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
Diesel engines produce a great deal more torque and that is great for pulling a heavy load up a steep grade. The diesel engines have what is called an exhaust brake and it is great for slowing the truck and trailer when going down a steep grade. With the exhaust filters, special extra fuel injector and urea solution that is injected to clean up the exhaust the diesel tailpipe emissions of soot are reduced by 99%.
The new engines are harder on the engine oils and they have been reformulated to deal with the extra soot and sludge but long periods between oil changes are not a good idea even with synthetics. Changing oil every 7500 miles though is not an expensive proposition.
With gas you save $5,000 in purchase cost and have 25% less driving range on a tankful of fuel. Diesel is selling for more than premium gas much of the time so there is no longer the cost advantage of the past. The new diesel engines require ultra low sulfur diesel and this is not available in Mexico so older pre 2007 diesels or gas engines are better for travel south of the border.
In terms of load and towing capacity the gas powered trucks with the 4.10 rear end are rated close to or equal to the diesel powered trucks with the 3.73 rear end. Manufacturers sell high MPG trucks by using higher gearing but it reduces the loads the trucks can handle when they do.
Not sure about the Cummins but the 2011 and later GM diesel engines and the 2010 and newer Ford diesels are much better built than their predecessors and present fewer maintenance and repair problems for the engines and related systems. Older diesel engines as a whole were a lot less reliable and more expensive to keep running than gas engines for the majority of their owners. I ended up buying a new Chevy diesel truck as the prices for the older ones were ridiculously high. I bought a new truck for $5-6k more than a used truck with comparable equipment and 50,000 or more miles on the odometer and little or no remaining warranty protection. The used Ford diesel trucks are selling for a lot less than the GM & Chevy ones.
The new engines are harder on the engine oils and they have been reformulated to deal with the extra soot and sludge but long periods between oil changes are not a good idea even with synthetics. Changing oil every 7500 miles though is not an expensive proposition.
With gas you save $5,000 in purchase cost and have 25% less driving range on a tankful of fuel. Diesel is selling for more than premium gas much of the time so there is no longer the cost advantage of the past. The new diesel engines require ultra low sulfur diesel and this is not available in Mexico so older pre 2007 diesels or gas engines are better for travel south of the border.
In terms of load and towing capacity the gas powered trucks with the 4.10 rear end are rated close to or equal to the diesel powered trucks with the 3.73 rear end. Manufacturers sell high MPG trucks by using higher gearing but it reduces the loads the trucks can handle when they do.
Not sure about the Cummins but the 2011 and later GM diesel engines and the 2010 and newer Ford diesels are much better built than their predecessors and present fewer maintenance and repair problems for the engines and related systems. Older diesel engines as a whole were a lot less reliable and more expensive to keep running than gas engines for the majority of their owners. I ended up buying a new Chevy diesel truck as the prices for the older ones were ridiculously high. I bought a new truck for $5-6k more than a used truck with comparable equipment and 50,000 or more miles on the odometer and little or no remaining warranty protection. The used Ford diesel trucks are selling for a lot less than the GM & Chevy ones.
