I currently tow a 24', 6000# wet, trailer with a 2012 Silverado 1500 with the 5.3 engine. While it does OK, I am considering moving to a diesel, specifically the Dodge EcoDiesel. My concern is whether or not that is enough engine. I really like the specs on the Eco but I want to be sure I will get enough extra power by trading up. If anyone has some first, or second, hand info on this engine I would greatly appreciate you passing it on. Of course my second choices are Chevy or Dodge 3/4 ton diesels. I have no intention of buying a bigger trailer so that is not a future concern. Thanks in advance. RichH

You're not going to get any extra power by going to the Ram Ecodiesel (hasn't been Dodge for many years), in fact you're giving up around 75 horsepower over your 5.3. Having said that, the Ecodiesel 'should' tow your trailer fairly well while getting much better mpg. Just don't expect it to tow your trailer any faster up the hill.

Will you out run an Eco Boost nope, but it will tow your TT without any issues. I tow a 6800# boat without a problem just order it with the 3.92 gears. As for towing mileage I get around 15-17 mpg @ 70 mph, but again I'm towing a boat not a TT.Ford has a 3.0 diesel in their f-150 now with a ten speed auto and GM is coming out with a in-line 3.? diesel later this year I think. I have to say I would look hard at the GM if I didn't work for FCA. I would also wait one year before buying a Ford or GM, IMO you never want to buy the first year of any new engine offering. The 2014 Ecodiesel had a lot of issues that took about a half a year to work out but my 2015 has been a great truck. Just so you know you can not get the Ecodiesel in a 2019 only a 2018. They are totally re-working it for the MY 2019, new heads, turbo and higher HP/TQ. The trans is going to be the new GEN II eight speed also. Don

rjstractor wrote:You're not going to get any extra power by going to the Ram Ecodiesel (hasn't been Dodge for many years), in fact you're giving up around 75 horsepower over your 5.3. Having said that, the Ecodiesel 'should' tow your trailer fairly well while getting much better mpg. Just don't expect it to tow your trailer any faster up the hill.This^^^^I towed 7K TT with a 200 HP diesel for years. It did fine until I hit big hills. Then it slowed way down. On big hills it was down to about 30 MPH or so. You have more HP then I did and more gears so that should help some. I would not recommend that truck if you are going to be in big mountains a lot. For ordinary hills and things it should tow fine with that load. Like was said above, don't expect to win any races up hills with an Ecodiesel. You will win the fuel miser race and there is a lot to be said for that.

Going from a 5.3L Tahoe towing a 5500 lb/24' trailer to a 6.6 Duramax GMC Crew cab 2500HD towing the same trailer I went from 9.2 mpg average to 12.6 mpg average over the same set of long trips. I also picked up way more power... but I'm guessing you'll see similar MPG gains. The diesel will have a flatter torque curve and less feeling of drama for normal driving because it probably won't need to downshift so much. It may be a bit slower, but you'll probably like the driving experience better. Diesel and Mid-Grade unleaded have been running about the same price on the west coast lately.I use my GMC as my daily driver and my only real complaint about it is that it's huge. It's super comfortable, gets about 15 MPG (diesel) and 1500mpg (DEF) in mixed driving, and it's been quite reliable (I have 83,000 miles on it). The 3/4 ton suspension I find to be comfortable enough in unloaded driving, and it really makes the trailer towing nice because it doesn't porpoise. The other really nice thing about the truck is the exhaust brake, which I'm not sure the baby diesel has.

My son has a 2018 crew cab eco diesel that he pulls his 5,000# boat with and has no problems. The problem is his 1500 has a shade over 1,000# cargo carrying capacity so he is overloaded on every trip he takes to the river. I would maybe take a look at the Chevy in-line six diesel which has better numbers. Best yet, a 3/4 ton diesel, proven performance and a guaranteed great tow with your trailer.

Dodge EcoDiesel | Good Sam Community

Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Oct 18, 2018
rjstractor wrote:
You're not going to get any extra power by going to the Ram Ecodiesel (hasn't been Dodge for many years), in fact you're giving up around 75 horsepower over your 5.3. Having said that, the Ecodiesel 'should' tow your trailer fairly well while getting much better mpg. Just don't expect it to tow your trailer any faster up the hill.

This^^^^

I towed 7K TT with a 200 HP diesel for years. It did fine until I hit big hills. Then it slowed way down. On big hills it was down to about 30 MPH or so.

You have more HP then I did and more gears so that should help some. I would not recommend that truck if you are going to be in big mountains a lot. For ordinary hills and things it should tow fine with that load.

Like was said above, don't expect to win any races up hills with an Ecodiesel. You will win the fuel miser race and there is a lot to be said for that.
Perrysburg_Dodg
Explorer
Oct 18, 2018
Will you out run an Eco Boost nope, but it will tow your TT without any issues. I tow a 6800# boat without a problem just order it with the 3.92 gears. As for towing mileage I get around 15-17 mpg @ 70 mph, but again I'm towing a boat not a TT.

Ford has a 3.0 diesel in their f-150 now with a ten speed auto and GM is coming out with a in-line 3.? diesel later this year I think. I have to say I would look hard at the GM if I didn't work for FCA.

I would also wait one year before buying a Ford or GM, IMO you never want to buy the first year of any new engine offering. The 2014 Ecodiesel had a lot of issues that took about a half a year to work out but my 2015 has been a great truck.

Just so you know you can not get the Ecodiesel in a 2019 only a 2018. They are totally re-working it for the MY 2019, new heads, turbo and higher HP/TQ. The trans is going to be the new GEN II eight speed also.

Don
rjstractor
Nomad
Oct 18, 2018
You're not going to get any extra power by going to the Ram Ecodiesel (hasn't been Dodge for many years), in fact you're giving up around 75 horsepower over your 5.3. Having said that, the Ecodiesel 'should' tow your trailer fairly well while getting much better mpg. Just don't expect it to tow your trailer any faster up the hill.

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