Diesel vs gas......................

[blt2ski]

OK folks, there have been a few to many diesel vs gas threads that have shall we say gone to "Hell and a hand basket"! So if all of you would put in you BEST, no flaming reasons for going gas vs diesel, pro and con, I will either leave your thread, or copy and paste pertinant info to the 4 posts of pro and con of diesel or gas. This can include the GM 8.1 vs Dmax or Ford V-8/10 vs PSD etc too.

Be real and honest in you answers, not hear say, flaming etc PLEASE!

If posts are good ones, I will leave, if inflamatory or trolling in nature, they will be deleted! I will get this stick'd to the top for future parusing for those that need this type of info.

Added 6-23-04

We are getting closer to answers I am looking for etc.

Stuff like Ken's - T-Bone posts are good. There are a few others of you that have not posted, some with a 9 point question and answer type to figure out how you went with one or the other. If you are one of those, PLEASE repost in this thread. I may have to look up whom has done this and PM you, but if you think this is you, you now know what to do.

Also, for those of you with $ per gallon for either fuel right now, I would prefer to see a post with ...."in my area, diesel is typically .10 less than unleaded" then explain your numbers. As currently in the Seattle area, diesel and unleaded are any where from 2.05 -2.30 per gallon, with mid test .10 more and premium about .20 more, with equal high low splits. Two weeks ago those prices were upwards of .30 -.40 per gallon more. people were posting $ per gallon that were for me. "I wish" If someone is reading your post a year from now, they may want to know where your paying 1.65, when the price of fuel is over $3 per gallon. Let's keep prices out of it if possible.

Bert and tin tipi, got into a good discusion on the pros and cons of RPM's, drive train etc. I would prefer to NOT see the quote of the other in responding threads, maybe just write a quick wording of re tranny gearing, instead of the whole 40 words or so in that paragragh, so the repsonse is shorter if possible quicker and easier to read etc.

I have deleted some 15+/- posts, that were off topic etc. Please note, I am trying to keep this at the top, as the ONLY gas/diesel thread in this area. So if one is trying to decide, we do not have to go thru this BS any more. As such, I will be deleting ANY future posts close to resembling this type of topic. I may have to change "this" title to a better one, if one has a better sounding title, to be more positive, better claification, let me know here, or in a PM/e-mail, what ever you feel most comfortible with.

Again thank you for all of you that are keeping responses positive, etc.

Also we could use a few more positive reasons to go gas, as many can see I have both gas and diesel, both have a place! Both have positive reasons to buy that fuel, lets keep the threads etc to that purpose only!

Marty

[mimalmo]

dubdub07 wrote:
18%. That's ridiculous. The steepest highway in America is 10% and I believe it is in Wyoming. An 18% driveway doesn't count.

Interstates, highways, county and city roads all have different grades that they permit.

Here's some examples of US city streets that are over 30%.

http://googlesightseeing.com/2009/06/the-worlds-steepest-streets/http://googlesightseeing.com/2009/06/the-worlds-steepest-streets/

[transamz9]

Taco wrote:

davisenvy wrote:


Much, much more $$$ to HP ratio in a gas engine. If gassers could get the same gains out of a couple hundred dollar box, they would.

Are you jealous?;)

Remember that the diesel guy spent 8k more in the first place for only 15-35 more horsepower. So I don't exactly think the $$$ to HP ratio is in the diesel's favor.

8k can buy a whole lot of power in a gas engine. Of course the tradeoff will be absolutely horrendous fuel mileage in the gasser if you supercharge/turbocharge it for huge power.

But for me the 360 horsepower I have stock will haul my little load as fast as I need it to go in the locations I need to take it so stock it is for me.

I believe you would change your mind about being comfy with your 360 hp gasser if you were to tow with a new diesel. We already with through the money up front thing. Resale has to be added into that also.;)

[dubdub07]

18%. That's ridiculous. The steepest highway in America is 10% and I believe it is in Wyoming. An 18% driveway doesn't count.

[45Ricochet]

Might check out resell values. The diesel up front price cost usually are regained when selling it. Well for some engines anyway :W
Lets just face it the diesel will pull away from any gasser on any grade, while getting better fuel mileage. It's called torque. Of course now days the price of fuel is reversed from what it use to be, diesel was always cheaper back before ULSD.



Nowdays the price per gallon difference is off setting the value saving of diesel.

[Taco]

davisenvy wrote:


Much, much more $$$ to HP ratio in a gas engine. If gassers could get the same gains out of a couple hundred dollar box, they would.

Are you jealous?;)

Remember that the diesel guy spent 8k more in the first place for only 15-35 more horsepower. So I don't exactly think the $$$ to HP ratio is in the diesel's favor.

