New GM Diesel for light trucks!

[ronniejoe]

GM is planning a new Diesel engine for it's light duty pickups for next year...So says a SEMA article.

http://www.sema.org/main/semaorghome.aspx?id=55680

[More Power]

Would appear the industry wide loss in sales of full-size 1500 series pickup trucks due to the rising cost of gasoline is a motivator..... :rolleyes:

Jim

[mhagie]

And it appers that they will get what our 6.6 should have had, an overhead cam.
Even the 7800 Duramax I-6 is OHC.
Don't know why they dropped the ball on our 6.6.
Merle

[Tough Guy]

Its amazing with the success of the Duramax that it took GM this long to do something...Then again its not available for purchase yet....maybe they should wait until fuel is $5 a gallon. :rolleyes:

Chris

[DmaxMaverick]

New vehicle designs, including powertrains, are a lot like playing the stock market. You (the company, GM, Ford, etc.) invest a huge amount of capitol, in hopes someone will buy enough of your product to cover your investment, and really hope you make some money along the way. Add to that, product defects (recalls), marketing, liabilities, and all the paperwork. GM took a pretty big hit early on in the consumer level Diesel market by doing what we think (thought) was just what we needed. We can say it will work, but that's because it's what we (TDP members) want. Problem is, most cityslickers don't see it the way we do, and are scared of the market because of history and bad press. Gotta face it....#2 is an aquired taste.

[ronniejoe]

#2 is an aquired taste.

Yep, but its easy to get hooked!:)

[toyboxrv]

The article mentions that the Cummins engines will be OHC. No where did I see that the GM engines will be an OHC design. Not sure in a lower rpm application that there is even an advantage to an OHC versus a pushrod design, but as long as there are more options for truck buyers.

[Tough Guy]

While I do agree that #2 is an aquired taste, the success of Diesels is huge and still growing...The Liberty CRD sold double D/C's expectations. The TD VW is a popular vehicle with a huge following. With fuel constantly costing consumers more, Diesels become more viable for all vehicles...suv's and cars etc..not just HD light trucks.

I also think the EPA needs to re-think their position on Diesels. I want cleaner burning vehicles too...but not at the expense we will pay this coming year. The VW Diesel line-up will be gone except the Toureg which will only be 45 state legal from what I have read...The CRD Liberty will vanish as well...Yes, its being replaced by the Diesel Cherokee..but I highly doubt the price of $23,500 will buy a new one, which is what I paid for the CRD Liberty in March. Another choice will be the new Diesel Mercedes but again IIRC its starts at $51,000

So, yes #2 may be an aquired taste...but certain tastes can not be aquired if your pallet never sees them.


Chris

[JeepSJ]

Would appear the industry wide loss in sales of full-size 1500 series pickup trucks due to the rising cost of gasoline is a motivator..... :rolleyes:

Jim

I still think that Dodge really missed by not offering the 4BT in their 1/2 ton trucks. They have the relationship with Cummins, the engine already exists (Ford and GM have to develop theirs), they have the front drive accessory package, they have the fuel and electrical systems... Just seems to me that they could break into the 1/2 ton market easier than the others.

[ogrice]

Call it an aquired taste, call it the next generation, call what ever you want to.

The oil companies are shaking in there boots and losing sleep at night with the thought of the USA going diesel as a mainstay in their consumer vehicle market. The oil companies only respose is to spread the money around and hinder the diesel market from growing.

Pay off any environmental whacko or EPA regulatory commission or any lobbyist legislative group it can find to hinder diesel power from going mainstream. This is what the big oil manafacturers have been doing since day one. Hence all the newest laws concerning sulphur content, emmissions, tax incentives, no longer qualifying as smog exempt, etc, etc..................

Fight back. Go diesel power. Fear, superstition and ignorance can be overcome. The BIG 3 auto makers don't want to risk it well to bad for them. I'll be buying european diesel cars and pay for the importing fees and taxes. That's why I own a VW TDI. Because Ford, GM and Chrysler won't release their already existing diesel vehicles in the USA.

[ronniejoe]

Whoa!

Conspiracy theories really do get ridiculous sometimes...

[JeepSJ]

The oil companies are shaking in there boots and losing sleep at night with the thought of the USA going diesel as a mainstay in their consumer vehicle market. The oil companies only respose is to spread the money around and hinder the diesel market from growing.


Why are the oil companies afraid of diesel?

[ogrice]

JeepSJ asked, "Why are the oil companies afraid of diesel?"

20-40% more fuel economy for the same diplacement and cylinder engine.
Diesel burn more than just petroleum. Numerous alternative fuel sources, i.e. bio degradeable products, waste vegetable oil, refined waste engine oil.
Reliablility and longevity. Diesel engines have rebuild intervals of 400k miles, 500k, and some a lot higher. Marine diesels and industrial units racking over 6000 hours of operation at 100% output in one year alone. (translates to 450k miles of highway use towing at GCVW)

If I were the oil companies or auto manafacturers I would do everything in my power to keep this technology out of the hands of the consumers.

I would hinder the refining capabilities and charge an additional excise to the sale of the fuel. Under engineer multiple components on vehicles to ensure a high amount of recalls and low owner satisfaction. Mandate increased restrictions to operate all diesel powered vehicles. Delay the introduction and production of new diesel power plants to enter the consumer market place. Add an incentive to own and operate non diesel powered vehicles. Charge an additional premium to own and operate a diesel powered vehicle.

I'm speaking about ideas, trends, making huge changes, and very quiet discrete changes that keep diesel power out of the average consumers hands.

I hope that jeepsj is smart enough to read between the lines.

[ronniejoe]

Hmmm... I wonder how many millions of gallons of Diesel fuel get burned every year in over the road trucks, etc. I don't think they'd be too scared of a few more million gallons of fuel sales...:rolleyes:

Your comments represent some of the wackiest conspiracy theories that I've ever heard.

[16gaSxS]

I still think that Dodge really missed by not offering the 4BT in their 1/2 ton trucks. They have the relationship with Cummins, the engine already exists (Ford and GM have to develop theirs), they have the front drive accessory package, they have the fuel and electrical systems... Just seems to me that they could break into the 1/2 ton market easier than the others.

I talked with a guy who put a 4BT in a 1500 Chevy and he gets 28 mpg hiway.
Thee is a fellow in Colorado with a wesite that put a 4BT in a Early Bronco (EB)
and does 28 mpg mixed driving. So I agree Dodge should have offered it in their 1/2 tucks and maybe even the Dakota, but our Auto companies seem to be driven by reacting too the market rather than leading the market.