THE DIESEL DUDES · PUBLISHING DOSSIER · T1a technical

3.0 Duramax Problems

How this article was produced, and how every claim is known to be accurate and sourced. Publishing is paused — this is a dry run.

1. The published article

This is the exact article.html the pipeline produced — the 29-element page that would go live on the blog (brand styling, table of contents, Key Takeaways, the compliance notice before the body, FAQ, numbered Sources, and the machine-readable Article + FAQ data). Publishing is paused; nothing was sent anywhere.

embedded file: article.html · open full page

2. The journey

Every article moves through the same numbered stages. Each move is recorded in the article's manifest.yaml with who did it and when — the article cannot skip a gate.

S1
Research
S2
Calendar
S3
Brief + Outline
S4
Draft + Claims
S5
Editorial QA
S6
Media
S7
Rewrite
S8
Render + Review
MoveByWhen (UTC)What happened
(created) → 01-queuedorchestrator2026-08-09T19:56:57
01-queued → 02-briefingbrief-agent2026-08-09T20:29:503.1-3.11 outline built and frozen
02-briefing → 03-draftingwriter-agent2026-08-09T20:30:35stage S4
03-drafting → 04-editorialverdict-adjudicator2026-08-09T20:33:09stage S5
04-editorial → 05-mediaorchestrator2026-08-09T20:33:10stage S6
05-media → 06-revieworchestrator2026-08-09T20:41:41stage S8

source: manifest.yaml

3. QA Gate 1 — the outline, before a word was written

Before drafting, five independent checks run on the outline. This is where the system refuses to build on an unsupported claim. Each check reports how many items it looked at, how many failed, and out of how many (checked / failed / denominator).

Attempt 1 PASS · 2026-08-09T20:29:50
CheckResultchecked/failed/denomDetail
product-accuracyPASS8/0/8tier T1a: 0 product-class claim(s) among 8 declared; 0 SSOT records frozen and available as the enum
legal-frame-and-positionPASS9/0/98 claim frames + 1 triggered elements; ordering sub-check not applicable: outline plans 1 legal and 0 commercial section(s); an ordering constraint ne
citation-entails-claimPASS8/0/88 of 8 planned claims carry an assigned frozen source; 0 declared without one; 0 P3 claim(s) resolved INSUFFICIENT_EVIDENCE and are REMOVED from the o
competitorPASS8/0/88 source/link origins resolved against 10 blocked competitor domains and 4 recognised market-context domains
structure-and-link-livenessPASS6/0/65 sections + 1 required elements; link-liveness sub-check not applicable: the outline plans zero outbound links (predicate `planned_links is non-empty

source: outline-qa-log.json

4. QA Gate 2 — the finished draft

After the full article is written, five verifiers re-check the finished draft — product accuracy, legal accuracy, citations, competitor safety, and structure — and an adjudicator decides the outcome. In this zero-cost run the legal and citation checks are deterministic (exact-match against the sources), which is stronger than an AI opinion and needs no paid API.

VerifierResultchecked/failed/denomDetailFrom
productPASS20/0/20tier T1a: 0 product-class claim(s) of 20 declared; product claims resolve to catalog/ssot/ssot.jsonclaims.json
legalPASS5/0/9deterministic pool match: 5 SUPPORTED, 0 CONTRADICTED, 0 INSUFFICIENT, 4 HUMAN_REVIEWlegal-verify-receipt.json
citationPASS11/0/1111/11 citation gates PASS; 10 sources / 20 placements / reuse 2.0render-receipt.json
competitorPASS11/0/1110 cited source host(s) + body scanned against 10 blocked competitor domain(s); hits=nonedraft.md + competitor-allowlist.json
structurePASS15/0/1515/15 structural elements present; 2686 rendered words vs 2500 floor (delivery-gate measure; draft body 1871w)render-receipt.json + article.html (delivery-gate word count)
Adjudicator: PUBLISH-READY — 4 descriptive-legal claim(s) flagged for optional human review (advisory): ['c-012', 'c-013', 'c-014', 'c-018']
word floor: 2686 rendered words (delivery-gate measure; draft body 1871w) vs 2500 · source: stage-report-S5-S7.json + editorial-review.json

5. Claim-accuracy table — every claim, traced

This is the heart of the proof. Every checkable claim in the article is listed with: the single-source-of-truth it draws on (LEGAL-SSOT = the legal folder, PRODUCT-SSOT = the product catalogue, OEM-TECHNICAL = manufacturer spec sheets), the source's own words (“before”), the verdict, and how it was checked. “After” — our paraphrase — is the claim text itself in column 2.

