Best Chevy Diesel Engine (LBZ) – Our Choice and Review

But what about less popular diesel engines? Today we'll be choosing the best engine among all diesel engines in the Chevrolet lineup. We'll be looking at the Duramax engines and picking up the most durable and desirable one out of them. But what we want to say first is that nearly all Duramax diesel engines by Chevy are pretty good and deserve your attention in the market for both new and used cars.

Key features and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:2001-now
• Average lifespan of Duramax V8:240,000-280,000 miles
• Fuel supply type:Common Rail
• Power range:250-550 hp
• Fuel efficiency:average
• Engine block material:cast-iron
• Engine reliability score:medium
• The most common problems:DPF and EGR problems, weak sensors, injectors contamination, fuel pump problems.

Duramax LBZ engines - is it a good diesel powerplant?

First of all, we should say that the Duramax LBZ is one of the best diesel engines ever made in the US because it's durable and practical, it has a simple construction, and it's relatively problem-free. Also, you will find wonder fuel mileage. If you are looking at modern diesel engines in the US, you will struggle to find anything better (at least, among the big-displacement engines).

So, why have we chosen the Duramax LBZ? We had a look at reviews and we had some conversations with engine mechanics. They all agreed that the LBZ is the best Chevy engine if you take diesel units for comparison. So, we won't spend your time comparing and just tell you more about the LBZ.

Here's what you should know about the Duramax LBZ engine:

• it's a V8 diesel engine with a displacement of 6.6 liters;
• the producer of this engine is DMAX company that belongs to GM and Isuzu;
• no DPF is used here, so you can expect this engine to last longer with no expensive repair;
• the engine construction is extremely strong and durable, the best among all Duramax engines;
• it's basically the same engine as Duramax LLY, so if you find this mark in the VIN code, just know that they are the same;
• the block is made of iron while the head is, of course, aluminum;
• the injection relies on the Bosch Common-Rail system which is pretty durable;
• the LBZ offers 310 horsepower and an immense torque of 605 lb-ft available at 1600 RPM;
• the engine is turbocharged, of course, and the turbocharger is problem-free, too.

We can't see any bad features which would make us hesitate if the Duramax LBZ is the best engine in the Chevy lineup of diesel units. It has great power, the torque is just cool. What's even more important, the power and torque are available at a low range of RPM. At 3000 RPM, the engine gets its best power which is thought to be pretty efficient.

Also, the engine seems to be extremely practical. The block is made of iron which allows repairing if needed. The system of engine control is not that complicated, so it doesn't cause any big problems. And these are the cool things that you won't find in any modern diesel engines available on the market.

The engine was only manufactured in 2006-2007 (2004-2007 for the LLY version). But you can find a lot of these units available on the market as used cars and replacement parts.

Which models of Chevy were equipped with the LBZ Duramax?

Chevrolet loved installing DMX engines in its vans and trucks. We can't say that they were the most popular engines in these vehicles, but they certainly deserve your attention and they had their piece of cake on the market.

The LBZ (and some of the identical LLY) engines were used in such models:

• Chevy Silverado HD;
• Chevy Kodiak;
• Chevrolet Express (mainly LLY).

Also, GM used these engines in identical models under the GMC brand (Sierra HD, TopKick, and Savana). So, basically, these engines were used in three main models of vehicles by GM.

We still know some people searching for low-mileage Silverado trucks equipped with LBZ diesel engines. And sometimes they succeed because these trucks weren't only bought by businesses.

Longevity and reliability of the Chevy Duramax LBZ engine

Well, the longevity of these engines is something that people will love about them. The average 6.6-liter diesel engine with the LBZ code is able to go about 500,000 miles according to consumers' reports. This is not the entire lifespan of the unit but the mileage until the first serious repair.

Then, we should say that the engine doesn't require really expensive repairs during its life. Yes, if you still want to use it after 500,000 miles, you will have to invest in it. But up to the half-million-miles mark, the engine will not require a lot of investment.

Here are some weak points that you should remember:

1. Overheating. Diesel engines hate overheating, so you should keep an eye on coolant, thermostat, and radiator health. If the Duramax LBZ overheats, it may end up having cracked pistons. It doesn't mean you will need a replacement engine, though. Repair is quite affordable.
2. Coolant pump problem. Unfortunately, the water pump is not very reliable and it will need replacement every 50,000 miles or even sooner. But if it dies earlier than that, you may overheat the engine and get more problems.
3. Leaks. Yes, the 6.6-liter Duramax loves leaking oil. Especially often you will see the leaks under the transmission line. The repair will not be very expensive in terms of parts, but labor is going to cost some money because they need to take off the transmission for changing the seals.
4. Glow plugs. If you have already owned a diesel, you perfectly know what a glow plug is. And this is a problem for nearly all diesel vehicles. Unfortunately, you will have to replace glow plugs in your Duramax LBZ quite often.
5. EGR valve. The LBZ was one of the first Chevy engines to care about the environment. Well, at least, it had the EGR system which recirculates the exhaust gasses in its last versions. The EGR valve keeps getting on your nerves in all cars that have already hit the 200,000-mile mark.

Also, we can think of some minor problems that are also common for these engines. But if we just have a look at competitors on the market, we will understand that the LBZ is a really cool big-displacement diesel engine that offers wonderful driving and a lot of miles for low costs.

What's the fuel mileage for a Silverado powered by the Duramax LBZ?

Customer reviews say this engine should provide 16 mpg in the city and over 20 mpg interstate. The good thing is that the old diesel with over 6 liters of displacement can be more economical than a lot of modern diesel engines for trucks.

What's even more interesting, the Express powered by the LLY engine with the same construction and specs will also show about 15-16 mpg in the city. And it's not bad at all for a van.

So, the Duramax is getting even more interesting after you get to know about all of its features. Let's look at the last important point - the cost of driving.

How much is it to own a 6.6 LBZ?

Diesel engines are good for a warm climate. They consume less fuel, offer wonderful torque, and can tow a lot. These engines are great if equipped with a solid transmission. So, they won't break a lot and won't get money out of your pocket.

We could say that the low fuel consumption, good reliability, and wonderful durability make this engine one of the best in its class in terms of maintenance cost. Just pay attention to some of the possible problems that can occur with your Duramax (we've listed them above) and decide whether you want such an engine.

But we see one problem: the Duramax LBZ is quite an old engine now. You aren't likely to find a really low-mileage option on the market. But if you manage to find such a treasure, you shouldn't pass it by. These Chevy vehicles are made to last and they can live something like forever.

Final words

We don't know if you agree that the Duramax LBZ is the best Chevy diesel engine. Today, we just want to show you all the features of this unit including negative factors and problems. Unfortunately, it would take us too long to compare the LBZ engine with a lot of other units made by Chevy and its partners.

We see that the 6.6-liter LBZ engine gets the best reviews from customers and has one of the best possible ratings. And that's why we've chosen it as the best diesel engine in the lineup. Given Chevy isn't going to make any new big-capacity diesel units, this one can be considered the best Chevy diesel engine ever.