The 3.0 is the latest version of General Motors’ popular turbo-diesel engine. Despite having an engine displacement lower than most of its predecessors, the 3.0 Duramax is still a viable option in the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra pickups. But if you’re looking to get one, you should know about the 3.0 Duramax common problems that you could be facing.
The issues in question include problems in cranking and with the injectors. The fuel pump or the oil pump could fail prematurely. Even the exhaust gas recirculation system for the vehicle’s emissions control setup can clog up and go bad. While these problems haven’t been complained about in large numbers, they still exist. Thankfully (or not), there haven’t been any recalls yet.
3.0 Duramax common problems
Starting problems
This may be the most prevalent issue in these engines. Basically, the engine’s starter motor gets cranking as soon as you try to switch on the engine.
However, it keeps on cranking and the engine never really starts. Sometimes, the engine does start when you try to crank it a second time. You can expect this problem to happen at any sort of mileage. While the failure to start is certainly depressing, it is even more so that there isn’t a solution for this sort of thing.
The problem could be as a result of one of several factors, with the major culprit being the trigger wheel.
Injector failure
Fuel injectors are one of the most important parts of any engine. In the 3.0 Duramax, they can become susceptible to failure. The reason for this is that this Duramax, being a direct-injection motor, produces high amounts of fine particles as a result of the combustion process.
These pesky particulates aren’t just harmful for the environment, but they’re also bad for the injectors. The carbon from them builds up on the injectors’ nozzles, ruining the performance. Your best chance of avoiding this is to utilize additives for your fuel.
Poor Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)
Like the previous problem on this list, this is also a result of the country’s laws calling for a drop in emissions. EGR is a method used by automotive manufacturers to reuse the vehicles’ exhaust gases in a bid to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from exhausts. However, a bad EGR valve is a flaw of this system and it can clog up.
This can not only increase the emissions from the vehicle, but it can ruin the performance and cause some other components to malfunction along the way.
Bad oil pump
belt The oil pump of your 3.0 can become faulty, particularly because of its belt. This is a design flaw of the engine, which is longer because of the belt’s positioning in order to make it quieter. As a result, the oil pump’s belt is more susceptible to failure than it should be. So, you’ll have to replace it prematurely.
Fuel pump failure
This one’s more common than you think as high-pressure fuel pumps are commonplace in direct-injection diesel. However, these pumps can often fail before their designated lifespan, especially if you like to drive roughly. As a result, expect a fuel pump replacement after a max of 100k miles.
How Good is the 3.0 Duramax Engine?
The 3.0 Diesel engine that you find in GMCs and Chevy vehicles is it is a great engine. It is quite powerful as it sports some of the highest numbers of horsepower and torque for its class.
But more importantly, it is very efficient as well. You won’t have to worry about the fuel bill with its 30-mpg fuel economy on the highway. Sure, the starting problems and the issues with the oil pump do take place.
But it should be noted that these issues only start to show after the vehicle has done at least 150k miles. After you get the repairs done, expect the engine to work flawlessly again for thousands of more miles.
Are there any 3.0 Duramax recalls?
No, there haven’t been any recalls for the 3.0 Duramax as of yet. This is surprising and understandably frustrating for those who drive with this engine and have encountered the starting problem. Maybe it is because while the problem exists, the number of complaints that they’ve got is low.
How Many Miles is a 3.0 Duramax Good for?
Many tend to ask about the 3.0 Duramax’s longevity. We know that many of GM’s top engines tend to run for hundreds of thousands of miles before needing any major repairs. The 3.0 Duramax is no different here as it too can fulfill such milestones. But how do we know that exactly?
Well, GM gave this bad boy a rating of 95pc at the figure of 200k miles. According to VEHQ, it means that this is the percentage of their engines that they don’t expect to cross the 200k-hour mark. Either way, the 3.0 Duramax should be able to do up to 300k miles if you’re looking for a direct answer.
Why did GM stop production of the 3.0 Duramax?
Is the 3.0 Duramax being discontinued? If this engine is so great, why did GM stop making it? The answer to both of these questions is that they didn’t stop manufacturing it.
They just halted its production due to problems with the supply chain. This happened back in August of last year. Several automotive journalists reported on the issue and they even went on to say that the problem would last for a long time.
However, this didn’t happen and the engine was back the same year. As soon as they were able to fix this issue with the suppliers, they put the engine back into production. You can hence purchase a vehicle with one of these engines. In fact, there are many consumers and reviewers that’ll recommend you skip the gasoline version for this.