GM delays new technology diesel
March 12, 2009 by Matt Brogan
GM has indefinitely delayed the release of one of the most advanced engines it has ever designed amid the current financial woes it is suffering.
The 4.5-litre Duramax diesel engine, which was intended for use in light-duty trucks such as the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, featured unique cylinder heads that eliminate the intake and exhaust manifolds. It also had a lightweight block with advanced castings for the crankshaft-bearing journals and oil-circulation system.
“We have to make tough decisions right now,” said GM Powertrain spokeswoman Susan Garavaglia.
The eagerly awaited engine was due to have began production this time next year.
Print it: 
Fools! Something like this could benefit them, especially if they were to licence the design/technology to third parties. There needs to be some foresight from GM here.
“featured unique cylinder heads that eliminate the intake and exhaust manifolds”
Sounds interesting, wonder how they get the gasses in/out?
It seems as though General Motors is actually competing for the comedy prise with the ‘Dead Parrot’ routine care of Monty Python. Amazing.
I’ll say it to save someone else the trouble: imagine one of these babies under a commodore’s bonnet…
This smacks of throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Perhaps it’s a very expensive engine to tool up for?
Shame though, heavy vehicles have huge potential for fuel efficiency gains.
Another short sighted dumb move that continues a legacy of 30 plus years of dumb moves by General Motors.
This sounded like it had the potential to be a great engine.
Ford are most definitely heading in the right direction with their range of vehicles and technologies.
They spend the time and money to design what sounds like a brilliant engine, then to turn around and say they probably bring it out in a few years time.
This kinda sounds like their EV-1 project!
They never learn GM.
Mark B Hum,yeah but when it comes to diesel engine design.tech and up-to-date know how the Japs are way ahead
of the Americans and the Europeans are ahead of the Japanese.
So in reality the engine woundn’t be a patch on say the:
V6/V8 Diesel that Ford produced along-side P.S.A which could very well end up under the bonnet of a Terri./Falcon.
As Phil C. said Ford seem way ahead of G.M. in direction and focus.
GM can go and bury it with their EV1 and other great ideas. I can’t figure out why they have gone broke.
Looks like they have built the Inlet, exhaust and turbo into one piece, similar to how BMW fit the turbo inside the V on their V8… and will have the intake valve and exhaust valve on the same side of the head, like old the old engines such as Toyota’s 3F. I Just wonder how they will keep the inlet air cool with it so close to the exhaust.