Despite being hyped for its innovative design and potential to significantly improve the fuel economy of full-size trucks, General Motors is placing on indefinite hold plans to introduce a new 4.5-liter Duramax V-8 turbo-diesel in 2010 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. The embattled Detroit automaker says the decision is due to the dire state of the economy and the effect it’s having on the automotive industry. The development also adds to recent changes GM has made to its U.S. product portfolio, such as delaying the Cadillac CTS coupe, discontinuing the Cadillac XLR roadster, and disbanding its High-Performance Vehicle Operations as it seeks government loans to continue doing business.
All-New Design
GM essentially gave its engineers a clean sheet of paper to create the new 4.5-liter Duramax V-8. The compact DOHC, 32-valve engine was designed to slot into the same space as a conventional small-block V-8. To do this, engineers started with a compacted graphite iron block and aluminum cylinder heads, yet flipped the heads around in order to reverse the airflow and eliminate unnecessary plumbing. Unlike a conventional V-8, which sucks in air through a central location and disperses it to the two cylinder banks, the new Duramax’s air intakes are integrated into the camshaft covers atop the cylinder heads. Air then flows through the heads, out through integrated aluminum exhaust manifolds, and into a variable-vane turbocharger nestled in the valley between the cylinders.
Keep Reading: GM Shelves Small Duramax Diesel V-8 - Car News
0 comments:
Post a Comment