large GM dealership, or a used vehicle sales lot?

 

Large multi brand and site dealer. This one in particular was a Dodge Chrysler, but they have Chevy dealers too. I think they have 15 plus locations.

 

Deleted trucks are sold by dealers everyday. Your issue is if your area does emission test every year. You would probably just need to return the truck if that's the case. If no testing and the truck runs well enjoy it.

 

Good Lord----pretty sporty advice and not correct. The internet forums are filled with information some good some not so good. Just keep in mind that if this information was not disclosed to you then you need to follow through with the seller. This truck does not have the marketability of a legal truck. By not making disclosure and if the seller will not provide a full refund (after polite and frank discussion with the decision maker not a salesman), then advise professionally and politely that this will be reported State and Federal officials as well as your Counsel to remedy the negligence on their part.

Good Luck!

 

It's not legal for a licensed dealer to sell an emissions modified vehicle..
You don't know who did the work and tuning..
What will you do when you have a problem?
Have a shop verify the issue and then contact the dealer..

 

I was thinking the exact same thing. I know a used car dealer can, and does, but dealerships cant. Atleast thats what I’ve always been told. Id be skeered of it, since you have no idea on the tune, as in stock/ish, 100 hp tune, race tune etc. and you definitely dont wanna hook up to a camper with a race tune. Pistons do melt

 

Legalities of deleted vehicles aside, you have no idea what kind of tune is flashed to that truck's ECU, so you have no idea how much power it's going to put out at full throttle. That is not a good situation for pulling a heavy trailer; you could do catastrophic damage to any or all parts of the drive line when trying to maintain highway speed up steep hills. Personally, I'd be trying to get that truck back to the dealership and get my money back. But I have an extreme aversion to running an engine at power or torque levels above stock...YMMV.

But at the same time, a deleted truck can be much more difficult (if not illegal -- I don't think that truck can be sold legally in NJ, for instance) to sell in many jurisdictions. If the truck has been deleted you should expect a huge discount on the sale price. Otherwise you're getting screwed.

 

Would there be a way to learn what the tune is on the truck? I don't want more power or torque over stock. Reliability and efficiency would be my goals.

 

Let's not forget to mention if you take it to the dealer for anything, LEGALLY they are not supposed to let it leave the shop with the emissions delete. That being the case, you would be 100% responsible for the installation of the parts and labor to make it compliant. This could be in the $10,000 plus range by the time it's all put back.

 

Given that it's a federal law that has been broken when deleting emissions components, and probably something similar for selling.. (not sure on that though) I would like to think that the dealership then would be willing to work with their GM dealerships to help get you squared away. I don't think the "As-Is" thing applies here. You may want to study your state law though but at least give the dealership the opportunity to make it right or to take it back. And then if they won't, consult with the state department that is over vehicle emissions.. but be careful. they may simply take the truck from you and say you can't drive it until it is made right. at your cost.

 

If you keep it, head over to HPTuners forums you may find some help for a stock tune, then you know what you've got

 

Simple decision IMHO.
Take it back to dealer quickly and ask for your full amount back.
If they refuse then park it and contact your state attorney and the EPA.
It could be illegal in your state in which case how did it get inspected ?
It is a federal crime to delete any vehicle emissions systems regardless of state requirements.

 

I'd welcome this truck in my stable

But do agree, you should know what is in it with towing something.

 

X2

sounds like you got a blind gift horse.
“Oops” it’s deleted didn’t know. You didn’t foot the bill for the delete (10k here) and it’s already registered in your name. Sounds like a win.
ONLY downfall is not knowing that tune is in it.
see if you can find a switch under the seat, on the dash, under the hood that might be for the switch on the fly. Otherwise just install an aftermarket EGT probe and watch your skinny pedal towing

 

EGT sensors: EGT1 is pre turbo and the one you want to monitor to see if the engine is in a safe state and backing down as needed.

Caveat: We still don't know in which state the OP resides. In my state, dealers (not just dealerships) are required that any vehicle they sell must meet state inspection requirements. If the dealer has a shop, they will often perform a fresh annual inspection and sticker a used vehicle before putting it up for sale. You'd have quite the easy recourse against them if the dealer inspected the vehicle and issued the sticker. (Our inspection requires a visual inspection for emissions tampering.)

One of the challenges of a modified vehicle will be finding a shop willing to do annual inspections. My truck is 18 years old and shops are weary. Many shops won't even touch an older diesel pickup because they don't want the liability, modified or not. Your truck is 5 years old. You could potentially have it for a very long time. If your area requires inspections (or you ever move to one) you'll battle that hassle for as long as you own it. If you planned to keep it, I'd want an agreement with them that they will do your inspections for as long as you own the truck. Wink wink, nod nod. How do we know that 5-10 years from now we won't live in a world where any non-electric car is subject to roadside emissions checks.

That aside, an L5P with really good tuning on it that didn't have to deal with all the emissions systems could be a really reliable truck for many miles to come. No speed limited limp mode due to NOX sensor failure. No dealing with interrupted regens and increased fuel consumption. Less lag before getting fuel on acceleration. Finding that quality tuning would be the hard part. L5P runs lots of EGR across the operating range. You'd be reworking much of the way the engine operates to get an optimized tune.

Maybe we could all vote differently and have that level of freedom.

 

I'll see if EG1 is still intact and giving a reading. Hopefully that one hasn't been touched.

I live in southern Indiana.

There are no emissions testing in my area.

 

Run it enjoy it

 

 

Have seen more than one of those with a punctured def tank. Was the reason I stayed away from the Duramax for a few years and bought one in 2020 and now the 2024 ZR2.

 

Why is that turbo so rusty?

 

Google says that it's due to the heat cycles creating little cracks in the surface?
This truck has 600k miles, so it's been hot a lot! Lol

 

600k

Well, I got offered $16k for my truck yesterday from a Chevy dealer, it has 119k on it. I hope you paid about $2k for that one.

Seeing as it has 600k, I retract my previous advice, and say just run that thing. I highly doubt someone with 600k on a dually has a tune that would be bad for towing. Run it and smile.

 

600,000 miles changes the answers somewhat. Impressive for millage no doubt about that. but now I think you'll have a bit of a harder time getting the dealers to put emissions stuff back on that without having to pay a lot.

 

Agreed with the above. Put fuel in it and enjoy the truck and don't worry about it until there's a problem.

 

I'll change my answer too. At 600k, if the engine is healthy at least you don't have to worry about emissions issues down the road. Prior owner probably faced expensive replacement of SCR/DPF/ETC and decided to ditch it all instead.

Are you in an area where you can pull it off the legal enforcement aspects? Is the engine healthy? Are you willing/capable of doing all the work on the truck yourself, or do you know of a shop that will touch it? If the price was right it could be a good thing depending on your mission for the truck.

 

Personally, Id run a Carfax and try to get info from the previous owner. Find out if you have reliable tunes from a reputable tuner. People are willing to pay 5K+ to delete L5P's and sounds like one fell in your lap.

 

Run it!

 

These guys on this forum have forgotten more than I will ever know, but my two cents? Bring it back for a TOTAL refund and find a nice truck (Silverado or Sierra, of course) that you won't have to worry about.