'01 Chevrolet Silverado2500HD 6.6L DuramaxOur First Look 6 Years ago 6.6L DuramaxThe GM/Isuzu Motors 32-valve, aluminum-head 6.6L replacement for GM's 6.5L diesel was the star of this new platform. The turbo took about one second to spool up, then boom-you'd better be ready for a surge of oil-burning acceleration. The new heavy-duty Allison five-speed auto electronically controls shift timing and locks up the torque converter in lower gears when in "Tow/Haul" mode to prevent overheating. The Allison shifted with a nice, firm feel, but it did shift a lot and there was no overdrive "off" button. We needed to manually pull the shifter down from "D," which was annoying in some situations.
Inside were the same Barkalounger captain's chairs, radio with big, logical controls, and center console with room for a baby elephant as before. However, there was plenty of ludicrousness, namely in the form of a 229.5-inch long vehicle with poor rear legroom and brakes that worked well on pavement but not in the dirt. The ABS released way too early, resulting in a loss of stopping power and causing some pretty hairy situations on muddy mountain roads. Then there's GM's OnStar system, which combines GPS with cellular technology to pinpoint your exact position and speed in case you're lost, broken down, or just lonely. Welcome to the age of Big Brother.
Around town the 2500HD was surprisingly agile for a vehicle of its size, but we were reminded of its length, especially when trying to park. On the highway the familiar diesel clatter goes away, only to be replaced by the most awful bucking you'll ever find outside of a rodeo. It's a 31/44-ton truck that sure rides like a 1-ton. However, with super-low gearing and the age-old Gov-Lock, the diesel strutted its stuff in our rockcrawling tests despite an enormous breakover angle, an exposed tranny filter and pan, and a diesel fuel cooler mounted in harm's way next to the unskidplated plastic fuel tank.
Likes* Obscenely powerful diesel* Crawls like a conveyor belt* Best-of-bunch mpg
Dislikes* Rough ride on- or off-road* Tight rear seating* Sticker shock
KellEy Blue Book Value$25,970with 70,000 miles
| SPECIFICATIONS |
| GENERAL |
| Manufacturer | Chevrolet |
| Model | Silverado 2500HD LT Extended Cab |
| Base price | $33,785 |
| Price as tested | $40,755 |
| Options as tested: | Locking differential rear axle; |
roof marker lamps; trailer hitch platform, LT
package (air conditioning with air filtration system,
ISRV mirror with compass and temp., dual power
heated OSRV mirrors, rear window defogger, deep
tint glass, pushbutton transfer case, front foglamps, AM/FM stereo w/ cassette and CD,
electronic speed control, power locks and
windows, remote keyless entry with content theft
alarm, leather wrapped steering wheel, forged polished aluminum wheels, bodyside moldings,
six-way power heated bucket seats w/ front leather
surfaces and driver memory, OnStar communication system, tan custom leather trim),
M74 Allison five-speed auto trans, Duramax 6600 V-8 diesel, tonneau cover |
| ENGINE |
| Type | Duramax Diesel 6600 V-8 |
| Displacement (liters/cubic inches) | 6.6/402.7 |
| Bore x stroke (inches) | 4.06 x 3.89 |
| Compression ratio | 17.5:1 |
| Induction type | Direct injection, high pressure |
| | common rail |
| Fuel capacity | Diesel/26 (shortbed) |
| SAE peak horsepower | 300 @ 3,100 rpm |
| SAE peak torque (lb-ft) | 520 @ 1,800 rpm |
| TRANSMISSION |
| Type | Five-speed automatic overdrive, tow/haul mode |
| Model | Allison 1000 (M74) |
| Ratios | First: 3.10:1; Second: 1.81:1; Third: 1.41:1; |
| | Fourth: 1.0:1; Fifth: 0.71:1; Reverse: 4.64:1 |
| TRANSFER CASE |
| Type | Two-speed part-time |
| Model | NVG 263 |
| Low-range ratio | 2.72:1 |
| AXLES |
| Front type | IFS |
| Rear type | Solid axle with locking differential |
| Hubs | Automatic |
| Ratio | 3.73:1 |
| SUSPENSION |
| Front | Independent/torsion bar |
| Rear | Semi-eliptic, two-stage multileaf springs |
| STEERING |
| Type | Integral power recirculating ball |
| Turns lock-to-lock | 3.75 |
| WHEELS |
| Size (inches) | 16x6.5 |
| Material | Polished forged aluminum |
| TIRES |
| Size | LT 245/75R-16E |
| Brand | Firestone Steeltex Radial R4S |
| BRAKE SYSTEM |
| Front | 12.80-inch disc with ABS |
| Rear | 13.0-inch disc with ABS |
| WEIGHT (pounds) |
| Advertised GVWR | 9,200 |
| MILEAGE |
| As tested (mpg) | 14.18 |
| ACCELERATION |
| Standing 11/44-mile (seconds @ mph) | 17.54 @ 81.61 |
| BRAKING |
| 60-0 mph (feet) | 155.16 |
| DIMENSIONS (inches) |
| Wheelbase | 144 |
| Overall length | 229.5 |
| Overall width | 93 |
| Overall height | 74 |
| Front/rear track | 63.375/66.125 |
| Front/rear overhang | 38.25/45 |
| Minimum front ground clearance | 8.25 |