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Getty's Garage I'm a Heavy Duty Diesel Mechanic and I like to make videos about Pick-up Trucks
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My name is Alex and I have been a diesel mechanic now for over a decade working on mostly highway tractors. in 2020 I started making videos about my own pickup truck and now enjoy making video about all pick up trucks diving deep into engine design and performance

09/04/2026

GM’s 2.7L Turbomax 4-Cylinder Just Made My TOP 5…

I honestly didn’t expect the 2.7L TurboMax to make my Top 5 half-ton truck engines for 2026 — and I’m not even sure I wanted it to. 😂

Do I personally want a four-cylinder engine in a full-size 1500 truck? Probably not. But at some point, you have to look at the real-world results.

The 2.7L TurboMax has now been around for roughly seven years, heading into its eighth, and overall it has developed a pretty solid track record. We simply haven't seen the widespread, consistent catastrophic engine problems that would make me seriously question this engine.

In fact, I think you can make a pretty strong argument that the 2.7L TurboMax is currently the most reliable engine GM offers in its half-ton trucks. That's something I never thought I'd be saying.

It's also important to remember that GM designed this as a purpose-built truck engine. It has a massive stroke, strong internals and an overall design intended to produce serious low-end torque from a relatively small four-cylinder package.

Is it perfect? Absolutely not.

I've towed my 8,000-lb enclosed trailer with the TurboMax on my regular towing loop, and it struggled. If heavy towing is a major part of what you do with your half-ton, this would not be my first choice.

But for someone who wants a GM half-ton and doesn't regularly tow heavy? Based on what we've seen from these engines so far, I think the TurboMax deserves considerably more credit than it gets.

Enough credit to put it at #5 out of 15 engines on my 2026 list.

Would you actually buy a four-cylinder Silverado or Sierra?

09/04/2026

540 HP From Just 3.0L… Is That TOO Much for a Truck

The High-Output 3.0L Hurricane makes an incredible 540 horsepower in the Ram 1500 — but that’s also part of the reason I ranked it #9 out of 15 engines on my list.

Do the math and this twin-turbo inline-six is producing 180 horsepower per liter. That’s an enormous amount of specific output for an engine available across multiple pickup truck trims.

For perspective, even Ford’s supercharged 5.2L V8 in the Raptor R doesn’t make 180 hp per liter, and neither does the supercharged Hellcat V8.

To start seeing similar horsepower-per-liter numbers, you’re getting into some seriously high-performance territory, including twin-turbo engines found in exotic and supercars.

And that’s really my hesitation with the HO Hurricane.

As a performance engine? Absolutely. In something like the Ram 1500 RHO, it makes a ton of sense and would be a blast to drive. Even as a daily-driven pickup that occasionally hauls or tows, I can see the appeal.

But when I’m ranking pickup truck engines, I’m also thinking about sustained load, towing, working duty cycles, longevity and how hard an engine is being pushed to achieve its output.

540 horsepower from 3.0 liters is impressive — I’m just not convinced it makes the HO Hurricane one of the best all-around truck engines available.

Would you rank it higher than #9?

09/03/2026

OVER 4,000 LB-FT at the Wheels 🤯

We usually talk about horsepower being LOST through a drivetrain — but torque is a different story.

A driveline is essentially a massive torque multiplier.

In this example, we can start with roughly 425 lb-ft of torque leaving the engine. Once that torque passes through the transmission gearing, transfer case and axle gearing, the amount of torque available at the wheels can climb to OVER 4,000 lb-ft.

It sounds crazy, but that’s exactly what gearing is designed to do.

Lower transmission gears and the differential gear ratio multiply the engine’s torque before it ever reaches the wheels. Of course, you don’t get free power — the tradeoff for that torque multiplication is reduced rotational speed, along with some power lost through drivetrain inefficiency.

It’s a great example of why an engine’s advertised torque number only tells part of the story. The gearing behind that engine can make a HUGE difference in how much twisting force actually reaches the wheels.

09/03/2026

The Tacoma Still Gives You a 6-Foot Bed 👀

One thing I really like about the Toyota Tacoma is that you can still get it with a 6-foot bed — something you won’t find on the Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado or GMC Canyon.

And honestly, that extra bed space is pretty useful on a midsize truck. I managed to fit two kayaks in the back, which I wasn’t really expecting!

This particular Tacoma is also a Trailhunter, and Toyota gives it another pretty cool feature: a built-in air compressor right in the bed. If you’re doing some serious off-roading, you can air down your tires on the trail and then use the truck’s onboard compressor to air them right back up afterward.

Two simple features, but both make this Tacoma quite a bit more useful. 👌

09/02/2026

GM’s 6.2L V8 Problems Aren’t Over… Replacement Engines Are Failing

GM’s 6.2L L87 V8 situation continues to develop — and unfortunately, the engine failures don’t appear to be limited to the original batch of recalled engines.

The 6.2L L87 is now facing further investigation surrounding continued engine failures, including concerns involving newer 2025 and 2026 engines. The failures continue to point toward serious bottom-end issues involving components such as the connecting rods and crankshaft.

But potentially the biggest concern is what’s happening AFTER the original recall process.

There are reports of engines failing even after going through GM’s recall remedy, along with replacement engines that have also experienced failures. That includes engines operating with the heavier 0W-40 oil that GM introduced as part of its response to the problem.

So the big question becomes: did the original recall actually address the root cause?

