Looks like General Motors accidentally posted some specs on its new heavy duty pickup Duramax diesel engine over the weekend, and it’s got five horsepower on Ford’s Power Stroke. If these numbers are accurate Ford will hold the line on peak torque, but Chevy will still be making a big step up on stock output.
The current 6.6 liter Duramax engine as optional on the heavy duty Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra is rated to 397 HP at 3,000 RPM and 765 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 RPM.
For 2017 the trucks are getting a giant functional hood scoop and apparently some other engine upgrades as well, because screenshots of a prematurely updated GM spec site grabbed by Truck Trend show new ratings of 445 HP at 2,800 RPM and 910 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 RPM.
Were all those K&N ads I used to see in Super Street telling the truth after all? Maybe a new intake really can add a metric shitload of horsepower! (Not really, something else has certainly been changed.)
The scoop is significant, though. GM claims 60 percent of the engine’s air will come from that schnoz.
Supposedly we’re going to get more details on the new Dirtymax soon at the State Fair Of Texas, where GM is probably planning to drop these horsepower and torque figures with some kind of football cowboy fanfare.
Now as you may remember Ford just upgraded its Power Stroke diesel as well. The 6.7-liter engine option on 2017 heavy duty F-Series trucks is rated to 440 hp at 2,800 RPM and 925 lb-ft of torque at 1,800 RPM.
When I drove that truck a few weeks ago, Ford’s engineers told me that peak torque was limited in first, second and third gear but I will say the machine had immense towing power and felt hilariously quick without the burden of cargo.
If these leaked power numbers are accurate, they’re so close to Ford’s that we can’t say whether or not Chevy will eek out a win on max towing or acceleration but I’m sure GM is looking to best the blue oval on something.
For now Ram seems to be holding steady at a paltry 900 ft-lbs but I don’t think the company has announced a number for its 2017 lineup yet.