Diesel or Gas

[rockaw]

Many good points....
from what I've seen, heard, researched. unless you're towing, and a bit, the gas guzzlers are better than the diesels. Diesels tend to last quite a bit longer, but are more expensive to upkeep, but I was told the breakeven point for buying a diesel over a gas burner was about 100k miles.

About the towing... it depends on how much, you'll have to do the math with the fuel mileage. Next is availability of fuel. If you're close to interstates/populated areas diesel is more available, I've hear some campers unable to find diesel when needed. (plan/check for fuel stops).

I have a 2500HD Silverado with a diesel, it pulls my Jayflight 28RLS like it's not even there. The vehicle before the Silverado was an 06 Durango with a towing package and 5.7 Hemi, I also has no problems accelerating or braking, but I just wasn't comfortable with semi's passing me with the slight movement of both vehicles, now I don't even notice a difference.

[Mad Cow]

I am not so sure there is much of a "break even" point to be had. It has a lot to do with prevailing fuel prices, and several years ago diesel and gas spreads were pretty significant. We got a bit of a reprieve for the last few years, but the spreads are coming back in spades.

For instance, my 6.0L gasser in my Chevy 2500 is a flex fuel variety. I can get E85 fuel right now at about $1.49 a gallon. Diesel is going for $3.15 in my area. I average about 11 mpg for all miles on E85 for about 13.5 cents a mile. To just break even on fuel cost alone, with a diesel I would have to get over 23 mpg for all miles. Possible, but again, that is just to break even on fuel cost. The initial cost and maintenance of the diesel negates any cost savings. So breaking even on the total package is probably not a reality.

Even on regular gas at $2.40 in my area now. I typically get about 14 mpg average for all miles with it in my 6.0 gasser. That equates to about 17 cents a mile. Diesel would have a better advantage in being cost effective compared to regular gas.

If one truly has a need for diesel, then go for it. But some marketing pipe dream about diesel being more cost effective is for those that are not breathing oxygen. I know, I go thru about 21,000 gallons of diesel a year for my commercial needs. The only way diesel is worth it is if there is an application that demands it.

[Riverman]

A diesel is fantastic as a tow vehicle, until they break down.

It can cost lots of $$$ to get them going again.

[rockaw]

Originally Posted by Mad Cow

I am not so sure there is much of a "break even" point to be had. It has a lot to do with prevailing fuel prices, and several years ago diesel and gas spreads were pretty significant. We got a bit of a reprieve for the last few years, but the spreads are coming back in spades.

For instance, my 6.0L gasser in my Chevy 2500 is a flex fuel variety. I can get E85 fuel right now at about $1.49 a gallon. Diesel is going for $3.15 in my area. I average about 11 mpg for all miles on E85 for about 13.5 cents a mile. To just break even on fuel cost alone, with a diesel I would have to get over 23 mpg for all miles. Possible, but again, that is just to break even on fuel cost. The initial cost and maintenance of the diesel negates any cost savings. So breaking even on the total package is probably not a reality.

Even on regular gas at $2.40 in my area now. I typically get about 14 mpg average for all miles with it in my 6.0 gasser. That equates to about 17 cents a mile. Diesel would have a better advantage in being cost effective compared to regular gas.

If one truly has a need for diesel, then go for it. But some marketing pipe dream about diesel being more cost effective is for those that are not breathing oxygen. I know, I go thru about 21,000 gallons of diesel a year for my commercial needs. The only way diesel is worth it is if there is an application that demands it.

Agreed, it really depends on how much your towing/carrying and how long you plan to keep the vehicle for. Thanks

[Riverman]

Towed my TT a couple hundred miles today, all on the interstate. My chevy 2500 with a 6.0 lugged up every hill, often shifting down to the next gear and revving the 6.0 high. Every 18-wheeler that passed me made the chevy and TT sway too. Yes, I have an equal-i-zer hitch and it is adjusted properly. I'm ready for a strong, long bed diesel...

[TxLoser]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Towed my TT a couple hundred miles today, all on the interstate. My chevy 2500 with a 6.0 lugged up every hill, often shifting down to the next gear and revving the 6.0 high. Every 18-wheeler that passed me made the chevy and TT sway too. Yes, I have an equal-i-zer hitch and it is adjusted properly. I'm ready for a strong, long bed diesel...

I made the same move. Doesn't make sense financially, but I sure do enjoy it. Then again, RVing doesn't make sense financially overall.

[repacs0103]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

I made the same move. Doesn't make sense financially, but I sure do enjoy it. Then again, RVing doesn't make sense financially overall.

This is the truest statement ever. We’re all here to have fun- I just like to go fast getting there .

Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Crabman]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Towed my TT a couple hundred miles today, all on the interstate. My chevy 2500 with a 6.0 lugged up every hill, often shifting down to the next gear and revving the 6.0 high. Every 18-wheeler that passed me made the chevy and TT sway too. Yes, I have an equal-i-zer hitch and it is adjusted properly. I'm ready for a strong, long bed diesel...

I understand the lugging and shifting but you should not be getting sway. My truck Is no power demon with the 6.0 but it's rock solid as far as stability.

[Riverman]

I have new Michelin tires on the truck and I think the sidewalls are softer than the old tires that I had before. It didn't sway until I got the new tires.

[DanNJanice]

Originally Posted by Crabman

I understand the lugging and shifting but you should not be getting sway. My truck Is no power demon with the 6.0 but it's rock solid as far as stability.

