Fuel Mileage with TC

wintersun wrote:
Diesel engines last longer ONLY if you mean the block and even then there are numerous people having to have very expensive repairs ($5,000 to $8,000) on Duramax engines with injector repairs, head gasket repairs, Ford 6.0 with multiple engine parts failing) with fewer than 100k miles on the engine. Diesel powered trucks still have battery and electrical problems and cooling system problems and transmission problems and emission control system failures, and these are all very expensive to repair.

I can have a V8 gas engine completely rebuilt for what a new set of injectors costs for a diesel engine. No way are diesels cheaper to operate for pickup truck owners. Diesels produce more torque for faster acceleration and the engine braking is great but it comes at with a big price and it would be naive to think otherwise.

Part of the price of having a diesel powered truck is that I have to include in my route planning where I will be able to find a station selling diesel. Most small towns only have gas available at the pumps.

Just a quick look at Autozone for injectors for my engine - $509.94 for all 6 ($84.99 each). And just for the sake of comparison, I looked up the cost of injectors for a 2007 Silverado 2500HD with the 6.0 V8 gasser - $791.92 ($98.92 each).

I've had a diesel for 6 years now and have never had trouble finding diesel fuel - in any town. Not saying you don't - just that I haven't found it to be typical. As far as repairs - well I don't really know since I haven't had any, other than routine maintenance (oil, filters, brakes, cooling system flushes) in the 6 years I've had mine, and I do that myself.

To the point of this thread - I usually get 17mpg with the TC (best was 18), worst was 13.5 (miles and miles of slow switchbacks). The one time I towed my 29' 5th wheel (from sea level to 5,000 ft and back down to about 1250 ft) it got about 13.8. Old mechanical 5.9 Cummins, all stock.