These are great trucks after you face the emissions issues. Bought the 2020 ZR2 diesel brand new and was left on the side of the road at 10K miles from a clogged DPF. After I had it "fixed" It runs much better.
My 19 was in the shop with a plugged DPF at 10k also. This was after towing no less. The shop in Texas did it under warranty and speculated the rings had not fully seated and it ate oil which poisoned the dpf.
@@BrandonWatkins614 If you can turn a wrench on a vehicle you can buy a kit online for the delete and watch a CZcams video on how to do it. It took my brother and myself about one afternoon to get it done, including exhaust install. It's easier than it seems.
Hi Saul. Great Review. I have the Colorado with the 2.8L as well for the last 3 years. And I really love my truck. I have "modified" mine to enhance performance and get amazing mileage. I can't say enough about this truck.
Hi Saul I have a 19 ZR2 After a lot of emissions issues I did the delete via Motorops Canada / Flopro xhast. Later did the DT44 turbo, which melted the stock intercooler while towing. So next upgrade was the CX racing intercooler. After the intercooler the thing is an absolute beast between the tune, intercooler and DT44. Transmission wise I have a tune from Duramax tuner, custom cooler with a 145 degree thermostat, PML pan, and Revmax torque converter. Routed the CCV line to a scavenger bung in the exhaust. Final addition was an ARB winch bumper. I also had the alternator pulley die on me. So upgraded with the 220amp alt from the vans which is a direct fit.
Yeah that alternator pulley is a bastard. Mine started making noise. My brother had a 17 so thankfully I was able to get to know the diesel Colorado before I had this one.
Nice truck! I love the small turbodiesel engine in a mid size truck format. It is too bad it went away as it is so fuel efficient and a great open road highway cruiser with all that torque centered around 2K RPM. I also enjoy that I don't see another truck like mine going down the road all the time. While common in other countries, a smaller truck with a diesel is pretty rare bird in the US. I have a '17 Canyon in the crew cab long box 4x4 SLT flavor, 78K miles on it so far. Running a Provent 200 catch can since new. I also changed the transmission fluid, used the Mobil 1 "blue label" LVHP fluid, lots of guys like Amsoil too. Anyway, the 6L50 transmission likes fully synthetic fluid. It's been in there for 40K miles, will probably change it again at 60K, which will be 100K on the truck. An unusual mod I did was to add a CAT 1R-0750 2 micron spin on fuel filter to a NAPA filter head after the stock filter box. My truck is a long box which provides lots of room, making adding the spin on CAT filter easy. It can be done on short boxes, but it is tighter. The 2nd pass filter has been on there for 45K miles with no issues, the lift pump and "fuel filter life" reading takes no notice of it at all. The reason I did the 2nd filter is the injectors on these (and other diesels) have been known to have issues, which can cause major engine damage. I was bored during COVID so I added the filter and installed a PML deep transmission pan. If you want to see what the inside of the engine looks like, find the "I Do Cars" channel on YT, Eric over there just did a teardown video. I won't spoil what the issue was other than to say always use fuel additive to lube the injectors and high pressure fuel pump with each and every fill. The video shows the 2.8's internals (rods, crank, pistons) which are suitably beefy, and the timing system is about as straightforward as it gets. The video also shows how dirty the inside of a modern emissions diesel gets when subjected to all that EGR. While a total mess inside with clogged intake ports, there was no unusual wear on the surfaces of that engine, which looked good except for the damaged stuff of course 😂 I think that particular engine had over 150K miles on it as there were pry marks on the rubber cam plug area for the cam holding tool used during belt changes. Love my Canyon, it has been great so far with no issues. Like you I plan to keep driving it for a long time.
Mine is an 18 and been the best pickup I have owned to date. 4 previous trucks were Fords. My Colorado is amazing on fuel and pulls my trailers with ease.
I’ve had a few vw pickups, i love the little trucks with a diesel in them. Now this is a taaad but bigger than the vw pickups hahah but! I might go look at a 2018 Colorado 2.8 duramax on Saturday. They look like great little trucks, i mow grass on the side so something that can pull a little mowing trailer would be great.
Hi Saul, good video! Please can you share the details of what android auto bluetooth device you installed? I have a 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison diesel, and I think it is an awesome truck. I have never seen another diesel Bison. I did the AEV wheel arch kit to fit 33" tires, and I highly recommend the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT's - quiet on the highway. Plus a ProVent 200 oil catch can, to stop the vented oil fouling up the engine intake. Also fitted a Peragon bed cover, works great. And a Banks iGauge, which allows me to monitor and control the DEF regens (not needed for you!).
