# Diesel pick up question



## Goose Guy350 (Nov 29, 2004)

Ok, you guys running diesels out there what kind of mileage are you getting on the highway at what speeds? What is you mileage like when pulling a boat or decoy trailer? Make and model or your truck?

I'm starting my search for a new truck and I'm wondering if a diesel is the way to go for me since I pull a trailer most of the summer and then a 6 by 14 enclosed trailer full of decoys all fall. Gas prices are killing me when I pull a trailer and wonder if a diesel would save some dough. Thanks for any info


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## fargodawg (Sep 20, 2005)

I get 13 in town (it has gotten better the more miles I have on it), and I get 12 on the interstate pulling a 30 ft aluminum snomobile trailer, dont notice any diffferenece when I pull the steel trailers that I use for work, enclosed 11x7 with nose cones.

duramax GMC with 14,000 miles approx.

the one thing with diesels: trick out the intake, computer and the exhaust and you wont think about fuel milage anymore.

I only have an Airraid intake system in mine, some buddies have Edge, intake and exhaust and they woop me in mileage and towing


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Chipped diesels do awesome on fuel economy. I have heard of new chipped cummins getting 20+ mpg on the hwy. I dont see how buying a new truck (esp diesel, $$$) will save you money though.


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## MOB (Mar 10, 2005)

A friend of mine was just pondering the same question. He figured he would save about $4500 in fuel costs over 80,00 miles by going with the diesel over the gas engine. He was looking at a GMC 2500 pickup and decided that the gas model in 6.0L or 8.1L was the better buy in the long run due to the increased cost of the diesel option when new.


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## dogdigger (Jan 26, 2004)

i have a stock 3/4 05 dodge and i get 18-21 on the highway. if i keep the rpms around 1700-1800 i will get 20 or better. i havnt had a trailor behind it that really mattered yet. if i do pull something with some weight i will let u know. best i have got was 22mpg on a 6 hour trip no wind. my friend said he has got 24 in his cummins.

mark


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## Ryan_Todd (Apr 11, 2004)

i have an 04 superduty 6.0 liter and i usually average 18-20 mpg at 60mph. on interstate i can usually get 13-15 mpg. the nice thing with a diesel is that the mileage doesn't drop off very bad when towing and you can pretty much tow anything you want.

currently i have a k&n intake system and plan on getting a edge tuner. the most inportant thing to do with a diesel is to keep the injectors clean. i usually run anti gel injector cleaner in every tank.


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## RiveRat (Sep 19, 2004)

I have an 03 superduty. The last of the 7.3's. It has the 6sp manual, which the factory chipped to put 275 hp instead of 250 as with the auto. I installed a Predator injector control module and a K&N filter. I don't know how much it puts out now, but it noticeably out pulls my brother's 04 Dodge with the 305 hp Cummins and auto trans. The mileage is 18.5 to 20 (empty) if I hold it to 2000 rpm (about 70). It took over 30,000 miles break in to get this. With a 10 1/2 foot Northern Lite camper it gets 14 to 15 at 2000. It will pull every pass and hill between here and the Dakotas in 6th gear with the camper on and without lugging. I would buy the diesel strictly for the power, even if it got poorer mileage than a gas rig. As it is, it takes at least 100,000 miles to recover the cost of the diesel over the gas. If you keep the truck less than that and don't need the extra power, buy the gas rig. A modern diesel should go 4 to 500,000 miles if properly maintained. There's where you will save money, plus they have great re-sale value


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

06 ford 250 6.0L- Mileage doesnt vary pulling decoy trailer, snowmobile trailer and 4 wheeler. around 15 or 18on highway and 13 in town. lot of power


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## GOOSEWHISPERER (Mar 4, 2006)

I got a 04 chevy dura max with real dual 5" exhaust a K&N big air intake along with the Edge preformance module and 372 gears with 305/75/16 tires I pull 1900 :[email protected] and get 20.4 mpg pulling my decoy trailer 16x7 V nose I am at 14-16 depends on those winds and I have a fourweeler inside aswell I have 22000 miles to date.I stuck around $2850.00 into all this milage boosting stuff is it worth it? I feel no I was getting around 18 on highway 16 town before.But I will say one thing I think it will pull a sherman tank,and 0-60 very quick along with very smooth shifting.So good luck in your search. :sniper:

p.s I had a 6.0 ford powerstroke and was unhappy.Liked the truck but not the powerplant 12mpg


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

If for no other reason, buy a diesel because its bad ***. :lol: Seriously, they are nice trucks and the performance cannot be beat. It seems like those heavier duty trucks are just built better and last longer in my opinion. Mileage can be increased with exhaust, chips, and intake, like these guys have said. However, with these mods, you will find yourself using the gas pedal a little more.  Theres something cool about being in a 1-ton and smoking little cars. Personally, I like Ford. I have heard rumors of a new motor for 2007, a 6.4? L Cat motor, with twin turbos? Just a rumor I heard floating around.


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## Goose Guy350 (Nov 29, 2004)

Thanks for all the info guys, I'm going to have a lot of thinking to do but a diesel does sound like the way to go, I'm getting 8 to 10 mpg pulling my trailer now with my truck so a duramax sounds great getting 20 even if I do have to put $2000 in it to get that. Keep the info coming.


