New to duramax

[Danvis2112]

To start off I am new to the forum and this is my first post. I have been searching the forum and doing as much research as I can for the past few months and think I have found the truck.

I found a 2012 duramax lt1 crew cab 4x4 with 195k on it. He said the only things done are 60hp ppei tune 4 inch straight pipe 5 inch mbrp tip. Was told when he bought it shortly after three a def code so he had the filter removed and straight piped and had It tuned before it was moved. He also had an edge cts2 minutes for the gauges.

Looking at having about 21k in it...trading a 1500 with cash to boot.

Would like to know what y'all think..good deal and any pointers for the next steps with the truck. I've read a little about alot of the other upgrades..egr,efi,intake,transgo,lift pump. Will be dailying the truck empty and hauling a 20ft lawncare enclosed on the weekends. Want the truck to last...not race it

Thanks in advance

 

[2008lmmchopper]

Sounds like a decent pickup pictures?? 60 hp is great for fuel economy and towing. Ppei is a efi live tuner. Intake, EGR and lift pump would be my next move too. Dont buy the cheap EGR kit buy a full egr kit it comes with a new intercooler pipe and passenger up pipe which your egr is built into those stock. If you use cheap blocker plates the passenger up pipe is known to crack. Might cost a bit more but its better to go in once then have to another time. With the lift pump I'd buy a sump kit for the tank it draws fuel from the bottom of the tank instead of the top. I recommend BD lift pumps they give you all the fuel you will need and don't use a cheap return line it utilizes your stock return (less bs to worry about). Transgo shift kits are good too. Might be a good idea to look into a aftermarket transmission cooler as well the stock ones look like they should go on a half ton. But if your just wanting it to last and occasional light tow those are great things to have. Good luck!

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[Danvis2112]

Thank you for such a detailed answer. So you would leave the egr alone until the full delete? Was wondering how bad it may have been on the truck since its still there at 200k. Habe seen most suys delete everything at 100,001

 

[zakkb787]

If he removed the dpf it's possible that he removed egr at the same time. Kinda stupid not to. If he didn't. Delete it. No comment on the sump nor lift pump choice. I don't have a sump and I chose a different pump. Seems like a pretty good deal to me. Being an lml watch the cp4 as well these have been known to give issues. Transgo would be a good idea. I'd delete the egr. Get a good lift pump and intake. Update your tune/tunes. And enjoy it.

 

[DAVe3283]

The EGR puts a bit of soot into the intake, but nothing the motor wasn't designed to handle. I've torn down motors with over 200k miles and EGR functioning, and they are fine inside. IMO the PCV does more than the EGR, because it wets down the intake runners. Combine the two and it collects some nasty stuff. Again, nothing that will actually damage the engine, but it restricts flow.

If you just add a blocker to the EGR between the up-pipe and the cooler, that won't crack anything, since it is all hard mounted still. If you delete the cooler, that is when is can crack the EGR riser, as it is just flopping about. If you are still on the stock turbo, you don't really even need a blocker plate, as the EGR valve can stop the backpressure of a stock turbo, even with a moderate tune.

If it was me, I would reroute the PCV, and leave the EGR alone until it throws a code or something, then add a blocker plate. The EGR turns off at high throttle, and just activates at idle and super light loads. It doesn't hurt your mileage, just helps reduce NOx a bit. So why bother with removing it until it causes a problem? That's my theory.

A lift pump is nice, but not necessary on these trucks. I would put the money to a cold air intake first, personally. When you do a lift pump, think carefully before doing a sump. If you never off-road the truck, they are a great choice. But they hang below your tank, and underbrush can catch on it and might damage it or the hoses. There is a reason GM draws from the top originally.

 

[2008lmmchopper]

Thank you for such a detailed answer. So you would leave the egr alone until the full delete? Was wondering how bad it may have been on the truck since its still there at 200k. Habe seen most suys delete everything at 100,001

Well usually it's the filter in the exhaust that plugs before your EGR will. But no latter what's I'd get it out of there ASAP. Some tuners will disable the EGR idk if ppei does.

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[2008lmmchopper]

The EGR puts a bit of soot into the intake, but nothing the motor wasn't designed to handle. I've torn down motors with over 200k miles and EGR functioning, and they are fine inside. IMO the PCV does more than the EGR, because it wets down the intake runners. Combine the two and it collects some nasty stuff. Again, nothing that will actually damage the engine, but it restricts flow.

