Duramax 6600 news 2/5/08

[More Power]

DMAX & General Motors Corp. made an announcement today regarding the Duramax diesel engine and the DMAX manufacturing plant in Moraine, Ohio. The announcement was made by John Buttermore, GM Powertrain vice president of global manufacturing. The announcement was also attended by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland.

It appears the 6600 will remain more or less the same as it is now except that the intake and exhaust manifolds could swap places, sorta like the new V-8 4.5L Duramax, to produce a more efficient airflow through the engine.

You can read more at the AutoWeek (http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080205/FREE/136984717/1528/newsletter01) web site.

[OC_DMAX]

About the only conclusion I can draw from the article is that the size will remain at 6.6L. If they go to the configuration of the 4.5L engine, then that is essentially a new design.

My take - if you look at the current DMAX engine, there are too many parts. I look at the LB7 engine in my truck and there is a maze of hoses (fuel, coolant, air, whatever) and electrical harnesses wrapped around that engine. This has to increase manufacturing costs, both in parts and labor. They need to simplify the layout. Maybe the 4.5L configuration does that.

The diesel engine cost has escalated where it economically does not make sense for the average truck user (initial cost is sky high plus price of diesel). Yet at the same time, there is enormous pressure going forward for the manufactures to increase the CAFE to 35mpg by 2020. They need something like a diesel which gets better mileage than the current gas engines to meet the government mileage regs. So they need to simplify the design to drive down the costs so the public can afford it. Just my take on this.

[Dakster]

Simple to get CAFE closer to 35 MPG. Start making and selling diesel cars... Wifes Jetta is rated for 37 to 42.

She gets 32 in nasty, city, bumper to bumper driving and long drives get close to 50 as long as the driver stays below 80.

Its not the quickest car out there, but a similiar 4 banger gasser is alot slower and gets worse MPG's...

[OC_DMAX]

Dakster,

My point exactly, the auto manufactures need the diesel engine to increase mileage over the gas version. However, the costs for some of these diesel options have gone through the roof. I suspect that your wife would not have a Jetta diesel if the engine option cost $7k over the base engine.

[DieselMonk]

I'd be glad to pay the 7k for economy, power allone! :D

[Dakster]

Ummm. I think we did pay about $5k-$6k more for the Jetta Diesel than a 4 cyl gasser. Even though the motor is only a few hundred dollar option, there were no dealer incentives or rebates. At the time there was a $3k rebate AND sepcial financing available. I normally buy a loaded vehicle and the diesels are ALL loaded to the hilt. The only ones I could find were "Special Edition" ones, which added about $2k to the sticker and included things we won't use or don't want (sunroof to name one).

However, I wanted a diesel. I like the mileage we get over the underpowered 4 cycl and we get nearly identical performance to the base V6 model. Plus, I like to only have to worry about one fuel type.

BTW, the Jetta was still about 13k cheaper than my wife's last car, which was a LOADED, 2004 Volvo XC-70. That had a $48k sticker and got 17 mpg in the city. We were looking at Jeep Cherokee diesel, but they were not out when we needed to replace the leased Volvo.

OCDMAX, I know you weren't trying to flame me and I didn't take your message that way and vice versa I hope....