16
Supported
0
Contradicted
4
Human review
20
Total claims
Claim / verdictOur text (after)ValueSingle source of truthSource's own words (before)Method
c-001
SUPPORTED
The LZ0 is the second-generation 3.0-liter inline-six Duramax turbo diesel, following the earlier LM2.0 OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-17
“The LZ0 Duramax 3.0L turbo diesel is the second generation inline-six turbo diesel over the previous LM2.”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-002
SUPPORTED
GM rates the LZ0 at 305 horsepower at 3,750 rpm and 495 lb-ft of torque at 2,750 rpm, running on ultra-low-sulfur diesel and B20 biodiesel.0 OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-17
“305 HP (227 kW) @ 3750 RPM* TORQUE: 495 LB-FT (671 NM) @ 2750 RPM* FUEL TYPE: ULTRA-LOW SULFUR DIESEL AND B20 BIODIESEL”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-003
SUPPORTED
Diesels are built around torque, and the LZ0 delivers it low in the rev range, where it counts when moving off under load.0 OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-17
“Diesel engines are all about torque, the LZ0 delivers it at low rpm, where it counts when taking off under load.”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-004
SUPPORTED
Peak torque of 495 lb-ft arrives at just 2,750 rpm, and 94 percent of it is available by 1,500 rpm.495 lb-ftOEM-TECHNICAL
oem-17
“The engine's peak torque of 495 lb.-ft. (671 Nm) is achieved at only 2,750 rpm, with 94 percent of that max twisting force available by 1,500 rpm.”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-005
SUPPORTED
GM changed the piston design and material to steel to handle a higher compression ratio and to help optimize the air/fuel mixture.OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-17
“Piston design and material changed to steel to help handle higher compression ratio and help optimize air/fuel mixture.”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-006
SUPPORTED
New fuel injectors were designed to control higher fuel pressure with an optimized spray pattern, and a revised turbocharger helps increase torque.OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-17
“New fuel injectors designed to control higher fuel pressure with optimized spray pattern. Revised turbocharger assists with increasing torque.”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-007
SUPPORTED
The oil pump belt is validated to a 200k-mile service interval, a 33% increase from 150k.200OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-17
“Oil pump belt validated to 200k miles service interval, an increase of 33% from 150k.”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-008
SUPPORTED
At the heavy-duty end, the 6.6-liter V-8 L5P is rated at 470 horsepower at 2,800 rpm and 975 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 rpm, with eight cylinders.6.6OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-18
“6.6L V-8 L5P DURAMAX TURBO DIESEL HORSEPOWER: 470 HP (350 KW) @ 2800 RPM* TORQUE: 975 LB-FT @ 1600 RPM* CYLINDERS: 8”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-009
SUPPORTED
GM describes the L5P as advancing its Duramax legacy toward powerful, quiet, and durable diesels with greater efficiency than the 2023-and-older versions.5OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-18
“The L5P engine advances General Motors' Duramax legacy for powerful, quiet, and durable diesels by offering more of those attributes with greater efficienc”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-010
SUPPORTED
At the small end, the 2.8-liter inline-four LWN is rated at 204 horsepower at 3,200 rpm and 376 lb-ft of torque, with four cylinders.2.8OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-19
“2.8L I-4 LWN DURAMAX TURBO-DIESEL SMALL FOOTPRINT. HORSEPOWER: 204 HP (152 kW) @ 3200 RPM* TORQUE: 376 LB-FT (510 Nm) @ 1600-2400 RPM* CYLINDERS: 4”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-011
SUPPORTED
GM designed the LWN with increased torque and horsepower over previous versions, a small but capable diesel meant for a wide range of applications.OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-19
“Designed with increased torque and horsepower from previous iterations, this small but mighty diesel engine boasts efficiency and impressive power for a wide ra”Figure-fidelity: numbers ⊆ frozen source
c-012
HUMAN REVIEW
The EPA issues a Certificate of Conformity for a nonroad or heavy-duty highway engine, the document certifying that it meets federal emissions standards as built.OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-09
“How to get a copy of the Certificate of Conformity: for a car or for a nonroad or heavy-duty highway engine”Deterministic exact-match vs legal pool
c-013
HUMAN REVIEW
The EPA's day-to-day enforcement actions are aimed at returning regulated parties to compliance with existing law, including its Clean Air Act regulations.OEM-TECHNICAL
oem-08
“EPA's day-to-day enforcement actions aim at returning facilities to compliance with existing laws, which is resulting compliance with our Clean Air Act reg”Deterministic exact-match vs legal pool
c-014
HUMAN REVIEW
Whether an upgrade is 50-state legal or is merely sold as a performance part is the first thing to establish, because compliant and non-compliant parts sit side by side in the same50LEGAL-SSOT (folder)
s-legal-gate
“When discussing performance upgrades, content must distinguish 50-state-legal parts from non-compliant parts.”Deterministic exact-match vs legal pool
c-015
SUPPORTED
A performance part needs a valid, part-specific CARB Executive Order number to be legally installed in California and the Section 177 states.177 LEGAL-SSOT
lg-src-145
“A part needs a valid, part-specific CARB EO number to be legally installed in California and the 17+ Section 177 states.”Deterministic exact-match vs legal pool
c-016
SUPPORTED
A part with no CARB Executive Order number fails a California Smog Check and inspection in New York, Colorado and Virginia.LEGAL-SSOT
lg-src-145
“A part without an EO fails California Smog Check and inspections in New York, Colorado, and Virginia.”Deterministic exact-match vs legal pool
c-017
SUPPORTED
Under Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, other states may voluntarily adopt California's more stringent motor-vehicle emission standards in place of the federal EPA standards.177 LEGAL-SSOT
lg-src-149
“Section 177 of the Clean Air Act allows other states to voluntarily adopt California's more stringent motor vehicle emission standards in lieu of the feder”Deterministic exact-match vs legal pool
c-018
HUMAN REVIEW
Federal law generally preempts individual states from writing their own emissions standards for new motor vehicles, with one historic exception created to serve as a laboratory forLEGAL-SSOT (folder)
s-usa-regs
“The Clean Air Act generally preempts individual states from setting their own unique emissions standards for new motor vehicles, with one historic exception des”Deterministic exact-match vs legal pool
c-019
SUPPORTED
Regardless of state, federal law prohibits tampering with a vehicle's certified emissions control system under 42 U.S.C. § 7522(a)(3).42 LEGAL-SSOT
lg-src-017
“It must state as fact that tampering violates 42 U.S.C. § 7522(a)(3).”Deterministic exact-match vs legal pool
c-020
SUPPORTED
The same statute, 42 U.S.C. § 7522(a)(3)(B), also prohibits the manufacture, sale, offer for sale, or installation of a defeat device, not only its use.42 LEGAL-SSOT
lg-src-017
“42 U.S.C. § 7522(a)(3)(B) prohibits the manufacture, sale, offer to sell, or installation of a defeat device.”Deterministic exact-match vs legal pool

