Has your Duramax been replaced or had a catastrophic failure?

[Devin Tornow]

Has your Duramax been replaced or had a catastrophic failure?

I am looking for anyone who has had a Duramax 6600 engine w/a catastrophic failure or the dealer replaced the entire engine long block. This would probably occur especially if you are running more boost, propane, over fueling, etc. I'd like to hear those failure stories too.

I am real serious about hearing some good details on why it failed and / or was replaced. I have not found enough on the Forum though searches so I am posting the question.

PLEASE respond only if YOUR DMax has been the one replaced or failed. Limit your response to Engine Failures / Replacements. I don't want to turn this into a run on thread that talks about mud flaps and air cleaners. No flaming please.

[orange2]

Did you blow yours up and now the dealer won't fix it because you had addons on it? mmm

[TLA]

As I posted on Monday, my truck had a catastrophic engine failue while hauling 6 horses to Las Cruces, NM, last Thursday. It currently sits at Wallace Chevrolet in Las Cruces waiting to see what happened. I will reserve further comment until the situation clarfies, when, subject to MP's approval, I will report what has happened. I will say, that my parents and I have been driving Chevrolet vehicles since 1953, and there are currently 4 here on the farm and one in the shop.

[ 02-28-2003: Message edited by: TLA ]</p>

[sonofagun]

Devin,

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not sure why you ask but I've been on the site a while and I haven't heard on any long block replacements. Watch and see what happened to TLAs.

These engines and trans. are well designed and well built. I wouldn't expect to see many responses. Mabye if you told us why you ask we could be more helpful.

Bob

[More Power]

TLA, Report away... First-hand reports are always welcome..... (as are verifiable second-hand reports).

Devin, if you're looking for parts, let me know. I know where you might find a couple longblocks.

MP

[TLA]

MP - Thanks. Nothing yet to report. Likely to be rather long, as without some back ground I might sound like some flake.
As a note, statistically, we will have failures. I would guess there have been relatively few, or we would have heard of them. And yes, I think GM has done a remarkable job with a new product. Back when I was a service manager for a Mercedes dealer, the factory rep told me that until a vehicle was in mass production and in the hands of the consumer, they had no idea what would go wrong. A test pilot friend told me the same thing.
Anyway, I will let the forum know as this thing plays out, but will wait until I have accurate information.
Tom

[GMtech]

I replaced a long block about two weeks ago. Truck had 6500km's. It was a customer pay job. The drilling company paid the tab. They drove over something large and pushed the front diff up into the upper pan and the pan broke. All the oil blew out engine started knocking. Other than that I haven't heard of any being replaced.

[chevyguy]

I was talking to a friend of mine tonight [ he's a ford boy lol] and he was telling me that he had been hearing rumors of problems with the heads. I told him I hadnt heard of anything or even read of anyone having any troubles with them.I told him it sounded like just a rumor to me that got started from jealous competition. :D

[mark45678]

I Know of a friend of mine that has a 2001 3500 4x4 that does a LOT of towing FL to MA at least 8 time a year loaded to about 30K non stop. His truck at 90,000 mile blew a head gasket.... the dealer only did one side? 2 days later it went back for a skip ,It needed 2 injectors at that time? Why did they only due one side,and the ijector failing may have been cause by the "tec" ? possibly fuel rail got dirt in it or the injector fired without fuel in it? This is the only failer that I know of other then fuel system problems.....

[dmaxalliTech]

Unfortunatly, I have replaced a longblock due to catasrophic failure. The truck belonged to a tool and die company, 2001 vintage and had 18k on the ticker. came in for miss and smoke out exhaust, ticking in engine. teardown results (after noise was pinpointed to no 2 cyl and drivers side cyl head removed) showed that the large piece of aluminum normally hooked to the end of the connecting rod was no longer in place. After a little investigation, found that original failure was a broken exhaust valve, broke at the keeper, valve dropped and... well you know the rest.

[R Hood]

I guess I am late to the party since my Duramax just now went south but mine is a long block replacement.
When the piston got the hole in it it also cracked and scored the cylinder wall. The long block arrived today at the dealer in Olympia (I don't recommend them all).
Has anyone had warranty denied due to aftermarket systems, specifically Banks?