diesel or gasser

packmule

Veteran member
Jun 21, 2011
2,433
0
TX
We appreciate your willingness to blow through propane. Have you had to talk to a person in TX about PHMSA in the past couple of weeks?

Heck yea I'm burning it up.
I have not. What's going on in TX?
Nothing much. I was just curious, my wife got a call from a guy who owns a propane company in GA to try to understand some PHMSA letters/fines (hunts with a mutual friend from the East Coast) and I was wondering if it was going to be a big coincidence.
 

Retterath

Veteran member
Dec 24, 2013
1,440
1
South Dakota
thanks for all the input guys. i was doing a little more research and this is what i found

1500 chevy
-5.3L 355hp@5600
383lbs torque @4100

-6.2L 420hp@5600rpm
460lbs torque@4100
towing cap 12,000lbs

3/4 ton chevy
-6.0L 360hp@5600rpm
380 lbs torque@4200rpm
towing cap 14,800lbs

I dont see that chevy has a 3/4 ton with a 6.2L in a gasser. I would like to get a diesel but not sure if i want to spend the extra money. Found a camper i would probally be getting and it would be 7550 lbs loaded and my 16' enclosed weights 1500lbs curb weight, but will have some weight in there.
 

LaHunter

Active Member
Aug 24, 2012
322
0
N.E. LA
If you are pulling anything, especially in the mountains, get a diesel 3/4 ton. There is no comparison between a gasoline engine vs a diesel engine when pulling trailers of any weight, especially going up and down steep grades. I bought a GMC Duramax last summer. This thing drives great and pulls even better. You will appreciate this truck just as much when going down hill as uphill when pulling a trailer, with the trailer assist setting.
Good Luck
 

Retterath

Veteran member
Dec 24, 2013
1,440
1
South Dakota
If you are pulling anything, especially in the mountains, get a diesel 3/4 ton. There is no comparison between a gasoline engine vs a diesel engine when pulling trailers of any weight, especially going up and down steep grades. I bought a GMC Duramax last summer. This thing drives great and pulls even better. You will appreciate this truck just as much when going down hill as uphill when pulling a trailer, with the trailer assist setting.
Good Luck
Did you buy new or used? how many miles and what year?
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
7,316
8,696
72
Gypsum, Co
Forget about the 3/4 ton and get a 1 ton single axle. The extra weight capacity is nice and comes in handy when you hook a load to it. And if you are in a area where the weight cops like to hang out at it will give you a little bit of leeway with your load.

And don't say that you never see the weigh cops. I saw them twice in a row on a couple of trips and they were not just checking semis but pickup trucks that had trailers or campers.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
8,348
4,741
83
Dolores, Colorado
In January I bought a 2013 F350, crew cab, single rear wheel short bed, 4x4, Powerstroke, 6 speed auto tranny, Lariat trim with every extra you could get. 31,000 miles. Beautiful truck, like new. Paid less than 40,000 including 100k warranty.

2013 F350 Lariat 4x4 001.jpg2013 F350 Lariat 4x4 002.jpg

Metalflake root beer with gold trim, tan leather interior.
 

velvetfvr

Veteran member
May 6, 2012
2,026
0
Nv
If you get a diesel get a programmer to delete the egr and dpf on the new trucks, and get rid of the cat. If you do this a diesel will last a long long time. Don't buy one that needs def, get a diesel that doesn't need one. It'll run much better and last a long time.

6.0 fords are beasts once the egr is deleted, cat taken off and bulletproofed but than costs some money. 2nd gen and 3rd gen dodges, you better be willing to dump money in a transmission if you do a lot of towing. Duramaxs are good with the allisions, but no solid axle up front so that's why I wouldn't get one unless I was gonna put a solid axle up front. All have their advantages and disadvantages unless you build them up to what you specifically want and then say goodbye to money lol
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
7,316
8,696
72
Gypsum, Co
A problem with running a delete tune and getting rid of the emission stuff is that more and more towns, and countys are starting to do emission testing and if you get caught without what your truck came from the factory with it is some major fines. Also if you tune it and then take the tune out to get it tested they can see the footprint of the tune in the PCM, and I am not even going to get into the warranty problems that truck owners with tuned trucks are having.

