GM bets $69 million on diesel plant in Ohio
New emissions standards in 2010 will make things too stringent for GM's Duramax diesel, in its current form, to make the grade. To help its prize student pass the looming tests, GM is investing $69 million in its DMAX plant (a joint venture diesel engine factory in Moraine, Ohio) for plant renovations and new machinery and tooling. While GM doesn't really rate the uptake of diesel in the American market in passenger cars, the Duramax is an engine that has powered its fair share of GM sales. Since its introduction in 2001, more than one million Duramax diesels have found their way on the road in Chevy Silverados, GMC Sierras, full-size vans and some medium duty trucks. The current 6.6-liter Duramax V8 has a diesel particulate filter to meet today's standards. For 2010, GM will add a selective catalytic reduction NOx after-treatment system (along with the particulate filter) to meet the Tier 2 BIN and LEV 2 emissions standards. It will remain good to go in all 50 states.
[Source: GM]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg "2011 Audi A8: Live from Miami")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
JGN 5:01PM (2/05/2008)
Great news, good job GM.
Reply
Richard 5:09PM (2/05/2008)
THIS is great news!
Reply
Tyo 5:15PM (2/05/2008)
Is this for the truck motors only?
Can we expect a small diesel for the crossovers, suvs, and passenger cars?
The colorado/canyon are begging for a small diesel.
even the impala sized cars could replace the base pushrod v6's with even a 4cyl turbodiesel.Compare a decent diesel four to the 3.5 Pushrod V6.
Reply
CSmit 5:39PM (2/05/2008)
Considering what Chrysler is doing to their suppliers...I would tap Cummins. Think about it...6.7L I-6 Cummins mated to the Allison Transmission + HD GMT-900 = one badass truck. Plus the Cummins is already 2010 compliant, all you have to do is drop it in and make the necessary mods.
Reply
Justin 5:50PM (2/05/2008)
The 3.5 is an old neglected engine, regardless of its structure design. Not sure why you keep emphasizing that its pushrod.
I do agree it needs to either be improved or replaced, and a diesel would be cool. Then again, so could an ls engine with 2 cylinders chopped off.
Reply
R.Autry 5:59PM (2/05/2008)
Of course. Small diesels don't have enough oomph to power humongus GM cash cows.
Or maybe GM can convert some of it's gasoline v-6s to diesel. That could be a quick fix for the sedans in the line. Shouldn't be too hard.
Reply
dean 7:33PM (2/05/2008)
Thats the rub. You only think they don't have enough. Put a V6 gasser in a half ton, you think its slow. But most people don't use half their V8 power. so a diesel 4-banger in the Outlook or Acadia would do just fine.
This plant should also produce the 4.5 V8 light duty diesel, right?
Reply
Frick 7:12PM (2/05/2008)
shouldn't be too hard? haha... funny... to go from compression of 10:1 to 20:1 you pretty much need a brand new engine....
Reply
Gary Blomquist 8:10PM (2/05/2008)
Why the Allison Tranny when the new bullet proof and smooth shifting, 6 speed Chrysler 68RFE Automatic that comes as an option with all the Cummins powered pickups, has proven to be as reliable as the Allison?
The cab chassis 3/4 - 1 ton Dodge models come with the Aisin 6 Speed Automatic with PTO/Power Take Off option. This Aisin is also a bullet proof Auto Tranny.
Allison does not equate to best anymore or the "marque" to meet by the others.
The new Dodge 68RFE 6 speed automatic mated behind it's 6.7 Cummins that meets 2010 CAFE standards, is a brute of a tranny. Also these 68RFE auto tranny Cummins powered Dodges all come with a standard Jake exhaust brake.
The 6.7 Cummins used by Dodge is the only diesel of the big three that meets the 2010 CAFE standards.
Reply
why not the LS2/LS7? 8:19PM (2/05/2008)
"it's not tier 2 BIN", it's "tier 2, bin 5".
And for good measure, it isn't LEV 2, it's LEV II.
http://www.dieselnet.com/standards/us/ld_t2.php
Bin 5 is the highest emissions allowed for cars in CARB areas and is the fleet average required in the other states. Trucks are allowed to pollute a bit more, so selling this motor into trucks will not put companies "behind the 8 ball" for emissions in CARB areas as it might in cars.
Reply
quagmire 9:35PM (2/05/2008)
Let's see. You're saying how a brand new transmission is proving to be just as reliable as an Allison? So when has one year of use enough to prove that reliability of a product( part in this case) is good?
Reply
j_diesel 6:49AM (2/06/2008)
i agree. allison transmissons are excellent. it is by no accident that they control about 70% of the medium and heavy duty market. i have heard the phrase "bullet-proof" used more than once to describe more than one model, including the 1000 series world model in GM 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. the dodge trans might very well be good but it needs some use and abuse over time to earn the title.
Keith M 1:37PM (2/06/2008)
This is great news!!!
Last time GM put diesels in passenger cars - they gave diesels a bad name and nearly killed the entire market with their stinky, loud, poor performing, unreliable, short life span lump.
Reply