Chris. Thank you for this update. Very detailed. My wife and I purchased our Ext 2020 3.0 Silverado 2WD back in February 2020. We’ve diligently been watching our MPG. We have a total of 13,242 miles as of our most recent calculations taken on 2/12/2021. Our results were surprising showing 24.78 MPG and cost per mile of $0.08 on the diesel fuel with our DEF being 744.96 MPG and a cost per mile of $0.01.
I've always believed that fuel mileage is affected more by wind restriction then weight. I have a tow hauler camper and I get the same milage with or without my side by side in the trailer and that weighs 1500 lb.
I totally agree that the aerodynamics here was likely one of the largest difference between your trip and mine. I had a much lower 2 axle uhaul trailer loaded to the gills. I ran from Indianapolis to almost Jensen Beach, Florida and hit 17.5 gallons on the entire 1100 mile run. Without trailer on the return home we averaged 33mpg. The 2nd biggest variance in fuel performance seems to be the ambient temperature. My 2020 LM2 likes it hot.
@@wrodney5 I have LML and did full delete back in 2014 already. I remember 5 gallons of DEF was good for about 10000km/6500miles for no towing time. Dont remember towing, as I never drove with trailer every single day, and a campsite we used to go to were like 200-250miles one way.
Makes sense the 3.0 would consume more DEF than the 6.6 pulling similar weight trailers I guess. 3.0 has to work harder, increasing emissions that would drive up DEF consumption. I thought about that when I bought my 2021 Sierra with the 3.0 duramax. I wanted the better fuel mileage when not towing.
My Daily driver, has 5500 miles. its a 2021 3.0 liter GMC AT4. I have pulled our 30 ft camp trailer, hay trailer, utility trailer, loaded the box up...just added a 2.5 gal of DEF at about 5000 mi
Great info, I’m heavily considering the purchase of the same truck and drive train, the towing ability as well as the unloaded fuel economy is my reasoning
I towed a 5000 lb boat on a dual axle trailer from SC to FL and back. Got similar results. Interesting how the DEF really gets sucked down during towing. Made the same trip several times without a trailer and the DEF gauge hardly moves. Drove from Tampa to Myrtle Beach (656 miles) with just tools in back and used only 21.3 gallons
I did a similar trip in my 2020 silverado 1500 duramax (when it was only 5k miles old) in July 2020. I drove a similar sized recreational trailer that I converted into a cargo trailer (2x4s for a frame and a custom stitched heavy duty vinyl tarp) of same dimensions to yours. My major regret was not having 2 axles. I overloaded the trailer by a thousand pounds on the return trip, but still made it back in one piece. Our gross weight was 12k lbs. My wife and I drove from Utah to Virginia (unloaded) and back (loaded) to move my sister. I was really disappointed in my DEF usage though. We had to fill DEF at every other stop while unloaded. On the way back loaded, we would fill up the DEF tank at every stop. In the last day of our trip (about 800 miles) we couldn't even use our trip meter any more because of the warning that we were going to be running out of DEF and speed would be limited soon. We had to top off the DEF tank every time we stopped for fuel and ended up having to take it to the dealer and reset the computer so that the DEF tank predicted mileage would return to normal. It was grossly frustrating and I was pretty regretful that I hadn't gotten the 6.6 duramax on a 2500 or 3500. Glad you at least seemed to have a better time with it. At least that dealer trip didn't cost anything because we were still under warranty, but I can't imagine keeping this truck past its warranty because of that exact issue. I have trouble trusting it for that kind of a trip again.
@@hughg.rection9161 yeah, I made some calls to my dealership on the trip about this issue. That was one detail that I left out. I had the truck serviced in virginia in the middle of the trip, but it didn't seem to do any good. It is possible that whatever was done required normal handling for a period of time before being put back into hard hauling so that it could relearn what it needed. I'm not sure. Either way, I think this truck could do with a def tank at least twice it's size. I should take my camper trailer on a long distance trip and see how it does on the next couple thousand miles.
I would have thought the duramax would have gotten better mileage. I recently made a trip from Texas to Alabama (750 miles) with a crew cab 4x4 Sierra 1500 with a 5.3 and 3.42 axle ratio. I had a 16’ enclosed trailer loaded down with a heavy toolbox, tools, etc. plus I have a fiberglass camper shell and the bed was full. I ran tow/haul mode the whole trip and did the posted speed limit, I averaged 12.5 mpg, the gas was cheaper than diesel and no def to buy.
Hi Chad. Hope everything is ok. I really enjoyed your videos and specifically the ones on your Silverado with the Duramax. Do plan to post some more videos soon?
