Do diesel trucks get louder as they age, or were ones built years ago that much louder than today's diesel?I test drove one recently, a 2016 ram 2500, and it was rather quiet... only a bit louder than my 2013 ram gasser.But most every diesel that I come across driving by my house, or at a campground, sounds more like a semi tractor than a private use vehicle.Why is that? Are most diesel owners modifying their trucks for more "performance" and removing sound/emission control equipment? Has there been some major improvement in quieting down diesel only discovered in the last few years?

Modern diesel trucks are very quiet...and are getting quieter every year.Listen to a 15 year old Cummins and then listen to a brand new one...case closed.

There is a lot of new technology in the diesel engines to make them quiet and environmentally friendly, which is also why the new ones don't blow black smoke like the old ones. I just moved from a Chevy 1500 with a gas engine to a 2500 with the diesel, it is not much louder than my old truck. But what a difference in power!!!!

Ditto on that around 2011-2 diesels got quieter, tho the Dodge we test drove still had that diesel rumble. The Ford and Chevy we quieter.

Earlier RAM trucks were about the loudest thing on the road, followed by the Ford PSDs. Much better now. My 2008 Cummins 8.3 purrs rather nicely, to my ears.GordonThree wrote:Why is that? Are most diesel owners modifying their trucks for more "performance" and removing sound/emission control equipment? They better not be!!

2oldman wrote:Earlier RAM trucks were about the loudest thing on the road, followed by the Ford PSDs. Much better now. My 2008 Cummins 8.3 purrs rather nicely, to my ears.GordonThree wrote:Why is that? Are most diesel owners modifying their trucks for more "performance" and removing sound/emission control equipment? They better not be!!Lots of after market equipment for the diesel trucks, all legal. from programmers to 5" exhausts.

Diesel "loudness"? | Good Sam Community

downtheroad
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015
Modern diesel trucks are very quiet...and are getting quieter every year.

Listen to a 15 year old Cummins and then listen to a brand new one...case closed.
polishdon
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015
There is a lot of new technology in the diesel engines to make them quiet and environmentally friendly, which is also why the new ones don't blow black smoke like the old ones. I just moved from a Chevy 1500 with a gas engine to a 2500 with the diesel, it is not much louder than my old truck. But what a difference in power!!!!
agesilaus
Explorer III
Dec 23, 2015
Ditto on that around 2011-2 diesels got quieter, tho the Dodge we test drove still had that diesel rumble. The Ford and Chevy we quieter.
2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 23, 2015
Earlier RAM trucks were about the loudest thing on the road, followed by the Ford PSDs. Much better now. My 2008 Cummins 8.3 purrs rather nicely, to my ears.

GordonThree wrote:
Why is that? Are most diesel owners modifying their trucks for more "performance" and removing sound/emission control equipment?
They better not be!!
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015
2oldman wrote:
Earlier RAM trucks were about the loudest thing on the road, followed by the Ford PSDs. Much better now. My 2008 Cummins 8.3 purrs rather nicely, to my ears.

GordonThree wrote:
Why is that? Are most diesel owners modifying their trucks for more "performance" and removing sound/emission control equipment?
They better not be!!

Lots of after market equipment for the diesel trucks, all legal. from programmers to 5" exhausts.
FishOnOne
Nomad
Dec 23, 2015
Pilot injection strategy is the main contributor to reducing engine noise
wilber1
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015
Common rail fuel injection an multi stage injectors are the biggest reasons for quieter diesels. Of course there are always some people who are making newer trucks noisy by deleting emission controls and removing mufflers.
Hondavalk
Explorer II
Dec 23, 2015
I kinda miss the "Bad A$$" sound of the old diesels. :C:B
rhagfo
Explorer III
Dec 23, 2015
downtheroad wrote:
Modern diesel trucks are very quiet...and are getting quieter every year.

Listen to a 15 year old Cummins and then listen to a brand new one...case closed.

Newer diesels are very quiet very close to a gas engine. Part of the reason is the multi pulse injection of fuel, rather than the than the single pulse of early diesels. It started in 2003 for Cummins, and the electronics improved from there.
Before 2003, mechanical single pulse injectors, and mechanical or electrical/mechanical injection pumps.
mich800
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015
GordonThree wrote:

But most every diesel that I come across driving by my house, or at a campground, sounds more like a semi tractor than a private use vehicle.

Probably more likely you just are not hearing the newer diesels but the old one do get your attention and that is what skews your observation.

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