In this video, I break down what we currently know about the ongoing L87 failures, the newer engines being looked at, the bottom-end concerns, and why failures involving replacement and post-recall engines could turn this into a much larger problem for GM.

The 6.2L is a fantastic-performing V8 when everything is working properly — but this story clearly isn’t over yet.

09/02/2026

The 5.7L HEMI’s Oil Pump Is Refreshingly SIMPLE

The 5.7L HEMI might be old-school by modern half-ton standards — and honestly, this is one of the reasons I like it.

In 2026, the HEMI is one of, if not the last, modern half-ton engines still using a simple fixed-displacement oil pump driven directly off the front of the crankshaft.

No electronically controlled variable-displacement oil pump. No oil pump chain. No rubber or Kevlar-reinforced belt running the oil pump.

Just a straightforward mechanical gerotor-style pump driven right off the crankshaft.

Is a fixed-displacement pump the most advanced or efficient design? No. But when we're talking about something as critical as supplying oil to an engine, there’s something I really like about keeping it simple.

Sometimes old-school engineering still has its advantages.

09/02/2026

Ram’s eTorque System Is POINTLESS… And It’s Finally Going Away!

Ram’s eTorque mild-hybrid system is one piece of technology I’ve never been a big fan of.

The system uses a belt-driven Motor Generator Unit (MGU) connected to the engine, along with a 48-volt battery system. It can provide supplemental torque, regenerative braking, smoother start-stop operation and other efficiency benefits. But in my opinion, it adds a significant amount of complexity and additional potential failure points for very little noticeable real-world performance gain.

I even put eTorque to the test. I compared two 3.6L Pentastar-powered Ram trucks — one with eTorque and one without — towing the same 8,000-pound trailer with essentially the same driveline. When we timed their acceleration, there was virtually no performance advantage from eTorque. In fact, the non-eTorque truck was actually slightly quicker in our testing.

So what are we gaining for all that additional hardware?

There’s also the reliability and repair side of the equation. Motor Generator Units can fail, and owners have reported lengthy waits for replacement components. I show an example from Reddit discussing significant MGU backorders and dealerships reportedly waiting without a firm ETA.

For me, the small potential benefits simply don’t outweigh the added complexity. And with Ram moving away from eTorque on the 5.7L HEMI for 2027, it’s one change I’m very happy to see.

Sometimes a V8, an 8-speed transmission and a conventional electrical system are all a truck really needs.

09/01/2026

Ram Is FINALLY Ditching This HEMI Gimmick!

Start-stop technology on the 5.7L HEMI is one feature I’ve never been a big fan of.

The idea is simple: when you come to a stop, the engine shuts off to save fuel and then automatically restarts when you’re ready to move again. On paper, that sounds great. But on a big V8-powered Ram 1500, I question whether the relatively small amount of fuel saved is worth the additional starting cycles, complexity and potential long-term wear.

Engine startup is an important wear event, and while a warm start-stop restart is certainly different from a cold start, you’re still repeatedly stopping and restarting the engine in heavy traffic — all in the pursuit of relatively small real-world fuel savings.

For me, the trade-off simply isn’t worth it. I’d rather burn a little extra fuel and keep the 5.7L HEMI running.

And apparently Ram isn’t too attached to the system either. For 2027, the 5.7L HEMI is moving away from start-stop technology — a change I’m very happy to see.

Sometimes simpler really is better.

09/01/2026

The 5.7L HEMI’s Most COMMON Problem…

If you’ve owned a Ram 1500 with the 5.7L HEMI V8, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the dreaded exhaust manifold tick.

On the 4th-generation Ram 1500 trucks from 2009–2018, broken exhaust manifold bolts — particularly toward the rear of the engine — became an extremely common source of exhaust leaks.

With the 5th-generation Ram 1500, Ram appears to have improved the manifold bolt situation. Unfortunately, the problem didn’t completely disappear. Instead, the failure seems to have migrated from broken bolts to the exhaust manifolds themselves, with cracked manifolds becoming a commonly reported issue on newer trucks.

After 17 years of the 5.7L HEMI in these Ram 1500s, I’d argue exhaust manifold leaks are one of the most common problems associated with this engine.

The good news is that an exhaust manifold leak generally isn’t catastrophic to the engine. The bad news? It can sound absolutely horrible, be frustrating to repair, and depending on what has failed, it certainly isn’t always a cheap or easy fix.

A great engine — but definitely one problem Ram never completely managed to eliminate.

08/31/2026

The GM 6.2L L87 V8 Disaster Just Got WORSE…

GM’s 6.2L L87 V8 troubles aren’t over yet.

NHTSA has launched a new investigation covering nearly 1 million GM 6.2L V8 engines after continued reports of engine failures — including failures involving vehicles that have already been through GM’s original recall process.

And that’s where things get interesting. Some reported failures involve engines that received the recall remedy, including PICO testing and the switch to heavier-weight oil. There are also reports of replacement engines experiencing failures after the original engine was replaced.

In this video, I take a closer look at the latest NHTSA investigation, the post-recall engine failures, and what we currently know about the ongoing 6.2L L87 V8 problems. We’ll also look at what this could mean for owners of Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon models equipped with the 6.2L V8.

It’s important to remember that this is currently an investigation, not another recall. NHTSA is examining these continued failures and whether GM’s existing recall remedy has adequately addressed the problem — or whether additional action could ultimately be required.

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