GM is using less EGR and that means less soot being recycled back into the intake. This is a good thing. But it means that you will use more DEF to combat the higher level of NoX. Recycling some of the exhaust lowers NOX If you want to keep the intake from plugging up with soot or at least slow it down, then you have to lessen the amount the EGR opens. But doing this will cause very high NOX levels. In this case a lot more DEF will be used. Chad as you know your Colorado used very little DEF. I can’t remember the last time I added DEF to my Colorado. It was months ago. Or many many tanks of fuel. But the soot build up in my intake is extreme. And you are right about the bigger diesels being aloud to pollute more than the smaller diesels. If you want amazing fuel mileage a diesel is the way to go. I am very impressed with my Colorado. It’s to bad all the pollution crap takes away from the reliability....
Well done video and comments ! To the point and interesting . Just bought a 2021 Silverado Trailboss 5.3. . Only 503 miles on it so have not towed yet. Have a Lance 27 ft that weights 5800 loaded , very curious how it will do. Previous truck was a 2009 Suburban. Thanks for sharing 👍 !
Jeremy, thank you for your post. I am working on the 3 year review and some news about me getting a LZ0 that I'm going to do similar videos on. I appreciate you subscribing. Please let me know if you want to see anything specific on the LM2 or the LZ0.
Excellent information sir! Really enjoyed this! As a 2021 gmc 3.0 leasee I love that trucks power train!!! Howere I would not buy this truck. First it has insufficient payload. Needs a ford 150 heavy duty payload package engineering. Moreover I cant believe they don't offer a 36 gallon tank and come with light truck tires and gearing options like 3.42 or higher.
I can't agree with you more. I'm hoping that GM does come out with a heavy half ton but if it happens in 2022 or later I'm not sure that I want a more car like interior... There are a lot of haters out there who complain about the interior but it's a truck an those of us that like our truck don't want a Tahoe interior.... Thanks for the comment, hopefully someone at GM is reading these comments :)
Should've got on UShip app and picked up something to carry in the trailer going back north and dropped off on your route. Would've paid for half the entire $800+ fuel cost.
Excellent point. I actually do have the app and an account but totally forgot about using it. I'll need to do that next time she moves or is someone else needs help moving cross country :)
Could be problematic if you get stopped by DOT or happen to get in an accident. Without DOT numbers, MC numbers and proper insurance... you're taking a risk.
@@HTSS8 He is if he uses UShip. The minute you accept money for moving property that is not your own, you have crossed the line. I found this out the hard way several years ago. Had to hire a lawyer to get out of thousands in fines. Was just randomly pulled over and checked.
@@rogerheuckeroth7456 I knew there was a motive behind the "friendly" warning. Because you didn't know what to say, to the officer. They are trained to get you into cooperation, that 99% of citizens don't know is not required. People are wrongfully scared/intimidated by police encounters, and they know that, and once you answer the wrong question wrong then you're liable to cooperating. A truck goin down the road with a personal trailer isn't subject to "random" pull over, and those who know to call accountability to that are let go on their way every time. Won't get into this any more, but you just didnt know what you should've and got caught up in the game.
Jonny, thanks for the kind words. Things have been super busy for me during the recent situation. I have lots to report on the truck, it's been in the shop a few times but it's still one of my favorite trucks. While it was being fixed I drove a Ram 2500 Cummins, 2019 & 2021 so I could keep towing. I love that engine also but this truck is more efficient, refined and quicker than the Ram. I have lots to report and should get some time once planting is done...
Just curious...has your Duramax experienced consumption of oil??? My 20 Duramax 1500 uses between 1.5-2.5 Qts per oil change at 7500 mile intervals. Last thanksgiving...we took a sxs trip from Iowa to Brimstone in eastern Tennessee. In the 1500ish mile round trip-it burned 3 quarts of oil. Pulling about 4750 lbs with trailer, sxs, family and all our stuff.
I want one but don’t know if it’s worth it for me. Will be towing 5k on the weekends. I would only put about 5000 miles on it a year at most. I have work truck I drive during the week.
