Chevy Colorado Diesel

[thedusty]

I'm curious if anyone has taken a look at the Chevy Colorado 2.8L 4-cylinder Diesel. Only 180hp but has 369lb of torque.  

It's been getting 30mpg on highway (unloaded) based on some of the videos of guys testing it on 100 mile runs. It has a tow rating of 7,700 lbs. I believe the payload is 1,500...but I don't fully understand payload yet to be honest.

I have a 21BHS and we are a family of 3 (small, light humans...ha).

Any thoughts on this truck for towing a 21BHS?  

I've also been looking at the 2016 Toyota Tundra with 5.7L 4x4 with 38 gallon tank. I'm a huge Toyota fan so I'm honestly leery of anything not Toyota.


http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/2016-chevy-colorado-diesel-all-the-right-sounds-and-da-1734638569

[daplumbr]

I'd skip the diesel Colorado for pulling a 21 and with family on board. Not enough HP. You'd run out of steam pretty quick after the torque curve peaks. "Torque gets you moving and horsepower keeps you moving" as the saying goes. It might feel great up to about 40 mph. By the time you hit 55-60, it would be out of breath on a hill or with a headwind. As you know from my previous bias, no comparison to that 5.7L 381 HP Tundra V8. 

[thedusty]

I'd skip the diesel Colorado for pulling a 21 and with family on board. Not enough HP. You'd run out of steam pretty quick after the torque curve peaks. "Torque gets you moving and horsepower keeps you moving" as the saying goes. It might feel great up to about 40 mph. By the time you hit 55-60, it would be out of breath on a hill or with a headwind. As you know from my previous bias, no comparison to that 5.7L 381 HP Tundra V8. 

Ok, this is very helpful especially your explanation of HP at keeping speed.

I'm about 95% sure I will get a Tundra at some point. But I wanted to hear about that new diesel from some of you guys.

[mitch]

If gas mileage is a concern you may want to look at the 3.5L ecoboost Ford F-150.  Mine consistently gets better mileage then the Toyota Tacoma I had with a ton more power.  I would have probably gone with a Tundra because I was really happy with the Tacoma but the Tundra has the worst gas mileage out of all the full size pick-ups.

[thedusty]

[quote timestamp="1464265578" author="@mitch" source="/post/21546/thread"]If gas mileage is a concern you may want to look at the 3.5L ecoboost Ford F-150.  Mine consistently gets better mileage then the Toyota Tacoma I had with a ton more power.  I would have probably gone with a Tundra because I was really happy with the Tacoma but the Tundra has the worst gas mileage out of all the full size pick-ups.[/quote]
Ok I'll check it out.  I am a little worried about the 3.5L ecoboost long-term reliability.  Was there anything specific that got you comfortable with it?  I have a 2002 Toyota Sequoia with 150k miles and it's been bombproof.  If I get a new truck, I'll likely keep it just as long.  I wish Toyota made a diesel for the US!   

[mitch]

I did the basic research and it seemed fine.  I'm not a big gearhead at all so my knowledge of the details is scant but I'm hopeful that it wasn't a mistake.  Only time will tell.  My experience with it so far has been very good but I've only put 4k miles on it.  

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/21527/thread" author="@sandroad" timestamp="1464225409"]Not enough HP. You'd run out of steam pretty quick after the torque curve peaks. "Torque gets you moving and horsepower keeps you moving" as the saying goes. It might feel great up to about 40 mph. By the time you hit 55-60, it would be out of breath on a hill or with a headwind.
[/quote][font size="3"]I wish more people would understand the HP vs Torque argument. To climb a hill at reasonable speed or even to maintain highway speeds and accelerate it takes HP. Low end torque is nice for starting, but that's why there's first gear. The appeal of small 2.x Diesels should be MPG and longevity, but you pay in initial acquisition, maintenance, and towing performance. Small diesels are not for towing. Large diesels, 6.7L or so, different story, but same for 6+L gassers. There's no substitute for cubes. [/font]

[david]

[p]I wouldn't worry too much about the Colorado diesel's relatively low maximum hp of 180. My Nissan Pathfinder produces 260 hp but at 6,400 rpm. I have NEVER run that engine anywhere near that rpm, maybe 4,000 max where it can only produce less than 180 hp max. The Colorado diesel produces its maximum hp at almost half the rpm of the Nissan- 3,400 due to its high torque. So there is hp and then there is useable hp. The Colorado diesel works for me because it makes its hp at a low rpm.

