Jones' fave diesel pickup is a 7.3L-powered OBS Ford dualie, which he has nicknamed Big White. Being an editor he probably never stops thinking about story ideas. Being a car guy, though, he enjoys turning a wrench as much as time permits. He also likes drag racing.
The story I found is titled Diesel Engine Pros and Cons, the same as this blog post. I won't try to steal his readers. You should go there when finished here. I just wanted to lay it out there what this car and truck diesel guy listed as the primary pros and cons of the world we write about here: diesels.
Pros
When looking at Ram, Ford and GM full-sized rigs, these are the diesel advantages/
1. Fuel Economy
Here's what I found noteworthy: He writes, "One of the biggest plusses about diesel is that its energy density is greater than that of gas, by nearly 22,000 BTU. Basically, a port-injected gasser will burn much more fuel in order to match a direct-injected diesel's power output—per gallon—unloaded and especially when towing."
2. Performance, Longevity, Reliability
The engine's durability is certainly a feature well-known by diesel owners. As long as you take care of the maintenance regimen they sometimes seem determined to be a friend for life. By way of contrast, he notes that gasoline engines have a much shorter engine life. Jones adds the qualifier that oil service along with air- and fuel-filter changes are key to longer service life for any engine.
3. Flexibility
Jones notes in passing that "although they are not included in the formal/'Flex-Fuel' family of versatile engines, diesels are capable of operating with biodiesel in a truck's fuel tank."
Cons
In a perfect world there would be no cons, but truth be told, we do have this one.
1. Cost
It isn't just the powertrain that bites, but the cost of ultra-low sulfur fuel you must use. It's not an impossible hurdle. You just need to realize that you sometimes have to pay to play.
Keep in mind, though, that if you get double the life out of your purchase the real cost of that gas guzzling car is doubled.
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Read the Diesel Power story here:
http://www.trucktrend.com/features/diesel-engine-pros-cons/
If you're looking for a truck with some real grit, a diesel is the only way to go. Because of the way their engines burn fuel, significantly more torque is delivered to the driveshaft, giving them more direct power.
ReplyDeleteThis allows diesels trucks to accelerate and maintain power more easily, even under stress. And in cases that involve heavy duty towing, you'll find that there's much less wear and tear on the engine than there is in a pickup that relies on gas.
It's also why diesels trump trucks with gasoline engines when it comes to towing. Not only can diesels haul heavier loads, but they can also do it more efficiently, saving on fuel.
Diesel engines of the past had a reputation for being noisy or feeling clunky. But the improvements that have been made to modern diesel trucks are awesome.
New engines are extremely quiet, so much so that you'd be hard pressed to make a guess about whether a pickup is powered by diesel or gas. And the same goes for the feel of the ride which is now just as refined as it is in gas powered trucks
A diesel engine's combustion process is a lot leaner, meaning it doesn't have to burn as much fuel to power a vehicle. The other advantage of diesel is that is more energy-rich, so you use less fuel than you would with gas.
Trucks with diesel engines have fewer problems than traditional spark ignition engines. You don't have to worry about spark plugs or distributors, which in turn means fewer tune-ups.
The nice thing about diesel engines is that they tend to last longer because of their tough build. They are specifically designed to handle high compression and lots of miles.
If it comes down to two comparably equipped trucks, one gasoline-powered and one diesel-powered, with similar mileage, the diesel pretty much always comes in with a higher resale value.