Engine torque

Lynnmor wrote:
Horsepower is the measure of work that an engine can do. With both trucks having about the same horsepower, they both will get to the top of the mountain in the same time. Those that won't run an engine at the RPM necessary to develop the required power will complain and comment on lack of torque. High torque engines will actually work bearings, pistons, clutches and gear teeth harder than a lower torque engine running faster.

This is exactly right. The person above who says "nothing" will make up for the 100 lb-ft of torque apparently doesn't have a transmission and can't just downshift, which will more than make up for that 100 lb-ft and then some.

Groover wrote:
So diesels should be avoided by this logic?
Since the V10 has two more pistons and an extra main bearing the stress is probably handled well. Actually, both engines have excellent reputations, just different ways of getting there. I do sympathize with finding high RPM objectionable but that depends on how well the engine's sounds are contained. With each new generation of engine that I have purchased I have noticed a drop in objectionable sounds and am willing to run more RPM.

If you haven't noticed, diesel redlines are something like 30% higher than they were 20-30 years ago and that has contributed to them having nearly 3x as much horsepower on tap as they once had. A 12v Cummins in a '94 Ram might have similar torque to the GM truck discussed in this thread, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who would prefer the former to the latter out there on the road.

I hesitate to say "torque does not matter," but it really doesn't. Torque tells you nothing about what is getting accomplished. Torque might matter if the OEMs decided to put the engine from the Corvette in their pickups, but if you look at the engines in trucks, they are optimized for trucks with longer intake runners and torque curves that run lower in the RPM range (without giving up much high RPM performance). Ever seen an electric motor sold by torque numbers? I didn't think so. Tell me the RPM you need the shaft to turn, and I'll find you a gear ratio and motor to make it work. The principle is the same with our pickups.

I suspect the new truck will get better mileage and pull better than the truck it replaced. If you miss the torque that much, install a set of 4.88s in the axles and call it a day. Even then it'd probably get better mileage.