6.4 Hemi ?

[monkey]

Anybody run the new 6.4 Hemi ? Just wondered as I'm getting close to buying a new(er) truck... I know the Cummins is better in some ways,,, but I'm just not sold on the extra cost yet as we won't be full timing, or such... Looking at a TT 26-30' length... 2500-3500 single rear wheel 4x4 Ram... I read about weight and all here,,, what about this 6.4 motor? I've read about it,, made for trucks,, just wanted some real world experience...

[onechaddude]

I have a 14 ram mega cab 2500 4x4 with 6.4 hemi. It is does a great job pulling and driving empty. I had a 12 with the 5.7 hemi and the 6.4 actually gets a little better mpg. I've pulled some pretty good loads with it and it does wonderful. I have a motorhome so I do not pull an rv but I'm a general contractor. I pull a gooseneck dump trailer that weighs 14k and gooseneck flatbed with backhoe about same weight.

I've had diesel trucks since the 90's and recently got tired of the additional cost of diesel over gas. So I decide to go gas and have been happy. I had an 08 crew cab chevy with 6.0 gas about 5 months and hated it. Went back to diesel a couple years and finally went ram gas truck and been pleased.

Chad

[monkey]

Thankyou Chad... Thats exactly the kind of info I was looking for....

[Don_T]

I had a '14 2500 with the 6.4 and 3.73 gear. I pulled a travel trailer that weighed just under 10k pounds. It pulled very well at sea level. I would still have it except we sold the travel trailer and bought a 5th wheel that now weights 17.5k pounds. I would not pull that much with the 6.4, but 10k pounds was great.

[monkey]

Thankyou Don...I guess what I would miss with a gas motor, (besides the obvious pulling power of a diesel) is the engine brake... We just don't see towing a lot right now,,, BUT it might be my last vehicle,, so it's either the 6.4 or Cummins... We are going to look today for the first time.... Might as well spend my vacation spending money we don't have huh ??? LOL I did clean up the jeep, maybe they'll make me a deal I can't refuse.... Or not....

[dcarver]

If the truck is going to be a DD as well as tow rig, look at your daily commute. If you only drive 5 miles a day then the hemi may be the way to go seeing as short trips can be harmful to the diesels. There are different opinions on this statement however, but that's just what I've come across in my research as well.

[Don_T]

Originally Posted by dcarver

If the truck is going to be a DD as well as tow rig, look at your daily commute. If you only drive 5 miles a day then the hemi may be the way to go seeing as short trips can be harmful to the diesels. There are different opinions on this statement however, but that's just what I've come across in my research as well.

This is something to consider too. I have a commute that is mostly highway and is about 70 miles a day. If you have a short commute you may not get the exhaust system hot enough, long enough to keep the diesel exhaust happy. The 6.4 does not have that issue.

[monkey]

Originally Posted by Don_T

This is something to consider too. I have a commute that is mostly highway and is about 70 miles a day. If you have a short commute you may not get the exhaust system hot enough, long enough to keep the diesel exhaust happy. The 6.4 does not have that issue.

Yes I have thought about that... It takes me 15 minutes to get to work,,, about 8 miles one way....All in town,,, max speed of 50 mph for a very short distance. Mostly stop and go... Not good on a diesel I figure....

[monkey]

Why is there such a small difference in "Advertised" HP and TQ between the 5.7 and 6.4 ??? 5.7 is 383Hp /400ft Tq... 6.4 is 410HP/429ft Tq... This is in the "heavy duty" truck side, as in 2500... I would think the extra cubes (and newer made for truck 6.4) would be better... ????

[autorot8]

Originally Posted by monkey

Why is there such a small difference in "Advertised" HP and TQ between the 5.7 and 6.4 ??? 5.7 is 383Hp /400ft Tq... 6.4 is 410HP/429ft Tq... This is in the "heavy duty" truck side, as in 2500... I would think the extra cubes (and newer made for truck 6.4) would be better... ????

The power of the 6.4 is at a lower rpm. I drove the 5.7 & 6.4 back to back in identical trucks and it was a noticeable difference. This made the 6.4 option worth it for me.

[monkey]

Originally Posted by autorot8

The power of the 6.4 is at a lower rpm. I drove the 5.7 & 6.4 back to back in identical trucks and it was a noticeable difference. This made the 6.4 option worth it for me.

thankyou very much... We actually got a non-pushy salesman guy at a dealership here that answered a lot of my questions... He knew a lot at what he was selling. Thats one thing he said was the 6.4 had a very flat torque curve.... (thats good!) I'll be back to talk to him more....

[453030]

I drove one before buying my Denali Duramax. In the Ram line, I probably preferred it to the Cummins, which had so much turbo lag I was surprised it is sold like that. I own an architectural stone company and my trailers can get as heavy as I want to load them, so I needed the diesel. No regrets at all, in fact I don't think I would ever want a gas truck again. I love firing that sucker up every time.

You should be able to get a massive discount on the Ram. The one I drove stickered around 58 and with all the rebates and offers I could have had it for <47 (this was last summer before I ordered my truck). It was very tempting.

[Highway 4x4]

See what I have and see what I tow. It's my DD and my commute is 5 miles each way. No issues. I can get 21 on the highway unloaded and average 16 in town. When I tow, there are no grades, just places other people go slow. The exhaust brake is great. Yes, there is some turbo lag from a stop. But when you get rolling it just takes off at any altitude. The diesel costs more and costs more to maintain and unless you are towing a little heavy or you just want one, just get the 6.4. But the Cummins is really the way to go. Towing down the highway at 60-65 mph = about 1500rpm. and 12-13 mpg. This will be my last "big truck".

[monkey]

Originally Posted by Highway 4x4

See what I have and see what I tow. It's my DD and my commute is 5 miles each way. No issues. I can get 21 on the highway unloaded and average 16 in town. When I tow, there are no grades, just places other people go slow. The exhaust brake is great. Yes, there is some turbo lag from a stop. But when you get rolling it just takes off at any altitude. The diesel costs more and costs more to maintain and unless you are towing a little heavy or you just want one, just get the 6.4. But the Cummins is really the way to go. Towing down the highway at 60-65 mph = about 1500rpm. and 12-13 mpg. This will be my last "big truck".

Thankyou "highway" ... I'm not looking for a "drag race" truck,,, so 'turbo lag' is nothing to me... (been a street racer for years,,, but no more) Just looking for my possibly last vehicle,,, we don't trade every year or two like some... Its nice to know the newer Cummins has no problems on short drives.... I drive a 1 yr old 400 Cummins at work,, and when it "regens" it idles 200 rpm high..,. (when stopped)... No biggy.. Just wondered how the smaller Cummins would handle short trips,,, and if it was worth it to me to spend the extra several thousand dollars on the Cummins... (yes I want that motor but we aren't rich.... ) We'll see... Thanks again for your input..... Monkey