Gas vs. Diesel (Ecodiesel)

$100 fuel filter? On my Cummins that is a $50 part and 5 minutes of labor.

Where is resale cost factored in here? Compare a Cummins to a gas engine and you get the vast majority of the entry fee back at resale. I would be willing to bet the Ecodiesel (I hate that name) will be the same.

Fordlover wrote:

wilber1 wrote:

APT wrote:
The Ecodiesel will be much slower at WOT acceleration both unloaded and towing the same weight as the Hemi. It lacks about 150 horsepower. But that does not mean the Hemi will be a more comfortable towing experience for many people cringe when the tachometer exceeds 3000rpm.

How often do people drive their vehicles at WOT? I want power where I use it, not a peak number at an RPM that will drive me nuts.

Because the diesel puts out more power below 3K, there will be much less tendency for nuisance shifting at every little rise in the road while cruising. To me, that is more important than being able to get up a hill faster with an engine roaring away at 4500 RPM. Each to their own.

I guess it depends on the driver.... my explorer sees redline every day I drive it. 12 years later it hasn't blown up yet.

OK:h

looks like the gas engine wins to me.
chevman

FishOnOne wrote:

Engineer9860 wrote:


In my area gas is 2.90/gal whereas diesel is still in the 3.70~3.80 range. This chart does not reflect this.

Based on the economy of the area in which I live the gassers would enjoy an advantage not shown in this chart.

I was wondering if someone would have noticed this. In my neck of the woods diesel fuel cost ~ $0.60 more/gallon of gas and add in > $100 fuel filters every 15k miles (an estimate on my part) and the cost of ownership of the ecodiesel stays in the red compared to some gas powertrains.

Haven't seen anyone mention the price of admission to diesel power bliss either.

wilber1 wrote:

APT wrote:
The Ecodiesel will be much slower at WOT acceleration both unloaded and towing the same weight as the Hemi. It lacks about 150 horsepower. But that does not mean the Hemi will be a more comfortable towing experience for many people cringe when the tachometer exceeds 3000rpm.

How often do people drive their vehicles at WOT? I want power where I use it, not a peak number at an RPM that will drive me nuts.

Because the diesel puts out more power below 3K, there will be much less tendency for nuisance shifting at every little rise in the road while cruising. To me, that is more important than being able to get up a hill faster with an engine roaring away at 4500 RPM. Each to their own.

I guess it depends on the driver.... my explorer sees redline every day I drive it. 12 years later it hasn't blown up yet.

Engineer9860 wrote:


In my area gas is 2.90/gal whereas diesel is still in the 3.70~3.80 range. This chart does not reflect this.

Based on the economy of the area in which I live the gassers would enjoy an advantage not shown in this chart.

I was wondering if someone would have noticed this. In my neck of the woods diesel fuel cost ~ $0.60 more/gallon of gas and add in > $100 fuel filters every 15k miles (an estimate on my part) and the cost of ownership of the ecodiesel stays in the red compared to some gas powertrains.

45Ricochet wrote:
I love charts, especially HP & TQ but that chart err dyno is confusing to me Bob.
I only get two lines. What is it, four lines for before and after a tuner?
And OMG 3200 RPM would just about bust my little tractor engine. Ahh wait the PTO is only rated at .... ah forget it :B
At least the pres gave you folks some water today, ugly winter so far which will trickle down. I'll do the rain dance for you poor farmers this week-end, in private of course :W

Looks like a chart from Edge. The black lines are stock and the red with a tuner.

I love charts, especially HP & TQ but that chart err dyno is confusing to me Bob.
I only get two lines. What is it, four lines for before and after a tuner?
And OMG 3200 RPM would just about bust my little tractor engine. Ahh wait the PTO is only rated at .... ah forget it :B
At least the pres gave you folks some water today, ugly winter so far which will trickle down. I'll do the rain dance for you poor farmers this week-end, in private of course :W

I wouldn't call 30 HP next to nothing but you still need a gear that will keep you in that RPM range at WOT in order to make that power.

wilber1 wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
And before anybody jumps on the 4 speed deal, my diesel, just like almost every diesel in the world has a Broaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad torque curve so I don't need 6, 8 or 14 speed to keep it in the torque curve or power. With a double overdrive about the only thing a multi speed tranny does above a 4 speed is get slightly better fuel mileage anyway.

Nope. HP is a function of torque and RPM. If you don't have a gear that will allow you to maintain peak HP RPM at WOT, you ain't making peak HP. Don't care if it is gas or diesel.

Your 4 speed is a 3 speed with single overdrive. The 8 speed is a 6 speed with double overdrive. It has twice as many ratios as your 4 speed before it even gets to overdrive and it has twice as many of them.

Yes, you will lose HP but it's so negligible it's not even worth talking about. Look at the LML in the chart below. From about 2,600 to about 3,100 you lose next to nothing. Even below 2,600 you lose HP very slowly.