Who's got a new truck ?

[butchlambert]

You are lucky! The gasser I mentioned is an alternative for towing and not a challenge to a diesel. My septic guy has a 2001 Dodge with 420k trouble free miles. But that dont mean every one of duramax or cummins power will last that long without having some costly repairs. Diesels cost alot to repair and parts are expensive. You can get about all parts aftermarket for the 8.1L at any napa store and any shade tree mechanic can do the work for you. You can also run it on cheap gasoline. Where I am camping in South Arizona right now, I have seen gas for 2.75 and the diesel I am buying is 3.90. Makes the gas vs diesel mpg comparison interesting if you can figure out the math!

Modern emissions have killed new light truck efficiency and reliability imo, unless you live is a place like I do where it is legal to strip off all that stuff so you are not feeding it its own excrement.

When I bought my 2002 Duramax, diesel was cheaper and better fuel mileage. I put the majority of the miles on it going to BR matches. It paid for the difference in the engine pretty quick. My neighbor across the road puts a lot of miles on a vehicle, 75,000 a year. He decided a couple years ago to buy a 6.2 gas truck instead of another Duramax. He just bought another Duramax. I've heard that Texas is foregoing emission testing in 2025. Where I live in Texas they do no emission testing. I don't alter my vehicles though. Diesel repair expense? I don't know as my shop does no diesel engine or diesel injection work.
I have replaced the injectors once, 1 brake job at 275,000 miles, an alternator, and waterpump. Cheapest vehicle that I've ever owned. It normally is used only once a week or two for a dump run at my car shop at about 75 miles a week. I use a 2009 Toyota Corolla daily that a customer gave me with a blown head gasket. It now has over 320,000 miles on it. I just bought a 09 Prius with a couple bad cells in the big battery. You can buy them individually at Ebay or Amazon. It is a very clean vehicle and should give me about 50MPG. Yeah it is butt ugly, but driving it about 450 miles a week will save me a bunch of money. I will have about a grand in it when I get it on the road in the next week or two.

 

[DiffEQ]

Daddy always said he'd rather have a sister in a ''brothel'' than a damn Dodge

Dodge trucks from the 70's were a glimpse of what hell might be like - ballast resistor, thermal choke, plug wires, carbon tracking in the distributor. Like my MG's, you had to tinker with them every weekend. Every cold morning was the question, "will the truck start today?"

 

[jxb]

Back in the day, we just had to use the "share the dog" method of staying warm.
A couple of times I actually froze to death. -- but when the coyotes started howling in the morning, I snapped out of it. jd

Yeah this is where insulated coveralls shine, I just left them in the truck all winter with gloves and hats. Add a good pair of felt packs and you're all set for most anything. Way cheaper than heated seats, you are the battery, and work outside the vehicle too.

 

[Steve Donlon]

When I bought my 2002 Duramax, diesel was cheaper and better fuel mileage. I put the majority of the miles on it going to BR matches. It paid for the difference in the engine pretty quick. My neighbor across the road puts a lot of miles on a vehicle, 75,000 a year. He decided a couple years ago to buy a 6.2 gas truck instead of another Duramax. He just bought another Duramax. I've heard that Texas is foregoing emission testing in 2025. Where I live in Texas they do no emission testing. I don't alter my vehicles though. Diesel repair expense? I don't know as my shop does no diesel engine or diesel injection work.
I have replaced the injectors once, 1 brake job at 275,000 miles, an alternator, and waterpump. Cheapest vehicle that I've ever owned. It normally is used only once a week or two for a dump run at my car shop at about 75 miles a week. I use a 2009 Toyota Corolla daily that a customer gave me with a blown head gasket. It now has over 320,000 miles on it. I just bought a 09 Prius with a couple bad cells in the big battery. You can buy them individually at Ebay or Amazon. It is a very clean vehicle and should give me about 50MPG. Yeah it is butt ugly, but driving it about 450 miles a week will save me a bunch of money. I will have about a grand in it when I get it on the road in the next week or two.

I don't think the newer Duramax engines are like that one. The same time period Dodge Cummings engines are really good too. Where I live, no one will even work on a newer Duramax engine. The Chevy dealer won't stock them.

 

[butchlambert]

I don't think the newer Duramax engines are like that one. The same time period Dodge Cummings engines are really good too. Where I live, no one will even work on a newer Duramax engine. The Chevy dealer won't stock them.

Steve, I can't speak for anybody's Duramax, only mine. The Cummings engines are great, but it powers a POS. I don't by a vehicle because of their engine.
Steve, If I were on the road doing hotshots I would buy a Cummings.

