How Chevrolet Domesticated The 2016 Colorado Duramax
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We denoted it in our first drive impressions of the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado Duramax: the truck tries really, really hard to act like a gasoline-powered truck. And we told you that’s for better, or worse, depending on how you like your diesels.
But, Jalopnik has detailed what exactly Chevrolet engineers were tasked with to ensure a well behaved 2.8-liter Duramax turbo diesel engine for the home team.
Of course, emissions play a part in the process. An exhaust gas recirculation sucks exhaust fumes back into the engine to prevent them from spewing out of the tailpipe and, right past the turbocharger, the remaining gases head to be broken down through a urea injection. This takes all the awful gases and turns them into nitrogen and water.
Second is noise. Chevrolet included three acoustic absorbers, extra steel and more deadening beneath the engine to make for that gasoline-truck like experience. It’s quiet, and harsh is not a word that will exit your mouth when piloting a 2016 Colorado Duramax. Complimenting all the sound deadening is a General Motors first: a Centrifugal Pendulum Absorber, or CPA. The CPA smooths out a lot of the rough byproducts diesel engines create.
According to Chevrolet, the 2.8-liter Duramax has been tweaked for optimal conditions in the truck’s home market. Chevy engineers said the engine is supposed to be very simple to work on compared to many modern engine applications. Cold starts have also been thought about, too. A ceramic tip glow plug in each cylinder of the engine is used to pre-heat the combustion chamber, and a larger battery helps get things going in extreme cold.
Now, if you like what you’re reading, make sure you head out and buy a 2016 Colorado Duramax if you’d like to see this engine find its way into other GM-branded vehicles …
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The exhaust gases are not recircuated to “prevent them spewing out of the tailpipe”.
The purpose of exhaust gas recirculation is to lower the combustion temperature. Although lower temperature reduces fuel efficiency it produces less nitrogen oxides.