Picking Up a 2.8 Duamax Diesel Chevy CO

[ElkNut1]

OK, I have a question here for you diesel guys! I pick this rig up Monday, it's the 2020 Chevy Colorado ZR2 diesel.

Now, I don't drive much these days, more like a mile here & there 2-3 times a day, maybe 2-3 times a week I may get 6-8 miles at once. Being a diesel I've heard it needs to be driven a certain amount distance every now & then to sorta blow it out. Can anyone shed some light on what it can handle without me having issues. -- I will drive it further here & there but not very often. Thanks for any help!

ElkNut

 

[Fatcamp]

Cool truck. Loan it to me and I will keep it warmed up for you.

What's it costing you? Options? Locking diff?

 

[ElkNut1]

Ha Ha! Yes, it has all the stuff a ZR2 has, front & rear lockers & more! It was 43,400.00 out the door.

ElkNut

 

[USMC-40]

I’ve got an ‘18 ZR2 duramax - love it! Enjoy

 

[wildwilderness]

Not sure on the Colorado but I have a Ram ecodiesel. If it’s not driven much it won’t complete its regeneration cycle. Supposedly you aren’t supposed to stop during that cycle. I drive plenty so never have issues with it.

 

[Fatcamp]

Ha Ha! Yes, it has all the stuff a ZR2 has, front & rear lockers & more! It was 43,400.00 out the door.

ElkNut

That's awesome. What a truck.

Gonna need some pictures.

 

[Mosby]

I have the same truck only mine is a 2018. I really like it. Sitting does mess with it. I put on most of my miles in the fall, driving to multiple states for hunting but mine will sit for a week or two at a time the rest of the year. I live out in the country but I do try to take it for longer drives every week or two.

A few things I learned. Don't take it just anywhere for oil changes. It became clear to me that some shops never work on diesels and if they put in the wrong oil you will be sol. I can't tell you how many people don't know that the Colorado comes in a Diesel engine. I had one guy tell me I didn't have a diesel when I asked what they charge.

I found a local Chevy dealer that charges a fair price for oil changes and I only take it there. Some Chevy dealers charge between $30 and $60 more for an oil change and they all use the same oil and filter.

Carry DEF fluid and motor oil when you travel longer distances. You will get a warning light when you start to run low of DEF fluid and you will need to get more quickly. The DEF fluid is only a 5 gallon tank. Some places have DEF fluid sit for months on the shelf and some people have had real problems with old DEF fluid.

I have found that Walmart has a shipping sticker on the DEF fluid box and you can see the shipping date. I normally buy mine there and take the most recent.

Not every place carries the right oil for a diesel engine either. I have had to go to several different auto places to find the proper oil. When you are traveling, that sucks. Cheapest and easiest thing to do is order from Walmart and pick up at store. You can get a jug of Pennzoil for around $25. I always take one with me on trips.

 

[ElkNut1]

Mosby, thanks, very informative info!

Mine won't sit like yours for a spell, it will get driven daily but just not that far. I will make sure to drive it a few miles weekly, hopefully that will be OK.

After test driving them I really liked the Diesel over the Gas models. Thanks!

ElkNut

 

[ElkNut1]

Mosby, what are the symptoms of the diesel if it isn't getting driven far enough? I'll do my best to avoid that but it would be nice to know what to look for, thanks!

ElkNut

 

[burlap]

I got rid of my ecodiesel because I hated dealing with the def. The local truck stops require a "fleet card" to pump it, and the boxes are beyond annoying.

 

[ElkNut1]

The ZR2 says you add DEF every 2500-3000 miles, That's not bad to me?

ElkNut

 

[5MilesBack]

Mosby, what are the symptoms of the diesel if it isn't getting driven far enough? I'll do my best to avoid that but it would be nice to know what to look for, thanks!

ElkNut

Send a sample of your used oil into Blackstone and they will analyze it for you and tell you what's going on. More than likely you'll have some unburnt fuel in your oil, and in your exhaust system. https://www.ckpower.com/wet-stacking-avoid/

Paul, I thought you had a Toyota. Why on earth would you get rid of that and go to a Chevy CO diesel, especially for only a few miles a day?

