Diesel vs. Gas Truck

[Highway 4x4]

Not quite sure I understand where you are going. Are you saying that every pre-emmisions vehicle should be scraped or are you saying that every new car should have no smog devices. Don't get me wrong, I am not in love with all the EPA crap we have to put up with, but it's the law and you can get skrewed if you get caught. The air is better in So Cal, I remember days in the 50's where it hurt to breath and you could not see mountains five miles away. If you live in a county that does no smog checks then perhaps clean air is not an issue so just take off and disable it all. If my TT was a little lighter and Ram had the 8 speed trans behind the 6.4 hemi I would have not purchased the 6.7CTD.

[onechaddude]

Originally Posted by TDI-Minnie

The '12 Cummins may be the last of the diesels with really long legs because (as of today) it's the only one that can easily still be fully deleted. So no issues with emissions equipment failing and wrecking your engine.
It does still have leafsprings in the rear, but if you air the tires down to around 45psi empty, it rides fine.

My 12 ram is actually a 5.7 hemi. First gas truck I've had in years. I really do love it. I have a motor home now so not towing a 5er. However I do pull dump trailer that grosses around 14k and gooseneck trailer with my backhoe about the same. All my pulling is for work and within 30 or so miles from home. I got this truck with 4.10 rear end and I am very satisfied with it. I think it pulls great and gets pretty decent mileage for size of truck and weight I pull. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely not a diesel.

I keep my tires around 55-60 psi because I'm usually pulling or hauling something. A couple times I did air down to 45 and it makes good bit of difference. My brothers Chevy will only go down to I think 58 or his TPMS dings like crazy. It does not have the light load function. I believe my ram at 45 has a little less jolt on bumps than his chevy.

I usually keep a truck 2 years or so. I really like this one so I may keep it another year. One thing for sure, I will definitely get another mega cab. This is my first and I love it. Loads of room in the back and reclining seats. Much better than my brothers chevy. His back seats are not so great. Kind of straight up and not much leg room. I think I read the 14 chevy has more room cause everyone was complaining. Think I'll keep my ram.

Chad

[cptgregger]

Crikey! I just read in a diesel rag last night how the 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 has a whopping 28400 lb towing capacity!!! Then I went to the Dodge site and it shows 30,000 lbs! Whoa!

Hands down diesel beats gas.

Actually, is there even a comparison when it comes to new models? Still my V10 tows my current 5er just fine. But when I get my 2nd gen Cummins-powered Dodge sold, I think I'll be getting a new 2015 1-ton CTD Ram merely because we are ordering a new, much heavier, FW as well.

[jenandjon]

What do you get for mileage in that v-10?

[jamesrxx951]

Originally Posted by cptgregger

Crikey! I just read in a diesel rag last night how the 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 has a whopping 28400 lb towing capacity!!! Then I went to the Dodge site and it shows 30,000 lbs! Whoa!

Hands down diesel beats gas.

Actually, is there even a comparison when it comes to new models? Still my V10 tows my current 5er just fine. But when I get my 2nd gen Cummins-powered Dodge sold, I think I'll be getting a new 2015 1-ton CTD Ram merely because we are ordering a new, much heavier, FW as well.

Then you don't want to go to the Ford site 31,200lb towing capacity with 860 tq. Havent towed that much weight with either truck but I still think these heavy loads need to be towed by medium duty trucks like F650/F750's.

[Cumminsfan]

Originally Posted by Highway 4x4

Not quite sure I understand where you are going. Are you saying that every pre-emmisions vehicle should be scraped or are you saying that every new car should have no smog devices. Don't get me wrong, I am not in love with all the EPA crap we have to put up with, but it's the law and you can get skrewed if you get caught. The air is better in So Cal, I remember days in the 50's where it hurt to breath and you could not see mountains five miles away. If you live in a county that does no smog checks then perhaps clean air is not an issue so just take off and disable it all. If my TT was a little lighter and Ram had the 8 speed trans behind the 6.4 hemi I would have not purchased the 6.7CTD.

There's a fine line between reliability and clean air. A 12 Ram is border line IMO. Oil changes every 3000 miles because the regens are so frequent. How much oil could you save by going 7000 miles as opposed to 3000 miles. 225 qrts. How much extra diesel are they burning over 100,000 miles because of regens? 1,191 gallons at 12 vs 14 mpg average. Typical mpg increase is 1-2 across the board. Over 100,000 miles that adds up. @3.80 gal that's $4525.00 over 100,000 miles. Less fuel burn, less oil used. IDK, seems like a no brainer to me.

[jamesrxx951]

Originally Posted by Cumminsfan

There's a fine line between reliability and clean air. A 12 Ram is border line IMO. Oil changes every 3000 miles because the regens are so frequent. How much oil could you save by going 7000 miles as opposed to 3000 miles. 225 qrts. How much extra diesel are they burning over 100,000 miles because of regens? 1,191 gallons at 12 vs 14 mpg average. Typical mpg increase is 1-2 across the board. Over 100,000 miles that adds up. @3.80 gal that's $4525.00 over 100,000 miles. Less fuel burn, less oil used. IDK, seems like a no brainer to me.

I always thought the Cummins had a 7th injector in the exhaust. This is not correct?

[Billua]

Actually, the new Rams say 15k between oil changes. The DEF allows much less regens and egr than previous Rams unless they are deleted.

I am anxious to see what the 2015 ram comes out with now that Ford has raised the Hp and torque bar again.

We plan on moving into a 21k toy hauler next year and I may get a Ram with the Aisin although, my 12 does great with a 15 k toy hauler here out west.

