Was wondering about performance of the LB7 compared to that of the newer LLY and LBZ. Friend of mine has a 2006 pick-up with a LBZ engine with the Bank's Six-Gun programmer. Simply put, it is a rocket ship. I am very very impressed with it.

Being the hot-rodder I am, I would love to put an LBZ into a passenger car. However, they are somewhat expensive and hard to find being a relatively new engine and all.

LB7s seem to be more plentiful and cheaper. Searched the Internet and on this website, but have not come up with any concrete comparisons between the different generations of Duramax engines.

Would like to know about reliability, fuel economy, engine displacement, similiarities, any major differences, and things along those lines.

Thanks, ya'll!

P.S. If I overlooked a thread that explains all of this, I appologize, and if you would be kind enough to post the hyperlink to that thread(s), that'd be great.

Ive heard the LB7's get the best mileage out of the group. They are all 403 ci. The LB7's Have injector problems. GM extended the warrenty on them to 200k or 7 years whichever comes first because so many people were having them go bad. Ive replaced a set with my brother and it is very time cunsuming. They are down underneath the valve covers while the LLY's and up are not. There is not a fix for the problem, you just buy remans, or aftermarket injectors which I think use stock bodies. Some get lucky, a lot dont. Ive heard the LLY's (early?) have overheating issues but I think there's a fix for it, check it out in the LLY section. Some early LB7's also have head gasket and water pump problems. Im sure if you're a wrencher, you will not have problems fixing either IF and I mean IF you ever experience one. LLY's and up have variable geometry turbos and the LB7's dont. Most of the basic component functions in all engines are the same. The LLY came about in 2004 1/2 with EGR, and like I said altered cylinder head and injector design. I believe the LBZs have a lower compression ratio and higher injection pressure. I think they also did something different with the block design but I dont know much about them. Some LB7's had EGRs on them too. I dont know of many or any common problems with the LBZ's. But theres a simple breakdown for you. LB7's 2001-2004.5 rated at 300hp 520 ftlbs. LLY 2004.5-2005 310 hp 605 ftlbs. ( I think the later LLY, like early 06? are the exact same as the LBZ's but with different computers?) And LBZs 2006-2007.5 are 350 hp and 650 ftlbs.

I'm far from being an expert, but my impression is the reason you don't hear alot of talk about performance comparisons, is that the programmers kind of level the playing field.

If you are looking at stock trucks, then yes, LB7_LLY_LBZ_LMM, all have thier signifcance. But if your looking at modified trucks, then a Dmax, is a Dmax. Modern diesels have an incredible response to ECM programming.

I could be off base, hopefully someone will correct me if I am.

If you have the mechanical ability to install one of these into a car of some sort, then you should have no problem making an LB7, run as well as a LBZ.

my buddy has a LB7 with 200K+ and the only problem he has had was the water pump other then that great truck.. has about 500 to the wheels with stock everything just a lift pump and EFI Live. i like the older Dmaxs dude to the lack of emissions on them.

with the injectors. if you are going to be hot rodding it them you will most likely go with larger ones any way.