Does The GM Duramax 3.0L I6 LZ0 Engine Tow More Than The LM2?

General Motors released the new 3.0L I6 LZ0 turbodiesel Duramax engine in conjunction with the launch of the 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 and 2023 GMC Sierra 1500, offering more power and torque than the 3.0L I6 LM2 turbodiesel Duramax which preceded it. The new LZ0 has since made its way into the options list of several GM vehicles, effectively replacing the outgoing LM2. The question, then becomes this – does the 3.0L I6 LZ0 tow more than the LM2?

Let’s start by digging into a little bit of the background behind the 3.0L I6 LZ0 turbodiesel Duramax engine. The new LZ0 is rated at 305 horsepower at 3,750 rpm and 495 pound-feet of torque at 2,750 rpm, marking a 10-percent increase in output over the 277 horsepower produced by the preceding LM2, and a 7.6-percent increase in torque over the 460 pound-feet produced by the preceding LM2. These gains are attributed to several new engine upgrades, such as a retuned turbo compressor, new steel pistons with a revised combustion bowl, new fuel injectors, and improved temperature controls.

On paper, one might assume that the 3.0L I6 LZ0 provides greater towing capacity than the preceding LM2. To find out, we dug into the towing capacities for the Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 to see how they compare.

While the max tow ratings differ between the various configurations, the max towing capacity for each model tells the tale. The 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 can tow a maximum of 13,300 pounds when equipped with the 3.0L I6 LM2 and the optional NHT Max Trailering package, while the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Chevy Silverado 1500 match these figures when equipped with the new LZ0 turbodiesel.

The same is effectively true for the GMC Sierra 1500, with the LM2-powered 2022 model year posting a max trailering capacity of 13,200 pounds, matching the LZ0-powered 2023 model year. The 2024 and 2025 GMC Sierra, which also cradles the new LZ0 engine, are rated at a maximum of 13,300 pounds.

Further comparison reveals that while there are some differences between the various configurations when equipped with the LM2 versus the LZ0, these differences are usually no more than 100 pounds or so. Interestingly, there’s no difference in max towing between diesel-powered variants of GM’s 2024- and 2025-model-year full-size SUVs, which also made the switch from the LM2 to the LZ0.

Put it all together, and we find that the increased power and torque produced by the new LZ0 diesel engine does not actually increase the towing capacity for these models when compared to the LM2.