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Looking at an 05 d-max. UPDATE, Year end review

buffblazer

buffblazer

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
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Location
Fort Collins Colorado
Very nice truck crew cab 4x4. It has the 5 speed Allison in it. How was it for reliabilty? Is it a decent tranny or is the 6 speed way better?

Also the truck is from Cali. Any issue with emissions on this truck that wouldn't be on a truck from a normal state?

Which 6.6 is this one?

Any other things I should look into on this truck before signing my name to more dept lol
 
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5 speed for sure.

I forget the engine code, but they only used it for a year and half.

The CA model has an egr and a cat. Not anything to worry about
 
Yep, 5 spd Allison. LLY? I can't remember all the engine codes.

Should be a good truck.
 
It`s a lly with a 5 speed, they can develop a few probs but they are all fairly easy fixes. Sould be a good truck if it`s not been modded to much, and not beat on.

How many miles on it?

You can delete the emision crap if you don`t nead it,but is souldn`t be any real trouble.
 
The Allison is a beast of a transmission If the power wasnt turned up and if it was maintained it will last forever

The main advantage to the 6 speed is lower cruising rpm and they can handle a little more power stock

I have an 04 LB7 and I love this truck
 
max 02 said:
It`s a lly with a 5 speed, they can develop a few probs but they are all fairly easy fixes. Sould be a good truck if it`s not been modded to much, and not beat on.

How many miles on it?

You can delete the emision crap if you don`t nead it,but is souldn`t be any real trouble.
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68k on it.

truck is lifted but has no performance mods to it.

very well taken care of no scratches and doesnt look like it ever hauled a trailer.

if i wanted to chip it, exhaust and cold air, could the tranny handle it?

not looking to just romp on it kinda truck but looking to get the milage up above 20 when empty and more power when towing.
 
I usually get 18 city and low 20s in my dads 08 dmax so you should be able to get that easily. All the guys I know with them can get high teens low 20s usually
 
At work ive seen 4 2005 2500hd models with bad rear u-joints. 1 broke the trans to t-case adapter which is really more of the back half of the trans and not cheap. the other 3 shook the tcase enough to break the seal on the case halves and cause a leak. Oh yea and the joints werent loose like bad caps they were tight accross center. That and insturment clusters, 4x4 switch on the dash, shift motor incoders, trans range sensors and a random glow plug or contoller.
 
buffblazer said:
68k on it.

truck is lifted but has no performance mods to it.

very well taken care of no scratches and doesnt look like it ever hauled a trailer.

if i wanted to chip it, exhaust and cold air, could the tranny handle it?

not looking to just romp on it kinda truck but looking to get the milage up above 20 when empty and more power when towing.
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If you stick with a mild tune 50-75HP you should be fine, start pushing 100+ then you will be calling suncoast to rebuild your trans. Be careful dmax's are just as addicting as K5's!!!
 
jekquistk5 said:
If you stick with a mild tune 50-75HP you should be fine, start pushing 100+ then you will be calling suncoast to rebuild your trans. Be careful dmax's are just as addicting as K5's!!!
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X 2 You will nead to stay out of 5th gear while on the power then the trans sould be ok. Like he said stay well under 100 hp or start saving.

I`ve got a 65 hp tune and it has been good,I want to turn it up but I don`t have the cash for the needed upgrades. plus it is our dd and broken down would not be cool.
 
It's all in the way that you drive it. I run a 180HP tune on my Dodge Mega Cab. Stock turbo, stock trans, even stock exhaust.

My trans holds 500HP fine, for now anyway. But if it doesn't slip, it's not doing immediate damage to your trans.

The main thing you'll want is a pyrometer. If you go with a box that includes an in cab monitor it will have a pyro built in, but the hand held tuners will not.

Again, the main thing is to not melt a piston or blow a head gasket with high EGT's. The trans will let you know if it can't handle the power.
 
rjfguitar said:
It's all in the way that you drive it. I run a 180HP tune on my Dodge Mega Cab. Stock turbo, stock trans, even stock exhaust.

My trans holds 500HP fine, for now anyway. But if it doesn't slip, it's not doing immediate damage to your trans.

The main thing you'll want is a pyrometer. If you go with a box that includes an in cab monitor it will have a pyro built in, but the hand held tuners will not.

Again, the main thing is to not melt a piston or blow a head gasket with high EGT's. The trans will let you know if it can't handle the power.
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Yes EGT is important, but alot of the out of the box tuners will give you crazy high egts. Get efi live if you get a dmax best 1000 bucks I have spent.
 
buffblazer said:
68k on it.

truck is lifted but has no performance mods to it.

very well taken care of no scratches and doesnt look like it ever hauled a trailer.

if i wanted to chip it, exhaust and cold air, could the tranny handle it?

not looking to just romp on it kinda truck but looking to get the milage up above 20 when empty and more power when towing.
Click to expand...

20 MPG isn't happening in Colorado. Best i have ever gotten was 19 going slow over the passes unloaded. No tuner at the time.

Daily driving I get 15 to 16 in the summer and 14 or lower in the winter depending on warmup time.

The LLY motor is becoming more notorious for head gaskets as time goes on. Not a huge deal but I had to do mine at 90,000. I also run an early model predator tuner. Most of it's life has been on either 65 or 85 horse. I did spend some time on the 100 horse tune. I have limped the transmission twice while towing on the 85 horse tune. I just have to turn the power down now.

The 05 is just as good as the other d-max engines. Spend some time on diesel place and there are some good things to learn and do to them. Like the LBZ mouth piece, I did this as well as made my own 4" intake using the stock filter box. This alone helped a lot.
 
yeh the lly has some known overheating issues, but from what I have read over on dieselplace the lbz mouthpiece will cure alot of it, there are some other things you can do that are more $$ if that doesnt cure all your probs. LBZ FTW though.
 
crappy cell pics

05 duramax LT

full leather inteior, heated seats yada yada yall know the options.

dark charcol interior and exterior

extras

37 inch tires on 17 inch rims
color match tonnal cover
6 inch lift
dvd monitors in the head rest
exhaust tip

68k on it and runs like a dream. real smooth also for the tires.

truck 1.jpg

truck.jpg
 
Love my stock all around 05. Same truck as yours with no lift. The only thing I have done to it is added a Banks Power Brake. 45 minute install exhaust brake. Never had ro touch the brakes coming back from Moab this year. Until It hits 10 mph.

Congrat's on the new to you truck.
 
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