Forum Discussion
- For all of you posting that diesel fuel is more expensive than gas, I would like some info.
In Colorado, we have 85 octane (Regular), 87 octane (Midgrade), and 91 octane (Premium). My F150 Owner's Manual says to run 87 octane, which costs the same as diesel (about $0.30 more than 85 octane).
For the rest of the country who has 87 octane "Regular" gas, is there the $0.30 gap between gas and diesel? Do you have 3 grades of gasoline? I don't travel east much, so I don't know what your gas selections consist of. avoidcrowds wrote:
Wow! Lots of opinions, fair amount of fact, and definitely some bias.
Basis for my use-based opinions: I had a 2014 Grand Cherokee 3.0 Ecodiesel, with 3.42 rear-end. Not towing, it would get 30 mpg highway (I live in Colorado). Towing my 3,500lb hardsided folding TrailManor (same profile as a high-wall popup), I got 18 - 21 mpg. Loved it! Towed up I-70, both Colorado and Utah hills, at 65 mph, no problem.
Got a full-size, 5,600lb trailer. The Ecodiesel bogged-down on anything greater than a 5% grade. 420ft/lbs torque got it going, but 240hp couldn't keep it going up hills, or quickly accelerate for passing.
Got rid of the Ecodiesel last Thanksgiving, and got an F150 Ecoboost. Same torque, half-again more horsepower. Have not towed in the mtns, but the hills I have towed on, the Ecoboost pulls better than the Ecodiesel. And, I can pass quickly with the Ecoboost.
As to the naysayers about cost of the diesel engine, my cost differential was paid-off at 75,000 miles. I paid attention, as I was curious, and heard many (mis-state) that the differential would never be recovered. This is with oil changes included. And, I had no repair bills in the 155,000 miles I drove that before trading it.
Depending on the rear-end, I just don't see a 3.0 diesel being a good engine for a truck that will be towing anything heavier than about 4,000 lbs, based on my experience. There is not enough horsepower to keep the rig rolling up the steeper hills. Living and camping in Colorado, those hills are a fact of life.
Those of you with Ecodiesel pickups: it doesn't seem like a 3.55 rear-end would make that much difference from a 3.42, but it sure seems to. I hear many people very happy with their Ecodiesel pickups, but I don't know if they tow I-70 or Hwy 285 often. To me, those are the best tests for engine/towing capability.
The pickups only came with the 3.55 (standard) or the 3.92 as an option. A 3.42 final gear in the Jeep is what was causing your issues towing. I have towed my boat down to Knoxville and all around the mountains without any issues at all. But I'm running the 3.92's also. You need to pick the correct gear for the job you want the vehicle to preform along with the area it will be most used in. Passing towing my 6800# boat has never been an issue at all. But than a boat is a lot more aerodynamic than a RV too. Thanks for the report!
Don- If so not intentionally. It was in reference to experience towing with the motor. The replacement of said motor was already covered on this forum.
Jerimiah Probably it’s not a Cummins or even an HD. I didn’t buy the truck for transporting Airstreams TTs & boats, just fell into shortly after purchase and living near the Airstream plant with having OTR experience. But for that matter many actual HDs expire for one reason or another prior to that. - That’s awesome...371 k is way more than most people will put on an ED.
Thanks!
Jeremiah VernDiesel wrote:
Yes Shinerbock 371k she pushed out a head gasket. I replaced it with another ED motor. Still been towing with the ED for 425,000 plus miles.
Just wanted to be clear because you made it look like you had 425k on the same engine the way your post was written.- Yes Shinerbock 371k she pushed out a head gasket. I replaced it with another ED motor. Still been towing with the ED for 425,000 plus miles.
Grit dog makes a great point about people that don't see a vehicle that fits their needs perfectly in this market as they are unreasonable.
With respects to which truck you pick As Shinerbock said just matters whats more important to you.
RinconVTR My 3.92 8 speed 270 HP ED gets half ton appropriate 5 to 7k TTs to 65 mph in comfortably quick fashion easily matching traffic flow. If you need big HP to get their quick enough for you that is your issue.
Payload more accurately available GVWR does matter mostly legalistically speaking if you don't have enough and bought the wrong truck for the trailer you are going to tow.
Not to get side tracked but as you likely know most RV new combers need first and foremost to learn and be focused on how to set up a safe and stable tow with WD adjustments TV TT & WDH according to scale results. Insufficient steer axle weight, overloaded drive axle weight, and too much or too little tongue weight cause far more real world problems than does a payload sticker.
