I have an 04 1500 4wd with the hemi. I recently upgraded to a fifth wheel trailer. I'm still 1000lbs. under the towing max. but am thinking of upgrading to a 2500 diesel ram between 04 & 06. What are some of the +/- of diesel over gas? I live in upstate NY.

Thanks!

 

lets start with the negatives.

diesel fuel costs more than gasoline which I find absurd because diesel for the last 80 years used to be cheaper than gasoline and is the cheapest fuel to refine.

when something on the motor breaks, it usually costs more to fix.

not as many diesel stations as gas stations.

summer fuel will gel in winter time...

truck is a lot heavier as diesel engines are iron blocks and iron heads, ginormous connecting rods and pistons that absolutely dwarf the gasoline rods and pistons.


pros:

far more powerful than gasoline engines
ridiculously easy to more than double the factory power on a diesel
built 10x stronger than a gas motor
lasts 10x longer than a gas motor
far less maintenance than a gas motor
more energy per gallon in diesel fuel than in gasoline.
more fuel efficient because of the above.
better towing, better cooling system, harder to lug because of being turbocharged.

when you lug a gasoline motor you HAVE to downshift...

when you lug a diesel, just give it more throttle, that turbo will spool harder and make even more power at the same rpm and just muscle through the lugging...

 

Jigabop is 100% on target as usual.


Here are some thoughts to ponder.


>Diesels love to run (heat up and haul).
>Mine is DD
>Gassers I only use to jockey trailers, get the mail, run real short trips, work on farm
>Diesels haul more than just toys (options)
>Diesels will hook you for life
> I love the 5.9's (diesels or gas)
> I do not live in an emissions State
>Jigabop could probably talk to 06 & up with EFI
>Needs based, heck if you just wanted a diesel you'd never turn back other than stated
>Cummins rocks
>My 2500 just hauled home a nice 4x4 Ram gasser right at 10k, trailer and all with MPG equal to my in town MPG for no load on my current gasser, or slightly less.


I still love my 4x4 gasser. It's just not my DD or full time hauler. Diesels are something to behold.


K.

 

I was chatting with a guy about diesel trucks, he said the Cummins is a good diesel engine but Dodge puts cheap transmissions behind them and they don't last very long. Any comments about this?

 

true to a point...

the older dodge automatics were garbage

(47rh, 47re, 48re)

the new aisin automatics are very stout and handle a lot of abuse. they are actually holding up to programmers with no building of the trans what so ever and their 2013 HO is putting 385hp 850tq through that automatic.


for the older trucks, manual transmission is the way to go...

the manuals are pretty tough.