GM 2010 Duramax Diesel Equipped Vehicle

Emission Changes

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2010

May 6, 2009

The 2010 Emissions Standards Challenge.

All diesel engines produced after January 1, 2010 must comply with the new regulations requiring the reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) from 1.22 g/bhp-hr (grams per brake horsepower hour) to .2 g/bhp-hr. To comply with the new regulations GM will use Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to meet this stringent standard. All major manufacturers of diesel engines, with the exception of International, are using SCR. Using SCR to reduce NOx emissions is a proven strategy used in Europe and Japan in passenger cars and trucks as well as heavy industrial applications such as power generation plants.

The 2010 emission change is in addition to all previous emission solutions and maintains the diesel particulate filter (DPF) added in 2007 to reduce diesel particulates (soot).

What is SCR?

SCR builds on the previous emission solution and is designed to significantly reduce NOx from the exhaust. It employs the injection of a small amount Urea (DEF) into the exhaust stream. DEF is a liquid compound composed of approximately 32.5 percent automotive grade Urea and 67.5% percent purified water. Injected into the exhaust stream, in the presence of a catalyst, it converts harmful NOx emissions into nitrogen and water vapor.

What Changes?

The most significant changes will be the addition of a DEF tank and lines along with a revised exhaust system. The driver will have to periodically add DEF fluid. Instrument warning lights will advise the driver when DEF is at a low level and requires replenishment. All truck manufacturers using SCR will have similar solutions.

Medium Duty Truck:

The DEF tank for the medium duty truck line will hold approximately 6.85 gallons of Urea and for most applications will be located under the driver’s side step to maintain a clean back of cab configuration. This amount of DEF will allow the vehicle to operate for approximately 4,000 to 8,000 miles, depending on application, before the DEF tank must be replenished. The quality of the DEF injected into the exhaust stream will be monitored by onboard sensors for emission compliance. Inferior quality or diluted DEF will lead to warning lights that will require driver action. DEF will degrade over time, particularly at temperatures over 86° F, but will not be an issue if the DEF fluid is used with 12 months.

An on board warning system of lights and chimes will advise the driver when the DEF level falls to a low level. Warnings will begin when the vehicle has a remaining vehicle range of approximately 1,000 miles and will become more intense as the range decreases. The warning system is designed to give the drive ample time and opportunity to fill the DEF tank. If no driver action is taken to fill the DEF tank after hundreds of miles of warning, the vehicle will be de-rated to 55 mph and then ultimately to 5 mph. Adding the appropriate quantity of DEF will restore the vehicle to normal operation. If the DEF tank is not filled and the driver continues to operate the vehicle in the reduced power mode the vehicle will eventually shut down. If the vehicle shuts down it will require towing to a GM facility for service at customer expense.

Light Duty Vans:

The same concept used for the medium duty truck line will be used for the light duty line of diesel powered vans. The DEF tank for the light duty vans will hold approximately 5.8 gallons of DEF and will be located outside the frame rail in front of the rear axle on vans and inside the frame rail on cutaway chassis. This amount of DEF will allow the vehicle to operate for approximately 6,000 miles or more before the DEF tank must be replenished. The warning of low DEF will be communicated using the Driver Information Center on the instrument panel.

Areas of Concern.

Initial Vehicle Cost: Cost for the emission will add cost to the vehicle in a range of $3,000-$10,000 depending on the engine and the manufacturer. For GM, we expect the price increase to be in range of $3,000 to $5,000 for the Duramax 6.6L engine.

Operating Cost: In addition to the increased purchase cost, the life cycle cost will be higher. It is anticipated that a vehicle will use DEF at the rate of 1 to 1.25 gallons of DEF for every 100 gallons of diesel (1% to 1.25% of diesel). The price of DEF is anticipated to be comparable to the price of diesel fuel. Neither fuel economy nor vehicle performance will be impacted using GM’s SCR.

Increased Weight: The new emission system increases the vehicle weight by approximately 180 pounds.

DEF (Urea) Availability: Bulk dispensing units have been available for nearly a decade and in operation in Europe and Japan for years. New units will shipped from the factory with 2.5 gallons of DEF. For the first half of next year, McCormick Motors will provide DEF from 2.5 gallon containers. We will then transition as the demand increases to a 55 gallon bulk dispensing unit. At fueling stations across the country you should expect to see a similar transition as demand increases. GM is planning to have 1 gallon and 2.5 gallon containers at dealerships that sell diesel powered trucks.

Driver Training: As with the 2007 emission changes there will be a driver responsibility to take action based on vehicle warning messages. McCormick Motors will post detailed written and video informational pieces on our web site (mccormickmotors.com) as they become available.

The Road Forward.

The 2010 requirement to reduce NOx will happen. GM has selected the most proven strategy to meet the requirement. While it does impose some additional costs and requires driver involvement to periodically add DEF, the system imposes no limitations on any vocation that needs a diesel powered vehicle. Be assured that both General Motors and McCormick Motors will do everything we can to minimize the impact of the more stringent EPA emission standards. If you have any questions or need any additional information please contact us at 877-773-3134 or email .

Please note that the information contained in this document represent a compilation of information available from General Motors. Final production vehicles may differ in their specifications and operation.

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