanks BadDog. I am expecting my 03 GMC CC D/A 4WD SWB about the second week of September. Build is scheduled for the last week of August. I too have limited knowledge about diesels and have been reading this board trying to decide between the 8.1L gasser and the Duramax - that was until I drove the Duramax. All I can say is "ya baby".