Next Question: Diesel vs. Gas F350
- Thread starter mrfoamy
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Explorerinil
Observer
Wait until 2020 for the. New superduty with the 7.3 gas option.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
Personally, I'd likely recommend the 6.2L over the 7.3L for most people, still. I'm only towing <6000# right now with my personal truck.
But it's going to be a beast of an engine. The only people that'll hate it is the old farts that can't take their eyes off of the RPM gauge. Old habits I guess, but 6000rpm isn't jack in the 21st century. It's going to be a square, or over square engine, that rev's.
But it's going to be a beast of an engine. The only people that'll hate it is the old farts that can't take their eyes off of the RPM gauge. Old habits I guess, but 6000rpm isn't jack in the 21st century. It's going to be a square, or over square engine, that rev's.
Buliwyf,
I did some research and discovered what a good gas engine the 6.2 is, so you got me to thinking. While I normally would go with low gears and a diesel, a 3.73 or 4.30 rear might make gas more pleasant in the mountains. I would previously have dismissed that because in my youth the 4.10 rear ends made the V-8’s rev noisily (back in the 60’s). I have not driven a high ratio rear since then.
These days the overdriven transmissions probably eliminate that irritating problem. I may test drive one soon. I’m unlikely to go with tires that will change the ratio significantly, so do you know what rev’s the engine would do at 70mph with those differentials? I would prefer to stay at 2,000 or below. I might even consider slowing down a bit.
Maybe next year I could buy a 7.3 tow vehicle for my business, dually. While the diesel has mountains of torque, I would prefer gas, all things considered. So both gas engines interest me.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
I did some research and discovered what a good gas engine the 6.2 is, so you got me to thinking. While I normally would go with low gears and a diesel, a 3.73 or 4.30 rear might make gas more pleasant in the mountains. I would previously have dismissed that because in my youth the 4.10 rear ends made the V-8’s rev noisily (back in the 60’s). I have not driven a high ratio rear since then.
These days the overdriven transmissions probably eliminate that irritating problem. I may test drive one soon. I’m unlikely to go with tires that will change the ratio significantly, so do you know what rev’s the engine would do at 70mph with those differentials? I would prefer to stay at 2,000 or below. I might even consider slowing down a bit.
Maybe next year I could buy a 7.3 tow vehicle for my business, dually. While the diesel has mountains of torque, I would prefer gas, all things considered. So both gas engines interest me.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
Rev's will be low with both gear sets. 5th and 6th are both overdrive. Expect 6th to be gone when towing, so turn off 6th gear by using the - button on the stalk during your test drive.
My goal is to tow in 5th around 2300-2500. With 4th being over 3000. I'll need 4.56 or 4.88 for that with 35 or 37" tires.
Forget about engine noise. The newest 6.2's have a dozen cats and a huge muffler. Even my XL has the diesels sound insulation. Truck is electric sounding. The 14-15 regular cab models had as nice growl. That's gone. I'm actually disappointed in myself that I like that silence..... Then again, the Ducati requires ear plugs, even with a full face helmet.
Any decent combo should be fine, get as much gear as you can. I couldn't find a 4.30 truck. But I'm getting bigger tires, so that's not enough gear anyways. You can just set the cruise anywhere on the east coast in tow/haul mode when towing 10 000# or less.
I'm changing my oil every 3000, rotating every 5000.
My goal is to tow in 5th around 2300-2500. With 4th being over 3000. I'll need 4.56 or 4.88 for that with 35 or 37" tires.
Forget about engine noise. The newest 6.2's have a dozen cats and a huge muffler. Even my XL has the diesels sound insulation. Truck is electric sounding. The 14-15 regular cab models had as nice growl. That's gone. I'm actually disappointed in myself that I like that silence..... Then again, the Ducati requires ear plugs, even with a full face helmet.
Any decent combo should be fine, get as much gear as you can. I couldn't find a 4.30 truck. But I'm getting bigger tires, so that's not enough gear anyways. You can just set the cruise anywhere on the east coast in tow/haul mode when towing 10 000# or less.
I'm changing my oil every 3000, rotating every 5000.
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Buddha.
Finally in expo white.
I like it. I hope Chevy tries to compete and replaces the 6.0 in the hd trucks. It's a little slow towing 10k in the mountains.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
They still make the big block 8.8L. But the gm guys can't seem to get past the fact that it drinks 1qt of oil every 1000 miles. Just change the oil every 3000 and it's no big deal.
I think the fact that the 8.1 was so slow due to it's state of tune, kinda killed it with the momo crowd. Was a good engine.
I think the fact that the 8.1 was so slow due to it's state of tune, kinda killed it with the momo crowd. Was a good engine.
Here in Central PA, a number of the large natural gas companies, including Haliburton , have replaced their light duty diesel trucks with newer gas powered trucks. Halliburton is now using gas powered F350, extended - crew cab trucks with long beds, loaded with bumper auxiliary fuel tanks, and tool boxes. I know Halliburton's reasoning was decreased maintenance cost and the fact that for their use in this area, the cost benefit of diesel vs gas was negligible. None of the employees I've talked to complain about power or comfort, and they are living out of their trucks (sometimes literally) for two week stretches at a time.
OP, sounds to me that you could go either way. A 3500 lb trailer isn't much and almost all modern trucks can tow it without issues. A gas engine would work fine probably. With a diesel, you might find you have more towing capacity and you can get a larger camper or do more things in the future.