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## luveyes (Jan 22, 2005)

I would buy a diesel in a heartbeat if I had the cash. 8-11 MPG pulling my boat stinks. The main concern with a diesel is I have heard rumors that there have been new regulations placed on diesel fuel that are supposed to be in place next year that, it theory, will increase the costs/gallon significantly almosty negating the better mileage you get with the motors. It has to do with the sulfur content of the fuel and the increased cost of manufacturing the cleaner burning fuel.

I know some people with diesels and all have said they, depending on costs, will not go back to gas motors. Huge power on tap, incredibly durable power plants, and fuel efficient. The motors last forever you would just have to remember that there is a whole lot of extra truck that cant go the 300-400k that the motor can go (axles, tranny, transfer case, etc.)

I wouldnt like to repair or replace one of the motors (cousin replaced his own 7.3 Powerstroke for $4500 with him doing all of the work himself).


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## luveyes (Jan 22, 2005)

One other thing that I think was addressed briefly by someone earlier.

A friend was in the market for a new 3/4 ton Ford and the difference in the v10 vs Powerstroke was significant. He crunched numbers and found that he would have to drive 128k miles to regain the difference in the costs of the 2 powerplants. He took into the equasion difference in repairs, oil changes, fuel prices (at the time), ins costs, and some other variables. He chose the v10 which has had enough power to pull their 32ft 5th wheel with some to spare. He doesnt keep vehicles for much more than 100k miles and he has been very happy with his purchase. This was approx 2.5 yrs ago and the landscape has changed with the costs of fossil fuels being higher, but I would recommend crunching some numbers just to see from the pure $/mile standpoint. This may help you make your decision.


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## RiveRat (Sep 19, 2004)

I have to disagree on the statement that the rest of the drive train isn't up to the life span of the diesel engine. That used to be true, but the new trucks have been engineered with much better transmissions, front and rear ends and transfer cases. The six speed in my Ford is available only with the diesel and it is huge. It even has a cooler, which was unheard of on a manual trans. The rest of the drive train is also oversized. If you think that $4500.00 for a powerstroke long block is high, try a puny little Toyota V-6 for $3000.00. They are all getting expensive except for the old standby 350 Chev. The V-10s are nice motors, but they won't begin to keep up with the diesels on any type of long hill.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

check the resale value of the v10s vs a diesel with similar miles...

I also really like the fords, but if you are a performance nut like me the new 6.0L is a risky venture if you are planning on chipping them. They boost up to 27 psi from the factory already


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

Add the right performance parts to try and make it bulletproof. They actually make aftermarket parts that they guranttee for an unlimited amount of miles and for any amount of horse and torque you can throw at them. I know one of my friends has a 6.0 L Powerstroke with the Edge Juice chip and that particular chip gave him problems. He has since removed it. When he had that thing dialed in though- it was amazing. You gotta love four-wheel drive stalled launches that bust all four oversized tires loose. That was a fast truck.


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## Ryan_Todd (Apr 11, 2004)

the previous model of the edge chips gave the 6.0 liters in the powerstrokes problems. the torqe boost was to high and they were having problems with transmissions. the new edge platinum tuner has the same horse power boost but has the torqe boost was tuned down a little bit. that is what an edge rep told me. but he's could be just trying to sell a product. take it for whats it's worth.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

the biggest problems i have heard is with head gaskets and head bolts.. Their not made to handle more boost. A head gasket job on a powerstroke wont be cheap and your warranty is gone when you chip the thing.


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

Your warranty is gone but most of thr time if you remove the programmer before you bring it in for service they can't tell the difference.


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## Ryan_Todd (Apr 11, 2004)

that used to be the case but i have heard that ford has a way of bringing up history on the computer. i don't need to worry about it because my warranty is already up.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Yup.. they can find out now if you have had it chipped or not.


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

Did not know that.


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## luveyes (Jan 22, 2005)

riverat,

My comment about durability was stated wrong. I agree that much of the engineering that goes int vehicles now helps them to be strong and long lasting. It was more of the issue of interiors and exteriors. Keeping a truck for 300k is great and I know the brakes (etc) for a deisel truck are the same as a v10. The difference is that most v10 owners arent going to keep their trucks for 300-400k so the bodies are usually a bit nicer and the interiors are less beat on.

Resale of a diesel is HUGE compared to gas motors, but so is the initial costs. 2 wks ago at the local Ford dealership. New 05 Excursion v10 4wd loaded without leather priced out at $32K, the same with a diesel was priced out at $41k (both with all incentives, bottom dollar, no trade).

Hope this clarifies what I meant.


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## sportytj (Mar 29, 2006)

Bought a CRD liberty jeep that diesel puts american pwr to shame for the same cubes. Its a ferrari 4cyl diesel will pull 2500k happy, im just waiting for the new wrangler to have same engine wow fun with six speed manual.


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## sflem849 (Mar 4, 2004)

sportytj said:


> Bought a CRD liberty jeep that diesel puts american pwr to shame for the same cubes. Its a ferrari 4cyl diesel ...


Are you sure!?! I thought it was a Mercades. But either way I hear it is an excellent motor. Not sure about chippin it :lol: 
I have an 01 Powerstroke LOVE IT! Dont listen to the guys buying the new trucks. Get one that has a year or two left on the warrenty and save yourself over ten grand. I guess that was my thinking. If it blows, then I spend the ten grand on mods at the disel performance shop.
PS - Has anyone heard they were dropping the 6.0 for next year?


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