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

[transamz9]

Jarlaxle wrote:

transamz9 wrote:

bankcardrep1 wrote:
Speaking of a suitcase full of money, I just spent 2300.00 on four injectors for my 06 Duramax. Need to be prepared for 4 more. Love it, but thinking a big block will be my next tow vehicle.

Need to learn how to do the work yourself. It's simple stuff. I just spent $1800 doing my FIL's '03 D-max and that was for all 8 with a 2 year warranty.

JUST THE INJECTORS are $400 EACH, and that's for the cheapest available ones! (Delcos are more.)

Here is $362 a piece with free shipping and no core charge with a 2 year warranty.....;)

2006 duramax injectors

[mvman]

dubdub07, I do not what America you live in, but where I live in Arkansas, 17 percent hills are common. I travel all over the USA and have found these type of grades every where. Go to Cloud Croff New Mexico and do there little up hill going to the east.

[mvman]

These post are very old, NO ONE buying fuel for $1.47 to 1.50 a gal. today. I pull with a gas engine in a van. We full timed with a 34 foot bumper pull and a Chevy 1 ton long wheel base van with an 8.1 v/8 for 6 years and I never had a problem. The combined weight towing was 16,000# and I never got less then 9 mph, not towing it went to 13 mpg. This rig has as much torque as most of the diesels of the day (2001 - 2007). This truck and trailer were new and We never had to do anying but normal service and a set of tires for the truck. We put about 20,000 miles a year on the rig.
I am pulling a 26 foot bumper pull with a GMC Safari long body van. It has a 4.8 v/6 and I get 12mpg towing and 16 not towing. this van has over 150,000 miles on it and has never had a problem. With gas at almost $3.70 a gal and diesel at over $4.50 in most areas, I will keep my gas powered van.

[Hannibal]

When you call the service dept at the dealership, mechanics don't answer the phone. Service reps do. There's a little more to changing diesel injectors than righty tighty, lefty loosie. Anyone who really does do their own work would know this. Plugs in the 5.4L haven't been a problem since 2008. Even before, new heads for the 5.4L are far cheaper than injectors for a newer diesel.
I towed the same 10,400 lb high profile 5th wheel with a 2003 SO Cummins powered Ram an then with a 2005 Hemi powered duplicate 2500HD Ram. The Hemi towed it faster up the same grades. It was at 30%~ higher rpm but, it towed it faster. MIleage on average was 2mpg better with the Cummins. Not trying to convince anyone. If gassers were as bad as some say, I would have been back in my 7th diesel long before now.

[Jarlaxle]

transamz9 wrote:

bankcardrep1 wrote:
Speaking of a suitcase full of money, I just spent 2300.00 on four injectors for my 06 Duramax. Need to be prepared for 4 more. Love it, but thinking a big block will be my next tow vehicle.

Need to learn how to do the work yourself. It's simple stuff. I just spent $1800 doing my FIL's '03 D-max and that was for all 8 with a 2 year warranty.

JUST THE INJECTORS are $400 EACH, and that's for the cheapest available ones! (Delcos are more.)

[Roadrash450]

transamz9 wrote:

Taco wrote:
So now you have to be either rich or a mechanic to own a new diesel.

A few decades ago the big rigs were gas powered and they seem to get the job done so I suppose with the right transmission and rear end the v10 would do just fine with 38k provided you were willing to buy the fuel.

If you consider a 7 year old truck a new truck then yes you better become a mechanic. Changing the injectors on a motor is hardly a mechanic.

To give a little story about the so called mechanics at my local F dealer. I called the service department one day to ask a question about checking the cylinder pressures on a 6.0 diesel. The response I got was to pull the spark plugs and use a compression tester. 😕 This is a true story, cross my heart and hope to.....

I called parts for a crank case breather for the same motor and was told they didn't put one on the 6.0.

So , pay $100 an hour for that kind of service or do it myself? It's not rocket science. Most people on here are rocket scientist anyway, surely they can remember righty tighty lefty loosie.

How much did it cost to have the plugs changed in a Triton 5.4 when the plugs broke off in the head when changing it? What about when it blew the plug out of the head and the head had to be replaced?

Too funny:B

Now I'm not an auto tech or rich. I rent stuff from the bank!