 

[Steve Donlon]

Steve, I can't speak for anybody's Duramax, only mine. The Cummings engines are great, but it powers a POS. I don't by a vehicle because of their engine.
Steve, If I were on the road doing hotshots I would buy a Cummings.

I'm not saying to buy one. I just have friends that have Dodge trucks built the same year as mine with the Cummings engine and those engines are the best Cummings engines. The rest of the truck is a work in progress.

 

[Downhill]

Steve, I can't speak for anybody's Duramax, only mine. The Cummings engines are great, but it powers a POS. I don't by a vehicle because of their engine.
Steve, If I were on the road doing hotshots I would buy a Cummings.

The only bad thing about a Cummins is that it comes in a Dodge.

 

[Tesoro]

One of those tests said they ran the engine at redline for 72 hours. I think by 2005 they had all the bugs out and had done all they could and still keep in compliant. It is easy to get way more power out of one. Living at altitude, I've thought about the supercharger upgrade. 2006 was the last year. Good luck finding one. Most people shy away because of the gas milage, but that's because of the gearing. If I keep it down to less than 2000 rpms, it's more like a small blocks' mpg. The 6 speed manual is the same trans in the heavy duty Dodge and Fords during those years from what I have read. Yes the Allison auto is bomb proof and really a better trans in most ways. Shifting the 6 speed manual is not for everyone. You have to pause in between shifts. Takes awhile to get used to. No speed shifts.

My mechanic friend re-geared his one and gets 16 on the road with lifted truck n big tires. If you got one and just wanted to pull a 7k camp trailer then change the gears because it has the torque. 4x4 is double cost but worth it in long run. A supercharger would be very nice!

The 8.1 I have in my 23ft motorhome is a unicorn. 99.5% came with gm 350 or ford v-10. I get 10-12mpg on 2 lane windy hilly rds where the v-10/350 would get 7, at best. Plus I dont slow down like the others do on the grades.

 

[Tesoro]

My Pennsylvania Yankee Son just bought a 2023 GMC 1500 AT4 with Cummins 3.0 inline 6 diesel. He says the Cummins is amazing with its 10sp auto and 2sp 4wd transfer case. He's a Bass Pro member. Towing that boat gives the Cummins a workout. He said it gets better mileage than his F250 Power ''SMOKE'' diesel

Its got 500lbs of torque. What kind of bass boat does he have that makes that engine grunt?!!

 

[HTSmith]

My Pennsylvania Yankee Son just bought a 2023 GMC 1500 AT4 with Cummins 3.0 inline 6 diesel. He says the Cummins is amazing with its 10sp auto and 2sp 4wd transfer case. He's a Bass Pro member. Towing that boat gives the Cummins a workout. He said it gets better mileage than his F250 Power ''SMOKE'' diesel

Its news to me that the 3.0 is a Cummins. Thought it was of Isuzu origin.

 

[pdhntr]

My Pennsylvania Yankee Son just bought a 2023 GMC 1500 AT4 with Cummins 3.0 inline 6 diesel. He says the Cummins is amazing with its 10sp auto and 2sp 4wd transfer case. He's a Bass Pro member. Towing that boat gives the Cummins a workout. He said it gets better mileage than his F250 Power ''SMOKE'' diesel

The diesel engine in a 2023 GM 1500 is not built by Cummins. It is called the Duramax, and was designed and is built by GM. The engine is unique in that it was designed from emissions forward so to speak, and develop its power at low RPMs. In proper use, it has a very short regen period. It started in 2019 with the LM2, and two years ago the LZ0 became the standard diesel in the GM 1500. I have a 2023 with the LZ0 and the fuel mileage is incredible.

The first 6.6 liter Duramax had 520 ft/pds of torque, my 3.0 LZ0 has 495.

Its news to me that the 3.0 is a Cummins. Thought it was of Isuzu origin.

Isuzu is involved with GM on the 6.6 liter Duramax. Isuzu has nothing to do with the LM2/LZ0 3.0 liter Duramax engine.

Jim

 

[DiffEQ]

What do you consider incredible for fuel mileage?
Does yours have the towing package with the 3.7 rear end and two speed differential?

The diesel engine in a 2023 GM 1500 is not built by Cummins. It is called the Duramax, and was designed and is built by GM. The engine is unique in that it was designed from emissions forward so to speak, and develop its power at low RPMs. In proper use, it has a very short regen period. It started in 2019 with the LM2, and two years ago the LZ0 became the standard diesel in the GM 1500. I have a 2023 with the LZ0 and the fuel mileage is incredible.

