Diesel truck issues - thinking of going to gas

[blcrandall]

Hey, everyone! I'm new here. I have a dilemma - I drive a '17 Ram 2500 Diesel. Love it, but have had nothing but problems since we pulled off the lot. It's currently in the shop for transmission issues. While there, I was looking at the specs on the new gas burners. We have a bumper pull horse trailer that is easily pulled by the truck, but we are about to buy a Jayco Eagle 355. I have looked and read and calculated all I can. Can someone give me some advice as to whether or not I'd be safe to pull the 5er with a 2500 gas? I'm just sick of the issues we are having with the diesel. Thanks in advance.

[blofgren]

zenasboy wrote:
Got rid of my '02F350 7.3L back in the summer for a new '19 F350 6.2L w/ 4.30 gearing...pull a 5th wheel that I've weighed just under 12K pounds.

I absolutely love towing with this new truck; it outperforms my old truck in every way with the exception of mpg. Got 10-11 before and now getting right at 8. I know I"m not comparing apples to apples since I never towed with a new diesel so yeah I don't know what I'm missing out on in terms of the power now available in diesel but I'm not concerned about being the first one to the top of the hill. When I figured out $/mile in gas vs diesel it was an easy decision for me once seeing it would take over 100K miles to break even on the upfront cost of the diesel. Have pulled the trailer up some pretty steep hills this summer and the truck has never once lacked for power or made me think it was struggling.

Glad to hear you’re happy with the 6.2L; there are many of them at my work and they have been very durable.

One thing that you may be overlooking is resale value which I’ll bet was excellent on your 7.3L if it was in good condition.....good used diesels almost always are worth considerably more than their gas counterparts.

[Me_Again]

I am on my 3rd Ram diesel since 1994 and have done my own service on all three. Paid for transmission work on the 2001.5. All 3 were/are good trucks.

[Lantley]

My last diesel went 300K my only non-maintenance repair was a water pump $1500.00.
Yes it needed tires and brakes and wear parts in the steering but overall the truck was solid.

We get confused and pretend gassers don't require any maintenance.
The title of this thread is:
"Diesel truck issues - thinking of going to gas"
However the OP has no issues related to the diesel engine.
I'm no ace mechanic but do some of us even understand how a truck works?

[Grit_dog]

joelc wrote:
You will find entries a dime a dozen in this web site about truck problems. I have come to the conclusion that no matter what brand you have there are going to be problems. The average seems to be between $1000 to $2000 per year. I have a Ford diesel 6.0 and thought I had the only truck that breaks down. Not so. This year I spent $3K for maintenance repairs. It has about 110,000 miles.

Lots of 6.0no owners tell themselves that...
I only got 170k on the little 6banger diesel in our old pickup and it's had some issues. Namely a set of injectors that died a premature death because I didn't believe the fuel filtration hype (not hype btw, lol) and a shatty power steering pump. I'm out $2300 total for them 2 things because I splurged on the new $600 steering pump when it was still a new $600 steering pump. Oh and a cheap in/lbs tq wrench for the injector hold downs and fuel lines. I definitely don't have $1-2k per year average into that truck or any other car or truck in the past, for problems. Maybe if you add in all the maintenance and wear parts...and tires.

On a more serious note, you are correct, if it has wheels or a skirt you're gonna have problems sooner or later. Just depends what kinda wheels and how short the skirt is how much it'll cost ya and how soon.

[joelc]

You will find entries a dime a dozen in this web site about truck problems. I have come to the conclusion that no matter what brand you have there are going to be problems. The average seems to be between $1000 to $2000 per year. I have a Ford diesel 6.0 and thought I had the only truck that breaks down. Not so. This year I spent $3K for maintenance repairs. It has about 110,000 miles.

