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Is anyone towing with a Chevy/GMC 1/2 ton 3.0L Diesel?

wayfun
Explorer
Explorer
I'm starting to think about my next tow vehicle. I currently pull with a GMC Yukon Denali with the 6.2L V8. They will soon put the 3.0L diesel in the Yukon. The peak torque on both engines is the same except the diesel gets there at 1500 rpm and the 6.2 at 4100 rpm. I never pull at that rpm. Rarely over 2500 rpm. I would like to hear some real world experiences towing a 5,000 to 6,000 lb trailer with the little diesel. Is it up to the task?

Thanks
20 REPLIES 20

mbopp
Explorer
Explorer
KD4UPL wrote:
You rarely pull at an RPM higher than 2500? You must have a really light trailer, live where there are no mountains, or just like lugging the engine to death.

You never towed with a F150 3.5 Ecoboost. 90% of the peak torque at 2000 RPM.
2017 Grand Design Imagine 2650RK
2019 F250 XLT Supercab
Just DW & me......

jerem0621
Explorer
Explorer
KD4UPL wrote:
wayfun wrote:
KD4UPL wrote:
You rarely pull at an RPM higher than 2500? You must have a really light trailer, live where there are no mountains, or just like lugging the engine to death.


I was pulling about 5000 lbs through the mountains of TN in tow/haul mode with the cruise set on 60 and let the 8 speed do the work. It would occasionally drop 5th gear at 2700 rpm. Most of the time it was in 6th gear at 2200 rpm.


That's remarkable. When I've got 6,500 pounds behind my 2009 Suburban with the 6.0L I'm usually down to 4th gear or even 3rd to maintain interstate speeds on the grades here in VA and WV.


My 2011 Tahoe with a 5.3 pulling 7,000lbs at 55-60 MPH is about 22-2500 rpms too. 5th gear usually. I am impressed with this little 5.3l 8.6 mpg as well.

Handles like itโ€™s on rails.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
TV-2022 Silverado 2WD
TT - Zinger 270BH
WD Hitch- HaulMaster 1,000 lb Round Bar
Dual Friction bar sway control

Itโ€™s Kind of Fun to do the Impossible
~Walt Disney~

ppine
Explorer II
Explorer II
I agree that you are lugging your engine under load. Not good at all. It eventually leads to engine failure.

bucky
Explorer II
Explorer II
parker.rowe wrote:
The first of the coveted 7.3 powerstrokes where 250hp and 500ft lbs through a 4 speed auto.
24V Cummins was 235hp and 420ft lbs with a 4 speed auto.
12V Cummins had even less power.

3.0 Duramax is 277hp and 460ft lbs with a 10 speed auto.

I think it will do just fine. The chassis may not be a replacement for a 3/4-1ton, but the engine will do the job.


Beat me to it. The BabyMax engine should be far lighter as well.
Puma 30RKSS

1320Fastback
Explorer
Explorer
My 12 Valve when stock was 160HP/400TQ with a 5 spd.
1992 D250 Cummins 5psd
2005 Forest River T26 Toy Hauler

parker_rowe
Explorer
Explorer
The first of the coveted 7.3 powerstrokes where 250hp and 500ft lbs through a 4 speed auto.
24V Cummins was 235hp and 420ft lbs with a 4 speed auto.
12V Cummins had even less power.

3.0 Duramax is 277hp and 460ft lbs with a 10 speed auto.

I think it will do just fine. The chassis may not be a replacement for a 3/4-1ton, but the engine will do the job.
2015 Starcraft TravelStar 239TBS 6500 GVWR
1997 GMC Suburban K2500 7.4 Vortec/4.10
1977 Kawasaki KZ1000

wayfun
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for the comments. I am well aware of the 6.2โ€™s performance. The one I have now is my third one. Iโ€™m considering the diesel because of the torque at a lower rpm. If you look at the torque and HP curves vs RPM the diesel beats the 6.2 in torque and is very equivalent in hp in the lower rpm ranges. For the 6.2 to shine you need to be above 3000 to 3500 rpm. With the 10 speed transmission I would expect the diesel to stay on its torque curve. Just hoped to hear from someone with experience.

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
jdc1 wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
What a bunch of negative or leading responses.
To the OP, if the new GM baby diesel has a lick of trouble pulling the weight you proposed and doing it smartly, Iโ€™d be quite surprised.
Look at some reviews of the Eco Diesel Dodge. Very similar performance numbers


Gas vs Diesel. HP vs HP. Torque vs Torque. RPM vs RPM. MPG vs MPG.
These motors are not comparable cubic inch vs cubic inch.


Ok, Iโ€™m having trouble seeing how the same displacement HPCR turbo diesel is not at least somewhat comparable?
I know the baby Dmax is an in-line and the EcoD is a V engine, but their dynos are pretty similar?

Or did you misread that I said EcoBoost not Ecodiesel? Lol
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

APT
Explorer
Explorer
Towing performance will be about the same except uphill on ramps where maybe your 6.2L saw over 3000rpm. Yes, the 6.2L can out accelerate if spun up. If you never drove it that way, then I tihnk you will appreciate the lower fuel use and higher fuel tank range of the diesel.
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009
2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS
2017 Subaru Outback 3.6R
2x 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV (Gray and Black Twins)

jdc1
Explorer II
Explorer II
Grit dog wrote:
What a bunch of negative or leading responses.
To the OP, if the new GM baby diesel has a lick of trouble pulling the weight you proposed and doing it smartly, Iโ€™d be quite surprised.
Look at some reviews of the Eco Diesel Dodge. Very similar performance numbers


Gas vs Diesel. HP vs HP. Torque vs Torque. RPM vs RPM. MPG vs MPG.
These motors are not comparable cubic inch vs cubic inch.

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
What a bunch of negative or leading responses.
To the OP, if the new GM baby diesel has a lick of trouble pulling the weight you proposed and doing it smartly, Iโ€™d be quite surprised.
Look at some reviews of the Eco Diesel Dodge. Very similar performance numbers
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

pitch
Explorer
Explorer
Doesn't make sense not to let your engine work as it was designed to do.

wing_zealot
Explorer
Explorer
What's the Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight rating on each vehicle/engine combination? That should tell you something (assuming they're both tested per J2807 standard).

KD4UPL
Explorer
Explorer
wayfun wrote:
KD4UPL wrote:
You rarely pull at an RPM higher than 2500? You must have a really light trailer, live where there are no mountains, or just like lugging the engine to death.


I was pulling about 5000 lbs through the mountains of TN in tow/haul mode with the cruise set on 60 and let the 8 speed do the work. It would occasionally drop 5th gear at 2700 rpm. Most of the time it was in 6th gear at 2200 rpm.


That's remarkable. When I've got 6,500 pounds behind my 2009 Suburban with the 6.0L I'm usually down to 4th gear or even 3rd to maintain interstate speeds on the grades here in VA and WV.