4.5l Duramax to have 'breakthrough' NVH qualities

[Flybrian]

Low NVH for New Duramax 4500
GM's new light-duty diesel to be quiet, clean

By RICHARD TRUETT | Link to Original Article @ Autoweek | Published 07/16/07, 11:16 am et

DETROIT -- The 4.5-liter turbocharged diesel engine that General Motors plans to introduce in 2010 in light-duty pickups will have breakthrough technology in emissions and noise reduction, says the engine's assistant chief engineer, Jim Minneker.

The new diesel is being designed to meet the most stringent federal and California emissions standards and will be available in all 50 states, Minneker said. It will use a urea injection system to control oxides of nitrogen, or NOx.

But GM won't be part of the German Bluetec alliance of Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, BMW and Audi. Those automakers plan to sell their clean diesels under the Bluetec banner.

Although he wouldn't get into specifics, Minneker said the new engine will have advanced technology that reduces the production of NOx in the cylinder. NOx is suspected of causing cancer.

Another goal, he said, is to make the new diesel engine the smoothest and quietest in the industry - something GM may have to do to silence critics who remember the automaker's troublesome diesels of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

GM has been granted a patent for the engine's crankcase and has applied for more patents for the fuel and emissions systems, said Minneker, a 37-year GM powertrain veteran.

In other diesel developments, GM confirmed last week that it plans to install diesel engines in Cadillac and Saturn cars and crossover vehicles in 2010.

GM will use a 2.9-liter V-6, made in Italy by VM Motori, in the Cadillac CTS and Saturn Aura.

[pow]

If fuel prices (or legislation) really increase, is there any chance the 2.9L will make it into trucks? 403 lb-ft is more than what the 6.0L Vortec MAX makes, and vans like the Sprinter have proven that commercial vehicles don't really need a huge amount of power.

[FAPTurbo]

If fuel prices (or legislation) really increase, is there any chance the 2.9L will make it into trucks? 403 lb-ft is more than what the 6.0L Vortec MAX makes, and vans like the Sprinter have proven that commercial vehicles don't really need a huge amount of power.

True, but I think North American's will want the bigger engine anyway. Driving something like a Silverado with a 2.9L sounds kind of weird.

[Drew Dowdell]

I'd like to at least have the choice.....

[balthazar]

>>"Another goal, he said, is to make the new diesel engine the smoothest and quietest in the industry - something GM may have to do to silence critics who remember the automaker's troublesome diesels of the late 1970s and early 1980s."<<

You've got to be kidding me. Ridiculously irrelevant- will the media continue to drag this up... 50, 60, 70, 80 years from now? F**k.

GM has sold 1 million DuraMax diesels, haven't they? The current 360/650 6.6L is already nearly as quiet as a gas engine, much quieter than my 310/605 6.6L. My brother has one in his 3500- it's amazingly quiet. Making this 4.5L the most quiet should be a piece of cake; GM is already 90% of the way there with production diesels.

>>"403 lb-ft is more than what the 6.0L Vortec MAX makes, and vans like the Sprinter have proven that commercial vehicles don't really need a huge amount of power. "<<

What's a Sprinter weigh? because it looks like it'd need some ballast to weigh 3500 lbs. I've not heard a whisper of how they perform- where is this 'proof'? I also VERY seldom even see a sprinter- they are NOT in use around here.

[Z-06]

>>"Another goal, he said, is to make the new diesel engine the smoothest and quietest in the industry - something GM may have to do to silence critics who remember the automaker's troublesome diesels of the late 1970s and early 1980s."<<

You've got to be kidding me. Ridiculously irrelevant- will the media continue to drag this up... 50, 60, 70, 80 years from now? F**k.

GM has sold 1 million DuraMax diesels, haven't they? The current 360/650 6.6L is already nearly as quiet as a gas engine, much quieter than my 310/605 6.6L. My brother has one in his 3500- it's amazingly quiet. Making this 4.5L the most quiet should be a piece of cake; GM is already 90% of the way there with production diesels.

It is quieter than an AUDI A-6 3.0. And it is darn reliable engine. It is the best diesel for small vehicles in USA period. Yet media bitches just do not leave GM alone. That is just plain sad.

[thegriffon]

If fuel prices (or legislation) really increase, is there any chance the 2.9L will make it into trucks? 403 lb-ft is more than what the 6.0L Vortec MAX makes, and vans like the Sprinter have proven that commercial vehicles don't really need a huge amount of power.

No. Figure on a big four-cylinder instead (perhaps a VM Motori such as the new 2.8 L [177 PS, 460 Nm]). The 2.9 L V6 may be used in crossovers though.

[ZL-1]

The 2.9 L V6 may be used in crossovers though.

What about cars such as the STS (or whatever car will replace it)? From a marketing/image perspective, wouldn't they need a diesel option that is bigger than the V6 so they'd be considered as valid alternatives to the big Audi/BMW/Mercedes?