If you do a delete, you can route the CCV line away from the intake and down to a scavenger in the exhaust. I did this in my deleted 19 and it works great.
Plugged it in, can hide it right above where the USB ports are. www.amazon.com/dp/B0CL4GL674/?coliid=I3KI1YU8KQ1T8O&colid=2KUII42CQKJDQ&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_lstpd_873HGS6WRD7A30TB1CQG&language=en_US
I have a 2017 with 150k miles when I bought it. It came with an after market AFE air intake. I was just about to do a timing belt change when out of nowhere im having emission problems.😔
These are excellent trucks. I have a 2019 ZR2 Bison with a Duramax too. Excellent power and consistent 26-30 mpg. I "fixed" mine at around 50k miles. What mileage did yours have on it when you "fixed" it?
I have a 2019 Z71 Colorado Duramax same blue as yours also. They are a great mid-size truck with great towing capacity and great fuel economy too. Thanks for sharing some info. You happen to have a link for the android auto Wi-Fi hook up? Thanks
I have a 2016 Colorado 2.8 duramax z71. At 86000 miles, crankshaft position sensor tone ring cracked and ecm went crazy. Four wheel drive wouldn’t engage due to ecm. 4600 bucks and five weeks at dealership trying to diagnose tone ring issue and I’m back on the road.
Had the same thing happened to me good thing I saw a video of and Australia guy that had the same problem was the reluctor ring , the ring its self was 50 dollars and 600 dollars to replace the part , transmission had to come down in order for job to be done .
That's unfortunate. I believe the only issue I've really had would be those irritating little bumps on the rear fenders and the DPF system, but once resolved I'm up for my next bit of work in 10,000 miles, changing that timing belt. Definitely don't want that going out but it's a small expense for me to pay for 130,000 miles. I might even throw in a newer turbo and oil pump while I'm at it. As an automotive technician I made sure this truck got every service it needed at the mileage it should. I did most but not all of the oil changes but was always taking a look underneath and around when she was up in the air.
I've got a 2016 that still runs great. Weekend warrior though not too much daily commuting. Wish I could do the exhaust on mine! But I live in commiefornia.
Yeah, some of the guys I work with are from there and that's one of the first things they thought about mine. But I do remember when pollution used to be so bad there, it was all over the news, all the time.
Did you mention the fuel mileage. I’m curious especially a before/after you “fixed” the exhaust issues. I’ve always been obsessed with these small diesels they are so perfect for US vehicle sizes and type of driving we tend to do here. I’m a commercial electrician and drive a full size Transit 250 van with a naturally aspirated 3.7. Its sounds like it’s going to blow up every time I merge on the freeway. I think a 3L or 3.5L turbo diesel would be perfect for that van. They used to offer one but I think everyone is afraid of the emissions so they didn’t sell and now it’s just v6 gas. The crazy thing it gets the exact same fuel mileage as my last van with a 6.2 V8 so what’s the point of the stupid little V6?
I drive a 3.5L Ecoboost Transit for work, it is a beautiful vehicle but you're right, why couldn't they sell a diesel version of a transit? Would be way better.
As fuel mileage goes, my best set at 50 mile range is 47.5 MPG set to standard tuning. There is a tune to save fuel or for performance but I'm not trying to burn up my transmission and drive assemblies. I would say I'm heavy footed but I don't really speed so my local fuel mileage is around 20-22 MPG. There is a lot of stop and go here.
Came as a kit from www.cxracing.com, some people might say it's an inferior kit to some of those out there but I've had it on here for about 2 years or more now and it works great to me. Just make sure all the clamps are tight and that there is clearance between the fuse box and the intercooler before tightening.
I remember it being Motorola but I'm not sure exactly. I'm looking for something a little more modern that hopefully will have CZcams built in for my daily dose of watching CZcams but on my truck screen. Supposedly Android Auto 2024 will have this but I wonder if it's available in an aftermarket USB Bluetooth dongle?
Came with the delete kit but pretty much generic 3" pipe with (insert muffler name here). Did a video where I installed a cutout and stack behind the cab so I could switch between the stack and muffler. It's fun to do.