I am on a couple of diesel truck forums and you wouldn't believe the number of owners that are looking for factory emission equipment to put back onto their truck so that it will pass the test.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
8,348
4,741
83
Dolores, Colorado
I really don't understand why someone would screw around with the emissions and computer on these new trucks. My truck pulls 10,000# with no problems. It will run 75 on the interstates towing in tow mode and get 14 mpg. Gets 22 with no load. Has all the power I need. if you tow more weigh regularly, get a F450 with lower gears.

I see lots of young owners with huge exhausts, really noisy trucks that belch tons of smoke because of the mods they have done. I really see no purpose.
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
7,316
8,696
72
Gypsum, Co
Remember back when you were young and liked your car to be low in the front and high in the rear and have a exhaust cutout for that extra 5 hp?

It is the same now. Give them a 400hp engine and people will want to get 500hp out of it. That along with people hate emission crap. i remember turning the air filter lid upside down on my old Chevy Blazer for more power, I doubt that it did anything but I did it anyway.

But anymore the saying if you want to play you have to pay is truer than ever.
 

velvetfvr

Veteran member
May 6, 2012
2,026
0
Nv
I really don't understand why someone would screw around with the emissions and computer on these new trucks. My truck pulls 10,000# with no problems. It will run 75 on the interstates towing in tow mode and get 14 mpg. Gets 22 with no load. Has all the power I need. if you tow more weigh regularly, get a F450 with lower gears.

I see lots of young owners with huge exhausts, really noisy trucks that belch tons of smoke because of the mods they have done. I really see no purpose.
An egr takes the exhaust and cycles it back into the engine. The dpf takes the diesel and burns it to burn off the carbon build up. It's honestly like taking a plastic bag and covering your engine and making it not last as long as it should or be as efficient.
 

velvetfvr

Veteran member
May 6, 2012
2,026
0
Nv
A problem with running a delete tune and getting rid of the emission stuff is that more and more towns, and countys are starting to do emission testing and if you get caught without what your truck came from the factory with it is some major fines. Also if you tune it and then take the tune out to get it tested they can see the footprint of the tune in the PCM, and I am not even going to get into the warranty problems that truck owners with tuned trucks are having.

I am on a couple of diesel truck forums and you wouldn't believe the number of owners that are looking for factory emission equipment to put back onto their truck so that it will pass the test.
Or just buy a truck that didn't have any of it and make it how you want it. Mine came straight piped from factory so I'll never worry about emissions.

Yea there are problems depending on where you live but I'd rather take a more fuel efficient truck and efficient truck than a stock one that could run and last much longer. I always recommend doing it after the warranty is gone. Yea but if you get caught I think it's a $10k fine and seized truck depending on the state or county.
 

sneakypete

Veteran member
Aug 9, 2011
2,821
275
Oakdale Ca.
Yep, I'm California it's a big Fine and in American money! If you owned a GM diesel you don't have to do all that stuff like you do to dodges or ferds.:)
 

Timberstalker

Veteran member
Feb 1, 2012
2,242
6
Bend, Or
For a "part time" truck find an old Ford with a 7.3 I'm typically a Chevy guy but I have had a '01 F350 for several years now. I see no reason to get a different truck when I don't have to use it every day. It has 245,000 on it, hauls like a mule and I don't owe a dime on it.
 
Last edited:

go_deep

Veteran member
Nov 30, 2014
2,650
1,984
Wyoming
For a "part time" truck find an old Ford with a 7.3 I'm typically a Chevy guy but I have had a '01 F350 for several years now. I see no reason to get a different truck when I don't have to use it every day. It has 245,000 on it, hauls like a mule and I don't owe a dime on it.
^^^ Totally agree ran 3 different 7.3 in my life and I'd take any one of them back any day.
 

Manualman

Active Member
Aug 10, 2011
217
7
62
North Jersey
I'm thinking about getting a smaller diesel. I'm looking at the Chevy Colorado 2.8 diesel for pulling sleds or a camper. I just wish I could get a stick. I hate automatics
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
7,316
8,696
72
Gypsum, Co
As was said above, find a 95-2003 Ford with the 7.3 in it. The 95-97's ran 5 speeds for a manual transmission and the 99-2003 had a 6 speed along with a inner-cooler and more hp and torque. It is hard to kill a 7.3, I know of several that are still running with 500K+ miles on them. The live with just regular maintenance and replacing the wear items on the outside of them such as alternators, starters, and vacuum pumps on the earlier ones. A couple of them have had the injector O rings done but that is about it for inside the motor.