VM 2.8L CRD now GM Duramax

Glend · **Posted:** Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:31 pm

Out in the world outside of the USA, GM is installing the VM 2.8L CRD in the new Ute (utility truck) aka Pickup truck to you guys (but obviously not of a large US pickup truck size but what the rest of the world regards as the right size). GM owns and operates under the Holden badge in Australia (having acquired Holden a couple of decades ago). The Holden (aka GM) Colorado already uses the VM2.8; and is built in Thailand (the engine is built there as well under license from VM). GM owns 50% of VM, the rest owned by Fiat now. Looking under the hood of the Colorado ute you will find a Duramax engine cover over the same VM engine that currently appears in the export models of the JK and JKU CRDs.

Now Holden is launching a seven seat SUV in the Australian market (based on the Colorado chassis) that will also carry the VM 2.8 (Duramax).

The engine continues to be well regarded by the reviewer and journalists, and replaces (in the Australian market) the older D-MAx engine in the other badge brand the Izusu trucks - which continue to sell the old motor.

It is being sold with a six-speed automatic.

Here is the webpage on the Colorado Seven (check out the link to the performance info - ie Duramax engine haha.:

http://www.holden.com.au/vehicles/colorado-7

Here is the webpage on the Ute:

Note that on the Ute they are offering both the 2.5 and 2.8L CRDs:

http://www.holden.com.au/vehicles/colorado/performance

Service Interval is 15,000kms, or 9264 miles. No info on the timing belt service interval at this point.

This venerable CRD engine is still a top of class performer in terms of its performance and efficiency, and leads all the Japanese diesels significantly.

This has to be good news for VM 2.8 owners worldwide as there will be parts available for many year to come.
Now if I could just get my hands on one of the newer style heads and injectors going into these stock 460nm versions, that would be a useful upgrade. Wonder if they are using the same rockers, betcha they are.

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2013 2:41 am

Glen, any thoughts about why we in the USA are having bottom end failures, and now hearing about the same from the UK (admittedly from a single source now posting on this forum) and your Aussie mates aren't having the same?

Glend · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:08 am

No Geordi I would not have a clue about possible causes of bottom end failure in the US. I can say that I have not heard of any down here, but that doesn't mean that there haven't been some, only that they have not raised it on our Forum. Is it possible to establish what percentage of CRDs sold in the US actually have had this problem? Are there any numbers? I mean if it's only four or five in 10,000 sold then that doesn't seem to be significant statistically (0.0005), and perhaps a survey of commonalities in the failure would be useful (mileage, maintenance history, etc).

I have started a survey thread on the AusJeep Forum (KJ area) to provide a place to report failures and I will try and get some figures for you - if they are out there.

TJ2 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2013 4:28 am

Thanks Glend. It's downright depressing to see the options most of the world is getting that we are not. . . and I'm only thinking about US or US partnership manufacturers.

06PeakBagger · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2013 4:35 am

I would like (and purchase) a mid size diesel truck ....

Maccie · **Joined:** Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:52 am **Posts:** 18

That's interesting, because in Europe GM is selling the same cars under Chevrolet, Opel and Vauxhall brands, but they are not using the VM engines for these cars.

The exact same 7-seat SUV you are referring to (which, btw, is a Korean-designed and made car) is sold under the name Chevrolet Captiva. In diesel version, it is sold with a 2.2 liter 4-cylinder engine which I believe is a European Opel construction.

In its 184 bhp/400 nm version, it gives the 7-seat SUV with automatic gearbox and AWD the following milage (US numbers, I have converted from the UK numbers on the webpage):

City 22.4
Hwy 36.7
Combined 29.7

That's pretty decent, I imagine.

https://www.chevrolet.co.uk/cars/captiva

Glend · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2013 6:07 am

We have the Captiva in the Australian market but the Colorado is a different vehicle. The Captiva is a unibody running engines with a bad reputation. The Colorado is a larger SUV on the Colorado ute chassis which is a traditional ladder frame with separate body. The Colorado is not a Captiva but a locally designed SUV built in the Thai factory that is owned by GM and also builds the Ute. They are leveraging the frame of the ute and the engine, to build this vehicle and use the popularity of the ute with contractors and tradesmen to sell a passenger version.

bigjl · **Joined:** Fri Jan 11, 2013 7:38 pm **Posts:** 50

The Chevrolet Captiva used to come with the 2.0 diesel as found in other Vauxhalls and Opels in Europe, not sure who makes it, there was a rumour it was still Fiat.

There are still some 1.7 Vauxhalls with the Isuzu engines, but confusingly not all the 1.7's are Isuzu?

