2.8L Duramax LWN Engine Specs & Information
General Motors was a major stakeholder in Italian engine manufacturer VM Motori during the development of the A428. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) would later buy their stake in the the company, however GM retained licensing rights to the A428 in the United States as part of the agreement. All 2.8L Duramax diesels are assembled at the General Motors Rayong Complex in Rayong, Thailand. The engine is rated at a peak 181 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Since its inception, the horsepower and torque ratings have remained unchanged, likely due to a lack of competition as GM is currently the only automaker offering a mid-size truck with a turbodiesel engine option in the U.S.
GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado applications employ a GM 6L50 six speed automatic transmission, while Express and Savana vans utilize a GM 8L90 eight speed automatic transmission to manage the engine's power. The 2.8L Duramax features a Denso high pressure common rail injection system with solenoid-type fuel injectors, a Honeywell (Garrett) variable geometry turbocharger, and dual overhead camshafts with 4 valves per cylinder.
2.8L Duramax I-4 Engine Specs
Engine: |
2.8L Duramax |
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Type: |
4 stroke diesel |
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Manufacturer: |
General Motors [1] (VM Motori design, see footnote) |
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Assembly Plant: |
GM Rayong Plant, Rayong Thailand |
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Applications/Production Years: |
2016 - current Chevrolet Colorado |
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GM RPO Code: |
LWN |
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Displacement: |
2.778 liters (2.8 liters nominal), 169.45 CID (170 CID nominal) |
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Configuration: |
Inline 4 cylinder |
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B10 Life: |
Not specified |
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B50 Life: |
Not specified |
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Bore: |
3.70 inches (94.0 mm) |
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Stroke: |
3.94 inches (100.0 mm) |
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Bore/Stroke Ratio: |
0.94 (undersquare) |
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Compression Ratio: |
16.5 : 1 |
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Firing Order: |
1 - 3 - 2 - 4 |
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Engine Block Material: |
Grey cast iron |
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Cylinder Head Material: |
Cast aluminum alloy |
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Intake Manifold Material: |
Composite |
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Exhaust Manifold Material: |
Cast iron |
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Injection System: |
Direct injection |
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Aspiration: |
Turbocharged and intercooled (air-to-air intercooler) |
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Reciprocating Assembly: |
Forged steel crankshaft |
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Valvetrain: |
Dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) |
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Cold Start Aid(s): |
Traditional glow plug system, 1 per cylinder |
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Engine Oil Capacity: |
6 quarts w/ filter change |
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Engine Oil Spec [2]: |
Ambient temp > -20° F |
SAE 5W-30 |
Ambient temp < -20° F |
SAE 0W-40 |
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Fuel: |
Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD), up to B20 biodiesel compatible |
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Emissions Equipment: |
Positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) |
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Horsepower: |
181 hp @ 3,400 rpm |
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Torque: |
369 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm |
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Fuel Economy: |
4x2 Colorado/Canyon (2019 -2022) |
20 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, 23 mpg combined |
4x4 Colorado/Canyon (2019 - 2022) |
19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, 22 mpg combined |
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Max Engine Speed: |
5,000 rpm |
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Engine Weight: |
~ 520 lbs |
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Engine Dimensions: |
Length: |
25.4 in (645 mm) |
Width: |
25.8 in (655 mm) |
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Height: |
34.1 in (865 mm) |
[1] 2.8L Duramax is based on the VM Motori A428; GM retained a license to manufacturer the 2.8L diesel after FCA acquired GM's ownership in VM Motori.
[2] SAE 0W-40 engine oil is listed as suitable for any temperature, however is only recommended as a cold weather engine oil. If ambient temperature is expected to drop below -20° F, 0W-40 engine oil should be used. For all other operating conditions, 5W-30 is the preferred engine oil viscosity. A full synthetic engine oil is recommended, but not required by GM.
2.8L Duramax Horsepower & Torque Curve

2.8L Duramax diesel horsepower and torque graph
Source: gmpowertrain.com