Are gas engines ever going to catch up?
Our creaky old Cummins powered truck (bought used) seats 4, does about 20-23mpg bobtail and 12mpg towing a 5th wheel trailer at 22,999lbs. It's mileage is somewhere in between hauling a camper and/or...
Forum Discussion
In a diesel the pulling power comes from the turbo. The greater mpg comes from: higher compression, no throttle plate, and greater btu content of fuel.
Getting the pulling power in a gas engine is easy if ford made a 5-6 liter ecoboost it would easily outpull a diesel. The gas engines available now if you compare foot to the floor pull nearly as good as the diesels. They do however make their max power at 5500 rpm which makes many uncomfortable.
There is no free lunch.
The gas engine costs 8-10k less from the start and is cheaper to repair and maintain and the fuel is cheaper per gallon. Many are uncomfortable with the higher rpm power delivery of a gas engine. The gas gets worse mpg but the 8-10k can buy a lot of gas.
The diesel engine gets 2-3 better mpg, costs more to maintain, and has the potential to cost twice as much or more to repair a major breakdown. The payback period is long if it ever happens.
They each have some advantages and both will get any trailer that the chassis has any business hauling to the destination.
Getting the pulling power in a gas engine is easy if ford made a 5-6 liter ecoboost it would easily outpull a diesel. The gas engines available now if you compare foot to the floor pull nearly as good as the diesels. They do however make their max power at 5500 rpm which makes many uncomfortable.
There is no free lunch.
The gas engine costs 8-10k less from the start and is cheaper to repair and maintain and the fuel is cheaper per gallon. Many are uncomfortable with the higher rpm power delivery of a gas engine. The gas gets worse mpg but the 8-10k can buy a lot of gas.
The diesel engine gets 2-3 better mpg, costs more to maintain, and has the potential to cost twice as much or more to repair a major breakdown. The payback period is long if it ever happens.
They each have some advantages and both will get any trailer that the chassis has any business hauling to the destination.
