GB_Willys_2014
Well-known member
Apparently coming in Q3 2020.
Diesel Gladiator
- Thread starter GB_Willys_2014
- Start date
Bushmaster5K
New member
You can order one from the dealer now. 2021 order guide is available, Gobi & Gator colors are not available for the 2021 models yet.
Chorky
Observer
I'd like to know how this turns out. I've heard lots of pros and cons from various reviews. I must say the DEF fluid thing really sucks... My dad has a 3500 cummins 2018 and every time I drive it it irks me theres an additional fluid need - added weight and complications in place of ability for a larger fuel tank. But it would be nice to see what the power/towing/mpg comparison will be, and if the diesel will make a big improvement, or marginal. The idea is awesome! But I'm concerned that with added governmental restrictions, the end result will be poor... Hope I'm wrong!!!!! But, I must say the more I read about the Gladiator, the more and more interested I am in selling my rebuilt truck for one - and I always knock new vehicles....
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shays4me
Willing Wanderer
I test drove the diesel JL and I must say it was a torque monster and put a big smile on my face! I have to agree with you on the tier 4 engine though... I only wish they would have had a simple factory diesel for the JK US market that didn't require all of the complicated emissions equipment. I read that 80% of that engine is new this year so I think I will be waiting a few and see how things turn out. I had a tier 4 cummins Ram that has kind of soured me on the whole diesel thing!
Chorky
Observer
I agree on the emissions... it adds so much complexity and I wonder how much that stuff will hold up to bumping around off highway, let alone off road. Diesels these days are way more complicated than gas, which it's supposed to be the other way around. But I suppose the extra torque may make it worth it? although I wonder what the fuel capacity will be considering the need for the extra liquid. I didn't realize the engine was going to be so new...figured it might have been just a transplant from other existing vehicles with the ecodiesel.... How did it compare to the gas option though? Granted a JK is smaller/lighter...
This is always the complaint with modern diesels, right? The emissions BS. But it needs to be said, they've been making these systems for how long now? It's not going away, we all know that. The manufacturers know that. It's obviously getting more reliable with each iteration like anything else, but it's really up to the OEMs to make it that way. I love cars/motorcycles/ anything with a motor, dirty diesels ruin our hobby. No one likes to see a truck spewing black smoke while in traffic. Same as you can now sit in traffic among a bunch of gasoline cars without choking to death. I hate the extra stuff as much as anyone, but i love to see how clean the trucks are running these days and the fact we can still have diesels around.
shays4me
Willing Wanderer
Well, instead of reving my gas engine to go all of the diesels torque is off idle. It felt very confident. When I stepped down on the gas it felt as if it was ready to break loose at any second. I suspect the traction control system will cause premature brake pad wear on the rear end for throttle happy owners! The instant mileage gauge was very gratifying as well when I watched it go up the thirty mpg cruising down the road, even if I know they're lying a little. If I feel the emissions technology has gotten to a point where it is reliable i'll definitely be looking into adding a diesel gladiator to our driveway. I had a bad experience with the last diesel emission system and learned a lesson on that one so I'm a little gun shy. I could have done the emission delete like so many others but I really didn't like taking the chance and I appreciate clean air. In my experience tier 4 diesels seem to run better if you're pulling stuff down the road, and not so much if you're just driving it a few miles to work.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
Most of the emissions controls on diesels are to get them up to operating temp asap, thats when they pollute the most.. If you short trip in a direct injection diesel the duty load on the emissions gear goes way the hell up.. Say you got a 10min commute, well if its cold it takes over 10mins to get warm.. so your commute is running all that stuff at 100% duty cycle, DPF gonna never regenerate, EGR gonna clog up intake, and the engine is gonna have major faults in 10k miles or less if you keep it up... Now if you commute 30mins, most of that emissions crap gets cut down to 1/3rd duty cycle, and you have plenty of time for DPF regens to complete.
Modern Diesels are for those who drive em at least 30mins on average, if thats something you cannot do more often than not.. then go buy a gasser.
I'm glad someone is still making diesel SUV's here, but its gonna take alot more than that to get me into a Fiat.. but I'll take this as a good omen after so many diesels got pulled outta north america.
2Jeeps&PatriotX1
Active member
We had the ecodiesel in our 2015 GC and it was a beast and loved it. I would just use a truck stop and fill up the DEF for much less than buying jugs. Then at 50k miles a plastic turbo elbow fitting blew and had to get it towed to our local dealership. Things went downhill from there after the service dept botched the job and after 1.5weeks of having it, returned it to us and wife calls me as I’m following her home and driving less than a mile, I tell her to pull into a parking lot. Get out of my jeep and didn’t even need to pop the hood, I could smell the diesel and knew what they forgot to do. Went ahead and popped the hood, idiot forgot to tighten 2 clamps on the fuel lines and it dumped diesel throughout the engine bay and her air vents sucked the fumes into the jeep and wreaked.
