Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Advantages of common rail?

[bigtoy]

I love my 12 valve! I love Diesel engines ! However I have very little interest in the newer engines. The only advantage of common rail to me is noise. They are very quiet, but I really don't care about noise. I think our old school diesels have them beat.

I tell people that noise was a concern when I bought this truck,so the first thing I did was remove the muffler. Ha ha!

 

[SierraRam]

More power, cleaner burning, meets EPA standards to name a few. As with everything their are pro's and con's.

 

[bigtoy]

More power? Screw the EPA! I think they are out of control. I refuse to believe that they are the final judge on what is really needed as far as emmisions are concerned.

 

[BDaugherty]

Common rails come factory installed in 4 door trucks.

But seriously, why the hate? I love 12v's, too, but I'm good with everyone driving whatever they want.

 

[jgillott]

My uncle hated anything with fuel injection when it became mainstream. He hung on to a mid 70's Suburban for as long as I could remember because he simply wasn't going to drive anything without a carb. It's natural to be leary of newer technology, especially when it is replacing something that has been so tried and true.

If it means anything, we have well over 400K combined on our 2 3rd gen common rails. No issues.

 

[bigtoy]

Hate? When did I say I hate CR? I asked for advantages. There were plenty of advantages to fuel injection over carbs Easier cold starting, better fuel Economy, longer life just to name a few . Other than noise I don't see any with common rail.

 

[JR]

CR engines were adapted into our trucks for emissions, plain and simple. 12 Valves remained in construction and ag equipment for several years after they disappeared on the highways. We have a 2003 Grove crane at work with a P pumped 12 and as I understand it from the mechanics that wasn't the last year of them.

There are advantages to the newer trucks though. More power, more capabilities, more space with a crew cab (which is why I will be getting into one soon), and more comfortable to drive.

I'm kind of curious why your even asking it sounds like your mind is set on what you want?

 

[Regcabguy]

Our CR's come with brakes that actually stop the vehicle. I had to install a pacbrake in order to halt my '98. 5 2500. I miss the seats in that truck. That's it.

 

[bigtoy]

I am talking about the engine only. I am not talking about brakes, crew cabs etc. I am just curious if I am missing something about common rail vs. 12 valve.

 

[cerberusiam]

Power, efficiency, emissions, and driveability to hit the high points. Decrying as not needed is irresponsible, the effects are all positive. If not for your children, definitely for the grand children. The BBCOD days have gone the same way as the big block lumpy idle gassers, painful but it is what it is. A 500 HP street driven truck is well mannered and not very noticeable, not so much with a 12V. Takes a bit more work to achieve thay level and drive it without annoying every one in the road.

 

[bigtoy]

Please don't bring the children into this, like commonrail is going to save the planet. How about all of the ****e we buy from china made by slave labor in mega polluting factories. What is the air like in china? How much less pollution is c. r. than p-pump? we don't know. We are relying on a govt. agency to make that decision.

 

[JR]

Obviously you've never stood at the tail pipe of a 6. 7 Or you wouldn't be so skeptical of the difference in emissions. There is no comparison, and they're pumping out double the torque to boot.

 

[RustyJC]

Advantages of common rail? Higher injection pressures for better atomization and combustion. The capability to have multiple injection events per combustion cycle to better manage the combustion process, peak firing pressures and exhaust temperatures, cleaner emissions, and so forth. I've yet to have to clean accumulated soot off the back fender of my 2011 6. 7L - certainly not the case with the earlier diesels I've owned.

I love earlier muscle cars, too, but it's obvious that today's cars produce more horsepower with better fuel economy and lower emissions than anything comparable back in the "good old days".

Rusty

 

[bigtoy]

It doesn't take many mods to make a 12 valve a torque monster. Look this is just my opinion, but as far as i am concerned diesel died in 2007. Will it come back to life? We will see. I bet it will be awesome someday for now with the crap mileage, higher cost of diesel. The cost of the Diesel engine option, and the higher maint. Like changing oil cuz it's full of fuel. How long does a dpf last?

I bet you for most people they would be far better off with a gasser. Especially with all the empty crew cabs you see driving around.