8k can buy a whole lot of power in a gas engine. Of course the tradeoff will be absolutely horrendous fuel mileage in the gasser if you supercharge/turbocharge it for huge power.

But for me the 360 horsepower I have stock will haul my little load as fast as I need it to go in the locations I need to take it so stock it is for me.

[davisenvy]

DSteiner51 wrote:

rhagfo wrote:


Dang you two, just accept that year for year a Diesel will out tow a gasser!

I would put each of the big threes, diesels up against their gas engines, no match!

I pull a 11K fiver up 7% grades, and can accelerate to the 55 mph speed limit while doing so, only addition to my 01, is a simple Power Puck 50 hp and about 150 ft. lb. of torque, running 3.55 gears.

If it was gas with those gears it would be doing 35 mph at the top of the hill! I hate to think what it would do with 4.10's!!!

I've run both gas and diesel and both do the job. My question is... if diesel is so much better then gas why do so many diesel owners chip their engines? Even yours must have been lacking that you had to chip it. Sure don't see it as much on the gas side.

7% slopes? Why not a real hill? With my gas engine a 7% is nothing. I do 18 % and there are some who tow hills even steeper and we haven't chipped our engines an extra xxhp and xxx torque.

Much, much more $$$ to HP ratio in a gas engine. If gassers could get the same gains out of a couple hundred dollar box, they would.

Are you jealous?;)

[transamz9]

I guess you could call me a rebel. I do it because of the people that tell me I shouldn't.....That's why I smoke too.

[Slownsy]

ClusterOfAtoms I hope yoy hawe put som atoms in your trailer tyres

[Leroy2u]

bkirkpatrick wrote:

Leroy2u wrote:
I find that chipping diesel motors today is not as common as people think. I know dozens of guys that have diesels and maybe 3-4 have theirs chipped. It would be interesting if there was poll on RV-net that people would respond to honestly indicating the true numbers that are chipped.

Good point. You also have to take into consideration the new laws and monitoring (electronic) systems on new diesels. With my 99 7.3, in addition to the air filter, tuner, gauges, etc., I had a bigger downpipe and a straight 4" exhaust all the way back. Don't know if you could even do that with the newer diesels.

Exactly, the newer the diesel the more reluctance to chip.

[Hannibal]

I've owned six diesels. Other than moving the fuel plate and cranking the star wheel a few clicks on my '95 12v with P7100, no mods to any of my trucks. I prefer reliability over all else.

[mimalmo]

DSteiner51 wrote:

Back to Diesel v Gas my question still stands, if diesel is so much better then gas why do so many diesel owners chip their engines?

Because they can. If you could add a nice hp and tq gain for just a few hundred dollars and it only took a few minutes to install, you'd do the same.

I love my big-block gasser but it would be a much better truck with a diesel powerplant.

[bkirkpatrick]

Leroy2u wrote:
I find that chipping diesel motors today is not as common as people think. I know dozens of guys that have diesels and maybe 3-4 have theirs chipped. It would be interesting if there was poll on RV-net that people would respond to honestly indicating the true numbers that are chipped.

Good point. You also have to take into consideration the new laws and monitoring (electronic) systems on new diesels. With my 99 7.3, in addition to the air filter, tuner, gauges, etc., I had a bigger downpipe and a straight 4" exhaust all the way back. Don't know if you could even do that with the newer diesels.

[rhagfo]

Leroy2u wrote:
I find that chipping diesel motors today is not as common as people think. I know dozens of guys that have diesels and maybe 3-4 have theirs chipped. It would be interesting if there was poll on RV-net that people would respond to honestly indicating the true numbers that are chipped.

Well I chipped mine to "Wake it up" early electronic diesels very conservatively tuned out of the factory. Factory setup on my 01 Cummins was 235 HP and 460 ft. lbs. of torque, I installed about the smallest chip available. It claimed 50 hp and 150 ft. lbs., which it delivered most, so now I have about 285 HP and maybe 600 ft. lbs. of torque, and get 20 mpg HW, 12 towing 11,000# and about 14 - 15 in town. I would not chip a new diesel.

[Leroy2u]

I find that chipping diesel motors today is not as common as people think. I know dozens of guys that have diesels and maybe 3-4 have theirs chipped. It would be interesting if there was poll on RV-net that people would respond to honestly indicating the true numbers that are chipped.

[Paul_Clancy]

Simple answer - because they can and not all do. When a cheap box promises 100-200hp and better mileage the temptation is too great for some. Many gas truck owners chip them with far smaller gains. I have not and will not use a tuner. I also prefer the no stink or noise of the stock exhaust - some use a tuner to eliminate the emissions. As stock 365/685 is more than enough for my needs.