No, it’s not true. I have a ‘17 LWN with an emission compliant tune in place for two years now. If people are experiencing emission issues there is likely an upstream problem. For example, expired DEF, and or poor diesel fuel-I’ve seen more frequent regens with less expensive diesel and when using too much fuel additive.
Most emissions issues that I have read about and seen personally myself are related to cold temps. DEF heaters are very common issues, I've had both the heated line and the tank heater fail. Planning on "fixing" the emissions system soon.
@@SimpleGreen2017 No DEF issues for me, however, it’s worth noting I only use BluDEF Platinum and ensure it’s not expired as I buy it fresh (I check the manufactured date) and store in a fridge or cool dry place (less than 60 degrees). Oh one more point to note, I’ve noticed BluDEF Platinum does not crystallize around the filler tube.
@user-ux4iu7us7p That is the brand I use as well. I promised myself I would leave the system intact as long as it is working. Due to cost of replacement parts and downtime, I have pursued alternate ways to fix this issue. Hope yours continues to be trouble-free for you.
Pretty much that turbo seems to leak but it's been that way for a while. Thinking about upgrading but just bought a new windshield for her. I'll get to it soon enough.
These are great trucks after you face the emissions issues. Bought the 2020 ZR2 diesel brand new and was left on the side of the road at 10K miles from a clogged DPF. After I had it "fixed" It runs much better.
My 19 was in the shop with a plugged DPF at 10k also. This was after towing no less.
The shop in Texas did it under warranty and speculated the rings had not fully seated and it ate oil which poisoned the dpf.
Did a video recently where I installed a stack behind the cab. Thanks for the comment.
How to get around dpf issue? Looking at one of these, but don't know much about diesels.
@@BrandonWatkins614 If you can turn a wrench on a vehicle you can buy a kit online for the delete and watch a CZcams video on how to do it. It took my brother and myself about one afternoon to get it done, including exhaust install. It's easier than it seems.
@@saulmessick7580 I can definitely wrench. I'll look into it, thanks!
Hi Saul. Great Review. I have the Colorado with the 2.8L as well for the last 3 years. And I really love my truck. I have "modified" mine to enhance performance and get amazing mileage. I can't say enough about this truck.
Heck yeah
Hi Saul
I have a 19 ZR2
After a lot of emissions issues I did the delete via Motorops Canada / Flopro xhast.
Later did the DT44 turbo, which melted the stock intercooler while towing. So next upgrade was the CX racing intercooler.
After the intercooler the thing is an absolute beast between the tune, intercooler and DT44.
Transmission wise I have a tune from Duramax tuner, custom cooler with a 145 degree thermostat, PML pan, and Revmax torque converter.
Routed the CCV line to a scavenger bung in the exhaust.
Final addition was an ARB winch bumper.
I also had the alternator pulley die on me. So upgraded with the 220amp alt from the vans which is a direct fit.
Yeah that alternator pulley is a bastard. Mine started making noise. My brother had a 17 so thankfully I was able to get to know the diesel Colorado before I had this one.
Nice truck! I love the small turbodiesel engine in a mid size truck format. It is too bad it went away as it is so fuel efficient and a great open road highway cruiser with all that torque centered around 2K RPM. I also enjoy that I don't see another truck like mine going down the road all the time. While common in other countries, a smaller truck with a diesel is pretty rare bird in the US.
I have a '17 Canyon in the crew cab long box 4x4 SLT flavor, 78K miles on it so far. Running a Provent 200 catch can since new. I also changed the transmission fluid, used the Mobil 1 "blue label" LVHP fluid, lots of guys like Amsoil too. Anyway, the 6L50 transmission likes fully synthetic fluid. It's been in there for 40K miles, will probably change it again at 60K, which will be 100K on the truck.
An unusual mod I did was to add a CAT 1R-0750 2 micron spin on fuel filter to a NAPA filter head after the stock filter box. My truck is a long box which provides lots of room, making adding the spin on CAT filter easy. It can be done on short boxes, but it is tighter. The 2nd pass filter has been on there for 45K miles with no issues, the lift pump and "fuel filter life" reading takes no notice of it at all. The reason I did the 2nd filter is the injectors on these (and other diesels) have been known to have issues, which can cause major engine damage. I was bored during COVID so I added the filter and installed a PML deep transmission pan.