Understood. If I lived down south where salt was not an issue I would have one even for that low mileage. Living up North the salt will eat them in 10-15 years so it would not be worth it for sure. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I just watched a couple of your videos on towing and would like to say that they were very detailed and well done. I have a couple of questions as I'm looking at buying a new truck to tow a 27 ft travel trailer weighing in about 8500 lbs on average, this will be for full time travel towing about 15,000 miles per year, and most of my camping will be boondocking. - Are you still happy with your truck or do you wish you would have bought the 6.2 engine or something else? - Would you recommend the 3.0 diesel or 6.2 gas for my intended purpose. - is the 1/2 ton with the 3.0 or 6.2 big enough to tow the size of trailer I want or should I go with a HD 3/4 or 1 ton diesel? The mileage you're getting when empty is incredible for a vehicle that weighs almost 6000 lbs. - Should I consider any other hitch other than the Hensley or Propride if I plan on pulling a that size trailer with a 1/2 ton? - Does your truck have the single speed transfer case? It looks like that's all that is available unless a person buys the AT4 pkg, I want to have a low range transfer case for back country exploring. Thanks in advance, Jesse
I drive a Silvy 1500 Duramax as well. I personally believe you would NOT want the small diesel for that much weight. I pulled our sxs and open utility trailer from Iowa to eastern Tennessee over thanksgiving last year. Only about 4750 with trailer, sxs, family, and all our crap. Not a fun tow to be honest. I couldn’t imagine pulling another 3k+ with only 277 hp. It seriously struggled at highway speeds going into a 25-30 mph headwind. It needs about 50 more hp.
Good data points. My F150 with 5.4 V8 gets 11.5 towing a trailer that size & weight at that speed. When I account for differences in purchase & maintenance costs I’m absolutely content with my choices. Plus my family hates the smell of diesel.
Hey Chad, I am big fan of your videos...how about any major change in elevation? Any mountains ⛰? Also did you collect any data with the OBDLink? Thank you!
For this trip there where hills but I wouldn't call them mountains :). This summer we will be doing a trip with the camper out to Yellowstone so we will have an opportunity to get into some larger elevation changes. I did have OBDLink/Torque Pro running the entire time but don't really log much to disk. Temperatures looked great even though in Texas it was 110F :). Thanks for watching and commenting... I really appreciate it.
Very interesting collection of data! I must admit that I wasn't quite ready for the DEF consumption when towing. My only past experience is with a Mercedes 3.0 powered class C motorhome. It had no DEF gauge, and my one attempt at measuring consumption worked out to about 1,700 mpg DEF! Do you find that the calibration of your DEF gauge is a bit erratic? On a PA to SC run, it gradually dropped to 1/2, then sat there forever until I suddenly got a Low DEF warning! Now it seems to be sitting on Full, which maybe it is because it only takes a gallon to top it off?
I'm working on a few new video. I just had the truck in for us first and only service visits before the 36k warranty expires... #3 glow plug failed and I found a heat shield on the transmission that was vibrating, cross threaded bolt from the factory and there was apparently a stud off the engine block that was broken. All fixed up but the world we live in today it took a week to get some of the parts. Stay tuned, I'm hoping to get this info out for everyone in the next few weeks. Thank for watching and for the question.
Your DEF consumption was under 5% of Diesel. That is close to lots of the commercial trucks out there. Some of them quote 3%to 4% and they end up in the 4's like you.
If I do a lot of highway, 73mph I'll get 27mph or better. Around town it's about 20mpg and mixed driving is in the 24-25mpg range. Thanks for the question.
Good mpg but absolutely horrible on the def. I just drove 1500 miles half empty half towing about 6,000lbs. I went through maybe a quarter of a tank of def. I got a ram ed
The truck shifted great. Super fast shifts and the torque converter locks up really quick to get the diesel's torque gets to the ground really efficiently. I would say it was just as good as my old 2002 2500HD with the 6.6 Duramax and the Allison. I loved that combination and this one has not disappointed me at all.
Sir, did you happen to sit in or test drive the other pickups available, ie Ram, Ford, etc. I know seat comfort isn't the only factor in a pickup purchase and is subjective, but I was wondering if you felt your Chevy's seats were the most comfy of the current batch? Im considering this vehicle. Thanks!
You bring up a great question and one that I have been doing some research on. In Michigan there are only 2 fueling stations that have Top Tier Diesel, on in Traverse City and one in Roseville.... I talked with a representative from TOP TIER and got some really good insight on what it takes to get that classification. Hopefully I'll be able to put a video together on in this spring. And don't get me started on GM fuel additives :)
Taking a trip this summer with the 4500lb 5th wheel from TX up through the Rockies, UT, ID, WY and back. Would love to download the Torque App and set up engine monitors, especially for regens while towing. Really confused where to find the correct Torque App for iOS, you have said yours is by Ian Hawkins, is this an Android only app?
Nick, thanks asking. I am doing ok, just have been really busy. I have several new videos that I'm working on and hope to have out in a few weeks. We did a 5,000 mile trip out to Yellowstone, update my tires, added airbags and had 2 new check engine lights and found 1 cross threaded bolt holding a heat shield to the transmission. Lots to report :)
How was the towing feel at 75 MPH with that kind of weight behind you? I’m always disappointed seeing the instant MPG average while towing until I remember by old 6.0 so 11.5 MPG once..... under ideal conditions while empty. Almost 19k on mine now. No regrets.
