2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel?

Status
Not open for further replies.
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #161  
^ Lol I doubt it. All you need is 10 minutes with a flash tuner to add a crazy HP/Torque boost anyway.

Not anymore. The EPA Stasi has cracked down on that in a big, big, really big way.

You gotta go out-of-Country, Canada, Austria for tuners and if they intercept it at the border, they can keep it and you're out the money. Over a thousand, easy.

Even 'hard' parts like exhaust, the dealers are being forced to close down or face fines in the hundreds of thousands.

Karens are in charge now. And it's only gonna get worse.

Well, unless you're one of the elites that has a Private Jet. They aren't regulated very much at all. And Jet Fuel is essentially diesel.

Welcome to The Occupation™
 
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #162  
Look at the actual power curve though. Might peak at 4000, but it's well over 400 lbf-ft at 2000rpm already. IE more than a Cummins 12V that used to be the holy grail. People seemed to drive dump trucks and haul heavy trailer loads with those back in the day just fine.... now we're in a crazy HP/Torque war in the diesels. Fun for me as an engineer in the industry, but pretty unnecessary for joe weekender.

Having a broader power band is actually an advantage that gasoline has over diesel, too.....

Yeah 400ft lbs coming in at 2000rpm for a gas powered engine is definitely impressive. I’m guessing this is the first gas engine produced with those kind of TQ numbers.

But a few small changes to a 12v would net some huge gains, probably cost $300 in parts and you could be at 800ft lbs.

As for unnecessary, that would be up to the purchaser to decide.

Some people buy once and be done with it, others buy just enough to get the job done, regret it and buy the stuff they really wanted the next go around.
 
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #163  
You can still get delete tunes, you just have to use a private party that has access to EFI Live software/hardware. If they’ve flashed peoples trucks in the past chances are they still have a huge collection of tune files ready to go

Not really. One of my friends is a pretty good diesel mechanic at a good-sized Indy Shop. He says they're just not really available anymore unless you know the Tuner. Like a relative, a good friend, long, long-time associate. They're going underground.

 
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #164  
Not really. One of my friends is a pretty good diesel mechanic at a good-sized Indy Shop. He says they're just not really available anymore unless you know the Tuner. Like a relative, a good friend, long, long-time associate. They're going underground.


I think a lot of the people singing the praises of diesels aren’t aware of the current situation. Comparing your fifteen year old diesel to what is out, right now. Is not a good comparison. Just like comparing the gas engines to what was available fifteen years ago.

A couple of years ago, you could still delete a lot of the diesel crap. Today, it’s very difficult to find a place to do it.
 
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #165  
You can short trip a diesel. Just have to know when to shut it off and when it needs to be heated up real hot.
There is NO WAY gas engines are as durable as Diesel engines.
NO WAY. If they were, there would be 800-1500 cubic inch gas engines in heavy trucks, tractors, etc.
They are NOT in the aforementioned vehicles because they lack torque, durability and fuel economy.
Look at it this way, if Diesel engines were $5,000-$10,000 more than gas engines and were the same durability, then heavy equipment and trucks would have gas engines in them.
But they dont.
In framing or complete engine replacement means time and money lost.
That’s why gas engine are practically non existent in heavy use equipment

If you have to know when you can turn them off and when you need to get them hot, that isn’t really a solid platform. How many people know when to do what? When they run two miles to the store and it needs to be run hot, do they run it or just go to the store? From what I’ve seen, they just go to the store.

You do know we are talking about a pickup to pull 10-15k, right? Why would someone put a 800-1500ci engine in a pickup to pull 10-15K?

Yes, you’ll only find a diesel in heavy equipment (definition of heavy equipment can always be argued). We aren’t talking about that.

This is a lot like a tractor with a loader versus a wheel loader (not skid steer). At the top of the tractor range, there is some overlap with the bottom of the wheel loader, but overall, they do and excel in different jobs.

We have already established your application is serviced better by a diesel engine. What I can’t understand is how you got so emotionally invested that a diesel is the only good option, that you’ve managed to completely ignore the successes the current gas engines bring to the table.
 
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #166  
If you have to know when you can turn them off and when you need to get them hot, that isn’t really a solid platform. How many people know when to do what? When they run two miles to the store and it needs to be run hot, do they run it or just go to the store? From what I’ve seen, they just go to the store.

You do know we are talking about a pickup to pull 10-15k, right? Why would someone put a 800-1500ci engine in a pickup to pull 10-15K?

Yes, you’ll only find a diesel in heavy equipment (definition of heavy equipment can always be argued). We aren’t talking about that.

This is a lot like a tractor with a loader versus a wheel loader (not skid steer). At the top of the tractor range, there is some overlap with the bottom of the wheel loader, but overall, they do and excel in different jobs.

We have already established your application is serviced better by a diesel engine. What I can’t understand is how you got so emotionally invested that a diesel is the only good option, that you’ve managed to completely ignore the successes the current gas engines bring to the table.

Its not emotional....It’s silly claims that need to be addressed.
When someone claims BS like gas engines have the same durability as Diesel engines is when I start noticing.
And although the topic is about pickups, those wild generalizations like that will be pointed out.
Also noteworthy is I’m not the only one pointing out the wild claims of gas being as durable.
 