If you want to see what the inside of the engine looks like, find the "I Do Cars" channel on YT, Eric over there just did a teardown video. I won't spoil what the issue was other than to say always use fuel additive to lube the injectors and high pressure fuel pump with each and every fill. The video shows the 2.8's internals (rods, crank, pistons) which are suitably beefy, and the timing system is about as straightforward as it gets.
The video also shows how dirty the inside of a modern emissions diesel gets when subjected to all that EGR. While a total mess inside with clogged intake ports, there was no unusual wear on the surfaces of that engine, which looked good except for the damaged stuff of course 😂 I think that particular engine had over 150K miles on it as there were pry marks on the rubber cam plug area for the cam holding tool used during belt changes.
Love my Canyon, it has been great so far with no issues. Like you I plan to keep driving it for a long time.
Thanks for the reply. Plan on changing timing belt soon and fuel pump while I'm at it.
I plan to get one in the next few months. Thanks
The diesel makes a major difference.
Mine is an 18 and been the best pickup I have owned to date. 4 previous trucks were Fords. My Colorado is amazing on fuel and pulls my trailers with ease.
Love Colorado Trucks, they do the job.
Very nice truck.
Thanks 👍
I’ve had a few vw pickups, i love the little trucks with a diesel in them. Now this is a taaad but bigger than the vw pickups hahah but! I might go look at a 2018 Colorado 2.8 duramax on Saturday. They look like great little trucks, i mow grass on the side so something that can pull a little mowing trailer would be great.
7,500 lb. towing capacity, the can do every bit of that
Would like to know more about the Revmax torque converter, review of it and its installation
I'll look into it.
Hi Saul, good video! Please can you share the details of what android auto bluetooth device you installed?
I have a 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison diesel, and I think it is an awesome truck. I have never seen another diesel Bison. I did the AEV wheel arch kit to fit 33" tires, and I highly recommend the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT's - quiet on the highway. Plus a ProVent 200 oil catch can, to stop the vented oil fouling up the engine intake. Also fitted a Peragon bed cover, works great. And a Banks iGauge, which allows me to monitor and control the DEF regens (not needed for you!).
If you do a delete, you can route the CCV line away from the intake and down to a scavenger in the exhaust. I did this in my deleted 19 and it works great.
Plugged it in, can hide it right above where the USB ports are.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0CL4GL674/?coliid=I3KI1YU8KQ1T8O&colid=2KUII42CQKJDQ&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_lstpd_873HGS6WRD7A30TB1CQG&language=en_US
I have a 2017 with 150k miles when I bought it. It came with an after market AFE air intake. I was just about to do a timing belt change when out of nowhere im having emission problems.😔
What kind of problems are you having?
I'm a mechanic so perhaps between me and this other person we could help
These are excellent trucks. I have a 2019 ZR2 Bison with a Duramax too. Excellent power and consistent 26-30 mpg. I "fixed" mine at around 50k miles. What mileage did yours have on it when you "fixed" it?
Around the same
I have a 2019 Z71 Colorado Duramax same blue as yours also. They are a great mid-size truck with great towing capacity and great fuel economy too. Thanks for sharing some info. You happen to have a link for the android auto Wi-Fi hook up? Thanks
www.amazon.com/dp/B0CL4GL674/?coliid=I3KI1YU8KQ1T8O&colid=2KUII42CQKJDQ&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_lstpd_873HGS6WRD7A30TB1CQG&language=en_US
Definitely love these trucks
You're a gentleman.
Thanks
I have a 2016 Colorado 2.8 duramax z71. At 86000 miles, crankshaft position sensor tone ring cracked and ecm went crazy. Four wheel drive wouldn’t engage due to ecm. 4600 bucks and five weeks at dealership trying to diagnose tone ring issue and I’m back on the road.
Had the same thing happened to me good thing I saw a video of and Australia guy that had the same problem was the reluctor ring , the ring its self was 50 dollars and 600 dollars to replace the part , transmission had to come down in order for job to be done .
That's unfortunate. I believe the only issue I've really had would be those irritating little bumps on the rear fenders and the DPF system, but once resolved I'm up for my next bit of work in 10,000 miles, changing that timing belt. Definitely don't want that going out but it's a small expense for me to pay for 130,000 miles. I might even throw in a newer turbo and oil pump while I'm at it. As an automotive technician I made sure this truck got every service it needed at the mileage it should. I did most but not all of the oil changes but was always taking a look underneath and around when she was up in the air.
