Going back to gasser based on needs (need advice)

[ognend]

Hello!

We started out with a Duramax diesel, then traded that in for a 2016 Powerstroke. We towed about 13,000lbs of a horse trailer around the country. The Duramax was a 2006, excellent truck. The powerstroke had TSB issues (3 days of warranty work tearing into the engine), then the water pump failed at 15,000 miles, then a sensor at 30,000 miles, now it has a slow leak of antifreeze that the dealer cannot find but every time I go for an oil change, they have to top up the coolant. My battery + terminal on one of them corroded out as well, the mechanism to open/close back seat rusted out, I have to slam my back door behind the driver. It only has 50,000 miles. Because of the general feeling of lemon, I had to spend extra money on a bumper to bumper Ford extended warranty, which will go for another 25,000 miles.

However, six months ago we decided to sell the "big" horse trailer and these days the heaviest I pull/tow is 11,000 lbs (also horse trailer with small living quarters where we sleep, cook etc when traveling). We maybe pull once a month.

We live in a small town with one Ford dealer and I have to wait for the diesel mechanic for two weeks to look at my truck. Oil changes and maintenance are expensive. I could go to nearby larger city, I suppose but that's more aggravation and time spent.

So, I started wondering if I need a diesel at all. I could sell my truck and probably get enough cash (I own it outright) to walk into a dealership and buy outright one of those new 2020/2021 HEMI 6.4L with 8sp transmissions or the new Ford Godzilla 7.3 with the 10sp tranny (even though I lost confidence in Ford) and I feel for my usage I would be just fine. Cheaper maintenance, engines much less complicated, easier to find mechanics, no more hunting for gas stations that carry diesel on the open road, no more emissions equipment, no more turbo issues....

What I am after is advice - based on what I said above - am I right in thinking I don't need a diesel anymore? Even if you disregard all my problems with the powerstroke (probably just bad luck on my side), do I really need it?

Any input appreciated.

[ognend]

4x4ord wrote:

Well you certainly don't need a diesel for what you'll be pulling and if you don't want a diesel... get the 7.3 ... who knows you might have less trouble with it than your last truck.

Yeah, who knows....right? 🙂

After a sour experience with Ford, 7.3L is in 2nd place,only if the HEMI doesn't give me the impression of being enough. I would look at the new 6.6L Chevy gasser but they mated it to a 6-speed tranny. Weird choice, IMHO.

[4x4ord]

ognend wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
I think the new Powerstrokes are incredible but because you've had problems with your Ford, I'd go to the big city and buy a Duramax if I was you. What will you pay, $6k more for a diesel over a 7.3 gas? 10 years from now you'll get that $6k back. So, to go diesel, it's only costing you interest on the 6k .... about $200 per year and it will save you a little on fuel.

If I were ever going to go to another diesel, it would be to an older truck, not a newer one. The major engine job with my new Powerstroke was a known Ford issue (TSB 16-0041) - which has to do with the emissions system. If you look at the new diesel engines, they are incredibly complicated - they fill up the bay and to get to a part you many times have to take apart half of the top of the engine. The 7.3L gasser, for example, you can see the ground through the engine, it is uncluttered and easy to get to things.

Well you certainly don't need a diesel for what you'll be pulling and if you don't want a diesel... get the 7.3 ... who knows you might have less trouble with it than your last truck.

[ognend]

ShinerBock wrote:
For what you are towing, you do not need a diesel and having one would be a want. I would recommend trying to find a friend or someone you know with a modern gas HD truck and see if they will let you tow with it. Another option is to see if you can rent one for a day from places like U-haul, Home Depot, and so on. Most of the time they are fairly new and renting one for a day is cheap. This may help in the decision making process and it is better to find out in a rental that you can take back versus a purchased vehicle than you can't.

Not a bad idea. There may be other commercial fleet rentals within an hour of where we live. Thanks!

[ShinerBock]

For what you are towing, you do not need a diesel and having one would be a want. I would recommend trying to find a friend or someone you know with a modern gas HD truck and see if they will let you tow with it. Another option is to see if you can rent one for a day from places like U-haul, Home Depot, and so on. Most of the time they are fairly new and renting one for a day is cheap. This may help in the decision making process and it is better to find out in a rental that you can take back versus a purchased vehicle than you can't.

[ognend]

MFL wrote:
You seem to have already convinced yourself, that you'd be happy with a gas engine, so I say go for it!!

Hello. I am just doing research. The 2020 6.4L HEMI puts out north of 400HP and 400+ lb-feet of torque. The new 7.3L Ford gasser puts out even more. They are both mated to better transmissions (8 and 10 sp respectively). Their towing capacities and payloads are both higher than my 2016 diesel powerstroke. Gas costs less, it is easier to find. the engines are cheaper to maintain ($60 oil change vs $150+) and there is no $10K premium for a diesel engine. Gas engines are also simpler and less cluttered and there are no special DEF fluids, emissions standards, no turbo issues, no soot to re-burn.

But, if I came here and you told me that a new gasser such as above would not be sufficient to tow 11,000 lbs with about 2500 lbs on gooseneck hitch payload, I am willing to listen. Even with all the issues on my powerstroke, I am still partial to the truck. But on the other hand, I don't want to be a slave to a mantra (like diesels are so much more reliable or better for towing) if the mantra doesn't apply to me (anymore). I am just curious what people's experiences are - I was hoping to get someone with the actual experience of going from a diesel back to a gasser....

Thank you!