With my setup, 75 MPH is not a problem at all. I wouldn't want to go any faster though. I'm thinking that the Hensley hitch has a lot to do with that along with the fact that the temperature was about 110F while we were down there. A big flat nose trailer does get moved around by the air so I'm not sure if I could recommend it for all situations. Possibly one day I'll purchase a Blue Ox SwayPro and see how it does... I had a 1999 Silverado 2500 with the 6.0l and agree with you, it was a dog and a gas hog. Keep me posted, I love to hear about others experiences.
I have not taken this long of a trip with the camper yet. We are going to be going to Yellowstone during the summer so I will be able to give everyone comparison results for that trip :). I expect it to be a little bit better just do to the slightly better aero on the camper compared to this trailer.
Do you know your tongue weight? I don't know anything about the Hensley hitch, do they have different bar ratings for different tongue weights? It almost looks like your bars are not stiff enough to transfer the load to the steer axle, or if its adjustable maybe it wasn't adjusted correctly. I don't know my axle weight yet but with 900 lbs tongue weight, and my wd hitch I have zero front lift and 1" squat in the back. Without the bars I have .5" lift in front and almost 2" squat in the rear. Questions about DEF, you used about 13.5 gallons on the trip?
Tim thanks for the question. I did use about. 1.75qts during the trip. The oil was changed before we left and I added one quart in Austin then changed the oil again when I got back so the oil consumption will towing was around 1qt every 2,700 miles or so. Not towing I'm at about 1qt every 4,000 miles in mixed driving/towing. The Regen was every 1,000km, this is the max miles the truck will go without a Regen so just over 620 miles. I should have added that but I'll probably have a video that goes through and talks more about Regen intervals and reasons. Next oil change is coming up soon too :)
hey you still have this truck? im thinking about ordering a 2022 Silverado with a 3.0 diesel, I never own a diesel b4 I'm kind of little nervous because the cold winters here in michigan, dos it take long time to heat the cabin and defrost the windows on the winter time ?
I do still have the truck and also live in Michigan :). The 3.0 has a pretty cool heating system and will clear off the windshield justs as fast as gas trucks. I normally use the remote start and the windshield typically cleans off within one cycle, ice is melted for sure making it easy to brush off what is left. If it gets below 0 F then you can plug in the truck but I haven't had to use it yet. Let me know if you have any other question.
Cody, for this trip we were not at the max weight for the trailer but most of the time I'm running really close to the max rear axle weight rating and the max gross vehicle weight rating of the truck. It is a challenge to keep everything within specifications but I'm able to do it by shifting weight around and adjusting the weight distribution hitch. But to answer your question, the transmission does a great job matching up with the power coming from the engine. Most of the time we are running in 9th, some hills it would shift to 8th and steeper hills you might hit 7th. I'm super impressed with how it's been programmed. Thanks for the question.
@Cody Desero, if you are running at max payload with the OEM tires you should be running at the pressure listed on the sticker on your door jam. I measure the tire wear and adjust the pressure up or possible down a few psi to make sure they are wearing flat. I don't have the original tires any more and I'm running 45psi in the front and about 60psi in the rear when I'm towing my trailer and 35psi unloaded but I put E load rated tires that can accept up to 80psi. I did it for the tread and the higher stiffness but the axles are not rated high enough for the maximum load that the tires can handle so I'll never put that much air in them. The standard tires, I believe, max out at 52psi but the same is true, the axle/strings will limit your overall capacity and thus the max pressure. I'm a firm believer in trying to keep the tire wear equal across the tread and that means adjusting the pressure as I change the load. So far that is working pretty well for me. Thanks again for the question, I hope this helps a little bit.
@@LightningDes please ask as many questions as you want, I really don't mind. While towing I think the maximum trans temp I have seen was 230F, most of the time it stays closer to 205F. Let me know if you see something different with your truck.
Well I'm a diesel guy so my vote would be for the 3.0 Duramax. GM has had some issues with the lifters on some 5.3s includes one of my good friends trucks. They have also had some wire harness issues with the diesel. If you're not comfortable with Diesel fuel, DEF and other special features of the Duramax my vote would be for the 2.7 Turbo. It got great torque, better fuel economy than the 5.3 and less issues but you can't get that engine in a LTZ or High Country yet... I probably over-complicated the answer but thanks for the question.
