kennard04
Explorer
Joined 20 years ago
User Profile
User Widgets
All Activity
Re: Diesel vs gas......................
YES there are comparisons. Why is it when you're talking to someone who has a diesel there is NO comparison ? It's like they're scared someone may not have the same opinion as them. Diesels aren't for everyone, they're not for every use. Americans are not diesel acclimatized fully. There are many negatives to owning and operating a diesel. I would suggest a thorough investigation of how you will use your tow rig. Very few folks tow a majority of the time. We run to the store, we drive to friends houses, we drive to work, etc. So don't listen to anyone that says there are NO comparisons, there are LOTS of comparisons and LOTS of reasons why either motor MAY be good, or bad for one particular user. Look into it fully, then decide what's best for YOU.561Views0likes0CommentsRe: Diesel vs gas......................
maryb1976 wrote: I would like some info on the Ford V10 vs the diesel. My husband and I are buying a new truck to tow a toy hauler.. I've heard different stories on each. Does anyone have the Ford F-250 V10? or the diesel. Can you tell me what gas mileage you get.. empty and full? V10 or diesel.. Thanks!!!!! I get 12-15 solo, depending on how many kids in hot rods I have to show what 'real motor' means. I get 8-11 towing depending on hills, altitude, etc. I would say if you're going to be towing alot, for many years, you will get more out of a diesel. I do not tow full time so a diesel wasn't a good choice for me. Typically you'll get 2-5 mpg more in a diesel. But for very heavy loads, and lots of towing you'll be happer than with a gas motor. The gas engine will tow whatever you buy, but it will work considerably harder at it's tow capacity. I tow around 10K, and the V-10 is a monster for that weight. It's smooth and quiet and very fuel efficient for a big, hard working truck. Drive both, see which one you like, then sit down and figure fuel mileage, fuel costs (diesel is alot higher out here), fuel availability and higher initial buy in costs. At 100-150K miles you should break even with the gas motor for cost. If you buy a new truck every few years you need a gas motor. If you will keep your truck 10 years a tow only, or mostly with it get the oilburner.561Views0likes0CommentsRe: Diesel vs gas......................
BORN FREE 24' PSD wrote: If your S-class MB diesel isn't getting at least 30-32 mpg over-the-road, there's something wrong with your diesel Mercedes-Benz motorcar. The 240D @ 28 mpg is also a little short of the 30mpg number. My '99 E300TD gets 32-34 mpg @ 75 mph over-the-road, and 28 mpg city/highway, puttering around town. t didn't start getting 34 mpg 'til I had over 60K on the odometer. :) Hoping my 7.3 PSD will "loosen-up," and give me a little better mileage after it gets maybe 50K+ on it too. :) It should loosen up and give you better gas mileage, your PSD, mine did. I went from 10 to 13 solo, from 7 to 9 or 10 towing a 3200 lb Winston West car and trailer. Probably 10K all loaded. Here's the problem I've always had with my Mercedes Benz', and almost any vehicle for that matter. I got a BIG, HEAVY, RIGHT FOOT. I had my turbo replaced to produce more than the 120 hp the 3.0 dsl made. Then I got a 350SDL with a different turbo. And finally I had a 420SEL body with a built 5.8 liter Ford Motorsports SVT motor in it. It was a beast, but that's another story. And I drive like I stole it, but why pay all that money for a german made, luxo-sporting car and not drive it to it's capacity ?435Views0likes0CommentsRe: Diesel vs gas......................
McRat wrote: The #1 reason for getting a modern diesel is power. There is a "diesel war" going on, and the power is going up every year. Currently the diesels are still rated at less HP than the biggest gasoline engines, but ... You can add huge amounts of HP and TQ to the diesels cheaply and easily using tuners. No gas engine sold will match the power of a late model diesel pickup engine that has a mild tuner added to it. But there are bigger tuners than mild if you wish. Mileage is seldom affected, and usually improves if anything. I can tow 17,000lb combined up to Flagstaff Arizona (7400ft) at 75mph uphill on cruise control in overdrive. Try that with ANY gas engine. I routinely blow by gas pickups that are towing up long grades. Mileage? At 17k combined (truck, 22' racecar trailer, racecar, 11.5' Lance Camper, spares) was 11.5mpg from CA to KY and back. Always going 75mph or faster. A gas engine would be lucky to hit 7 mpg with that kind of load and speed. Buy the diesel for power, and enjoy the mileage as an added perk. Now that, I would pay to see, 17,000 towed uphill (you didn't specify a grade, I'm presuming it was more than 2%) at 75 mph, in OD with the cruise on. I don't think anyone here is doubting diesels have much more torque, hp doesn't mean a thing. As for tuners, check the thread of the guy who's getting beat to death by all the diesel expers around here who was rumored to have an Edge something and lost his turbo. And finally, I will gladly take you up on the "no gas engine will match the power of a diesel with a mild tuner" challenge. Loser pays all the expenses that I incur 'tuning' my engine OK ?436Views0likes0CommentsRe: Diesel vs gas......................
bluenote wrote: Well Kennard, here's another one for you then... We just pulled our 5er up to it's summer spot with the truck in our signature (GCW of around 18K). Traveling 62-63 MPH, we got 12.2 MPG (calculated at fill-up, not trip computer). That's with 3.73 rear gears, but a displacement of over a half liter more than the PSD you are claiming figures on. For MOST diesel owner's, the only way one gets the mileage you're claiming is if you are running it fast all the time. Well that's great then if you're getting 12.2 mpg towing 11-12K of trailer. I guess I must have been doing something wrong with all my diesels, I dunno. I think that the mileage you're getting is the exception, not the rule. But I'm glad you're doing so well with mileage, it's the reason I bought most of my diesels. Happy towing, Ken435Views0likes0CommentsRe: Diesel vs gas......................
