2017 Chevy Colorado Duramax with Exhaust Stacks? What Do You Think? Ask TFLtruck

Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Trail Boss 3.0

How about exhaust stacks on a 2017 Chevy Colorado Duramax? This is a question that we received from Dallin L. at ask@tfltruck.com . The small turbo-diesel in the GM midsize trucks is often referred to as the “baby Duramax”. We have also called the truck the “little big rig”. Dallin writes…

I am currently shopping for a new truck and your videos have helped me narrow down my selection to the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado with the 2.8L Duramax. This will be my first diesel. Since I tow trailers on a regular basis, I felt the diesel was the right choice for me. I plan on doing a 4-inch lift, running 33 inch tires, adding a cold air intake, tuning, and an exhaust.

A local off-road shop is going to do the lift but have suggested that I speak with another shop that specializes in diesel trucks for the intake, tuning, and exhaust. While discussing the exhaust with the diesel specialist, he asked me if I was interested in doing a smoke stack style system rather than an out-the-back system. He is offering a significant discount, if I go with the smoke stack option because he would like to do it to promote his business (and he thinks it would look really cool and go along with the whole “baby” Duramax tag that this truck has received).

I like the idea because it would make it unique but am worried about all the cons I’ve read on blogs about that style of system (soot, noise, rattling parts, loss of bed space, melting things because of heat, etc.). Some people, however, have said that there are ways to build a stack system that minimizes those issues to the point of practically eliminating all but the loss of bed space. Since I’ve never owned a diesel and have never dealt with them, I was hoping for some help from you guys. I do like having a unique pickup (I currently drive a fully Line-Xed 2006 Nissan Frontier), but am not sure whether the common issues of a smoke stack system would be the same on the 2.8L Duramax due to its smaller size or if there is a way to build a smoke stack system that looks good without the majority of the cons I described above. Any and all advice is welcomed.

Dodge Lil Red Express (exhaust smoke stacks)

It’s no secret that we like the 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel in the Chevy Colorado or the GMC Canyon. It has proven to be an excellent towing pickup. It’s efficient and stable.

We also love modifying and customizing of trucks. The pickup truck is all about freedom, and freedom of expression. Personally, I think that a Chevy Colorado diesel with exhaust stacks would indeed be very unique and cool.

We do not have experience with exhaust stacks on pickup trucks. This is why we are opening this question up for reader feedback. Please let us know the cons and lesson’s learned of installing exhaust stacks in the comments section below.

Here is our recent towing MPG loop: Chevy Colorado 3.6L gas V6 versus GMC Canyon with the Duramax diesel.