Lastly east of the Mississippi anyway, there is very little difference in the price of a few year old diesel with less than 80k miles. In that age and mileage range, there isn't much depreciation on diesel powered trucks. You could buy a diesel if you want and sell it private party for close to what you paid for it a year later and replace it with a gas engine model.
OP, sounds to me that you could go either way. A 3500 lb trailer isn't much and almost all modern trucks can tow it without issues. A gas engine would work fine probably. With a diesel, you might find you have more towing capacity and you can get a larger camper or do more things in the future.
Lastly east of the Mississippi anyway, there is very little difference in the price of a few year old diesel with less than 80k miles. In that age and mileage range, there isn't much depreciation on diesel powered trucks. You could buy a diesel if you want and sell it private party for close to what you paid for it a year later and replace it with a gas engine model.
IdaSHO
IDACAMPER
Good to see the Gas vs. Diesel debate refuses to die.
It is simple really.
Love spending money? Buy diesel.
Are you a cheap SOB? Buy gas.
That used to be the case.
Now days it is... Are you a FRUGAL SOB? Buy gasser.
Clutch
<---Pass
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
The gas guys get the last laugh when the diesels are on the side of the road in failure mode or worse.
Until they start making HPP's and injectors that can handle nasty wet diesel fuel, we're going to see more and more big gas engines coming back. I'm startled that consumers aren't insisting on it. We're not seeing as many failures in heavy semi trucks. Downtime and repairs cost more than gasoline, even if you're buying twice as much gasoline.
Until they start making HPP's and injectors that can handle nasty wet diesel fuel, we're going to see more and more big gas engines coming back. I'm startled that consumers aren't insisting on it. We're not seeing as many failures in heavy semi trucks. Downtime and repairs cost more than gasoline, even if you're buying twice as much gasoline.
SheepnJeep
Active member
Here is a lay-person's point of view on gas vs diesel. I have 3 vehicles. Jeep xj, Ford f100, jeep cj2a. I guess I like inline engines. Anyways besides the point, just saying I don't personally own a new pickup at all.
However, I have driven many 3/4 ton work vehicles in my day. At the forest service station I worked wildfire we had a V10 Ford and our sister station had a Diesel powered engine. Our engine was loaded to max GVWR what with water tanks etc. It was driven all over the area and taken on pretty big road trips to fires. It was very slow. Our sister station had the rocket powered diesel and they could haul with that thing like nobody's business. Until it was time for a service and or it broke down or they couldn't get DEF on a fire assignment or they killed the transmission. Our lowly V10 engine soldiered on through it all with maintainance performed by us idiots and never a hiccup.
Later in life I worked at a big landscaping outfit in Bozeman. The work trucks were all diesels except one. The diesels of various brands went through a slew of shop visits and roadside breakdowns and transmission blowups and on and on. The only truck left standing again was a v10 Ford.
The icing on the cake for me: Rented a f350 to tow a uhaul and Willys jeep from Minneapolis to Bozeman. Got 12 mpg verified by truck mileage, map mileage and Google milage. Did the same route towing another Willys driving the f100 (240 six cylinder) and netted 13 mpg. You tell me how a diesel truck towing 4,500 lbs gets worse milage than an ancient gasser pulling the same load. Sure, that was unscientific as there is no way to control all the variables. But in my mind a new diesel should haul a very small amount of its capacity without sucking down fuel like it is hauling max capacity.
In summary: I don't know anything about new trucks other than getting in and driving them. And every diesel has either broken or underperformed under the same conditions as a similar gas powered truck. You can tell me the facts and figures but based on years of my experiences I would buy a gasoline powered truck and live with driving slower if I had to. Just my .02 as I have read a lot of knowledgeable folks here throwing in some of the more technical aspects of it all.
However, I have driven many 3/4 ton work vehicles in my day. At the forest service station I worked wildfire we had a V10 Ford and our sister station had a Diesel powered engine. Our engine was loaded to max GVWR what with water tanks etc. It was driven all over the area and taken on pretty big road trips to fires. It was very slow. Our sister station had the rocket powered diesel and they could haul with that thing like nobody's business. Until it was time for a service and or it broke down or they couldn't get DEF on a fire assignment or they killed the transmission. Our lowly V10 engine soldiered on through it all with maintainance performed by us idiots and never a hiccup.
Later in life I worked at a big landscaping outfit in Bozeman. The work trucks were all diesels except one. The diesels of various brands went through a slew of shop visits and roadside breakdowns and transmission blowups and on and on. The only truck left standing again was a v10 Ford.
The icing on the cake for me: Rented a f350 to tow a uhaul and Willys jeep from Minneapolis to Bozeman. Got 12 mpg verified by truck mileage, map mileage and Google milage. Did the same route towing another Willys driving the f100 (240 six cylinder) and netted 13 mpg. You tell me how a diesel truck towing 4,500 lbs gets worse milage than an ancient gasser pulling the same load. Sure, that was unscientific as there is no way to control all the variables. But in my mind a new diesel should haul a very small amount of its capacity without sucking down fuel like it is hauling max capacity.
In summary: I don't know anything about new trucks other than getting in and driving them. And every diesel has either broken or underperformed under the same conditions as a similar gas powered truck. You can tell me the facts and figures but based on years of my experiences I would buy a gasoline powered truck and live with driving slower if I had to. Just my .02 as I have read a lot of knowledgeable folks here throwing in some of the more technical aspects of it all.