If you just add a blocker to the EGR between the up-pipe and the cooler, that won't crack anything, since it is all hard mounted still. If you delete the cooler, that is when is can crack the EGR riser, as it is just flopping about. If you are still on the stock turbo, you don't really even need a blocker plate, as the EGR valve can stop the backpressure of a stock turbo, even with a moderate tune.

If it was me, I would reroute the PCV, and leave the EGR alone until it throws a code or something, then add a blocker plate. The EGR turns off at high throttle, and just activates at idle and super light loads. It doesn't hurt your mileage, just helps reduce NOx a bit. So why bother with removing it until it causes a problem? That's my theory.

A lift pump is nice, but not necessary on these trucks. I would put the money to a cold air intake first, personally. When you do a lift pump, think carefully before doing a sump. If you never off-road the truck, they are a great choice. But they hang below your tank, and underbrush can catch on it and might damage it or the hoses. There is a reason GM draws from the top originally.

I was told the trucks are dang near designed for an aftermarket lift pump by a guy at alligator and that's a lot of work to pull fuel from the tank all the way to the motor specially when the cp4 system isn't exactly the strongest pump. A lift pump is a huge upgrade it helps relieve stress and when you tune these the duramax on stock fuel depending on what tune and your foot a lot of people have problems with not getting enough fuel. Some people get low rail pressure or they drain their fuel filter and the filter percentage drops to 0 or both. Which usually limp modes you.

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[2008lmmchopper]

The EGR isn't too big of a deal I agree it's the exhaust that is. But eventually the EGR may cause issues. Why go in and block parts off when one time you can get the cooler out and replace it with a nice flowing intercooler pipe and up pipe and be done with it which for me personally gave me a noticeable milage increase. I do agree that a sump isn't necessary but gm trucks do have a flaw where once you get down below a quarter tank your dash light comes on saying you need fuel. The stock system doesn't utilize all of the fuel not that you want to run a tank that empty but my deal is the easier the fuel flows the better. Ive never heard of anyone ripping a sump line out neither where mine sits at least its still inside of the frame rail not below out in the open. Your cp4 fuel pump is a known issue or can be you could look it up and it has to pull fuel from the bottom of your tank through the top of your tank up the frame through the filter and in the motor. Which is kind of funny in a way because a lot of guys like using really low micron cat filter in place of their stock filter which only makes that much more stress on on your pump anyways if you use a sump it draws easily from the bottom of your tank which actually helps your truck use an actual full tank then I ran half inch braided fuel line all the way up which is a lot less restrictive then you add a nice little pump which there is a lot of good brands you mount it on your frame rail and that helpsyour fuel pump tremendously and supplies you with an much fuel as you would ever need. Like I said if you run a tune that demands fuel and you have a heavy foot let's say your passing another car your stock fuel system will need more then it can get which can cause a limp mode low rail pressure a loss of power at a time needed and it cause a lot of stress on your pump which is already a problem in those years. A low 60hp tune that may not happen though. I like bd pumps because they use your stock return, you still have your stock filter up by the motor which is nice because it gives you another filter for fuel to pass through you can run a low micron filter off the lift pump as well because the lift pump more then helps the fuel along and the bd pump is designed to be tucked away on your frame and not hanging down low and visible. A pcv reroute is another awesome cheap upgrade look it up and you can go to the hardware store and build one for 15 bucks it's a waste of money buying them online most companies want around 80 bucks. With what you are doing with the truck these are solid upgrades good luck!

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[scramHD]

1- Go Full delete with dpf, pcv and egr....
2- Get trans tuned, tune it yourself or at minimum get a convertor until full build is possible.
3- Change every fluid in the truck, and filters, so you know what, when and where. Also you can smell and inspect the current fluids...important...and inspect the filter debris.
4- Learn the mechanical side of your truck. Youll save a ton by doing the work yourself.
5- You will get all the answers you need from members of this forum. Ive been here a long time and usually sit back and read and read and read.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy your truck. :thumb:

 

[gmduramax]

Transgo won't work on 11+
For the EGR just make sure it's unplugged, if it bothers you that much just install blocker plates. Delete kits are a waste of money.
The factory pick up in the tank is restrictive, lift pump is a good idea.
200,000 on a CP4 and a truck that has had a tune probably won't last long before having issues.