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...
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I don't know, probably not. I know you can make a reliable turbo charged LSx that will live a long time, but you are not going to get that from the manufacturer, you have to do it on your own.
Having said that. I have to ask why the concern about running a Gasser at 4000 to 5000 rpm? I have been in diesel that will run at close to their max RPM pulling some grades. They have a heavier rotating mass. Seems to me high rpm is high rpm, each engine is designed to run like that.
As far at towing efficiently? Not a concern of mine. I am pumping some sort of go juice no matter what I drive. How I get 400 hp and 600 ft/lbs of torque doesn't matter to me as much as how well the thing tows and how long it will live.
I have had 4 different S/C cars and 7 different turbo cars. A bunch of those were mids to early 90's Mopars. All have them have lived a long time with proper maintenance even when running lots of boost, none towing of course, but all my 3800 S/C cars are pretty efficient for size vs MPGs. The Mopar stuff? Not so much. The turbo LSx I owned did very good. I think it would have worked well in my truck.
Again having said all of that. I move 7500 with 300 hp and 365 ft/lbs of torque just fine. I just have to make sure I hit the gas station every 220 to 240 miles. :)
I buy what I can fix easily and what I am comfortable with.
Having said that. I have to ask why the concern about running a Gasser at 4000 to 5000 rpm? I have been in diesel that will run at close to their max RPM pulling some grades. They have a heavier rotating mass. Seems to me high rpm is high rpm, each engine is designed to run like that.
As far at towing efficiently? Not a concern of mine. I am pumping some sort of go juice no matter what I drive. How I get 400 hp and 600 ft/lbs of torque doesn't matter to me as much as how well the thing tows and how long it will live.
I have had 4 different S/C cars and 7 different turbo cars. A bunch of those were mids to early 90's Mopars. All have them have lived a long time with proper maintenance even when running lots of boost, none towing of course, but all my 3800 S/C cars are pretty efficient for size vs MPGs. The Mopar stuff? Not so much. The turbo LSx I owned did very good. I think it would have worked well in my truck.
Again having said all of that. I move 7500 with 300 hp and 365 ft/lbs of torque just fine. I just have to make sure I hit the gas station every 220 to 240 miles. :)
I buy what I can fix easily and what I am comfortable with.