I put 2 inch oval stacks on my 2018 ZR2 Wyoming EPA approved 2.8 diesel.
Do you have any video?
I've got a 2016 that still runs great. Weekend warrior though not too much daily commuting. Wish I could do the exhaust on mine! But I live in commiefornia.
Yeah, some of the guys I work with are from there and that's one of the first things they thought about mine. But I do remember when pollution used to be so bad there, it was all over the news, all the time.
Hey mate, nice truck. Any advice on transmission services on these?
Add a cooler, the pml pan and better global synthetic oil like Amsoil or Triax. If you are feeling really froggy the Revmax converter.
I concur with the other person in this comment
Subie mileage with what was near half ton towing/hauling not too long ago. These are such underrated trucks. 👍
Agreed!
Did you mention the fuel mileage. I’m curious especially a before/after you “fixed” the exhaust issues.
I’ve always been obsessed with these small diesels they are so perfect for US vehicle sizes and type of driving we tend to do here. I’m a commercial electrician and drive a full size Transit 250 van with a naturally aspirated 3.7. Its sounds like it’s going to blow up every time I merge on the freeway. I think a 3L or 3.5L turbo diesel would be perfect for that van. They used to offer one but I think everyone is afraid of the emissions so they didn’t sell and now it’s just v6 gas. The crazy thing it gets the exact same fuel mileage as my last van with a 6.2 V8 so what’s the point of the stupid little V6?
I drive a 3.5L Ecoboost Transit for work, it is a beautiful vehicle but you're right, why couldn't they sell a diesel version of a transit? Would be way better.
As fuel mileage goes, my best set at 50 mile range is 47.5 MPG set to standard tuning. There is a tune to save fuel or for performance but I'm not trying to burn up my transmission and drive assemblies. I would say I'm heavy footed but I don't really speed so my local fuel mileage is around 20-22 MPG. There is a lot of stop and go here.
Wondering if I can get any info on your intercooler piping who makes them are you happy?
Came as a kit from www.cxracing.com, some people might say it's an inferior kit to some of those out there but I've had it on here for about 2 years or more now and it works great to me. Just make sure all the clamps are tight and that there is clearance between the fuse box and the intercooler before tightening.
What wireless android auto did you get? Do you have a manufacturer or product name?
I remember it being Motorola but I'm not sure exactly. I'm looking for something a little more modern that hopefully will have CZcams built in for my daily dose of watching CZcams but on my truck screen. Supposedly Android Auto 2024 will have this but I wonder if it's available in an aftermarket USB Bluetooth dongle?
Hay brand of exhaust did you go with?
Came with the delete kit but pretty much generic 3" pipe with (insert muffler name here). Did a video where I installed a cutout and stack behind the cab so I could switch between the stack and muffler. It's fun to do.
I still don’t understand why people are so worried about showing their license plate. What are you afraid of?
Sexual predators, lol.
how many miles on your truck?
115000
It's almost timing belt time.
Yes, my brother just did his.
Was told there’s a lot of emission problems is that true?
Not anymore (Didn't realize this probably confused anyone reading it. I meant mine is deleted so not anymore)
No, it’s not true. I have a ‘17 LWN with an emission compliant tune in place for two years now. If people are experiencing emission issues there is likely an upstream problem. For example, expired DEF, and or poor diesel fuel-I’ve seen more frequent regens with less expensive diesel and when using too much fuel additive.
Most emissions issues that I have read about and seen personally myself are related to cold temps. DEF heaters are very common issues, I've had both the heated line and the tank heater fail. Planning on "fixing" the emissions system soon.
@@SimpleGreen2017
No DEF issues for me, however, it’s worth noting I only use BluDEF Platinum and ensure it’s not expired as I buy it fresh (I check the manufactured date) and store in a fridge or cool dry place (less than 60 degrees). Oh one more point to note, I’ve noticed BluDEF Platinum does not crystallize around the filler tube.
@user-ux4iu7us7p That is the brand I use as well. I promised myself I would leave the system intact as long as it is working. Due to cost of replacement parts and downtime, I have pursued alternate ways to fix this issue. Hope yours continues to be trouble-free for you.
What leaks do you have?
Pretty much that turbo seems to leak but it's been that way for a while. Thinking about upgrading but just bought a new windshield for her. I'll get to it soon enough.
Hi I'm new in town. Would you like to take me for a ride?
Sure