What I have learned after 425,000 miles is that its a reliable fuel efficient motor for towing half ton appropriate loads.
Avoid Crowds Glad you had positive cost differential and no repairs towing with your Jeep for 155,000 miles. Taller gears, smaller thermo management cooler, smaller engine bay, and many quart smaller oil pan definitely compromises the Jeep in real world towing compared to the Ram.
With 3.92 & tune mine has proven to be quite competent to 7k and reliable & efficient to boot. I have taken a few TTs over I70 or Eisenhower pass. I don't feel I have to go 70 mph up a long steep grade though. Guess it comes back to expectations and priorities. - Wow! Lots of opinions, fair amount of fact, and definitely some bias.
Basis for my use-based opinions: I had a 2014 Grand Cherokee 3.0 Ecodiesel, with 3.42 rear-end. Not towing, it would get 30 mpg highway (I live in Colorado). Towing my 3,500lb hardsided folding TrailManor (same profile as a high-wall popup), I got 18 - 21 mpg. Loved it! Towed up I-70, both Colorado and Utah hills, at 65 mph, no problem.
Got a full-size, 5,600lb trailer. The Ecodiesel bogged-down on anything greater than a 5% grade. 420ft/lbs torque got it going, but 240hp couldn't keep it going up hills, or quickly accelerate for passing.
Got rid of the Ecodiesel last Thanksgiving, and got an F150 Ecoboost. Same torque, half-again more horsepower. Have not towed in the mtns, but the hills I have towed on, the Ecoboost pulls better than the Ecodiesel. And, I can pass quickly with the Ecoboost.
As to the naysayers about cost of the diesel engine, my cost differential was paid-off at 75,000 miles. I paid attention, as I was curious, and heard many (mis-state) that the differential would never be recovered. This is with oil changes included. And, I had no repair bills in the 155,000 miles I drove that before trading it.
Depending on the rear-end, I just don't see a 3.0 diesel being a good engine for a truck that will be towing anything heavier than about 4,000 lbs, based on my experience. There is not enough horsepower to keep the rig rolling up the steeper hills. Living and camping in Colorado, those hills are a fact of life.
Those of you with Ecodiesel pickups: it doesn't seem like a 3.55 rear-end would make that much difference from a 3.42, but it sure seems to. I hear many people very happy with their Ecodiesel pickups, but I don't know if they tow I-70 or Hwy 285 often. To me, those are the best tests for engine/towing capability. - Slap a 3.5L EB or 5.7L owner into the 3.0L PSD or Ecodiesel and they will complain about the lack of power. Slap a 3.0L PSD or Ecodiesel owner in a 3.5L EB or 5.7L Hemi and they will complain about fuel mileage. Just depends on what is more important to you.
Trying to say that the 3.0L PSD or Ecodiesel is just as powerful and capable as a 3.5L EB or 5.7L Hemi sounds just as silly as saying that the 3.5L EB or 5.7L Hemi gets just as much fuel economy as a 3.0L PSD or Ecodiesel. Pick your poison, but don't act like they can do both.
Only the the HD diesels can do both versus their gas counterparts. - Ask owners of the Titan XD 5.0 how dog slow their trucks are.
The even smaller Eco diesels are even worse for towing. Sure, you'll get up to 45-50mph as "normal". Now get to 60-65mph and find out why Horsepower matters.
Torque and Towing capacity mean very little in the real world of RV towing.
Its PAYLOAD and HORSEPOWER.
Ya'll will learn the hard way if you buy one of these wimpy baby diesels and attempt to tow a travel trailer. 100% guaranty it! Wait for it... - And the beauty of the last 15 pages, for the folks who can’t stand their porridge too hot or too cold (big diesel vs 3.0 diesels), there’s another choice.........and it’s a Cummins!
300/500 out of the box in a bigger than half smaller than HD truck......just right!
It’s absolutley laughable that anyone has very much to complain about with most any of today’s new vehicles. You can get a pickup thatll get almost 30mpg empty and still tow the bass boat with authority, or one that will dang near pull a semi tractor load, or 40-50mpg Eco boxes that actually aren’t pieces of ____ or 700hp with a factory warranty or anything in between. The only people that don’t see a vehicle out there that fits their needs perfectly are the ones that would complain about driving down to pick up the check if they won the lottery!
To those of you that would complain about winning the lottery, go back and drive the best of the 1980s and then go kick your own ____ for being a whiner! Hahaha
