Anyone driving a Chevy silverado 2500hd diesel?

Date 02-19-2008 02:58 Edited 02-20-2008 03:30

got a 3500 4*4 crew cab dually 65K. All I have done is change fluids. Steering column rattles a bit I am told it is a common problem. Gets about 16.5 with welder and tools on highway. 15-16 running around. 9 pulling skidsteer and attachments
Sorry forgot to add hypertech programmer box. 399 bucks, 1/2 mpg +/-.

By Kix

Date 02-19-2008 16:51

Nice! thats not to bad of mileage considering what you are hauling. My 7.3L powerstoke got 21+ on the highway unloaded and about 12 or 13 fully loaded and pulling a trailer with a car on it. I hope the 2500 can at least get 21 on the highway unloaded. Sounds like it should since it's not a dually and will have nothing in the back most of the time.

By michaelb (**)

Date 02-20-2008 00:01

have an 03 with chip( hypertech) 150 hp on top of 300 hp, runs like a sob, get around 18 mpg but thats rooollllllin the black smoke out every time i get a chance(must be the kid in me) 140000 but i cut her no slack at all

By 4JWelding (**)

Date 02-20-2008 01:56

I have the old body style 2007 4X4 crewcab with the duramax/allison. Love the truck but I can't get any more than 13mpg out of it. Fully loaded with welder and toolboxes the truck would ride on the overloads all the time and make a bumping sound when you hit a bump ie overloads bumping the stops. I had a set of airbags put on and made a world of difference in the ride a whole lot smoother. Though about the chip and exhaust to maybe help with the mpg anyone done that and seen good results.

By michaelb (**)

Date 02-20-2008 03:15

4 jw sorry about the bags, if you pull on the rightaway you will hate them(within thte year), go with the extra springs, i promise

By Kix

Date 02-20-2008 01:56

Dam, 18 mpg and on it all the time? Well, thats good to hear. Sounds like they can take a beating. How much do the chips run compared to the power commanders and such? Do you think the reason you get such good mpg while on it all the time is because of the chip?

By michaelb (**)

Date 02-20-2008 03:12

thats empty kix, i paid 499 for chip, stock exhaust. has 3 stages. on stage 3 it makes the clutch slip. promise the chip makes all the world diff. if a guy has the money, go bully dog all the way.

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 02-20-2008 05:53

Kix, One of My friends has a Chevy like Yours and about that age, He gets really good mileage [20 something] with it empty. I doubt the chip will do much for the mileage.

By michaelb (**)

Date 02-20-2008 12:42

i promise teh chip makes the diff on mpg. i guarentee it does

By Kix

Date 02-20-2008 12:59

Well, 18mpg and ripping into it all the time aint to bad. Wow, an Alison clutch slipping? How many miles on your buddies truck? That 3rd stage is putting down some torque. This truck has a Bully dog exhaust on it so I hope it sounds pretty good. Those power commander due dads are like over a grand aren't they? 499 for a chip with 3 stages isn't bad. Does it have the stock ECU setting on it so when you take it to the dealership they don't know you have a chip. I know of a company called APR that has a chip like that with three settings, stock ecu being one of them. They are a Volkswagen, Audi tuner though.

By michaelb (**)

Date 02-21-2008 00:26

whatever stageyou download into computer, it stores stock setting in the location. 499 is my guys cost. are you close to eastern ks. i might could get you one around 500. i have the 6 speed in my truck wtih 80000 miles. want to put 5 in exhaust. bad deal about it, my dealer says he can tell when programmer is programed with stock or aftermarket no matter what?????????

By Kix

Date 02-21-2008 13:10 Edited 02-21-2008 13:13

I was reading up on this in the full size chevy forums lastnight and it talked about how Ford, Chevy, GMC and the like are done losing their a$$ on warranty work. The past few years the trucks have some kind of box that records your timing and fuel maps and when you put a programmer on or a chip it changes these values and it's recorded. Then they say that the dealer still has to prove that what you did to the truck caused the failure, but who wants to take Ford or Chevy to court? Not me. The only way to get around this is to install a factory ECU when you go to the dealer. They say you can sometimes find them on EBAY for this very reason. So you have 2 ECU's if you wanna play. Well, you know what they say, "you got to pay to play". ;-)

By Root Pass (***)

Date 02-21-2008 18:09

I have a 2005 Dodge 3500 diesel dually 4x4 and Dodge burned me (Ifelt) on warrentying my injector pump. I had the Supertuner set to the mildest setting and never dogged it or ran it hard. The injector pump housing blew apart and left me stranded on I-10 west of Jax, FL with my empty 40' gooseneck trailer. I don't think AAA covers pulling the trailer into the shop! Everything was set to be covered under warrenty till they plugged the computer in. Found out I had used it and then the $4000 bill was all mine. I removed the program while waiting for a tow but the computer records everything. I have 4.10 gears and can't run much faster than 70 mph so I hardly ever ran over 2200 rpms. I thought they should have paid. Also the Dodge dealer in Ocala, Fl tried to charge me $5,000 to replace injectors, pump etc on an '03 Dodge I had all because there was a little water in the fuel. Had it taken to Williams diesel down the road and $120 later they had me out the door with never another problem. Gotta watch those dealers.
All things considered I love those Dodge trucks. I can't see getting anything else unless something changes. Anxious to see how Ford's 6.4 stands up. Love those 7.3s.

By raggs

Date 02-21-2008 20:44

I too have a d-max, its an 03 4dr 4x4, have already gone thru a set of injectors, I know chevy has extended the warranty on them by an xtra 100k miles for a total of 200k, my gauges work when they want, to me just a pile of s***. It spends more time at the stealership, not very happy with it, Ive heard the strokes have their problems as well. that my 2 cent worth!

later

By michaelb (**)

Date 02-22-2008 00:30

i do have the same problem with the gauges. well the speedometer is junk. wish i would of bought a dodge with lifetime warrnty

By RioCampo (***)

Date 02-22-2008 03:11

dodge only offers lifetime warranty on gassers. To get the aesin transmisson with 180k warranty you have to buy a cab chassis. Or at least that is what my local dealer tells me.
The standard duty 6spd auto is their base trans, nothing special
got several buddies with new 6.7 they all get 13 mpg

By michaelb (**)

Date 02-22-2008 03:18

learn something new every day on the gassers. are they happy with the power?

By raggs

Date 02-22-2008 19:57

michaelb, or anybody else, have you had any problems with the injectors, what yr is your trk.

By michaelb (**)

Date 02-23-2008 13:02

no problem with injectors, its an 03 chevy has the 200k mile warr. on them. i rum lucas in my fuel cause this nice epa fuel with low sulfur, i feel doesnt lube the injectors enough

By raftergwelding (*****)

Date 02-24-2008 06:03

you have to run an additive every tank to make up the difference i get 15.5 loaded in my 04 dodge 2 w d no chip ever heard of a predator chip a friend has 1 for sale i been thining bout buyin it

By michaelb (**)

Date 02-24-2008 14:50 Edited 02-24-2008 16:20

i just add it when i am getting fuel and happen to think about it, so about every fifth fuel up. heard of predator but havent run one personally. they say they are a good chip (just now realized they are made by diablo and they make a good chip)