The first 6.6 liter Duramax had 520 ft/pds of torque, my 3.0 LZ0 has 495.

Isuzu is involved with GM on the 6.6 liter Duramax. Isuzu has nothing to do with the LM2/LZ0 3.0 liter Duramax engine.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I was a mechanic for 15 years, worked at GM dealers. Mostly engine and electrical including deisels. But did pretty much everything. Have always been a Chevy guy. Thier designs just make more sence to me. When they put the def on the deisels they took the most reliable engine and made it the least. The emisions on new diesels are a nightmare and many times you cant fix them. The engineers dont even know how to. Still talk to my buddy who took over my job when I left to do the gun work daily and its no better. I guess the new 10 speeds are junk too. Hes seeing a ton of them in the shop. I wouldnt buy a deisel unless you need it to make money or you will trade it in after the warrenty is up. When it goes down and it will, its not cheap.

 

[CaptainMal]

I was a mechanic for 15 years, worked at GM dealers. Mostly engine and electrical including deisels. But did pretty much everything. Have always been a Chevy guy. Thier designs just make more sence to me. When they put the def on the deisels they took the most reliable engine and made it the least. The emisions on new diesels are a nightmare and many times you cant fix them. The engineers dont even know how to. Still talk to my buddy who took over my job when I left to do the gun work daily and its no better. I guess the new 10 speeds are junk too. Hes seeing a ton of them in the shop. I wouldnt buy a deisel unless you need it to make money or you will trade it in after the warrenty is up. When it goes down and it will, its not cheap.

That's the major reason I had my 2019 Cummins fully deleted. Now it runs like my diesels of "old".

 

[L.Sherm]

That's the major reason I had my 2019 Cummins fully deleted. Now it runs like my diesels of "old".

I've thought long and hard about deleting my 2018 Duramax but decided not to because if you ever get rid of it its gonna have to be a private sale and if a state has emissions it ain't flying.
I hate the Def system on diesels thats what happens when the gov. gets involved though.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

A delete and extra fuel fiter. The holes are so small in the injectors now they cant handle any contamination in the fuel. I remember replacing all 8 injectors in a duramax with 2000 miles on it because he got some dirty fuel.

 

[butchlambert]

The only bad thing about a Cummins is that it comes in a Dodge.

Doesn't it come in the Nissan PU?

 

[kindabitey]

Doesn't it come in the Nissan PU?

That was a 5.0 V8 Cummins. They quit offering it in 2019 or thereabout.

 

[Tesoro]

I was a mechanic for 15 years, worked at GM dealers. Mostly engine and electrical including deisels. But did pretty much everything. Have always been a Chevy guy. Thier designs just make more sence to me. When they put the def on the deisels they took the most reliable engine and made it the least. The emisions on new diesels are a nightmare and many times you cant fix them. The engineers dont even know how to. Still talk to my buddy who took over my job when I left to do the gun work daily and its no better. I guess the new 10 speeds are junk too. Hes seeing a ton of them in the shop. I wouldnt buy a deisel unless you need it to make money or you will trade it in after the warrenty is up. When it goes down and it will, its not cheap.

I am rv'ing in Az right now and a fellow pulled into the same park I was at and came over to check out my 2014 Ram 1500 diesel. He had one of those 2022 'duramax' 1500's. He knew vehicles and owned a dealership. He told me this engine comes out of a flatnose small delivery truck, where cab tilts forward to access engine. Therefore the engine is backwards in the GM 1500 and have to drop the engine down and backwards to work on it. his had 30k miles and he used it to tow a 21 ft trailer = burns exactly a quart of oil every 1000 miles. He said he got great milage with it.

My Ram ( emissions stripped and tuned) has 480lbs torque, I dont have towing gears but still pull 8k lbs easy. 13.9 mpg on last 1100 mile leg. I do the steep long grades at 45-50mph. Cruise 60-65 comfortably at 2300 rpm. I have oversize heavy E tires which suck a mpg or two and some power. Empty I get 28 on country roads and sometime close to 30. My wife has a 2016 Grand Cherokee same power plant. It is a heavy suv and she gets 32-34 on trips 72 mph. It is also tuned with an egr delete. I wouldnt own a diesel if I couldnt get rid of the emissions. The diesel milages would be much nicer if the fuel wasnt so damm expensive!

 

[Tesoro]

Doesn't it come in the Nissan PU?

The ugliest pickup ever made, inside and out! shame.