GM's New 8.3L Diesel Borrows Something Crucial From the Canceled 'Baby Duramax'

General Motors is building a new 8.3-liter Duramax diesel pickup engine, and the company says it draws on technology GM previously shelved in the “Baby Duramax” program after the 2008 financial crisis. The “Mongoose” is rated at 555 horsepower and 1,230 lb-ft of torque, with a maximum towing capacity of 38,000 pounds when paired with a properly specified Chevy Silverado 3500HD or GMC Sierra 3500HD. A key detail is that the engine uses a compacted graphite iron (CGI) block. The write-up compares that approach to GM’s earlier work with CGI and notes the outgoing 6.6-liter Duramax uses cast gray iron.