Going from Gas To Diesel(?)

holstein13 wrote:
Ignoring the question of adequate power, here are some of the differences I've noted when I switched from Gas to Diesel.

1. Diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline and this may or may not be offset by better mileage. Mine isn't, but my coach alone is close to 54,000 pounds.
   
2. I now fuel up at the truck stop diesel pumps. I've got a 200 gallon tank and filling it up at the car pump at 10 gallons per minute would take 20 minutes.
   
3. I now have to fill a DEF tank that I didn't have to do with a gasser. Every other fuel fill up requires me to top off the DEF tank. And it's on the wrong side of the coach.
   
4. My fuel fill inlet is right behind my driver's seat so it's very easy to gauge where to stop at the pump. I can fill from either side.
   
5. Air brakes are super easy to operate. Takes less pressure to engage than my old hydraulic brakes.
   
6. The ride is very quite up front. It's a night and day difference. I can easily have conversations with my wife (although we rarely do) or listen to music or anything else.
   
7. The air ride suspension is much nicer than my old suspension. 95 percent of the bumps and potholes are easily absorbed by the suspension.
   
8. I need to air up my coach and let the ride height come up before leaving. I make sure my ride height is adequate by walking around the coach and checking when I first start up.
   
9. Conversely when I stop the coach and put down the jacks, I need to make sure the tires are straight so that the wheel wells don't come crashing down on the tires.
   
10. If I tried to make a turn before the coach was at ride height, I would surely damage the tire wells. I've witnessed it on another coach.
    
11. When I want to let the coach idle, I must bring the idle up to 1,000 RPM to prevent damage to the motor.
    
12. I just bought a fuel filter for the coach to keep as a backup and it cost me over $100.00
    
13. I'm told that bad fuel is a real possibility with diesels
    
14. My air filter has a gauge that tells me if it's dirty and needs to be replaced.
    
15. My coach is equipped with a supplemental air leveling system that keeps it level on roads with a crown or curves. I can even level and put out the slides using this system without the jacks.
    
16. My alternator is so powerful it can even keep the batteries charged while one roof AC is running. No need to run the generator on route.
    
17. My generator is now diesel as well and takes a few seconds to warm up when I press start.
    
18. I've got an engine block heater installed but am told I wouldn't need it unless temps drop dramatically below freezing at departure time.
    
19. My engine and transmission weigh about 7,000 pounds alone. Everything on this engine is huge, especially the air filter and exhaust system.
    
20. Each cylinder puts out 100 horsepower.
    
21. My air horns sound dramatically different than my old electric horn. It's more like a train now and gets people's attention.
    
22. My coach came with a diesel hydronic heating system that keeps my shower hot no matter how long I run it. It uses engine heat while on route to heat the furnace.
    
23. The parking brake is a plastic knob that I must pull to activate. It can hurt my hand to pull on it because it has a percussive effect.
    
24. There are only three buttons on my transmission R N and D. There is also an up/down arrow and an eco mode but I never use either.
    
25. To park, I put my foot on the brake, put the transmission in Neutral, apply the air parking brake and then release my foot from the service brake in that order. Otherwise an alarm sounds.
    
26. To get moving again, I put my foot on the service brake, release the parking brake, then put the transmission into gear in that order. Otherwise an alarm sounds.
    
27. The engine seems to be as easy to start and stop as my old gasser. I pause for a few seconds before starting it to allow the glow plugs to light up.
    
28. The entry door is now in the front of the coach so I walk around the passenger seat every time I enter the coach. It was less awkward in the old gas coach. Also, the door needs to be slammed before departure to make sure it is properly sealed against wind noise.
    
29. There are truck repair shops virtually everywhere along the major highways. Lot's of official Cummins authorized service centers as well. They are easy to get in and out of.

I hope this gives you some of the insights you were looking for. It's a shame that the horsepower issue keeps getting debated endlessly on this forum.

Wow, this post is EXACTLY the input I was looking for. I cannot thank you enough. And all of the other posts were super helpful as well. I am all eyes if anyone has anything to add. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

As an update, I am now looking at the same model RV as I was looking at before, but with a 340HP Cummins - much more comforting for me.