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A truck isn’t a truck if it can’t haul and tow. One of the best ways to get monster capabilities in a truck is to get a diesel. Ram offers the Cummins, Ford the Power Stroke and GM offers the Duramax diesels in its Chevy and GMC trucks and vans. So, if you’re looking for a Chevy Silverado 2500 HD or a GMC Sierra the big 6.6 is your go-to. But for the 1500, GM is discontinuing the old 3.0-liter Duramax, which is internally known as the LM2, and replacing it with the next generation LZ0 for 1500 truck duty.

The new Duramax LZ0 will be the base diesel

A 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. For 2023, the base diesel will be the new Duramax LZ0 3.0-liter.
2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 | Chevrolet

The new Duramax LZ0 turbo diesel will replace the LM2 in the Chevy Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500, according to TFL Truck. It will be the fourth engine option in the trucks, which got the new 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder recently as the base engine and continue with the 5.3-liter V8 and the monster 6.2-liter V8 gas engines.

GM has not released the LZ0’s power specs, but it should beat the current LM2. The current 3.0-liter is rated 277 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque and is available with a 10-speed automatic. The new engine could also become the base diesel in the updated 2023 GMC Canyon and 2023 Chevy Colorado.

Who makes Duramax engines?

An image of a 2021 GMC Sierra HD. The new base GMC diesel will be a smaller 3.0 Duramax six-cylinder.
2021 GMC Sierra HD | GMC

The DMAX company makes the Duramax diesel engines, it’s a joint venture between GM and Isuzu. DMAX makes the 6.6-liter V8 turbo diesel that is optional on GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado HD pickup trucks in Dayton, Ohio. The 3.0-liter Duramax is not made by DMAX, but by G.M.’s Flint, Michigan, engine plant. Internally, it’s called the LM2.

Fun fact: the 6.6-liter engine was used in the original AMG Hummer H1 in its final year of production.

Could the new diesel Ford Ranger be GM’s target?

2023 Ford Ranger will be offered with a small diesel, too.
2023 Ford Ranger | Ford

The LZ0 will have to compete with the 2023 Ford Ranger diesel. The new Ranger will have a 3.0-liter turbo diesel with 247 horsepower and 442 lb.-ft. of torque. The new engine is Australia-specific for now, but many are hoping the diesel to come to the U.S. But, GM sells the Silverado in Australia, too.

How does the LZ0 compare to other small diesels?

Ram and Jeep offer a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel in their trucks, and also the Wrangler.
2018 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel |Stellantis

The LZ0 will have to compete with several other small diesel engines, including the 3.0-liter diesel in Jeep Gladiator trucks and Ram 1500 trucks. The 3.0-liter in the Jeep Gladiator and Wrangler called the EcoDiesel makes 260 horsepower and 442 lb.-ft. of torque with an eight-speed. The EcoDiesel has been around for several years and does get better mileage but is a $5,000 option on the Gladiator or the Ram 1500.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.