If these emmisions are so good and so needed, why are so many deleting them?

 

[S.Morris]

The 13MY with SER is a BIG step forward and along with axle disconnect has brought fuel economy back. My son's new 3500 DRW 4x4 MC is equal in fuel mileage to my sig truck in most instances. It is however FAR quieter, far more powerful,and far cleaner emission wise. My 04 dealer sticker was 79xxx (Canada) when new , very close to the sticker of 85xxx on his new fully loaded truck. Fleet pricing allows about 20%or more off of the list MSRP.



If you have never driven a new 850tq truck with the aisin, you cannot help but be impressed even if you don't want to be.



The changes made to the new 13-14MY address all of the issues that made me also say 07 was last year of diesel I would consider purchasing. (Just my random musing)

 

[cerberusiam]

How much less pollution is c. r. than p-pump? we don't know.

Wrong, on all accounts. The p-pump needed reduced power, timing, and CAT to meet emission requirements that were considerably less than what todays diesels must meet. The differences are quite well known and documented NOT by government agencies but the manufacturers themselves. The production lifetime of a CR is already twice the p-pump run, that in itself is a very good clue to its suitability.

What is the air like in china?

Far worse than ANY 10 major metropolitan areas in the US. Are you advocating we return to the blanket pollution clouds that once adorned the the cities in this country? I wonder just how long you would enjoy having to wear a breathing mask to commute to work or even go outside a heavily filtered closed environment. Better do a little more research on the problems China is facing in the pollution area WITHOUT the lack of strict emissions controls, it is not a pretty sight.

If these emmisions are so good and so needed, why are so many deleting them?

Exactly. Why would a responsible thinking person choose to delete rather than fix the very things that ARE giving them a higher quality of life than the rest of the world? There is a lot more to that discussion than just choosing to remove the controls. Not really pertinent to this discussion though.

Please don't bring the children into this, like commonrail is going to save the planet.

Thats is a very short sighted and selfish stance to take. If nothing else, history has taught us that what we do now DOES affect future genrations. The CR engine may not save the planet by itself, but, it is a platform for a step in the right direction. If the choice comes down to retaining the Cummins engine to do what it does best, or, losing it entirely because they could not\would not change and evolve, guess where the majority opinon will fall. That is a close to a no-brainer choice as there is.

 

[SierraRam]

Never hear someone ask for opinions and then get so worked up over the answers???

 

[bigtoy]

No, I do not want to end up like china pollution wise, and if we did the right thing, we would not allow the importation of crap from a country that is so irresponsible with the environment. We are going to focus on little things like insane emmisions requirements that probably accomplish nothing and waste fuel.

I am not getting worked up over this, you are, I am fascinated with how worked up people are getting about this. It's only my opinion.

If you enjoy your new clean truck and it gives you a warm fuzzy that your are not killing the planet. Fine! I am cool with that. , but don't try to make like I am the bad guy because I don't believe that the emmisions need to be so strict.

 

[bigtoy]

If it makes you feel any better I only use my dirty filthy
12 valve when I need to. I use a car most of the time, because it gets better mileage and the fuel is cheaper. I would get rid of 12 valve, but it is cheap to have around, and I love the truck. Today gas is 3. 08 diesel is 3. 79/gal. When I bought my 12 valve gas was 1. 87 and diesel was a 1. 66. I was in heaven cheap fuel and a truck that gets awesome mileage. It didn't last long , diesel went up faster than gas and has never been cheaper. I don't think diesel power with today's circumstances is worth the hassle.

 

[BDaugherty]

Look this is just my opinion, but as far as i am concerned diesel died in 2007.

Sort of a contradiction to this whole discussion. Electronically controlled injection started in 1999 and CR began in 2003. DPF and regen started in 2008.



I'm very happy with my '03. It has CR but no external emissions devices. I traded my previous '01 for a 4 door, not because the 24V HO was among the loudest engines ever put in a light duty pickup. Honestly, I liked the 2nd gen better but the larger cab is more practical and I was getting tired of the smoke show every time I nailed it.