The Captiva is also sold under the Vauxhall badge in the UK, can't remember the name but it is largely the same but has slightly better interior trim and I think is slightly more expensive.

Chevrolet in the UK is sort of a budget GM range from what I can see.

The strange thing is bottom end failures with the 2.5 VM are not unusual in the Maxus van and TX4 Taxi.

But the 2.5 and 2.8 VM do not have the same reputation in the used car trade.

None of them seem to have a reputation for head gasket or rocker issues, to figure.

The VM specialist in Chesterfield has rebuilt more than few with bottom end damage, he has no used blocks to recondition now if yours is damaged and he said a new one with the main bearing in it is around £800+vat @ 20%.

He doesn't see any reason for bottom end issues other than perhaps owner neglect.

He feels it is a strong engine.

Very nice bloke who gave me lots of options if I decide to have mine reconditioned.

I always like to have costs for most eventualities in my mind prior to anything going wrong.

One of the Taxi drivers that has lunch with my Taxi driver mates, and the guy that rents mine, has just had an engine to in a TX4 with 120k on it.

Another bloke had owned his TX4 from new and his went two weeks before LTC went bust, that had under 100k on it.

He now has a brand new engine though!

I do like the idea of a more modern SUV with 7 seats being available with the VM lump.

Wi probably never get it in the UK though.

Here people live double cabs and more upmarket suv's.

Perhaps the reason for not much info on CRD failures in Cherokees is that they aren't overly common?

They were fairly small inside for the money.

minisub · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:04 pm

Read an article recently that Banks is messing around with a 3 liter VM that might find its way into 1/2 ton Ram trucks.

Found the article Banks VM Project

bshooter · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:24 pm

I'm wondering if GM's 6 speed transmission is an improvement over our rfe545, and will they bolt up, and what about the TCM-ECU. HELP-GDE can this be done :pepper:

bhooter

Glend · **Posted:** Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:37 am

IF I get a chance I will have a look at one at a dealers showroom and check out the transmission adaptor.

GreenDieselEngineering · **Joined:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1111

My guess is the adapter plate is different for the GM application to bolt up to their transmission. VM customizes the bolt pattern on the adapter plate for each customer. Plus the GM 2.8l engine is a ground up redesign and very different from the engine we have in the Liberty. I think a new adapter plate would be necessary. It would require using the GM trans module and this would most likely drive many other electrical harness changes.

GTOMEX · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:45 am

You might find this truck in Mexico, closest option. I've seen VW pick-up trucks from Tijuana With a TDI.

Cowpie1 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 12:03 pm

I am keeping any eye on Nissan. There have been several reports that they are going to offer the 2.8L diesel in the Titan pickup in the 2014 model year. There are several prototypes out there and they claim to have all the hurdles crossed regarding EPA requirements. Supposedly 220 hp and 380 lb torque. We'll see. Have had my hopes dashed before.

nfmisso · **Posted:** Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:08 pm

Sorry about being so late - the GM Duramax 2.5 and 2.8 diesels are NOT VM designs.

Glend · **Posted:** Sun Nov 24, 2013 11:40 pm

What I had said was that GM was selling VM 2.8l crd engines that they installed in their Colorado pickup trucks and SUVs in the Australian market branded at Duramax - with a simple plastic engine cover saying Duramax. These vehicles are manufactured in Thailand and GM is making the engines there under license from VM. I have seen them up close and they are VM engines, identical to the JK CRD export model engines.

Auberon · **Posted:** Mon Nov 25, 2013 7:33 am

I see it as Glend does - rebadged part of the line-up.
Rated tow for these I believe is 3500 kg - don't think that was mentioned.

mass-hole · **Posted:** Mon Nov 25, 2013 12:11 pm

Chances of swapping a GM 6L80 transmission and australian colorado bellhousing in behind our motor? :BANANA:

tcoilburner · **Posted:** Mon Nov 25, 2013 12:32 pm

Vm Motori is now fully owned by Fiat. I believe it was late this summer that it was completed.

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 25, 2013 7:56 pm

nfmisso wrote:

Sorry about being so late - the GM Duramax 2.5 and 2.8 diesels are NOT VM designs.

They are indeed VM's. And the US will be getting them for the 2015 model year.

https://www.chevrolet.com/2015-colorado ... truck.html

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2013/11/20 ... -look.html

The pickuptrucks.com article says it is a VM; the chevy.com link says that it is a 2.8 engine. Exciting to see the US getting more diesel options. Its sad that the EPA has made it so difficult and mandated so many unnecessary emissions devices...

VM 2.8L CRD now GM Duramax

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