[kw_00]

Pull 10k with my gas 6.0 with 6 speed combo GM. No complaints, pulled with gas and diesel before. Overall my gas job is cheaper to maintain, others can argue against that all day but it is for me. If towing more then what I’m towing, look into the new gas jobs coming out. I don’t think that you will have a problem with those. Often I read that oh it’s a diesel so when u resell it that u will get more for it. Sometimes yes.....no always..... one forgets to look at the entire truck... so if I see a diesel with over 200k or even a gas job.. well it’s everything else on that truck that goes wrong. Oh and I have seen many gas 3/4 ton trucks goes way past 200k. So I don’t fall for that line at all. Basically it will run as long as u keep care of it....

[naturist]

agesilaus wrote:
One lemon does not indicate that all diesels are bad. And you aren't even complaining about the engine. My experience is just the opposite of yours, in 6 years the truck has been in the shop for 4 hours or less total. And a Dodge gasser might use the same transmission, and that has been their weak point for a long time.

I agree, too.

I have driven gassers between 1963 when I got my license, and 2001, when we got the VW Jetta TDI, and diesels since then I've had no more or less trouble with the diesels than we had with gassers.

We had a couple Chevy cars, then a BMW, then a Fiat, Subaru, VW buses, and when we went diesel, the VW, a Jeep, and another BMW. The VW and BMW diesels have been the most solid cars we've ever owned. The Jeep was the least reliable and most troublesome. Among the gassers, the Fiat and VW buses the poorest, the Subaru and BMW the best.

I have to point out that indeed, your complaint isn't about the engine, but about the transmission. Chrysler transmissions do have a poorer-than-average reputation, from what I've heard.

[blcrandall]

Alright. Thanks so much for the info. I truly appreciate those of you who gave great feedback and actually answered my questions! Gotta love when a few people seemingly cut you down for asking a question and trying to do research. Always a few onions in the bunch. 🙂 Thanks, everyone! Lots to think about...

[danrclem]

If you switch to gas I'll repeat what a couple others have said. Wait until the new Ford with the 7.3 comes out.

[Cummins12V98]

NW WA Diesel $2.95 and regular at Costco $2.65.

Op get your self another Dealer! Or better yet trade this one on the proper truck for this RV you mentioned.

Whistle? Sure it’s not the turbo?

[rhagfo]

agesilaus wrote:
PA must have a blue state diesel levy since the price difference here in FL is about $.35 to $.40/gal. $2.45 vs $2.75 right now.

There is something to this here in the PNW the price is about the same for gas and diesel. About $3.10 per gallon for both, not sure what the story up the coast in north Lincoln City as a couple stations have diesel at $2.69 a gallon it is normal #2 diesel not bio.

[crcr]

Diesel and gas price differential depend on where you live, plus when. Here in AZ, part of the time diesel is more than gas, but almost as often, gas is higher. Right now, gas is 32 cents more per gallon than diesel fuel.

[DownTheAvenue]

blcrandall wrote:

I also drive my daughter to school every day, and it's two hours roundtrip twice a day.

You spend 4 hours daily driving you daughter to school and back home? WOW!

[agesilaus]

PA must have a blue state diesel levy since the price difference here in FL is about $.35 to $.40/gal. $2.45 vs $2.75 right now.

[zenasboy]

Got rid of my '02F350 7.3L back in the summer for a new '19 F350 6.2L w/ 4.30 gearing...pull a 5th wheel that I've weighed just under 12K pounds.

I absolutely love towing with this new truck; it outperforms my old truck in every way with the exception of mpg. Got 10-11 before and now getting right at 8. I know I"m not comparing apples to apples since I never towed with a new diesel so yeah I don't know what I'm missing out on in terms of the power now available in diesel but I'm not concerned about being the first one to the top of the hill. When I figured out $/mile in gas vs diesel it was an easy decision for me once seeing it would take over 100K miles to break even on the upfront cost of the diesel. Have pulled the trailer up some pretty steep hills this summer and the truck has never once lacked for power or made me think it was struggling.