[cptgregger]

Originally Posted by jenandjon

What do you get for mileage in that v-10?

I get 16 mpg at 65 mph, 12mpg at 80 mph... NOT TOWING.

TOWING: I get 8 mpg. But from what I've been reading in the diesel magazines, the newer trucks aren't doing much better than that.

I know that fuel economy sucks compared to diesels but I hear the newer ones aren't all that great in the econ area. But I have no payment, and I won't take any depreciation on the vehicle so that's my savings.

I'm not really concerned about MPGs anyway. A truck is used for towing, that's all I do with it. If I want to get fuel economy, I drive my VW TDI. The only way I know the above figure of "not towing" is based on what I average when I picked up the truck and drove it 1700 miles to my home. That was pretty much the only time I don't tow.

My only interest in the newer rigs, other than their looks and nicer ride, is the higher towing capacity. That opens up my world for getting the biggest 5er I can find. I'm not there as yet though. This is our first year RVing using a FW, so I'm bought a used one in order to figure out what I want. If we like the lifestyle, we'll go to a few RV shows next winter and pick one out for next year.

[Finally]

Diesel, for me, is the only way to go for pulling power. I had a 2000 F350 crew cab, long bed, 7.3l power stroke. I just loved it. 157,000 miles and going strong until I moved East, in upstate NY. Salt is used on the roads and the chassis quickly rusted and the winter were so cold, I'd have to keep my truck plugged in all the time. Wore out one block heater. This past winter was so cold, so long that my fuel line froze and there was nothing I could do. Since I already traded in my toy hauler, I didn't need the truck with sat I'm my driveway. I traded it for a small SUV. I love the pulling power of the diesel but living in the East, I'd say get a gas truck so it will start and have less issues in the cold.

[TDI-Minnie]

Originally Posted by onechaddude

My 12 ram is actually a 5.7 hemi. First gas truck I've had in years. I really do love it. I have a motor home now so not towing a 5er. However I do pull dump trailer that grosses around 14k and gooseneck trailer with my backhoe about the same. All my pulling is for work and within 30 or so miles from home. I got this truck with 4.10 rear end and I am very satisfied with it. I think it pulls great and gets pretty decent mileage for size of truck and weight I pull. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely not a diesel.

I keep my tires around 55-60 psi because I'm usually pulling or hauling something. A couple times I did air down to 45 and it makes good bit of difference. My brothers Chevy will only go down to I think 58 or his TPMS dings like crazy. It does not have the light load function. I believe my ram at 45 has a little less jolt on bumps than his chevy.

I usually keep a truck 2 years or so. I really like this one so I may keep it another year. One thing for sure, I will definitely get another mega cab. This is my first and I love it. Loads of room in the back and reclining seats. Much better than my brothers chevy. His back seats are not so great. Kind of straight up and not much leg room. I think I read the 14 chevy has more room cause everyone was complaining. Think I'll keep my ram.

Chad

Yeah the TPMS is an issue in many trucks, but some (including the Ram HD) have a "light load" button on the dash that sets the system to understand 45psi as normal, so no lights or sounds.

[TDI-Minnie]

Originally Posted by jamesrxx951

I always thought the Cummins had a 7th injector in the exhaust. This is not correct?

Yes it is, that's another reason why fuel economy goes in the tank during the re-gen cycle. And the idea that dumping raw fuel in on the exhaust stroke is better for the environment is kinda funny.

[Cumminsfan]

Originally Posted by Billua

Actually, the new Rams say 15k between oil changes. The DEF allows much less regens and egr than previous Rams unless they are deleted.

I am anxious to see what the 2015 ram comes out with now that Ford has raised the Hp and torque bar again.

We plan on moving into a 21k toy hauler next year and I may get a Ram with the Aisin although, my 12 does great with a 15 k toy hauler here out west.

Ram says 6 mths or 15,000 miles for 14. Most would be in the 5-7000 range assuming 12-15,000 miles a year. Hard for the average guy to put 15,000 in 6 mths.
My 12 Ram says 6 mths or 7500 miles. DPF deleted Rams are getting 5000-7000 depending on the delete. Doing just a SIMs/DPF delete and leaving the EGR on would get at least 5000 miles for oil changes. IMO it's sorta counter productive to burn more diesel and use more oil to be clean. But I do like the 800lbs of tq.

[Doctor DEF]

Just finished annual migration from AZ to WA. 2013 6.7 F350 4X4 Crew with a 4500 lb. Arctic Fox in the bed and a 3500 lb. Utility trailer. Drove 65 most of the way with significant head and cross winds. Cool temps once we got to higher elevations in AZ. Rain, snow for some of the trip in AZ, UT, NV and OR.

Boost gauge often at 19-21 psi for long periods uphill. Saw Oil Temp of 244F for a few minutes on the long climb out of AZ East Valley with outside temp of 94F.

1800 miles on a mostly 2 lane road route with side trips to Pine Top AZ and Zion National Park.

From the trip computer (likely +/- 2.5% accuracy)

175 gallons diesel (matches pump numbers well) so 10.3 MPG

ONE (that is ONE) active regeneration in 1800 miles. No joke. No active regenerations in the last 1200 miles.

Consumed 3.25 gallons DEF (filled to neck at departure, then refilled today so 1.85% DEF/diesel).

Oil change 3 days before we left, no change in oil level during trip.

Finally tried the TOW/HAUL button feature. Great assist while descending long hills and less shifting while ascending. Great engine braking on 14% down grade into Frenchglen OR.

Awesome performance compared with my previous V10 F350.

Erich