2500 HD 6.0 Gas vs a Diesel

I bought an 02 2500 HD, just to tow with. It now has 36,000 miles on it. Replaced a 1989 GMC 1 ton 454 with 180,000 miles on it.
Been really happy with it. Coming up on season 5 with it. Tow all over the Pacific Northwest and have been over to Yellowstone with it. My trailer loaded is just shy of 7500lbs. At times it lives high up in the RPMS, but I am OK with that. It does have 4.10's so that helps.

8500 LBS with my 2012 2500hd Z71 6.0/6 speed. Pulls and drives w/o any issues. Love the truck

We put a lot down so we are not in a losing situation but about even.

How much you put down or even paying totally in cash does not determine whether you lose or break even.

First diesel for me.

I find towing much more relaxing now and even tow in the slow lane. With the gas, I was always cranking in the fast lane.

I have a 2005 1500HD with the 6.0 and I am towing an 8500 LBS TT without any issues. I live just north of you in Tyler and our towing down here in the south doesn’t consist of that many hills so unless you do a lot of traveling up north more around mountains you will defiantly be fine with the 6.0 gas. I have been on the fence about trading up to a diesel but I always come back to where I am now I guess if it isn’t broke why fix it.

ng2951 wrote:
The dealer is about the last place I would go for an oil change. Dmaxs take about 10 quarts of Rotella T plus the oil filter. GM engine computer tells you when to change the oil based on how hard the engine is being operated.

I got 2 years free oil changes on my 2013 Duramax.

The 6.0 will be fine .... just remember it produces its torque at high rpm's. So on some steep grades it will rev up quite a bit. Just let it run... been pulling 9000+ lbs since 2008 with no problems at all.

I went with a 6.0 sub for a family friendly dedicated tv, wood hauler, kids, friends, whatever. Wife does not like me hauling wood in the back and soon may green light a dump trailer!
We burn 4 to 5 cords of firewood a year to primary heat our home. $1K per year to buy it, or a solid months worth of free time to procure, cut, split and stack.

bobsbbq wrote:
My DW thinks I'm crazy for wanting to give up a brand new truck we bought new on an older used one. We put a lot down so we are not in a losing situation but about even. Still it is hard for her to understand it is a needed move. The longer you wait the more the vehicle will depreciate as both mileage and age build up.

I too tend to think you are a bit crazy. The time to make this decision was before you bought the half ton. What are the tow ratings (payload, max tow, rear axle weight rating) on the current truck and can you not find an ultralight (look at Keystone Passport, Keystone Bullet, etc...) that will give you the room you need and a weight you can pull?

I agree that 3/4 or 1 ton would have been the way to go, but before I took such a bath on the truck I would be looking to see if their were camper options at the right weight.

I don't agree with the diesel hype either. I would love to have one, cannot afford one. For me its not the yearly maintenance but the initial purchase price. I have an E350 with V10 and 3.73 rear end. The rear gear is not great for towing. Pulling a 9,200 lb camper over the mountains in Western Maryland on I70 (Pretty much the steepest and longest Interstate climbs in the Eastern US) I can maintain 45 mph (barely) in 2nd gear with my foot on the floor. That is still 5 - 10 mph faster than the tractor trailers can do it and we have it to do maybe twice a year. Just think of yourself like a tractor trailer, get in the right lane, and let cars go around, its not that big of a deal. Everyone says that the diesel engine will last longer but I have yet to see anyone wear out a gas engine aside from lack of maintenance. In my own experience, the rest of the vehicle falls apart around the engine.

Good luck.

I love my 6.0L/6-spd. Note the axle ratio as the tow ratings vary greatly between 3.73 and 4.10, like 9500-ish pounds to 14000 pounds. You check the RPO sticker in the glove box which will tell what GM made the truck with. If you see GT4, 3.73. GT5 = 4.10.

The dealer is about the last place I would go for an oil change. Dmaxs take about 10 quarts of Rotella T plus the oil filter. GM engine computer tells you when to change the oil based on how hard the engine is being operated.

The fuel filter gets changed about every other oil change, plus the transmission filter. It has the Allison transmission and you just do not get much better than an Allison.

Maintenance may cost you more, but the engine is significantly stronger. Acceleration 0-60 under load is much better than gas as is the higher altitude performance.

I am not sure on 2011 engines, GM in its infinite wisdom, did not include a fuel pump on their 2500 series Dmax trucks. They have a hand prime plunger pump on top of the fuel filter (everyone else uses a $30 electric fuel pump). When the plunger rings get old the engine may stall when you start. The plunger assy runs $900, however, there is a $20 kit, and in an hour you can change those rings with a socket wrench, T-20 screwdriver using a YouTube video for guidance.

If you are going to pull a heavy load, I would look at diesels. When I was pulling 4,500# trailer with a V6 gas engine (Tacoma) at 6,000 ft up grades 50 MPH was max speed. Pulling 10,000# load up grades at 6,0000 ft with the diesel ate fuel, but I could maintain highway speed w/o issue.