Yesterday, Chevrolet revealed the 2019 Silverado Medium Duty conventional cab trucks. At the time of the announcement, Chevrolet stated that the 2019 Silverado Medium Duty engine will be a 6.6L Duramax diesel making 350 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque. And now, we have some more information about that very motor.
GM Authority has confirmed with Chevrolet that the engine in the 2019 Silverado Medium Duty trucks will not be the 6.6L V-8 Duramax L5P, as was expected prior to the announcement. Instead, the new Silverado Medium Dutys will be powered by a Duramax engine assigned RPO code L5D.
GM Fleet’s Rita Kass-Shamoun tells us that the L5D Duramax is a derivative of the L5P, which is offered in the 2500HD and 3500HD series Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra. We’re told that “minor differences” separate the two Duramax diesel engines, and that the L5D will be made alongside the L5P at the GM Duramax plant in Moraine, Ohio.
Notably, the L5D makes 95 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque less than the L5P. And though we don’t have an official confirmation on this, we suspect that this is the result of a smaller turbo along with a different tune for the L5D.
| Engine | RPO Code | Vehicle | Transmission | Power (hp / kW) @ RPM | Torque (lb-ft / Nm) @ RPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.6L V-8 Duramax | L5P | 2017 Silverado HDÂ & newer | Allison Transmission MW7-LCT 1000 | 445 / 322 @ 2800 | 910Â /Â 1234Â @Â 1600 |
| 6.6L V-8 Duramax | L5P | 2017 Sierra HDÂ & newer | Allison Transmission MW7-LCT 1000 | 445 / 322 @ 2800 | 910Â /Â 1234Â @Â 1600 |
| 6.6L V-8 Duramax | L5D | 2019 Silverado Medium Duty & newer | Allison Transmission (TBD) | 350 / 257 @ TBD | 700 / 949 @ TBD |
About 2019 Silverado Medium Duty
The 2019 Silverado Medium Duty range is comprised of the 2019 Silverado 4500HD, Silverado 5500HD, and Silverado 6500HD that slot in the Class 4, 5 and 6 truck segments, respectively. The trucks represent GVWRs (Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings) from 15,000 for the Silverado 4500HD Class 4 truck and 22,900 pounds for the Silverado 6500HD Class 6 truck.
The vehicles slot above the Silverado 2500HD and Silverado 3500HD in the Silverado lineup, with the latter two trucks being more capable light-duty trucks, while the 4500HD, 5500HD and 6500HD are in the Medium Duty category.
The three Silverado Medium Duty trucks are available exclusively as chassis cab models – meaning that they will ship without a bed, thereby being ready for up-fitters to customize as per customers’ requirements.
The 2019 Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD will be powered by a 6.6L Duramax L5D diesel engine making 350 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque mated to a choice of Allison transmissions with a Power Take Off (PTO option). The engine is a derivative of the 6.6L Duramax L5P. The trucks will be available in 2WD and 4WD drivetrains.
The 2019 Silverado Medium Duty will also be the very connected, thanks to options that include OnStar and Commercial Link, a built-in OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot (which requires a paid data plan), as well as wireless cellphone charging and Bluetooth. The trucks also support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
GM expects that over 400 commercially-focused Chevrolet dealers will carry the new 2019 Silverado Medium Duty line. Production of the new 2019 Silverado Medium Duty trucks will begin in late 2018 and order guides will be available in the spring of 2018. Pricing will be announced in the summer of 2018.
Chevrolet developed the Silverado Medium Duty in conjunction with Navistar, which will sell its own version of this truck under the International Trucks brand. Both trucks will be produced at the Navistar Springfiled, Ohio plant.
Comments
Just like before (pre09 med duty) exact same engine with different tuning programmed in it and maybe a different (larger) oil pan.
Wrong. The new L5D has a smaller turbo in addition to the different tune.
And they also said it has different injectors.
I work at the Moraine, OH assembly plant, and it is not a smaller turbo, it is all in the tune. Virtually the same exact engine.
All things being the same, an engine used in a truly Heavy Duty truck will have a much lower power output. GM (and all other companies) have durability test schedules for engines that increase in severity and hours of duration as the GVWR of the vehicle goes up. While a 1/2 ton truck might have a 500 Hour durability schedule for it’s engines, and a 3/4 Ton truck might have a 700 Hour peak torque durability schedule, this L5D would typically run 1000-1500 Hours at peak torque and peak HP. They limit fuel in the tune, among other things, to ensure they are at a safe power output that will last the full duration of the test without any worry. It’s actually the exact reason why you don’t see the aluminum block 6.2L in the 2500 and 3500HD trucks; GM is calculated and does things for a reason. I’ve had many an argument with people about this over the years, but the reality is any differences are for reliability, drive-ability, and serviceability in a heavy duty vehicle. (Source: A decade as an powertrain engineer and working in OEM Dyno labs)
Thanks Jonny B
You answered my question before I even had a chance to ask it. lol
I would like to see the frame and how many bolts attach the suspension. When GM made the MD’s before the government shut them down, a selling point was how many more GM had VS. Navistar, Ford and other MD manufactures. Now that GM is in bed with Navistar I bet there are a lot less and the components are not as good as the last MD truck was.