[Grit_dog]

Someone who pays to have every repair and maintenance item done is probably not the best choice to step back 15 years in vehicle age.
New gassers will do what you want to do with them. Not a question. Go get one if you don’t want a diesel anymore. Same truck, half the towing power.

[ognend]

spoon059 wrote:

Sorry to hear about your Ford, I would agree that sounds like a lemon truck rather than known or widespread issues. Word of caution, research the heck out of either truck before you drop the money. My friend bought a 6.4 Hemi with the old 6 speed and only the 3.73 gears. He was not happy with it towing because it had a odd gear spacing and would drop from 4th straight into 2nd when pulling mountains in central PA, completely skipping 3rd gear. He was well within the weights, but it didn't like pulling up hills with that rear end and trans ratio. I'm sure Ram has fixed that with the new 8 speed, but read reviews just to be safe and make sure you get the right rear axle ratio.

The issues that Ford fixed when my truck was only a few thousand miles was a known issue with their emissions system (they call it TSB 16-0041). I am doing research and am trying to be thorough but at the end of the day, it is always a crapshoot, isn't it? 🙂

[ognend]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
If you are going Ram, since your now in Va you may want to check these guys, they usually seem to beat most of the Va dealers
Kernersville Ram
And they will still handle all the Va paperwork.
Happy hunting

Thanks! I found those guys yesterday, what a coincidence 🙂

[ognend]

4x4ord wrote:
I think the new Powerstrokes are incredible but because you've had problems with your Ford, I'd go to the big city and buy a Duramax if I was you. What will you pay, $6k more for a diesel over a 7.3 gas? 10 years from now you'll get that $6k back. So, to go diesel, it's only costing you interest on the 6k .... about $200 per year and it will save you a little on fuel.

If I were ever going to go to another diesel, it would be to an older truck, not a newer one. The major engine job with my new Powerstroke was a known Ford issue (TSB 16-0041) - which has to do with the emissions system. If you look at the new diesel engines, they are incredibly complicated - they fill up the bay and to get to a part you many times have to take apart half of the top of the engine. The 7.3L gasser, for example, you can see the ground through the engine, it is uncluttered and easy to get to things.

[MFL]

I think going from gas to diesel, brings the biggest smile, when towing. You seem to have already convinced yourself, that you'd be happy with a gas engine, so I say go for it!!

My Ford 6.2 does a good job for me, and If needed, 4K rpm to pull a hill, is very smooth, and not a screaming sound. I've no experience with the 7.3, but would expect the same as mine.

As suggested, take a test drive.

Jerry

[wanderingaimles]

If you are going Ram, since your now in Va you may want to check these guys, they usually seem to beat most of the Va dealers
Kernersville Ram
And they will still handle all the Va paperwork.
Happy hunting

[4x4ord]

I think the new Powerstrokes are incredible but because you've had problems with your Ford, I'd go to the big city and buy a Duramax or Ram if I was you. What will you pay, $6k more for a diesel over a 7.3 gas? 10 years from now you'll get that $6k back. So, to go diesel, it's only costing you interest on the 6k .... about $200 per year and it will save you a little on fuel.

[spoon059]

11K lbs towing is fine with either gas engine truck. Fuel mileage will be worse, your engine will be in higher RPM range towing and on certain long mountain climbs you might not be able to maintain your speed to the top... but if you are okay with those parameters you should be perfectly fine with a gas engine.

Sorry to hear about your Ford, I would agree that sounds like a lemon truck rather than known or widespread issues. Word of caution, research the heck out of either truck before you drop the money. My friend bought a 6.4 Hemi with the old 6 speed and only the 3.73 gears. He was not happy with it towing because it had a odd gear spacing and would drop from 4th straight into 2nd when pulling mountains in central PA, completely skipping 3rd gear. He was well within the weights, but it didn't like pulling up hills with that rear end and trans ratio. I'm sure Ram has fixed that with the new 8 speed, but read reviews just to be safe and make sure you get the right rear axle ratio.

[ognend]

colliehauler wrote:
Sounds like you could get by just fine with a gasser. It will have less performance towing. If I was you I would take a gasser out for a test drive and see if your happy with it. Only you can decide that.

Yeah, I understand all about HP and torque etc. and fully expect the gasser to not be as peppy towing (as opposed to the diesel). I also expect the gasser to be cheaper to maintain, easier to fix etc. and I expect that it will also have a lower mpg but given the price difference between diesel and gas, it would take years to make up that difference, based on my mileage towing.

[ognend]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
Does your small town have a Ram dealership? Try calling for a service appointment to get an idea of wait times.
Either truck you mentioned can handle that load if properly equipped, especially in flat country like Florida, but do your trips take you into mountain country where you may want the oil burner? If not, or not often, I would look hard at the gasser.

Sorry, my profile is old - I am now in Virginia so there are mountains around here. I should say that I am not an aggressive tow-er, even on flat ground I never exceed 65mph towing our horses - so getting somewhere in a hurry is not what I am after, just getting there is.

I noticed that a new 6.4L HEMI with 8-sp tranny and 4.10 ratio, or the new Ford 7.3L with 10sp tranny and 4.30 ratio have more towing capacity and more payload than my 2016 powerstroke (comparing 3/4 ton 4x4 crew cab options, which is what I have now in the Ford diesel). Of course, I understand about torque, power delivery at low RPMs etc. but still, some of these new gasser/tranny combos look impressive on paper, which is what intrigued me.