For 2017, GM decides it's time to refresh and toughen up its 6.6-liter Duramax diesel engines for its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD trucks. The extra boost in power will provide the already stout HD trucks with 455 hp, up from last year's 397 hp. And the new torque ratings for the Duramax will be boosted up to 910 lb-ft of torque, a bump from the 765 lb-ft of torque from the previous year.
90% of this newfound torque can be available at a very low 1,550 rpm, helping you take off from a dead stop very effortlessly, even when towing an extraordinary amount of weight.
- The refreshed Duramax gets its power from a mound of new and beefed-up engine components:
- Turbocharger
- Cylinder Heads
- Pistons
- Connecting Rods
- Crankshaft
- Venturi Jet Drain Oil Separator
The Venturi Jet Drain Oil Separator uses boost from the turbocharger to suck more oil back into the sump, ensuring the oil doesn’t get in places it’s not supposed to go. GM also strengthens its notorious Allison six-speed transmission to help deal with the new torque numbers, making the Duramax HD trucks more powerful and durable than ever.
Along with all of the beefed-up new components, the Duramax will also be able to run on B20 fuel, which is a mix of 20% Biodiesel and 80% conventional diesel fuel.
So, how does the 2017 Duramax setup match up with the other competitors? The Ford Super Duty 6.7-liter Powerstroke diesel puts out 440 hp, but the Ford still takes the torque crown for 2017 with 925 lb-ft of torque. The Ram HD sports an inline six-cylinder diesel that puts out 385 hp with a very stout 900 lb-ft of torque, not bad for a six-cylinder.
Since it doesn't seem like the competitiveness for big torque numbers is going to go away anytime soon, one would have to suspect that the possibility of seeing these HD trucks coming in at 1,000 lb-ft of torque+, very soon, is very real.
