Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives 3.0 duramax

Same here………mine has over 50k on it now……..this includes pulling a 32’ travel trailer 6 times and a 20’ bass boat couple times a month, and pulling my SxS back and forth during hunting season

I would buy another one in a heartbeat

Trying to understand why one would use a heavier than recommended oil arbitrarily.


Because that’s what pappy used in his 238 Detroit and 250 Cummins?


EPA can’t be ruled out, neither can the issues the OEM faces if their engines grenade. It’s not going to help at startup, and if you are maintaining good pressure at idle it’s not going to do anything. If it’s too thick, you may be starving bearings, with no way to know.
Well, they will tell you. Eventually.

Just for clarification, I was talking about going from 5-30 to 5-40 Rotella. I’d not mess around trying to use heavier on the bottom end for reasons you stated. Just wondering if the 40 once warm might be good for a little truck that works fairly hard.

5-40 Rotella is pretty awesome oil.

JMO.

I detest the water recommended in our gas engines, but I use what is recommended.
Don't have gauges in these vehicles, as long as the idiot light doesn't come on I'll continue. Or if consumption picks up.


Again MO.
Folks try too hard to make a big deal of oils today.
Lotta gum flapping about early changes, premium oils...
Stuff posts the specs it meets, it's not rocket science to match requirements to specs.


I've seen a Duramax with 50 or 80k(foggy memory) on it with the original oil.
A snack food delivery truck, the original operator never had it changed, it's new operator brought it in. The oil was like glumpy STP. It took forever to get it out of the pan. Our guys dumped a couple gallons of diesel in it and left it sit, then drained it again. Changed the oil a few times over the next month, and it cleaned up.
The engine never showed any stress, before or after.

Was it harmed?
I'd bet there would never be any way to know.
Some engines from that batch will fail early, for a bunch of reasons, some on schedule and some will be abused and last longer than expected.
I certainly wouldn't recommend this, it was absolutely abuse.



One thing that's not opinion.
Most American folks buying new cars and spending extra on oil are wasting
their money. Good maintenance and special oils, if they payoff, payoff at end of life.
The buyers of new cars usually don't have them until end of life.
They trade by 100k.
Top tier synthetic, or Walmart oil that meets spec, will get you there with a
health engine to trade in today. Or there were issues outside of the oil.

Pretty good info on oil for your 3.0 Mini Duramax The chart shows what is approved for your 3.0 I printed it and its in the PU


An interesting comparison talks about DEF consumption towing with the 3.0

Thoughts

He's full of [bleep]. That doesn't even look like actual diesel oil. Check the color of your oil after only 500 miles, it won't look nothing like that staged sht hes dumping out of that catch can or the heat exchanger.


All staged.......

Clean the components after 50,000 miles.

Be mindful of short trips. Get the truck nice n toasty hauling something at least twice a month. Always plug-in before start up in cold months.

At 30,000-50,000 miles, marvel at how your heat exchanger looks nothing like what you saw in that youtube video.

Weekend trip to Fairbanks 650 miles 2024 GMC 3.0 diesel 1500 Max Tow package average MPG over 26 MPG Hi of 31.8 MPG 65 plus on the good road sections! Lots of power just over 1600 miles.

My current truck has the 6.2 liter gas (didn't have a 3.0 available) and I miss the gas mileage.

Bought a 2023 Suburban with the 3.0 today for the wife. 13,000 miles and looks new

KK.......being as you have the max tow package then do you also have the single speed transfer case ?


if so , do you think you will miss having 4x4 low ?

SD with the 10 spd and it has has a lo function in the transmission so no its not something I will miss, not going to be off roading much. The little Duramax has so much torque dont think it will be an issue. 2600 miles so far 26 mile average not towing, hoping to tow 3500 # boat this week, love the PU.

First tow with the 3.0 Diesel Max tow package about 4K boat with large canvas top, fuel mileage average 15.5 MPG. Pulled Turnigain Pass at 68 no issues. Has a lot more power and Torque towing than my 2004 5.3 gas with no load. Brakes and suspension not mushy on our Alaskan roads.

For a reference I pulled home my little 4k pound Jayco camper from Virginia this weekend and averaged about 11MPG in my 3500 Cummins. My Colorado diesel will do the same pull and do around 15-16 pretty easily.

The 1/2 ton diesel sounds like it works great to me.