If you are wondering when the new Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks will get the anticipated 3.0L Duramax straight-six engine, it may take a little longer than initially estimated. An inside source familiar with the matter says “The new diesel is ready, and we are still waiting for the EPA to verify and certify it. We submitted it, but the agency was closed.”
It’s not clear whether this may cause a significant delay for the truck to reach the market, but the closed EPA agency did not help matters.
Chevrolet initially said the new I6 turbo-diesel will be available in the new generation truck for the 2019 model year. There is still time for this as the new 2019 Silverado and Sierra 1500 truck sales are just getting into the full swing.
We received some preliminary and unofficial specifications on the 3.0-liter half-ton diesel. The numbers are 282 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. The unofficial fuel economy estimate is listed at 28 MPG on the highway. The engine is officially confirmed to be paired with the 10-speed automatic transmission.
A similar co-developed 10-speed transmission can also be found in the 2018 Ford F-150 Diesel that went on sale last year.
There does not appear to be a significant cause for concern, but the we will have to wait for the straight-six Duramax engine just a little longer while it gets certified by the government.
There was a recent report that the new Ram HD trucks may also suffer a certification delay due to the government shutdown.
Here is some unofficial specifications and information on the new upcoming 3.0L Duramax I6 turbo-diesel in the video below.
