Engine recommendations for cold climate

[fleanoodle]

Hate to do another engine question, but I can’t seem to find any previous posts about reliability in cold weather. Looking to build a camper truck for hunting and week long trips. Looking at something used in the $40k range. 3/4 or 1 ton. Would love a diesel, but thinking gasser would be better since there won’t be much towing and will be running 33 or 35s at most. Live in North Dakota and will be cold starting around 0 degree f. Any recommendations? Seems like a lot of guys just recommend to leave them run if they can’t be plugged in overnight. And to skip camping if it’s going to be crazy cold.

 

[carterd]

A gas engine and install a hydronic heater with engine loop to allow engine pre-heating.

 

[Tudor Tanase]

I always admired the Swiss for practicality: with their snowy and mountainous country their army seemed to favour gas engines and auto transmissions.

 

[NoDak]

Fellow North Dakotan here. I run a gas engine in my Super Duty and it idles a lot at work. Our work trucks that were diesel always has issues from long idle times. Granted those were early dpf/def trucks so I have no idea if manufacturers have fixed those issues but since we switched to Ford and Ram gassers we’ve had zero issues with our trucks even last weeks in -20 and colder.

 

[fleanoodle]

Fellow North Dakotan here. I run a gas engine in my Super Duty and it idles a lot at work. Our work trucks that were diesel always has issues from long idle times. Granted those were early dpf/def trucks so I have no idea if manufacturers have fixed those issues but since we switched to Ford and Ram gassers we’ve had zero issues with our trucks even last weeks in -20 and colder.

Yeah, I think gassers are the way to go. Give up on the fuel economy/range/power of diesel for the reliability. It won't be my daily anyway. Do you prefer the Rams or Fords more? I've always read about ram/dodge being the worst for reliability but not sure if that applies to their HD trucks.

 

[p nut]

Gas. Either ford and ram would be fine. Chevy is good, too.

 

[NoDak]

Yeah, I think gassers are the way to go. Give up on the fuel economy/range/power of diesel for the reliability. It won't be my daily anyway. Do you prefer the Rams or Fords more? I've always read about ram/dodge being the worst for reliability but not sure if that applies to their HD trucks.

It’s a tough one but I prefer the Fords a bit more overall. The Super Duty’s feel more solid. Last night I was running our Ram 3500 with the 6.4 and I do like that truck a lot as well. No experience with the newer Chevy trucks.

Edit: As for reliability the couple of super duty’s I’ve had recent experience with one with 170,000 miles and one with just over 30,000 miles both zero issues. The Ram we have had for almost 4 years has had no issues but only has about 9500 miles on it.

 

[2025 deleted member]

I always admired the Swiss for practicality: with their snowy and mountainous country their army seemed to favour gas engines and auto transmissions.

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I can’t think of anything practical about running an ex-mil g wagon in the middle of the dakotas. His answer is a domestic 3/4 ton gasser- pick your flavor.

 

[p nut]

…The Ram we have had for almost 4 years has had no issues but only has about 9500 miles on it.

You only drive it 2,500 miles per year?