Last edited:
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #167  
As someone who dyno tests the exact engines we are discussing on a daily basis, I find your position interesting and somewhat misinformed.

Commercial and heavy vehicles are primarily all diesel for the torque, and fuel economy. But there is no inherent reason why an internal combustion engine fueled with diesel will be more reliable long-term than one fueled with gasoline. The internal component structure is basically the exact same, as you probably know. I still see plenty of old big block gas dump trucks for sale around here... plenty reliable if you can tolerate 4 mpg. So you can easily design and produce a gasoline engine that will be very robust for hundreds of thousands of miles. But if you try to make a lightweight, low cost engine on EITHER fuel type, you're going to have durability problems long term. This is probably why you consider gas engines less reliable, because they were often intentionally underbuilt with the knowledge that they would NOT be chosen by people needing to work so hard on a daily basis.

Your thinking seems based on the last several decades of vehicle patterns in our country, which is totally logical. But consider the current, present reality. Gasoline engines today are better than they have ever been. Aside from some OEMs deciding to stick undersized and over worked turbocharged gas engines into heavy vehicles, we have new big displacement gas V8s that are designed and built for a lifetime of hard work, and dyno tested to prove this durability. And significantly better on efficiency (fuel consumption) than in the past, especially when coupled with our new transmissions.

Conversely on the diesel side, we now have emissions regulations that are putting the diesels competency into a shrinking box of reliability. Fuel pumps and injectors are operating at 40,000 PSI to inject fuel into the cylinder. And these poor components have to deal with ultra low sulfur fuel with greatly reduced lubricity. EGR systems pumping soot right back into your intake manifold. And the engine has breathe exhaust through a complex multistage emissions control system prone to failure. And even needing an extra fluid/fuel just to help control the output (DEF). The repair costs on the fuel injection and exhaust treatment system are ridiculous, as you likely know.

Meanwhile on a new large displacement gas engine.... things are still about as simple as they have ever been. Ford went back to pushrods, which was smart. Direct injection has allowed precise combustion control, enabling much better torque delivery at low revs. Sure, a 1000 lbf-ft diesel is still going to pull your trailer better. But how much speed do you need?

Personally, I am just glad we still have so many engine choices! We're probably in a golden era and peak of internal combustion engine development. R&D investment by OEMs is going to start declining, so enjoy your power and freedom now while you can.
Well, I do base my logic on past history. History is the best teacher we have. When we see your new “robust architecture” gas engines make their way into heavy duty vehicles and last as long, then I will admit they have equal durability.
Problem is, they haven’t, so they don’t.
Until they do, you can talk all the gas engine durability you want. Problem is, it hasnt happened yet.

Notice you said you still see plenty of “old” gas dumps around.....old meaning “in the past”.....like no longer made.....like everyone knows they suck and they learned their lesson and went diesel.

And it’s not that I want 1000 ft lb torque diesel to tow the loads I pull fast, but thanks for the wise crack. Nope, I hang in the right lane about 55 on a 4 lane interstate.
The reason I picked diesel over gas is that the gas engine alternative is not rated to tow even close to the same load. Even if it could, it consumes a lot more fuel doing so.
If you look at all of the gas v. diesel trucks, despite having the same transmission, gearing, spring packs and axles, gas engines actually aren’t comparable to the diesel offering in towing capacity. Period.


So until you show me gas engines that can pull equal loads, with equal durability and equal fuel economy, everything you stated above is just ra-ra gas motor talk.
 
Last edited:
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #168  
We have already established your application is serviced better by a diesel engine. What I can’t understand is how you got so emotionally invested that a diesel is the only good option, that you’ve managed to completely ignore the successes the current gas engines bring to the table.
Exactly... (y)
 
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #169  
And it’s not that I want 1000 ft lb torque diesel to tow the loads I pull fast, but thanks for the wise crack.

So until you show me gas engines that can pull equal loads, with equal durability and equal fuel economy, everything you stated above is just ra-ra gas motor talk.

The first part I quoted wasn’t me.....


I’m not “ra-ra gas”, nor against diesel. I do see them as both having value, in different applications. The right tool, for the job. In pulling trailers, there is a lot of overlap. Show me where I said gas was the only option or always the best option. If I said it, I sure don’t remember it nor can I find it, in my previous posts.


ETA: It looks like me and the quote buttons didn’t align. No wonder I was so confused why he thought I said it....sorry about that.
 
Last edited:
   / 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel? #170  
I agree. I think the Cummins 5.9 has like 30% less moving parts than the competition, if it moves it is subject to wearing out. I test drove a Ford 6.0, 6spd manual one time and almost got killed trying to enter the main street (4 lanes). I stalled the engine like three times before I got it launched.:D

My Cummins trucks are launched at an idle at every stop, every time, loaded or empty. That's one of the reasons my clutches last so long. Back in the day before diesels, my big block gassers might go 50k miles before clutch time......

Back in the day, if you were serious about hauling heavy you bought a manual. The 3 and 4 speed autos were worthless, used behind a Cummins. With that said, I would really like to have a 4th gen Ram with a six speed auto, the autos have really come a long way. They are almost mandatory behind a gasser or v-8 diesel.

Yep, another big diesel advantage over gas the gas guys don’t understand is “off pedal(clutch) torque”. Soon as the clutch pedal engages, diesels make far more torque than gas.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
 
Top