2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel?

[Username Taken]

I was pulling a 10k TT for years with GM 1500's and they did OK..Yeah they scream bloody murder going up steep hills but that's what they are designed to do--The reason a ton of hot-rodders are running LS motors nowadays..You can hammer them and they keep going.

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The reason they run those LS motors is simple -- They're cheaper than dirt and parts are readily available.

As to engines running High RPM and those who say they can take it all day long? Horse feathers.

They can take it in a Laboratory where the engine cooling is perfect, the air temperature is perfect, the oil is perfect and the fuel is perfect.

Then there's everything else in the drive train that is rotating mass..... The transmission, the rear end, the alternator, the power steering pump, the air conditioner, the cooling fan, even the belt tensioner. Bearings all over the place waiting to fail because they're not designed for that RPM.... In cheby and Ram, you got the valve train with push rods that like to flex at higher RPM, in Fords you have a 120 foot long chain (to drive the camshafts) that's screaming. (Not a fair comparison because Ford's EcoBeast Engines make maximum torque around 2k)

None of these engines are designed to run at 4000 RPM all day long. They're not 5,000,000 dollar Formula 1 engines. Yeah, Ford did its torture test thing with the 3.5l EB but that was in and out of so many trucks, it's not a fair comparison. Plus, it was a Ford.

You good folks who can get by with gasoline engines? God Bless You. Seriously.

But if you're gonna hook up to any kind of serious weight and you think you can handle it with a gas engine, you're in for a rude awakening. I'll hook my Cummins SRW up to a 20k lb trailer and not even give it a 2nd thought. You start getting around 15k with a gasser and pucker-factor sets in. That's no way to live.

If you need a diesel, get one. If you don't -- Don't, unless it's what you WANT.

simple

 

[timswi]

The reason they run those LS motors is simple -- They're cheaper than dirt and parts are readily available.

As to engines running High RPM and those who say they can take it all day long? Horse feathers.

They can take it in a Laboratory where the engine cooling is perfect, the air temperature is perfect, the oil is perfect and the fuel is perfect.

Then there's everything else in the drive train that is rotating mass..... The transmission, the rear end, the alternator, the power steering pump, the air conditioner, the cooling fan, even the belt tensioner. Bearings all over the place waiting to fail because they're not designed for that RPM.... In cheby and Ram, you got the valve train with push rods that like to flex at higher RPM, in Fords you have a 120 foot long chain (to drive the camshafts) that's screaming. (Not a fair comparison because Ford's EcoBeast Engines make maximum torque around 2k)

None of these engines are designed to run at 4000 RPM all day long. They're not 5,000,000 dollar Formula 1 engines. Yeah, Ford did its torture test thing with the 3.5l EB but that was in and out of so many trucks, it's not a fair comparison. Plus, it was a Ford.

You good folks who can get by with gasoline engines? God Bless You. Seriously.

But if you're gonna hook up to any kind of serious weight and you think you can handle it with a gas engine, you're in for a rude awakening. I'll hook my Cummins SRW up to a 20k lb trailer and not even give it a 2nd thought. You start getting around 15k with a gasser and pucker-factor sets in. That's no way to live.

If you need a diesel, get one. If you don't -- Don't, unless it's what you WANT.

simple

LOL. I didn't say 4k all day long. 4k once in a while won't hurt them, I've proven that for years. Cheap? Maybe somewhat--The guys I know buy the LS's for reliability and power, which they have both--in spades. Just an assumption, you don't like GM very much. I'm not a Ford or Ram guy but I never throw shade at them.

 

[deezler]

I'll hook my Cummins SRW up to a 20k lb trailer and not even give it a 2nd thought. You start getting around 15k with a gasser and pucker-factor sets in.

I think this about sums it up nicely, actually. The Ford 7.3L gas and GM/Chevy 6.6L gas v8s are rated for a maximum of 14k or 15k lbs w/ conventional trailers, anyway. Gooseneck steps it to 18k or 20k lbs, but I would agree thats a bit much for the torque of a gasser. Doable, maybe, enjoyable, NO.

 

[Username Taken]

I think this about sums it up nicely, actually. The Ford 7.3L gas and GM/Chevy 6.6L gas v8s are rated for a maximum of 14k or 15k lbs w/ conventional trailers, anyway. Gooseneck steps it to 18k or 20k lbs, but I would agree thats a bit much for the torque of a gasser. Doable, maybe, enjoyable, NO.

The new trucks from gm and Ford have the 10 speed transmission. They rock. Haven't been in the chevy 10 speed but the Ford 10 speed I was in was kinda rough. They need some fine-tuning for your neck to survive.

My buddy has a 3.5L EB in a F-150 with the 10 speed and it will blow you away. I mean, it will smoke a lot of 'performance' cars. Especially if he catches them napping a bit. It is flat-out fast. I don't mean 'quick'. I mean bad to the bone fast.

But, on an HD, can you imagine what it's doing to your transmission, constantly shifting, going into and out of converter lockup again and again when towing a heavy load. And again and again?

The new gassers are much more capable than the older ones. But.....

So are the diesels. Maybe a little too much

 

[4570Man]

So we have beaten to death the up front cost. The mileage debate will never end.
However, Engine longevity and resale value are rarely addressed by the gas lovers.
If I want to buy a used truck, anything from a used 3/4 ton to a used single axle dump truck, the diesel will fetch $3,000-$5,000 more. Thats because the buyer knows the engine will last longer under harsher conditions and it will burn less fuel.
Even 4570 says he got his gas dump truck for $2500, and that’s a great buy, but same truck with a CAT diesel would have been $7500.

So the disadvantage of “up front price” must be addressed with ”greater resale value”

I would bet the up front cost minus greater resale value PLUS less fuel cost would end up about the same as gas.

I’ve only put maybe 10,000 miles on thar truck since I got it. Probably more like 7,000 but I don’t remember the exact mileage when I got it. If gas averaged $2 a gallon although it was probably less. I would’ve spent $5,000 in gas at the rate it gets. If diesel was was 2.50 and the mileage was twice as much at 8 mpg that would have cut my fuel cost to $3125. By your figures I bought the truck for $5,000 less than diesel. So I’m still ahead close to $3,000. And that’s assuming the Cat never needed repairs. When the Cat needs work in a $7500 truck it’s pretty much time you part the truck out because repairs exceeds the value. BTW those Cats are terrible. If I was buying a diesel medium duty I’d switch to Ford and get a Cummins in it. And you can’t bash the reliability of that 366. Its lasted 190,000 miles and counting being ran wide open it’s whole life in a dump truck. It would probably go 1/2 million in a pickup. I’ve seen LS motors go 300,000 without a single motor related failure.

 

[Username Taken]

I don't think Ford uses the Cummins in the their Medium Duty trucks anymore.

 

[blee03]

I don't think Ford uses the Cummins in the their Medium Duty trucks anymore.

Yeah they stopped in 2015
Terrible mistake

 

[4570Man]

I don't think Ford uses the Cummins in the their Medium Duty trucks anymore.

Yes but I wasn’t buying a new one.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Yeah they stopped in 2015
Terrible mistake

Not really... the 6.7 Power Stroke is a beast.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

NO WAY would I take a power joke over a Cummins!! Not even close!

SR