Needless to say, went back to the dealership and got into it with the Service Mgr and GM as they were pointing blame on my wife? Since they weren’t willing to do anything about it and I was definitely not having them touch it again, she traded it in the following day at a competitor jeep dealership for a new ‘18 GC trailhawk but with the 3.6.
All I can say is, the 3.6 is awful towing here in CO at higher elevations. Which is why we’re always taking my f150. We would have went with another diesel but they didn’t have a trailhawk locally in white.
Im seriously considering ordering a 2021 JTR with the diesel for myself since she’s eyeing one of those new 4doors that was unveiled last week (I wont mention the name
Needless to say, went back to the dealership and got into it with the Service Mgr and GM as they were pointing blame on my wife? Since they weren’t willing to do anything about it and I was definitely not having them touch it again, she traded it in the following day at a competitor jeep dealership for a new ‘18 GC trailhawk but with the 3.6.
All I can say is, the 3.6 is awful towing here in CO at higher elevations. Which is why we’re always taking my f150. We would have went with another diesel but they didn’t have a trailhawk locally in white.
Im seriously considering ordering a 2021 JTR with the diesel for myself since she’s eyeing one of those new 4doors that was unveiled last week (I wont mention the name
dreadlocks
Well-known member
Thats something to consider, a brand that dont typically push diesels isn't gonna have much experience working on em.. finding a competent dealer is also a big part of the equation, the dealer I had all my warranty work done on sold a ton of diesels and works on em all the time.. I had my entire engine removed with zero consequences, I also hadda wait a few weeks longer for em to get the engine table out from under another diesel they were working on.. but it'd of been oh so easy to take it to a dealer that rarely saw em and woulda botched the whole job.. someone else had same issue as me across the country and was asking for advice, turns out his local dealer sold off its engine table years ago because they hadent seen any of em in so long.. told him to find another dealer, even if he hadda take a trip.
Chorky
Observer
I do like the idea of good mileage, with cheaper gas - although the DEF fluid (I actually calculated it out the other day) makes a near zero difference between diesel and gas. Thanks for sharing your experinece, at least with the 4-door. Like you, after seeing my dad's '19 3500 and all the extra emissions stuff, its a little uneasy.
I definitely see this as the biggest struggle with Jeep. They just dont have any experience in diesel, unless its a dodge dealer. Certainly this will no doubt cause problems especially if any sort of non dealer repair voids a warranty, but considering the possibility that a dealer will cause a major screw up and then deny the problem. It could be a risky chance depending on ones location.
it dumped diesel throughout the engine bay and her air vents sucked the fumes into the jeep and wreaked.
Needless to say, went back to the dealership and got into it with the Service Mgr and GM as they were pointing blame on my wife? Since they weren’t willing to do anything about it and I was definitely not having them touch it again, she traded it in the following day at a competitor jeep dealership for a new ‘18 GC trailhawk but with the 3.6.
All I can say is, the 3.6 is awful towing here in CO at higher elevations. Which is why we’re always taking my f150. We would have went with another diesel but they didn’t have a trailhawk locally in white.
Im seriously considering ordering a 2021 JTR with the diesel for myself since she’s eyeing one of those new 4doors that was unveiled last week (I wont mention the name
Wait your wife wrecked it from the fuel leak and the dealer didnt do anything? Maybe I misunderstand..but that smells like a lawsuit to me.... Good to know the 3.6 sucks... I have not driven any jeep newer than '06, well once took a 2010 for a spin and it was pretty terrible.
Regcabguy
Oil eater.
The DEF yields way better fuel economy and the cleanest tailpipe I've ever seen on an internal combustion engine.
2Jeeps&PatriotX1
Active member
No she didn’t wreck it. We got less than a mile down the road and pulled into the parking lot with diesel all over the engine and the entire cabin smelled of diesel. The dealer tried putting blame on my wife and that it wasn’t their tech who was at fault. This was a $1800 repair to begin with and they wouldn’t admit fault and stated it wasnt their problem and we’d have to book another appt leaving the jeep there and we’d be charged for their diagnose time and whatever fix is necessary for the engine and to remove the diesel smell in the cab. I had never seen my wife lose her **** like she did that day with the Service Mgr and especially the GM in his office.
My wife didnt even know where the battery was in the GC (its under the passenger seat BTW) so how or why the heck was she going to tamper with the fuel line hoses? We had at that time and still have 2 jeeps and will drive 25 miles past that dealership to purchase the new trailhawk she has now, for any service or warranty work and my potential JTR diesel. So they lost out on 2 jeep purchases, 2 jeeps to service and 3 jeeps who need factory parts at times.
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