Forum Discussion
13 Replies
- Towing at elevation, with a high wind load is where a modern diesel shines. Then add in the braking capacity going down hill and it will be hard for me at least to go back to a gasser.
If all my towing was east of the Rockies it just might make good sense to look at other options. Passing on passes and enjoying the scenery coming down is getting to be too hard to give up. ShinerBock wrote:
IdaD wrote:
mich800 wrote:
philh wrote:
IdaD wrote:
Heavy duty trucks with gas engines turn into turds when you strap on a big trailer and hit a grade. It'll only be disappointing if your expectations are unrealistic.
I was a no replacement for displacement guy... EcoBoost changed me :)
True. That initial statement should have read "naturally aspirated engines" not "gas engines".
Has there been a HD gas truck that wasn’t naturally aspirated?
Nope, and I doubt there will be anytime soon or ever. If there was one, it would either need a huge cooling system or be de-tuned considerably to keep the temps in check.
The Ecoboost has an open deck design which is one reason why they are able to keep it cool. Most HD (gas and diesel) engines have a closed deck or semi closed deck design to handle the stress of the HD duty cycle. Putting a closed deck design on a turbocharged gas engine block in a towing application is just asking for overheating issues because the ports on the block are not big enough to keep the cylinders cool. Since diesels run much cooler than gas engines due to their higher thermal efficiency, they can have a closed deck block and still keep cool under load in many instances where a gas engine could not.
The open deck Ecoboost is great and reliable in a half ton duty cycle, but not in an HD truck duty cycle. Especially when you also have to meet emissions.
Exactly. So again, put a heavy load behind an HD gas truck and it quickly turns into a turd. Is what it is.IdaD wrote:
mich800 wrote:
philh wrote:
IdaD wrote:
Heavy duty trucks with gas engines turn into turds when you strap on a big trailer and hit a grade. It'll only be disappointing if your expectations are unrealistic.
I was a no replacement for displacement guy... EcoBoost changed me :)
True. That initial statement should have read "naturally aspirated engines" not "gas engines".
Has there been a HD gas truck that wasn’t naturally aspirated?
Nope, and I doubt there will be anytime soon or ever. If there was one, it would either need a huge cooling system or be de-tuned considerably to keep the temps in check.
The Ecoboost has an open deck design which is one reason why they are able to keep it cool. Most HD (gas and diesel) engines have a closed deck or semi closed deck design to handle the stress of the HD duty cycle. Putting a closed deck design on a turbocharged gas engine block in a towing application is just asking for overheating issues because the ports on the block are not big enough to keep the cylinders cool. Since diesels run much cooler than gas engines due to their higher thermal efficiency, they can have a closed deck block and still keep cool under load in many instances where a gas engine could not.
The open deck Ecoboost is great and reliable in a half ton duty cycle, but not in an HD truck duty cycle. Especially when you also have to meet emissions.- Impressive that the little diesel was overall the fastest, although when in 4WD the big Ford was pretty much an even match. I'm surprised that no one has commented on the Ram Rebel getting beat by the diesel Wrangler. Even with the elevation, on paper I would have picked the Hemi to smoke them all in a drag race.
I think that the Ecodiesel in the Gladiator will make a sweet little towing machine. Too bad it will cost as much as a comparably equipped Ram 2500 CTD.... - Considering this forum is for TOW vehicles, put a trailer behind them so the test means something.
mich800 wrote:
philh wrote:
IdaD wrote:
Heavy duty trucks with gas engines turn into turds when you strap on a big trailer and hit a grade. It'll only be disappointing if your expectations are unrealistic.
I was a no replacement for displacement guy... EcoBoost changed me :)
True. That initial statement should have read "naturally aspirated engines" not "gas engines".
Has there been a HD gas truck that wasn’t naturally aspirated?IdaD wrote:
Heavy duty trucks with gas engines turn into turds when you strap on a big trailer and hit a grade. It'll only be disappointing if your expectations are unrealistic.
More precisely, NA engines turn into turds towing uphill at elevation.
As Ford EBs have proven, they can be monster towing machines (fuel economy and longevity is another story compared to diesel).
On the other hand, I've owned "NA" Detroit Diesels that were absolutely turds at elevation.- stupid
philh wrote:
IdaD wrote:
Heavy duty trucks with gas engines turn into turds when you strap on a big trailer and hit a grade. It'll only be disappointing if your expectations are unrealistic.
I was a no replacement for displacement guy... EcoBoost changed me :)
True. That initial statement should have read "naturally aspirated engines" not "gas engines".IdaD wrote:
Heavy duty trucks with gas engines turn into turds when you strap on a big trailer and hit a grade. It'll only be disappointing if your expectations are unrealistic.
I was a no replacement for displacement guy... EcoBoost changed me :)
