Ford f550 vs Dodge 5500 for expedition vehicle
- Thread starter dfs9
- Start date
Eagle05
Adventurer
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
Do you think we pull the cab to change the starter, alternator, oil change, or to refill the window washer fluid?
Minor stuff doesn't require the cab going up.
deserteagle56
Adventurer
A gas-powered F350 gets 20-23 mpg???
locrwln
Expedition Leader
I bolded the part where he said their GAS F350 gets similar mpg to the DIESEL F550. Which I have to question as well. Are they driving both trucks at 45 mph on smooth flat roads?
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Jack
Bankster5.7
New member
Shoot, sorry guys. Brain fart and having some weird issues with this forum, can't seem to edit the post.
I meant those in L/100km. About 20-23 L/100km, so equivalent to about 10-11mpg.
I meant those in L/100km. About 20-23 L/100km, so equivalent to about 10-11mpg.
chet6.7
Explorer
I figured that was it,otherwise, I wanted to get some of that Canadian fuel.
Bankster5.7
New member
I figured that was it,otherwise, I wanted to get some of that Canadian fuel.
Ha, no you don't. Regular gas works out to be about 5.30/gallon right now where we are. My brother just filled his car with 94 this weekend in Vancouver at about 6.45/gallon. 😁
dfs9
Member
Nope, called him about a year ago and he sold it for 120,000.
Gearing is HUGE for mpg. I have also found that MPG varies greatly from person to person even with the same model of vehicle. We get 8-10 mpg with our 2008' G-56 manual, Hemi Power Wagon. Empty or towing our camper, we get the same. The OH computer is dead on accurate. It has 4.56's. New PW owners are getting 17-18 mpg. They have a 6.4L Hemi vs our 5.7L, & 4.10's vs our 4.56's. Plus they are now all auto transmissions only. I think the 5500 series do have low gears, like 4.88's or so.
A few things:
- Modern diesels start relatively easily in cold weather. The grid heater on the Cummins 6.7l is especially effective, even at sub zero temperatures. The glow-plugs used on other engines are much more reliable and robust as well. If the weather is cold enough that you need to plug in your diesel for start-up's, you should realistically be plugging in your gasoline engine as well.
- Modern diesels are much quieter than their predecessors. Gasoline engines might be a little quieter, but I have driven more than a few newer diesels, and I don't find the noise and vibrations to be any worse than a gasoline-equivalent truck.
- The SCR, which uses DEF, doesn't rob any power from diesel engine, or if it does its negligible to the point where you aren't going to notice it. The DPF and EGR may dull the engine response somewhat, but there is emissions-compliant tuning that can take care of that issue if it really bothers an owner.
- Is the supercharger for the Hemi an OEM option, or is an aftermarket one? Because if it's the latter, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole, at least when considering an overland vehicle.
- Fuel range does matter to some in North America. There are plenty of places in Canada where having an extra 100-200 miles of range can make a big difference for would-be travelers.
Using your example above and assuming a .40 cent spread between 87 octane and diesel (which is being generous), the difference in fuel costs is ~$10k. The added maintenance costs associated with diesels (to include DEF consumption) accounts for maybe an extra $150 (if that) per year. The fuel prices routinely fluctuate; it wasn't that long ago that diesel was only .10-.20 cents higher than 87 octane (at least in my area), in which case the diesel enjoys an even stronger advantage when it comes to fuel costs.
Yep, diesel fuel will gel. But with modern cold-start systems (glow-plugs, grid heaters), cold-starts really aren't much of an issue. I suppose if we're talking doing regular coldstart's (block heater unplugged) at -30F on a daily basis, you might have some issues, but then again a gasser isn't going to be faring all that much better at those temperatures if left unplugged. For the occasional trip into an extremely cold climate, check your batteries (that's relevant to either engine type) and you should be good to go.
I wasn't disputing the difference in engine responsiveness between a gasser and diesel. I was pointing out that a SCR (which uses DEF) has little impact on engine performance. The DPF and EGR may dull engine response somewhat, but, like I said earlier, there is emissions-compliant tuning available on the aftermarket which can remedy that. The SCR is a passive system and has little to no impact on engine performance or efficiency; that is well-known within the diesel tuning community. You might need to read up on the different emissions systems, because it sounds like you were conflating DPF with SCR/DEF.
Turbo's don't fail all that often on the newer diesels, and the ones that do fail are usually from high-horsepower tuning. The OEM's have made upgrades and improvements over the years. And even when an OEM turbo fails, on either a gasser or a diesel, the engine will often still work and allow you to drive home, albeit slowly.
When a supercharger fails on an engine, especially one that wasn't originally designed for forced induction, you're likely to be up s#%t creek without a paddle. For that reason, I will take an OEM-designed forced induction system (whether it be supercharger or turbo) over an aftermarket-designed one any day of the week. That's not even a fair comparison; the OEM's have R&D capabilities and resources that far surpass what any aftermarket company is capable of.
A 500-600 mile range is ideal for remote travels in North America. Some gasoline trucks will get you that far; others won't, at least not without a few extra jerry cans. It's something worth considering when comparing different vehicles.
I think a lot of people cling to outdated or inaccurate perceptions when it comes to diesel. I have no problem admitting that they have inherent pitfalls, the main one being complexity. But I do see people exaggerate problems associated with diesel ownership; I'm merely offering some counterpoints.
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