 

[High Voltage]

Short trips, you would have been way better off with a gaser. Diesels are made to be driven, and worked.

 

[ElkNut1]

5Miles, yes I have a Tacoma, it runs great but I need a write-off! (grin) If you go drive a ZR2 you won't ask why! It's a pretty sweet rig!

Crap, maybe I'd best stick with a gasser??????? There's one of each on the lot, I do have a choice! Decisions, decisions!!!! Thanks!

ElkNut

 

[High Voltage]

5Miles, yes I have a Tacoma, it runs great but I need a write-off! (grin) If you go drive a ZR2 you won't ask why! It's a pretty sweet rig!

Crap, maybe I'd best stick with a gasser??????? There's one of each on the lot, I do have a choice! Decisions, decisions!!!! Thanks!

ElkNut

Unless you have a need for diesel, you are better off with gas. Short trips, and lack of use are not good for a diesel engine. I got rid of my diesel truck after I retired and didn’t have a real need for it to be diesel, because lack of working them things seem to go bad and they are expensive to repair. Good luck on your choice.

 

[HuntHarder]

Sweet truck for sure. It's always a good thing when you get to buy vehicles to avoid giving more money to Uncle Sam. I am not sure the cost difference on the gasser vs. the Diesel, but I would assume it is atleast a 5-8k savings going with the gasser. The DEF is a pain in the ass and just adds one more cost onto a diesel. Make sure you run those diesels tho, they do get gunked up if they sit for too long.

 

[260madman]

You’ll probably grow fungus in the fuel tank, depending on the diesel blend, from not using it. Also DEF pumps and heaters poop out and then you’re SOL until you have one delivered DPF will plug up from not being hot enough during a regen or not finishing off the regen. Soot is a killer to these modern diesel engines. The expression holds true with them, they “shit where they eat”. Pumping soot back into an engine is not good for them.

I work on diesels every day and can say they aren’t my first choice and that’s why my 2500 is a gasser. If you don’t work a diesel on a regular basis you will have issues with them. Don’t use them as a grocery getter.

My Dad has diesel John Deere’s and none are tierIV engines. His 4030 has 60 hours on the oil change and the oil is still golden. It won’t be on a newer engine for very long. He collects JDs and most are 2 cylinders but he’s been buying the 1970s and early 80s diesels because of the simplicity and reliability. Well, the premium they are now bringing doesn’t hurt either as an investment.

Long story short, pass on the diesel in your circumstance unless you absolutely must have it. Oh and read up on the transmissions with the baby max. People weren’t happy with them and I don’t think they’ve done anything different with them.

 

[ElkNut1]

Thanks guys! Yes sir I've been researching the ZR2 for over a year. The tranny issues were not from them breaking down, it was more from having a variety of drivers using the same truck! The tranny has sensors in it trying to memorize the dominant driver & with multiple drivers it would start clunking here & there as it tried to re-figure things out, stupid idea by chevy engineers for sure, it's been taken care of from what I've heard & read. I'm the only driver on this truck so not really concerned with it.

I hear all your thoughts & thank you, looks like the Gas model will best suit my needs!

ElkNut

 

[three5x5s]

If you get the gas V6 you must get the 8 speed tranny. BAD=BAD. Look up the Chevy 8 speed Transmission "shutter", mine dident start the shutter till 800 miles and it quiet for about 400 every time they changed the fluid.
Its been going on since 2015 and they still cant fix it. They had my 2018 67 days total. 2 new fluid types, 1 new tork convener and a new transmission, 2nd worse than the first. After a long and time consuming BBB fight they replaced it with a 2020 4 cyilnder with the 6 speed. 6 speed tranny works fine but 4 cyl. is just way under powered. I just drive it back and forth to my public job. Toyota Tundra does all the farm work. I think the diesel has the 6 speed tranny so stay with it.

 

[ElkNut1]

three5x5's, did you mean get the 6 speed tranny & stay away from the 8 speed?

ElkNut