Chris wrote: Well hate to tell you, but I get similar milage towing a similar size 5er with my 2001. Empty I only get a max of around 18-19, but I have an auto tranny and 4:10's. Chris Why would you hate to tell me ? I don't get it, why would I be mad at someone getting great mileage ? The 6.0 PSD with very comparable cubic inches and power ratings are getting 12-15 empty, and 8-11 towing. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with anyone here in regards to mpg, it just sounds like alot of mileage for 18,000 pounds of weight, trailer and truck.436Views0likes0CommentsRe: Diesel vs gas......................
JIMNLIN wrote: Kennard04 My Cummins gets 21-23 mpg 110 mile a day work commute, tank after tank. Also is averaging 12.5 mpg pulling a 11200lb 5er. I haven't seen a big gasser with that kind of mpgs. All pencil figures. JIM Wow, that's compact car mileage, pretty incredible, especially towing. 12.5 pulling a 11,200 pound fiver ? I'd have to guess that's a world record, but I've heard guys talking about mileage like this. Never seen it, but I've heard guys talk about it. My 3.0 liter Mercedes S-class, turbo diesel with half the weight, and half the engine size got 23-ish mpg, my non-turbo 240D got close to 28. But not one of my pick-up diesels ever, ever, ever got anywhere close to your mileage, not the Cummins, not any of the Navistars. Good for you if you are.435Views0likes0CommentsRe: Diesel vs gas......................
Diesel maintenance is a little more expensive, more oil, higher cost oil filters, water separators, fuel filters, etc. But there are no spark plugs, spark plug wires, etc to buy so it's probably fairly even. A diesel needs to come up to temp before it's used hard, and short trips to and from the store are bad news for a diesel. It used to be that everyone idled their diesels if it meant having to shut it down for a short period. But now the excess fuel washes the oil off the cylinder walls so it's not good to idle. For alot of heavy towing, or full timing a diesel seems to be the better investment, but it will take some time to realize that extra up front cost, maybe 150,000 miles depending on the difference in fuel costs. Most folks never keep a TV long enough to realize any savings in their diesel truck. Most folks never tow enough to realize any savings in their diesel truck. Most folks are not aware of the extra cool down period a hot turbo needs. Most folks are not aware that the extra weight of the diesel engine reduces GCWR. Most folks get about the same mpg solo in their diesel as gas owners do, some get the same towing as gas owners do. You can't drive a diesel like you can your Camry, this isn't a bad thing, but it is the truth. And after your diesel has gone 250,000 miles, and it should, but your truck has fallen apart around you, then what ? Diesels have lots of torque, torque is twist, rear ends, drivelines all wear from torque being applied. Front ends wear from having to try and swing weight that wants to go straight around a corner, and springs wear from supporting the weight of the front end after repeated bounces, diesels weigh more than gas engines so this wear is accelerated somewhat. Lots of torque at low rpms are good, diesels do that well but the torque may be peak at 2000 prm while the hp peak is at 3500 rpm where torque is much less. Gas motors make torque at a higher rpm AND make hp at a higher rpm, but you have to get the motor to the higher rpm to be able to use it. Stop lights with a heavy fifth wheel are better with a diesel. Modern, fuel efficient, low emissions gas motors have come a long way, just as diesels motors have. So it really comes down to what you are requiring your tow vehicle to do. For big, heavy loads that you tow alot, a diesel is the choice. But for 90% of us who tow occasionally and trade our trucks in every 3-6 years, the gas engine is more logical. My trailer is not huge, it's 24'. We plan on going to 28-35 sometime soon as the kids are much larger now. But we will still be around 10-12K which will still get us over the top of the mountains just as fast as the diesels. The tow rating on the big gas motors now is similar to what was only diesel territory until just recently. Will a 460 ft lb gas motor beat a 600 ft lb diesel with a 20K fiver on it over a mountain top ? No, probably not, but for us, probably the majority of the towing population, we don't tow a condo on wheels. I've owned lots of diesels, turbo, DI, non-IDI, turbo kits, I like them, but they do have drawbacks, as do gas engines.436Views0likes0CommentsRe: Diesel vs gas......................
in the whole diesel vs gas debate, lets not forget the automakers. They surely have worked out to the penny; longevity, mpg, towing vs solo usage, maintenance, all the important things to us owners. The $6,500 or whatever the figure is, is not reflective of the manufacturers actual cost. It's 'what the market will bear'. If we sit down, and pencil out all the figures, the added cost of a diesel engine will break even at some mileage point. For a guy who tows only occasionally a diesel may not be the best choice, unless of course a guy wants a diesel. Then it doesn't matter how or why, a diesel it will be. Soeone said "there's no way to win this argument", and he was exactly spot on, but what he didn't note was there is no reason to win. We all drive what we want because WE want it. Bottomline there is very little, if any advantage of gas VS Diesel over the long run, the automakers make sure of that. Heck they have teams of bean counters trying to save .3 of a cent on a bolt. For heavy, long term towing the diesel is the obvious choice, for occasional towing and everyday driving the gas engine seems logical. But like I said, logic isn't motivation number one when it comes to a guy and his truck. Drive what makes you happy, we're not getting over on anyone with mileage or longevity, enjoy it while you got it.420Views0likes0Comments
Groups
Travel Trailer Group
Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Jan 19, 202544,029 Posts
