Diesel vs gas......................
OK folks, there have been a few to many diesel vs gas threads that have shall we say gone to "Hell and a hand basket"! So if all of you would put in you BEST, no flaming reasons for going gas vs diese...
Forum Discussion
There are quite a few adverse comments in the Edmunds owner reviews section of diesel F-250/350 and Ram 2500/3500 trucks for "Suggested Improvements" about ditching the emissions systems. Here's the owner review of a 2008 Ram 3500 where the dealer told him he wasn't doing enough hauling to keep the emissions system particulate filter happy. And the owner used his truck to pull a 5th wheel.
http://www.edmunds.com/dodge/rampickup3500/2008/consumerreview.2...html
My Army truck friend (actually a Defense Department procurement specialist who worked for five years checking out trucks in a truck plant) says that diesel emissions control systems for this weight of truck are designed both to operate best when the truck is hauling a heavy load and putting out high temperature exhaust with a larger proportion of particulate, i.e., soot emissions relative to unburned fuel (tar).
If the truck engine isn't working hard (which means hauling), the exhaust comes out at a lower temperature with a somewhat higher proportion of unburned fuel (tar) relative to particulates (soot) and the filter is more easily clogged. A clogged emissions filter causes problems for the engine which after a while simply won't work right, tends not to deliver its rated power, and gets worn faster.
This also tends to happen when the diesel truck gets a lot of stop & go milage even if it is hauling a significant load at that time.
Neither he nor I are familiar with the new urea-based diesel emissions control systems of the latest Ford diesels, of the 2011 model year. This problem may or may not be true for those.
Edit
dubdub, I checked again and you are correct that there are no emissions complaints about the 2009-2010 Ram diesels. Maybe Dodge has resolved the problem for those. Given that the Ram 2009-2010 3500 duallies will be outside my price range when I buy a truck in early 2011, I'll still go with a gasoline-engine V-10 Ford F-250. What model year I get them will depend on reviews when I buy.
http://www.edmunds.com/dodge/rampickup3500/2008/consumerreview.2...html
"Vehicle
2008 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 SLT 4dr Quad Cab 4WD SB (6.7L 6cyl Turbodiesel 6M)
Review
I bought this truck brand new in February 2008. This is my first diesel so I wanted a cummins. I pull a 40 foot fifth wheel camper trailer. About 2 months after I bought the truck I started having trouble with the particulate filter on the exhaust system. The dealer I took it to told me that I didn't do enough heavy pulling to keep the filter cleaned out. Not everybody buys a 1 ton to constantly pull something with. The truck gets pretty good mpg, averaging about 8 mpg loaded and about 16 empty. I am not at all impressed with the 6.7 as it has less than 32,000 miles and is currently in the shop for the 3rd time. I've had lots of issues with the exhaust and now having injectors replaced.
Favorite Features
Exhaust brake, exterior design, 6- speed transmission
Suggested Improvements
Get rid of the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter)
My Army truck friend (actually a Defense Department procurement specialist who worked for five years checking out trucks in a truck plant) says that diesel emissions control systems for this weight of truck are designed both to operate best when the truck is hauling a heavy load and putting out high temperature exhaust with a larger proportion of particulate, i.e., soot emissions relative to unburned fuel (tar).
If the truck engine isn't working hard (which means hauling), the exhaust comes out at a lower temperature with a somewhat higher proportion of unburned fuel (tar) relative to particulates (soot) and the filter is more easily clogged. A clogged emissions filter causes problems for the engine which after a while simply won't work right, tends not to deliver its rated power, and gets worn faster.
This also tends to happen when the diesel truck gets a lot of stop & go milage even if it is hauling a significant load at that time.
Neither he nor I are familiar with the new urea-based diesel emissions control systems of the latest Ford diesels, of the 2011 model year. This problem may or may not be true for those.
Edit
dubdub, I checked again and you are correct that there are no emissions complaints about the 2009-2010 Ram diesels. Maybe Dodge has resolved the problem for those. Given that the Ram 2009-2010 3500 duallies will be outside my price range when I buy a truck in early 2011, I'll still go with a gasoline-engine V-10 Ford F-250. What model year I get them will depend on reviews when I buy.
