The earlier Duramax oil coolers were built around lower power outputs and lighter cooling demands. As the trucks evolved, GM added more cooling capacity, and the 2020 setup stands out as a heavier-duty oil cooler package. That matters if you tow, run the truck aggressively, or add tuning, because oil temperature control is a big part of keeping the engine protected. Our Oil Cooler Upgrade kit brings that 2020-style heavy-duty oil cooling to 2001-2019 6.6L Duramax trucks. We put the package together with the parts that are typically hard to source, so you can upgrade the system without chasing pieces. Better oil cooling helps the oil last longer and gives the engine more temperature control when the truck is working instead of cruising empty.
The recap compares several Duramax generations through the lens of factory oil-cooling capability. It starts with the LBZ, described as representative of earlier Duramax trucks that had lower power outputs. From there, the discussion moves to the 2017 to 2019 L5P, and then to the 2020 model year, which is presented as a more substantial step forward in overall truck cooling and towing support.
For 2020, GM did more than revise a single component. The truck received a much more powerful radiator cooling fan and a significantly larger engine-coolant radiator. The speaker emphasizes that the changes were part of a broader package aimed at supporting increased capability, not just a standalone oil-cooler update. Suspension and other truck systems were also upgraded as part of the higher-capacity towing package.
These hardware changes are framed in the context of steadily rising tow ratings across the heavy-duty pickup market. Ram, Ford, and GM are said to be approaching 40,000 pounds of towing capacity. The commentary treats that figure as extreme, arguing that a 40,000-pound load would physically dwarf the truck in most real-world situations. Even so, the point is that manufacturers have been forced to improve cooling, chassis, and support systems as tow ratings continue to climb.
When the team examined the 2020 oil cooler, they concluded that it was valuable well beyond the 2020 truck itself. Their view was that this cooler was desirable for owners of 2019-and-earlier trucks, extending all the way back to 2001. The reasoning is straightforward: if a truck is used aggressively, especially for towing, hard work, or tuning, improved oil cooling becomes relevant regardless of model year.
The key takeaway is that the 2020-style heavy-duty oil-cooling solution is not limited to the newest platform. According to the recap, owners can retrofit this improved cooling approach onto Duramax trucks dating back to 2001. That makes the newer cooler a cross-generation upgrade for trucks that may have started with less robust factory cooling, particularly the earlier lower-output models.
To make that retrofit practical, a complete kit was assembled. The package is described as including all of the necessary parts, including the hard-to-find items that would otherwise complicate the conversion. Rather than requiring owners to source individual components on their own, the kit is intended to provide a straightforward path to installing heavy-duty oil cooling on earlier Duramax trucks.
The intended audience for the upgrade is anyone who uses a Duramax truck aggressively. That includes trucks that are tuned, as well as trucks subjected to demanding work where additional oil-cooling capacity is beneficial. The recap closes by noting that this heavy-duty oil-cool retrofit kit for 2001-and-newer Duramax applications is available through Banks Power.