diesel vs. gas

bp53 · April 2001

Which engine is more trouble free, gas or diesel? Many people have told me that gasoline engines are more trouble free but I'm not so sure. What do you readers think?

ethuresson · April 2001

Diesel, big time. No distributor, no plugs. No ignition system of any kind as a matter of fact, just the pistons going up and down. Due to the MUCH higher compression ratio of diesels, the block, pistons, heads etc et al are almost always built tougher (part of the extra weight of a diesel).

This doesn't mean one can ignore a diesel, either. Lack of routine maintenance will destroy any engine.

2t1a · April 2001

On how you intend to use it. In town, lots of stops and starts, short trips, go gas. Heavy use, lots of highway miles, diesel, hands down.

ethuresson · April 2001

You are correct, sir! Sorry I overlooked that important aspect!

I just dig driving diesel so much I git carried away. I had to buy a new truck with a gas engine because diesel isn't an option in a Dakota, and I didn't want a huge, $38,000 truck. The 4.7 V8 is nice, but I really really miss the diesel...

hdrider · May 2001

I have owned my 93 Chevy 6.5L TD since new. I will tell you that maintenance cost is much higher than gas engines. And can be inconvenient.

1. Maintenance is not cheap! More oil to change. Parts are more expensive. I spent $625 for a new starter. You have two batteries to replace. Fuel injectors can run into the $100s+ EASY, especially for the newer trucks (i.e. the Power Stroke injectors are over $600 EACH and there are eight of them!) You can go longer between rebuilds than gas but rebuilds can run $2000-3000 for a GOOD one. On the positive side, I got 135,000 miles out of the original glow plugs. That is not necessarily the norm, and they run about $8-12 each.

2. Finding qualified diesel mechanics can be tough, especially in smaller towns. I have had some of the worst diesel mechanics right at the dealership (very little experience). I've had better luck with diesel mechanics that work on big rigs.

3. Fuel is getting to be the price of mid- to premium-grade unleaded. Depending on where you are, diesel can be tough to find, especially in small towns. You have to plan your routes accordingly.

4. Check out TheDieselPage.com. Great site if you own a GM diesel!

As mentioned, if you want torque for towing, diesels are the way to go! If it's just to have a Turbo Diesel, plan on higher maintenance costs! Good luck!
Dave

quadrunner500 · May 2001

If you buy new, you don't have to plan too much on those high maintenance costs since the 5 yr 100k limited warranty should cover you for awhile.

My first GM Goodwrench oil and filter change was only $68, included 12 qts Titan oil, and with discount coupon, was only $48.

hdrider · May 2001

I went thru that warranty like a hot knife thru butter! I also went thru 6 fuel injector rebuild/replacements in the first 60K... Glad to have the warranty, but not glad to see it end. Selling at the 100K point and buying a new one also defeats the purpose of owning a TD (longevity) as that is about the time you start seeing the investment pay off. However, lots of TD trucks on lots with 100+K on them! Parts for TDs are NOT cheap!!!!

quadrunner500 · May 2001

I don't see any vehicle as an investment. They are all money holes. The only reason to buy a diesel, is because you have the load that needs that engine to pull it. Still, I'm not worried. In a few years, there will be plenty of data about long term reliability and cost of operation and maintenance for Duramax. I can't say what I'll do at this point, but recent past indicates I don't keep vehicles that long to worry. Nevertheless, most owners are expecting the Duramax reliability, Isuzu, Bosch et al, to be significantly different and better than GMC's 6.2L and 6.5L. We'll see.

jaijay · May 2001

Quad I thought the Durmax only took 10. I plan on changing my oil this weekend and will go the Mobil Delvac-1 synthetic route.

If all goes as planned I will be pulling my 5th wheel rig next weekend. A 14k load. It should be fun to see how this truck handles a big job.

quadrunner500 · May 2001

10 quarts is what the manual says. But the oil change invoice said 12. Soon as I noticed that, I ran out and checked the dipstick. It was up to the full mark, apparently not above it. I don't know what they really put in it. Hopefully not 12.

14K 5th wheel? That's the REAL deal. Good luck, and let us know how it does!

BTW, you need a BIG drain pan!

hdrider · May 2001

You are right. A house is an investment, a truck is indeed a money hole. I was a lot younger when I bought my TD and expected it to last a looooong time. I am sure it will, but it will cost more than I thought. Lesson learned. As you also said, a TD should be bought because a person needs the TD to haul a specific load. They are too expensive in the long run to buy because they are "cool", unless one just has that kind of money to spend... Though that Duramax sure is cool, and I would love to own one! We'll see if GM mechanics can fix them. They were not very good on my 6.5L TD... IF I buy new again, I am leaning toward the 2500HD with the Vortec 6000. (Busy wading through all the posts I can find on it.) Grew up driving 3/4 tons with big V8s and can't see owning anything else...

As for the oil, there's a good chance they put 12 in and that that's the correct amount. My owner's manual is off, too, though only by 1/2 quart.

hunter98 · May 2001

I am leaning towards the 6.0L in a 2500HD CC 4x4. My only complaint is that I am worried about the RPM's at 75 miles per hour, since this is what most of my driving is done at. With the stock tires, and the required 4.10 rear end, the RPM's are 2555, which seems like alot to me. This compares to 2077 with my 1500, 3.73, 265x75 Tires. The Duramax/Allison with stock tires would yield 2200 RPM's at 75 miles per hour. High RPM's with a Diesel would scare me alot more with a diesel than a gas to kill milage, but it would take some getting used to.

Hunter

quadrunner500 · May 2001

Seems like my rpms are slightly higher for the Duramax 6 spd manual with 245/75's. Best as I can tell, about 1800-1825 at 60, so that works out to 2250-2281 at 75. Be interesting to compare 6th gear on the ZF to 5th on the Allison. Any idea?

hunter98 · May 2001

The final ratio of the ZF rounds to .72, the final ratio of the Allison rounds to .71, in other words, they could be .7249, and .7051 respectively. My numbers are calculated with excel and are close, possible off by 10-20RPM+-, and this rely's upon the calculated tire heights, which vary between brands of tires. Just going from a .71 ratio to a .72 ratio with 245 tires, and 3.73 rear end, increases the RPM's by 31 at 75 miles per hour to 2232@75 with the .72 ZF ratio. So yeah, you should see somewhere around 30 RPM's more on the Highway with a ZF.

Best of Luck

Hunter

hdrider · May 2001

My 6.5L has a 4.10 rear end as well. I am running 285/65s. I run a little over 2500 on the interstate at 70+. 2550 sounds about right. Not sure what the 6.0 will get for MPG but my TD was getting 15-17 mpg (unloaded). Using fuel additives helped with the higher MPG.

hdrider · May 2001

I have also toyed with the idea of test driving the 8.1... Some of the posts show that the mileage is not that bad if you can keep your foot off the floor after every traffic light. I am looking at either the extended cab or crew cab and probably the long bed (safest way to haul my scooter.) The extra torque/hp would be nice...

diesel vs. gas

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