Lol... That was a different trip :) I kinda wish I would have bought a white truck. I'm hoping to get a tailgate from a junk yard where someone bashed up the front of a grey truck.... They are pretty cheap that way. That reminds me, I need to check again today to see what is available.
Chad when towing a popup camper across the turnpike, my temp spiked high for about a minute or so. What would cause that? It has happened several times but I was thinking it was cold weather, today it was 42. I uploaded a video to my channel showing it. I have yet to take it to the dealer, has yours ever gotten that hot?
Nick, I was able to see your video. Just watching the gauge on the dash it looks like your truck made it up to 247.5 deg but the motion of the gauge was very erratic. I have seen temperatures of 230 degrees even in winter but as the valve changes to have coolant flow to other parts of the engine it will move back down very quickly like you are seeing, I never see an increase like that. My suggestion would be to check the coolant level in the overflow bottle and see if you are low on coolant. I will also forward your video to a few others to see if the have any ideas.
@@CJIEngineering I checked the overflow it was where it should be, and same with coolant. Sent the video to the service guy see what develops. I also posted it on the duramax forum www.duramaxforum.com/threads/high-temperature-while-towing.1020345/#post-12418720
Well, I went to the dealer today. I showed the dealer the video, they looked at the video and the truck. They called me several hours later and told me they could not find anything wrong. No codes popped up in the computer to indicate an issue. The tech looked up any bulletins or anything from GM and could not find anything. I was told to monitor it and if throws a code, let them know. I guess it’s “normal.”
Nick, I'm not sure how far away from the dealership but there is a really good chance you will be able to get some extra help to fix your vehicle. I have spoken with an engineer at GM and they would like to run some tests on your truck. The senario you have is not normal. Send me your contact info to chad.ivan2@gmail.com if you would like to go down that path. I'll get with you and let you know what should happen next.
I would have probably picked up an Aluminum Trailer to do the trip instead of using this Steel Trailer and probably would have picked up a V-Nose to help with wind resistant. Would have been more expensive for the trailer but overall would have been less expensive due to the cost of the truck. The key would have been to stay below Gross Combined Weight Rating for the Colorado Duramax. I would have been over with the setup shown in this video. No other concerns. Thanks for the question.
Have you had any problems with your antifreeze I have 2020 diesel just like yours and I keep getting antifreeze odor my dealership cannot find where it's coming from please comment back to me please
Every once in a while I do smell antifreeze but the two tank seem to stay at the same level... I have not found any drops on the concrete nor have I had any show up in the oil so maybe it is just venting some of the vapors through the overflow/vent. I would just keep an eye on the tank levels and if it goes down then take it in. I hope there is nothing wrong with your truck. Keep me posted.
@@CJIEngineering my dealership and I both have had to add antifreeze cannot find leak I kept antifreeze odor on short trips or long trips that does not matter I hope my dealership and I can find this problem I think it's a good truck if you have antifreeze problems it won't last long
Funny thing is you can never truly run out. The truck will limit you speed to 65mph for a period of time, then 55mph after that and finally to 4mph. Even at 4mph the system will still be working to clean up the exhaust. When you put in at least 2.5 gallons the speed limiting will be removed and you can drive like normal again. Thanks for the question.
Hello Chad Ivan！ This is Nove from AISKITS, I watched your channel it’s really exciting and impressive. This is a newly launched LED headlight! You can see this LED headlight, is not cool？it is our latest development of a product! In the United States, there are many classic cars, they are our closest partners! Now they may need some upgrades to accompany us better. Replacing and upgrading our headlights does more than making driving safer. They improve the look of your vehicle as well as its performance. LED bulbs have a lower power pull on your vehicle’s battery and system. They also give our vehicle a fresh and new feel with bright white light. I was wondering if you could do a share for it on your RU-vid： • Introduction • Overview of features • Actual driving footage with the bulbs • Amazon link on the description for viewers interested in buying the product." Please let me know if this is OK with you. Really looking forward to working with you. Best wish, Nove
I don't know if it was you or another guy with the same POS but I told one of you guys get rid of it!! that engine's garbage get a 6.2 V8 gas. I have 125,000 trouble-free miles on my 5.3 Silverado not one problem... I'm telling you get rid of it before it's worth nothing...
My truck does not have a vibration at idle. The truck does use active motor mounts, they are softer while at idle and stiffen up as you start to move. There is an electrical connector that comes off of each one, maybe one of your's is disconnected? I'll need to get under my truck and give you a better description, give me a few days and I'll get back with you...
@@CJIEngineering thats will be awesome thank you. It may be just the motor sound that I'm hearing but pls. Post a video on it i would like to know my about it Thanks
