2023 Chevy Silverado 1500’s Duramax Diesel Gets Torque Bump to 495 LB-FT

Not only that, but its 305 hp represents a 10 percent jump.

byCaleb Jacobs|
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General Motors' 3.0-liter Duramax diesel inline-six is a seriously solid alternative to gasoline. Drivers love it for its fuel economy and smooth power delivery, no matter which truck or SUV it's in. Up until now, it's made 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. For the 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500, however, those numbers have been bumped to 305 hp and 495 lb-ft.

This distances the compression-ignition lump from the 6.2-liter gas V8, as the two used to produce the exact same torque figure. Now, with the turbodiesel's 7.6 percent jump in that category, it has a clear advantage there. It's still behind on horsepower by a long way, but that isn't as crucial for jobs like towing.

What's more, it now boasts better power specs than the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. That V6 lays down 260 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque, so the Duramax has it beat in both areas now. Fuel economy figures for the 2023 model year haven't been released yet, but at present, the Ram tops out at 33 mpg combined, which is two more than the Silverado 1500.

No truck maker aside from these two offers a half-ton diesel anymore as Ford dropped the F-150's Power Stroke V6 last year.

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GM says the power gains come courtesy of four key upgrades. First are the newly designed steel pistons with a combustion bowl that's different from before. Then come the improved fuel injectors, which pair with a retuned turbo compressor. Rounding it out is a short list of temperature control tweaks that make it safe to run higher output in all sorts of driving situations.

The 3.0-liter Duramax will continue to be manufactured at GM's Flint Engine Operations facility, hitting certain Silverado 1500 models before year's end. If you want one of your own, you'll need to pick a Custom Trail Boss, LT, RST, LT Trail Boss, LTZ, or High Country. No matter which one you choose, the engine will be mated to a 10-speed automatic.

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