How loud is your Duramax?

Bpamgat4

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Hi everyone,

Just picked up a Durand last Wednesday and driving home from the dealer I was super impressed with the truck. I didn’t notice it then and the few days afterward, but the engine seems louder last night. Specifically when doing any type of acceleration it sounds like fast pitched sound of someone playing the spoons on their knee. Only happens when the truck is in gear, but not if in park or neutral and you press the accelerator. Any ideas before I go into the dealer?
 

I traded off my 2020 AT4 Duramax a month ago. But it was pretty quiet. Not as quiet as the 2023 AT4X 6.2 I have now (that thing needs a little more low rumble), but you could barely hear it.

My wife still has her 2020 AT4 duramax, and hers was always a little louder than mine. No idea why. Just a little more of that diesel rattle than mine had. Neither were loud or bad sounding, though. It's a quiet, smooth engine. The 10 speed transmission really uses the torque of the engine well.
 

I did something similar last week. Sold my At4 Duramax to buddy and bought a new At4X.
I have owned a lot of Diesel trucks and other equipment over the year. Diesels can be a little louder the colder it gets.
Sound like it was at noticed at night, which night tends to be colder than during the day.
All in all, the past 2 years I owned and daily drove my 2021 AT4 Duramax, the tones and sounds varied at times but nothing to ever be alarmed about.
ambient temps, fuel grades, all can play a factor of the sounds a diesel makes.
Diesel fuel grades sold at the pump will change with the seasons from summer blends to winter blends.
You can adjust your cetane with a booster additive like power service.
I liked the silver Power service brand.
If you raise up the Cetane levels in your fuel, it will noticable quiet down the diesel clatter. Not that these trucks are loud.
I really have not used this stuff much on modern diesels since they are so quiet now days. But I do know that this stuff does work from firsthand experience with it.

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I had a 2022 with the 3.0, and I feel like it was a little quieter than my 2023. Both are very quiet.
 

Hi everyone,

Just picked up a Durand last Wednesday and driving home from the dealer I was super impressed with the truck. I didn’t notice it then and the few days afterward, but the engine seems louder last night. Specifically when doing any type of acceleration it sounds like fast pitched sound of someone playing the spoons on their knee. Only happens when the truck is in gear, but not if in park or neutral and you press the accelerator. Any ideas before I go into the dealer?
I've got the 22 Refreshed LM2 and it is very quiet IMO but will growl just a bit when accelerating off idle in the first 3 or 4 gears depending on how fast you accelerate?:)
 

I’ve noticed that it’s louder with some brands of diesel vs others. I’m guessing the quality of the diesel. When I add amsoil all in one, I don’t get the loud diesel knocking, but w some gas stations in my area, I’ve learned some are worse than others.
 

I had this noise until I got my NOx sensor 1 replaced, wonky values and no CEL. Recommend data logging for anyone hearing this and see if sensor 1 is less than 2 and 2 less than 3. These are erroneous values.
 

Mine is a 2022 and the diesel engine is noticeable. Not like an annoying Cummins, but you can tell it's a diesel while standing beside it. By contrast, I've had a few more of them in my shop for service, 2022 and 23, and they're so quiet, you'd swear they're gas engines. These all run the same engine oils, so I don't know what causes the difference.
 

I'm not sure what the correct answer is but I wonder if the different trim levels have more/less sound insulation under the hood? I have a 22 R LM2 and it is real quiet inside and standing beside it? :unsure:
 

I'm not sure what the correct answer is but I wonder if the different trim levels have more/less sound insulation under the hood? I have a 22 R LM2 and it is real quiet inside and standing beside it? :unsure:
There was a time when some were shipping without the hood liner. It’s possible that without it there are more sound reflections from the metal making it sound louder.
 

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