source: claims.json (+ legal-verify-receipt.json for legal verdicts)

6. Citation provenance — the paper trail

Each numbered reference in the article traces back to a single source of truth and, from there, to the underlying .gov statute or manufacturer page. A source is linked once and reused by number thereafter (the hyperlink-once rule).

9
Legal claims → legal SSOT
0
Product claims → product SSOT
11
Technical claims → OEM specs
10
Distinct sources (5 legal / 5 OEM/KB / 0 product)
#SSOTTitleTierUsesUnderlying source
[1]OEM-TECHNICALLz0 enginetier 2https://poweredsolutions.gm.com/products/engines/lz0-engine
[2]OEM-TECHNICALL5p diesel enginetier 2https://poweredsolutions.gm.com/products/engines/l5p-diesel-engine
[3]OEM-TECHNICALLwn diesel enginetier 2https://poweredsolutions.gm.com/products/engines/lwn-diesel-engine
[4]OEM-TECHNICALVehicle and engine certificationtier 1https://www.epa.gov/vehicle-and-engine-certification
[5]OEM-TECHNICALAir enforcementtier 1https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/air-enforcement
[6]LEGAL-SSOT (folder)The Diesel Dudes Legal Claims Gate (internal editorial standard)tier 4internal editorial source — no outbound link
[7]LEGAL-SSOTCalifornia Racing Vehicles: Aftermarket Parts & Executive Orderstier 1https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/documents/california-racing-vehicles-aftermarket-parts-executive-orders
[8]LEGAL-SSOTLatest California section 177 states - ZEVs, LEVs and ICE bans - MobilityNotestier 3https://mobilitynotes.com/latest-california-section-177-states-zevs-levs-and-ice-bans/
[9]LEGAL-SSOT (folder)USA Diesel Delete Kit Regulations (internal legal research)tier 4internal editorial source — no outbound link
[10]LEGAL-SSOT40 CFR § 1068.101 - What general actions does this regulation prohibit? - Law.Cotier 1https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/40/1068.101

source: render-receipt.json + claims.json by_type

7. Verdict