Gas engine and Diesel of same specs.Pull the same.

Sport45 wrote:
Horsepower is horsepower. Two prime movers with the same HP will pull the same load up the same hill at the same speed. I don't care if it's gasoline, diesel, electricity, or steam powering them. Just let them operate at the speed they develope that power and ignore the sound they make.

Gasoline does loose some to diesel in thet more gear reduction can mean more parasitic losses and less HP delivered to the ground. The turbocharger also gives the diesel an advantage at higher elevations. the playing field may level if turbocharging becomes popular on larger displacement gasoline engines. A 5.0L ecoboost would be a good 3/4 and 1-ton truck engine for part time towing IMHO.

Sometimes the gasoline engine will win simply because the diesel can't spin fast enough to make the speed while delivering its extra torque to the ground.

Diesel will almost always win the fuel efficiency award. Whether or not it saves enough fuel to pay for itself has to be determined on a case by case basis.

Hands down one of the best posts in this section I have ever read.
Hat's off to you friend.

ramyankee wrote:
By my sig, i pull with a 2002 8.1.....Its specs are roughly 340HP and 455 lb ft of torque. If a guy were to opt for a 2000-2002 Cummins, approx the same specs, does a Diesel pull any easier. Just a thought.
I realize they tow at a much lower RPM.
Thanks. Just curious.

OP-

If just comparing the 2001/2002 model year, stock, against stock, the Chevy 8.1L gas engine would out pull the Duramax, Cummins, and the Power Stroke. The trade off being the fuel usage.

I know this to be true as I have compared my 8.1L to all three diesels similarly loaded "back in the day". Of all of us truck pullers from 10~12 years ago I'm the only one who still has his truck. All of my friends have upgraded their diesels.

KMLsquared wrote:
I never thought I would read a thread with such misinformation and wild speculation. Hotshoters, over the road trucks and locomotives must enjoy doing the hard way because they all use Diesel engines!

All of those example are businesses making money. They're doing it the least expensive way, nothing more.

KMLsquared wrote:
I never thought I would read a thread with such misinformation and wild speculation. Hotshoters, over the road trucks and locomotives must enjoy doing the hard way because they all use Diesel engines!

If I ever need an OTR truck or locomotive, I'll keep that in mind.;)

Have no doubt I did a lot of math before going to the Hemi from the Cummins. Comparing HP in each engine's normal rpm range and torque multiplied through overall gear ratios put the Hemi slightly ahead of the SO Cummins at close to sea level. It played out on paper and to my satisfaction, played out on the road with the first trip out almost exactly as predicted. So it was first a theory based on advertised horsepower and torque, then experience that proved it lives up to the hype. If not, I haven't been banned from owning another diesel. It's just an engine, not a deity. At this point in life I simply prefer the quiet one that can rev.

While 9x out of 10 I'd say get the diesel, in your case, unless there is something wrong with your truck, keep the 8.1/Alli combo compared to what you're looking at.
Yes, a 24V HO VP44 Cummins engine will pull slightly better (Stock only. Throw a tune or programmer on it and it'll blow the doors off the big block with a trailer attached, maybe not empty though.)
It will definately get better fuel mileage loaded or empty. That's about where the advantage ends compared to your 02 GM.
47RE Dodge trans........You'll want to slit your wrists the first time you drive it after having the Alli in your truck.
Older Dodge chassis. Not bad driving/riding, but again the 02 GM wins that hands down.
Like your G80 locker in the GM? Just a halfway decent posi in the Dodge, no comparison there.
This is coming from a Dodge diesel owner, so take it for what its worth. Those early 2000's GM 8.1 Alli combos are kind of the holy grail of gassers. Noone makes a better gasser option in a pickup yet. Maybe when Ram comes out with the 6.4 Hemi in the HD trucks the 8.1 will have some competition.

KMLsquared wrote:
I never thought I would read a thread with such misinformation and wild speculation. Hotshoters, over the road trucks and locomotives must enjoy doing the hard way because they all use Diesel engines!

You have an interesting viewpoint; what do you see as misinformation and wild speculation?

Not poking a finger in your chest so please don't take it that way; I honestly would like to hear you elaborate.

I never thought I would read a thread with such misinformation and wild speculation. Hotshoters, over the road trucks and locomotives must enjoy doing the hard way because they all use Diesel engines!

wnjj wrote:

bmanning wrote:
Not sure why you took my input personally; if you felt I was referring to your particular post, apologies, I wasn't.

As Hannibal stated, he wasn't actually disagreeing with you.

I do value the theoretical...

...I just value real-world experience, especially that which is being supplied by a respected forum member, equally if not moreso.

I agree with your last sentence above ^.

I guess I thought you were referring to my post because you quoted everything, including mine. It looked like a compare/contrast between ignorable "theory" responses and good experience responses. I've had people jump my case because "I couldn't possibly know without first hand experience" (which is flawed thinking IMHO). I can tell you with high certainty that it's not snowing in New York by looking up the temperature even though I'm miles from actually being there.

It's all good. :)

p.s. I wrote the post above this one before I saw your reply.

You know what's beautiful? When real-world experience and theory agree!

Not knocking theory whatsoever, I just like evidence with theory. I work in clinical research and when sponsors (Merck, GSK, Pfizer, etc.) develop drugs they certainly theorize that they'll be safe and effective...BUT...the FDA says "You want to market that drug? OK, PROVE it's safe and effective and we'll talk." That's when the little people like myself conduct clinical trials to obtain the necessary data for the FDA to say "we're on board" or "sorry, not happening guys."

I can see how it may have seemed I was referencing your post in particular to make my point; sorry about that.

ramyankee wrote:
By my sig, i pull with a 2002 8.1.....Its specs are roughly 340HP and 455 lb ft of torque. If a guy were to opt for a 2000-2002 Cummins, approx the same specs, does a Diesel pull any easier. Just a thought.
I realize they tow at a much lower RPM.
Thanks. Just curious.

That diesel will pull easier on your wallet but likely not any easier with the load.