Agree with Crabman!
Getting a diesel truck is unlikely to solve whatever issue you are having that is causing sway. My first guess is, if everything is setup correctly, you might just be oversensitive to the push caused by semis. There is no such thing as "I don't even know the trailer is there", when you are pulling something that weights as much as the truck.
I pull my 27RLS with a F250, I don't even use sway control, just a WDH. Can I feel a semi going by at 80mph? Sure, the wind pushes me a bit to the side, then pulls me back when the truck passes. That is not the same thing as sway.
If you are truly getting sway (uncontrollable side to side motion) then look to balancing your trailer/hitch weights.

[Crabman]

Originally Posted by Riverman

I have new Michelin tires on the truck and I think the sidewalls are softer than the old tires that I had before. It didn't sway until I got the new tires.

Are they 10 ply load range E (up to 80lbs psi)? If so they should be good to go.

[Riverman]

I had an experienced RV service guy check my hitch this morning and he said it was adjusted perfectly. Yes, load range E. My truck door sticker says 50psi front and 80 back. It definately does not feel as solid as when I had the old Cooper tires on it.

Maybe it is wiggle then and not sway.

[Mad Cow]

Also part of the issue is relying totally on the pickup to make the judgement call on a shift. By the time it figures it needs to drop a gear on the grade, there has already been some loss of momentum and the fight is on. One needs to be a little proactive in their driving to make up for weaknesses in the system. You have to be smarter than the vehicle you are driving.

On a tough grade, the smart approach is to force a downshift right when you engage the grade so that RPM's are up into the working band of the 6.0 with no loss of momentum going into the hill. Maybe even increasing speed a little and building momentum for the hill. I realize that the average person has not really been taught this or thought in those terms, but it is a common approach used by those of us in commercial trucking. It does require paying attention to the geography of the the road further than 1 or 2 vehicle lengths in front of you.

The diesel is such that it is more forgiving of driver error than the 6.0 is. The 6.0 just requires a driver to stay focused and on his game. Then everything works just fine.

As a side note, while I dearly love Michelins on my heavy commercial trucks, I found I was inventing new swear words about them on my 2500. It came stock with Michelins. I got rid of those things early in the game.

[Big1]

Originally Posted by Mad Cow

Also part of the issue is relying totally on the pickup to make the judgement call on a shift. By the time it figures it needs to drop a gear on the grade, there has already been some loss of momentum and the fight is on. One needs to be a little proactive in their driving to make up for weaknesses in the system. You have to be smarter than the vehicle you are driving.

On a tough grade, the smart approach is to force a downshift right when you engage the grade so that RPM's are up into the working band of the 6.0 with no loss of momentum going into the hill. Maybe even increasing speed a little and building momentum for the hill. I realize that the average person has not really been taught this or thought in those terms, but it is a common approach used by those of us in commercial trucking. It does require paying attention to the geography of the the road further than 1 or 2 vehicle lengths in front of you.

The diesel is such that it is more forgiving of driver error than the 6.0 is. The 6.0 just requires a driver to stay focused and on his game. Then everything works just fine.

As a side note, while I dearly love Michelins on my heavy commercial trucks, I found I was inventing new swear words about them on my 2500. It came stock with Michelins. I got rid of those things early in the game.

You didn't like the Michelins which one did you have?

[Mad Cow]

The LTX AT2 variety. Load Range E

[33 RLDS]

That's why I like my old big block 8.1L as it rarely sees anything higher that 4K rpms. Its no diesel but with nearly 500 ft lbs of torque it don't struggle like my little 5.3 did.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Mad Cow

As a side note, while I dearly love Michelins on my heavy commercial trucks, I found I was inventing new swear words about them on my 2500. It came stock with Michelins. I got rid of those things early in the game.

X2. I was once a faithful Michelin buyer. Had them on everything I owned. The last 3 sets of light truck tires I purchased, 2 sets of LTX AT'S and one set of MS2's were so bad that switched to other brands now and will not look back. It's a shame, they used to make such a good product.

[Mad Cow]

The BFG line is still pretty good. And that is a branch of Michelin. Would seem that for the light truck market, Michelin is handing off to it's BFG line. On the heavy truck scene, Michelin is still king of the hill. They put a lot of R&D candle power into the heavy truck tires. I am using the BFG KO2's on my 2500 and they work really well. Some might not need that kind of tire, but I live on rural gravel roads in the upper Midwest that can be a challenge sometimes with the weather. And my 2500 has to do a lot more than pull a trailer, including some off road work on the property and some occasional snow plow work. On highway, the KO2's are much smoother riding than the LTX tires were, and they corner, brake, and handle much better also. The LTX's might have had a slight edge on fuel economy... maybe a couple of tenths. But not enough to make up for their shortcomings.

[bdreinv]

My Ram 06 3500 dully has 160000 miles bought new, has need the ECM replaced and two powering steering hoses this year.We change our own oil and filter. Takes 3 gallons and is a pretty messy job! Cummings motor is definitely heavy duty! Thanks

[Mad Cow]

You would get a kick out of helping me change the oil in my 12.7L Detroit. 10 gallons of oil and two 4.5”x10.5” oil filters. That is done about 5-6 times a year by just me.

Seriously though, you ought to consider something I use on everything from my Cadillac, pickup, on up to my heavy truck.... Fumoto drain valve in place of the stock drain plug. Also had one on my previous 15L Cummins and Jeep Liberty 2.8L diesel. Those valves make oil changes a lot easier and reduce the mess.