Classic Prices-WTH???

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
9,903
149
63
46
B.C.
I'm saying money ahead on versus lbz. Head gaskets are and done on a lly... You can run into the occasional lly head crack.... No biggie replace with lbz/lmm heads. I don't know why you'd suggest you would do them every 100k. Buy the truck, drive it till you do the gaskets and stud the engine. Only tcm tuning needed to be done is shift points, and possibly lock up strategy which should easily be done. Plus do what they are told via efi live, and with head gaskets and 6 speed you'd be money ahead vs over paying on lbz.. which some models are still prone to gasket failures and then you have a higher probability of cracking a piston or snapping a crank. When you say lbz, I'm thinking you'll be spending 30k for what you want.
Buy a lly for 15-20 in mint condition, mod it to your likings
I haven’t found an LLY for more than 5g less than an LBZ with the same mileage so I’d be spending almost the same once I convert it.
As I mentioned before I would have to rely on duramaxtuner to do the TCM tuning as I don’t believe normal folks can. Would need to research this some though. And ecm tuning an lly is not my forte.

You have a point with lbz pistons but lots of lly’s broke cranks too. And I’d say it’s 4:1 for lly head gaskets over lbz. Everyone I know that’s kept an lly for any length of time has had to do them about every 100-150000 miles. I don’t know why. A few warped and cracked heads too but probably related to driving with bad gaskets imo.
 

gmduramax

Shits broke
Jun 12, 2008
4,077
250
83
Nor cal
I'm saying money ahead on versus lbz. Head gaskets are and done on a lly... You can run into the occasional lly head crack.... No biggie replace with lbz/lmm heads. I don't know why you'd suggest you would do them every 100k. Buy the truck, drive it till you do the gaskets and stud the engine. Only tcm tuning needed to be done is shift points, and possibly lock up strategy which should easily be done. Plus do what they are told via efi live, and with head gaskets and 6 speed you'd be money ahead vs over paying on lbz.. which some models are still prone to gasket failures and then you have a higher probability of cracking a piston or snapping a crank. When you say lbz, I'm thinking you'll be spending 30k for what you want.
Buy a lly for 15-20 in mint condition, mod it to your likings
But his name is LBZ he would not be caught in an LLY 🤣
 

Bdsankey

Vendor
Vendor/Sponsor
Feb 1, 2018
4,180
1,289
113
Larsen, Wisconsin
And do head gaskets every 100 000 miles. Naw I’m good. Not many low km lly’s left out there. At least not up in this country.
I got tons of tuning for lbz stuff and suck at tuning lly’s for some reason too lol.

If you have to do HG every 100k miles you're doing something wrong. A proper job is one and done outside of overheating it (generally) when you use good gaskets and properly machined heads.
 

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
9,903
149
63
46
B.C.
If you have to do HG every 100k miles you're doing something wrong. A proper job is one and done outside of overheating it (generally) when you use good gaskets and properly machined heads.
There’s a moderator on this site that got a long block and 3 sets of head gaskets in his ‘05. Pretty confident he knew what he was doing. 210k on my buddies lly and he’s ready for his second set. I dunno……..
 

Bdsankey

Vendor
Vendor/Sponsor
Feb 1, 2018
4,180
1,289
113
Larsen, Wisconsin
There’s a moderator on this site that got a long block and 3 sets of head gaskets in his ‘05. Pretty confident he knew what he was doing. 210k on my buddies lly and he’s ready for his second set. I dunno……..

I've done HG jobs on 6 hot shot trucks to date, all well north of 100k miles from various generations (1 LB7, 2 LLY, 2 LBZ, 1 LMM) and none have come back. That's using Mahle wave stopper gaskets, reconditioned heads with proper Ra/surface finish, proper block prep. All were done with ARP studs as well.


I'm not saying it isn't possible, I just don't think that's a realistic statement to say "every 100k miles only this one generation of Duramax needs HGs". Obviously there are other factors like how it's driven, mods, average HP/cylinder pressure etc that also play a major effect into the lifespan of these trucks. If guys are using GM gold gaskets then yeah, they're going to keep happening as those gaskets are absolutely trash IMO.
 

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
9,903
149
63
46
B.C.
In my part of the world it’s been LLY and LML that are the prime offenders. Rarely a 7, Z or L5P come through the door for hg.
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
15,618
1,875
113
Mid Michigan
An LT with cloth and no SWCs, but has Bose 6 disc, sunroof and auto climate? Thats odd.
 

1FastBrick

Well-known member
Dec 1, 2016
2,552
1,085
113
Junkyard
An LT with cloth and no SWCs, but has Bose 6 disc, sunroof and auto climate? Thats odd.
No steering wheel controls with bose and auto climate is strange. Especially since they sprung for the sunroof. I have seen cloth before on them which is odd.

I dont buy the milage that low. It may be low mileage but I bet it had a cluster replaced.

Also with that low of mileage at this age, I would be worried about about injectors gumming up and the turbo vane sticking and all the other little things that are not good for a vehicle that sits for long periods of time.
 

1FastBrick

Well-known member
Dec 1, 2016
2,552
1,085
113
Junkyard
They are just as bad or worse in California especially the LBZ's. It's like an automatic 10K over an LLY. Doesnt matter cloth or 2wd. Seen a few with like 60K miles listed fo 40K... Average LBZ is low to mid 30's on everything else. Even with 200K miles there still asking 35K It's bonkers.

200,000 Miles is like 321,868.8 KM

I have an LLY Just like this with light grey interior. Apperently all the price's went up 5K this week...





 

2004LB7

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2010
7,007
2,158
113
Norcal
It's time he stepped up to a LMM. Best of the LBZ world with none of that LML crap.
a recession truck, no thanks. I have one and their quality is not all that great. plus it's the 1st generation with the DPF and has it's own issues. it's more like an LBZ with crap bolted on and made worse
 
  • Like
Reactions: darkness

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
9,903
149
63
46
B.C.
Little out of my pric
It's time he stepped up to a LMM. Best of the LBZ world with none of that LML crap.
except the dpf and ugly imo. I’ve never liked lmm's. Just my opinion.
 

08lmm72mm

Active member
May 13, 2019
537
168
43
Saskatchewan, Canada
a recession truck, no thanks. I have one and their quality is not all that great. plus it's the 1st generation with the DPF and has it's own issues. it's more like an LBZ with crap bolted on and made worse
Mine was annoying with the DPF on it. Once it fell off years ago my truck really has been phenomenal in terms of its power output and reliability, either way its whatever your prefer.....

Just no LLY or LB7 haha
 

660catman

Active member
May 18, 2021
120
38
28
LML only gets a bad a rap bc there are 2 or 3 times the number of them that have been produced. It's a statistical thing, I love mine. Best truck I've ever had.

I love mine, that is until the head gaskets went. Ahh heck, I still love it.


2013 Sierra SLE 2500HD Crew Cab