FWIW, towing a 16TBS at a steady 60 mph only takes 50-60 hp. A 21 will take very slightly more. That is only 1/3 of the Colorado diesel's maximum hp. There is plenty more available for hill climbing.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Edit: Let me add this to respond to Charlie's previous posting.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Normally I would not recommend a 2.8 liter engine for towing a 21. But a diesel is different than most gasoline engines for two reasons: heavy construction and diesel lubrication. According to the attached article above, the diesel Colorado diesel weighs 200 lbs more than the gas version. That is due to a heavier block and larger bearings, all of which contribute to longer life. Also diesel fuel is an ok lubricant, unlike gasoline. The diesel injected in the combustion chamber helps lubricate the piston, rings and cylinder wall. That is why that diesels usually go twice the miles in similar service than gasoline engines.[/p][p]
[/p][p]In the boating world, we use our engines continuously at high power unlike vehicles where we only goose the engine to merge or climb a hill (or many years ago, to impress our girlfriend). The pros that maintain these engines say that if you keep the hp down to about 35 hp per liter, they will last for many thousands, probably ten thousand hours (about 400,000 miles in typical vehicle use). 35 hp per liter for that Colorado diesel is about 100 hp, well below the steady state requirement of 60 hp at 60 mph.

David

[/p]

[gbpack]

Always err on the conservative side when deciding on HP needed, especially if you ever want to go into the mountains.
Even though we've only had our 21BHS since December, there have been numerous times already where we've been grateful for plenty of HP. We travel light as well (just the two of us and our dog), but there are times when you need plenty of extra HP when going up long steep grades. Our Jeep Grand Cherokee with 5.7L V-8 Hemi that generates 370 HP fits the bill very nicely! It's an absolute beast and will serve us very well over the years ahead and we will have absolutely no problems going through high mountain passes out west next year. So keep in mind where you want to travel in the future before deciding on a tow vehicle.

[pinstriper]

In summation, TANSTATMTV !

[charliem]

In summation, TANSTATMTV !

[font size="3"]Similarly, TNSTATMGarlic   [/font]

[montedtrotter1]

Another factor to consider is how much time is your tow vehicle (TV) actually hooked up to your trailer, our Chevy Colorado six pulls our 21BHS just fine even across 441 the main road across the Great Smoky Mountains. We have 22k miles on it and only 9k when hooked to the 21BHS. Its really nice when looking for a parking spot!

[drdave]

Don't buy GM.   I mean that seriously.   I'm not trying to be a wise guy.  Don't do it.  I learned first hand...twice.   Twice may also prove I'm not that smart but that just helps prove my point.

[pjcd]

[quote timestamp="1464300836" author="@tlbones" source="/post/21563/thread"]Don't buy GM.   I mean that seriously.   I'm not trying to be a wise guy.  Don't do it.  I learned first hand...twice.   Twice may also prove I'm not that smart but that just helps prove my point.[/quote]Have to disagree with you on that, I've gone through a few trucks in my time and they all have their issues. My Dodge 3/4 ton 5.8 gasser couldn't tow to save its life and after the third transmission, I sold it. I towed a light weight TT with a Dakota and never had an issue. Honda, Nissan and Toyota all have the fair share of problems. I'm currently towing with a 2011 Duramax and haven't had any major problems, (only sensor issues). 

[davidb]

I have no problem towing on short trips with my 1996 Toyota T-100, out of state trips such as tomorrows trip from Louisiana to Colorado will be with my Tundra with the 4.7 liter.

I'm not too pleased with the 200 mi range with the Tundra and looked at the diesel Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.

I think it would be perfect for my 6x15 toyhauler, but there are no manufacturer incentives yet.

Those folks that do actual real world tests towing a 5600lb trailer tested the GMC Canyon and it did excellent. Look up The Fast Lane on Youtube, they take a 5600 lb horse trailer and do a 100 mile loop in Colorado with different vehicles.

I'll keep my eye on them for a year or two to see how they perform.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGDIwZkLQuI