GM I6 Diesel Impressions

[Hay Dude]

I am a diesel nut. Will always own one.
But I have to tell you, the 5.3L GM gasser is such a good little engine.
I have one in a Loaded 08 Chevy Tahoe with 210,000 miles on it. Still pulls strong. Only thing I did was timing chain & guides at 180K which is considered sort of “ wear item “ in the owners manual.
I put a new oil pump in it while I was in there.
Dirt cheap to fix, too.
Original motor and transmission :thumbsup:

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I bought nothing but diesel pu's from 1982 to 2012.

With what the gas engines are doing today for power and torque, then take into account what the diesel option cost is, and the higher cost of owning a diesel, I'm all done with buying diesels in new pu's

My last two new pu's are gas, and I'm very happy with their performance and fuel cost per mile, I'm sticking with gas pu's...

SR

 

[Snobdds]

The only gas truck I'll buy is an ecoboost, because it drives like a diesel.

I don't like to have to rev the **** out of a motor at elevation. A diesel at elevation is effortless power...

 

[ruffdog]

The only gas truck I'll buy is an ecoboost, because it drives like a diesel.

I don't like to have to rev the **** out of a motor at elevation. A diesel at elevation is effortless power...

Any supercharged or turbo will run better at elevation as it makes up for the thin air. Even the old non-turbo diesels were horrible up in the mountains.

 

[mini14]

I own 3 diesel trucks that are aging out, when and if I replace them it will be trucks with gas engines. Diesels are great at towing, but unless your constantly towing the extra cost of fuel and repairs doesn't justify their higher upfront cost and higher fuel price. Just ask the parts dept. the cost of 1 injector.

 

[Hay Dude]

I own 3 diesel trucks that are aging out, when and if I replace them it will be trucks with gas engines. Diesels are great at towing, but unless your constantly towing the extra cost of fuel and repairs doesn't justify their higher upfront cost and higher fuel price. Just ask the parts dept. the cost of 1 injector.

Yeah I just lost a #4 injector and it was $595 to replace.....
However, I tow so much, I’m still buying diesels.
I hate gas (the kind that you put in your car :laughing: )

 

[Storm56]

I bought a new pickup in Feb this year. I test drove a Siverado with the 3.0 Duramax. I did like the way it drove, liked the sound of the diesel and that torque. But absolutely do not trust any Tier 4 diesel engine. Was open minded enough to look, but in the end decided there are just too many accounts of problems with Tier 4 diesels of all makes and sizes for me to sleep well at night.

Fuel costs between gas and diesel in my home state of PA also negate any advantage of increased fuel economy. Yesterday regular gas $1.85, diesel $2.99.

I do hope that in the future the engineers can get this together and the price of diesel falls more into line with gasoline. Until that time no Tier 4 diesel pickup for me.

 

[Monster5601]

I bought a new pickup in Feb this year. I test drove a Siverado with the 3.0 Duramax. I did like the way it drove, liked the sound of the diesel and that torque. But absolutely do not trust any Tier 4 diesel engine. Was open minded enough to look, but in the end decided there are just too many accounts of problems with Tier 4 diesels of all makes and sizes for me to sleep well at night.

Fuel costs between gas and diesel in my home state of PA also negate any advantage of increased fuel economy. Yesterday regular gas $1.85, diesel $2.99.

I do hope that in the future the engineers can get this together and the price of diesel falls more into line with gasoline. Until that time no Tier 4 diesel pickup for me.

The cost delta between gas and diesel is a moving target, right now in my area diesel is $0.34 more than gas. Typically, by mid-summer, diesel is less than gas and that continues until the home heating oil season begins.

I need a diesel to pull three of the four trailers I have. I buy new with a factory extended service contract that covers me for eight years (maximum I can get). After eight years, I get a new truck with an extended service contract. In 2015 I went with a RAM 3500 Cummins and the Mopar extended service contract. I've had both GM and Ford in the past, the Mopar extended service contract is the best one I've had to date. I also have the extended service lifetime on my 2013 1500 RAM. This is what works for me. I just hope in 2023 I can repeat this strategy.

 

[Tomtint]

Not trying to hijack this thread but my opinion on the gas or diesel topic.. If you are hooked to a heavy trailer all the time ...get the diesel. I have a 17 F450 V10 dump. Truck has miles of power and 10 very hungry mouths to feed. Avg is 6.3 mpg ..All this truck does is pull a 10K trailer or push snow. My 18 F350 diesel will get 15+ mpg doing the same. The dump truck has less than 7K miles on it in almost 3 years so I just don't use it enough to justify the 12K more for the diesel motor.

 

[Hay Dude]

Not trying to hijack this thread but my opinion on the gas or diesel topic.. If you are hooked to a heavy trailer all the time ...get the diesel. I have a 17 F450 V10 dump. Truck has miles of power and 10 very hungry mouths to feed. Avg is 6.3 mpg ..All this truck does is pull a 10K trailer or push snow. My 18 F350 diesel will get 15+ mpg doing the same. The dump truck has less than 7K miles on it in almost 3 years so I just don't use it enough to justify the 12K more for the diesel motor.

Yes, it mostly comes down to miles driven and weight of the trailer.That’s the reason why most all medium and heavy duty trucks are diesel.
Youll see some gas powered dump or box trucks here and there but they usually don’t tow much more than a 7 ton trailer.

I think gas engines have recently undergone improvements, like turbocharging to make them more appealing, but there’s no way I’m pulling 30,000lbs with a gas truck.