I was an avid gas fan, always towed with a gasser, modified them to tow more. I decide to pick up a fuel burner after I rented a Dmax to pick up a 38ft enclosed car hauler from the factory in Elkhart. Towing was amazing with the power of the Dmax. Because I'm not rich I picked up a used F350 with the 7.3PSD and will not go back to a gasser for towing.
There is no way you can tell me a gasser will out preform a diesel for towing big loads. If you think you can change my mind, you obviously have never towed your current TT with a diesel for comparision.
My servicing cost $20 buck more than any of my gas trucks, oil & filter, air filter and fuel filter. I go out of my way to "LEARN" how to fix my own stuff as previously stated I ain't rich and AAA/CAA won't be able to help you if your not in cell range!

[transamz9]

Taco wrote:
So now you have to be either rich or a mechanic to own a new diesel.

A few decades ago the big rigs were gas powered and they seem to get the job done so I suppose with the right transmission and rear end the v10 would do just fine with 38k provided you were willing to buy the fuel.

If you consider a 7 year old truck a new truck then yes you better become a mechanic. Changing the injectors on a motor is hardly a mechanic.

To give a little story about the so called mechanics at my local F dealer. I called the service department one day to ask a question about checking the cylinder pressures on a 6.0 diesel. The response I got was to pull the spark plugs and use a compression tester. 😕 This is a true story, cross my heart and hope to.....

I called parts for a crank case breather for the same motor and was told they didn't put one on the 6.0.

So , pay $100 an hour for that kind of service or do it myself? It's not rocket science. Most people on here are rocket scientist anyway, surely they can remember righty tighty lefty loosie.

How much did it cost to have the plugs changed in a Triton 5.4 when the plugs broke off in the head when changing it? What about when it blew the plug out of the head and the head had to be replaced?

[Taco]

So now you have to be either rich or a mechanic to own a new diesel.

A few decades ago the big rigs were gas powered and they seem to get the job done so I suppose with the right transmission and rear end the v10 would do just fine with 38k provided you were willing to buy the fuel.

[transamz9]

Not the same thing and you know it. Do you call AAA to change a flat too?

[bankcardrep1]

Great advise. Should I do my own hernia surgery too?

[transamz9]

bankcardrep1 wrote:
Speaking of a suitcase full of money, I just spent 2300.00 on four injectors for my 06 Duramax. Need to be prepared for 4 more. Love it, but thinking a big block will be my next tow vehicle.

Need to learn how to do the work yourself. It's simple stuff. I just spent $1800 doing my FIL's '03 D-max and that was for all 8 with a 2 year warranty.

[bankcardrep1]

Speaking of a suitcase full of money, I just spent 2300.00 on four injectors for my 06 Duramax. Need to be prepared for 4 more. Love it, but thinking a big block will be my next tow vehicle.

[Jarlaxle]

bkirkpatrick wrote:

Jarlaxle wrote:

rvert10 wrote:
According to the tow chart the 550&V10 should pull up to 17,300k

18,300lbs, actually.

Mileage will be about the same as a new emission diesel hauling that weight: lousy. Comparing two tow trucks, an F-550 V10 and a Ram 4500 with the Cummins, the mileage is a wash...despite the F-550 being a Supercab 4x4 and the Ram a regular cab 4x2. Of course, fueling the Ram is $4.15/gallon and fueling the 550 is $3.75!

but spinning the RPM's to keep up with the diesel(low RPM) is going to kill the V10 over time.

True...the V10 truck has been repowered. It ONLY went 553,000 miles!

[Hannibal]

Why do people think 2-3k rpm is low rpm? It's a blur. I can peddle about 70 rpm. A giant waterwheel turns about 12 rpm. Real trucks cruise at 1400~rpm. Our little lightweight car size diesels scream just 30% lower rpm than comparable gas engines. It's not an OTR tractor. It's a pickup truck with a little diesel with little more average life span than their gas engine counterparts. But with the potential for repairs that far exceed any savings at the pump or with longevity. The days of the 12v Cummins with it's simple P7100 injection pump are gone.

[transamz9]

Jarlaxle wrote:

rvert10 wrote:
According to the tow chart the 550&V10 should pull up to 17,300k

18,300lbs, actually.

Mileage will be about the same as a new emission diesel hauling that weight: lousy. Comparing two tow trucks, an F-550 V10 and a Ram 4500 with the Cummins, the mileage is a wash...despite the F-550 being a Supercab 4x4 and the Ram a regular cab 4x2. Of course, fueling the Ram is $4.15/gallon and fueling the 550 is $3.75!

So how do you think the V10 would do grossing 38,000?