I am tired of DIESEL......

[berman2000]

I got it!

buy a Toyota Prius, put a rack on it for work!:-laf

 

[mikepvg]

1st & foremost I am a HUGE Mopar AND Cummins fan. My next truck will be a Dodge & the only diesel I would ever consider would be a Cummins. Period.



I po'ed the CTD because I pull horses & a couple of tons of hay on a regular basis in the Rky's. For my work, I carry about 1500-2000-lbs of tools in the back, always.



Pulling horses less & less nowadays & that means pulling less tonnage of hay also. Needed the extra grunt for the last 15 years but it seems that need is gradually changing & I am pulling less & less... . Things change. This winter, after a 25 year hiatus, I decided to get back into skiing & mostly drove back & forth to the ski hill when crappy weather prevented me from my regular work. At least at hwy speeds, cab heat is not a problem!



I ave 18mpg working. If a gasser gets 16-17mpg, where is my diesel advantage? I made a hay run yesterday & got a whopping 10mpg. Oh boy! I have no idea what a Hemi would do w/ that load but I am very very curious. Especially considering I ave about $1,000. 00 a month in diesel fuel bills... .



Truck was nice & clean burning for a few months when it was new. I was very impressed actually. Currently it burns like a coal train & is no different than my old 2V 94 CTD. Hard starting happens anytime, even in the summer heat. Probably some injector issues combined w/ the engine sensor going bad. Only 79K miles on the clock. Got an appt w/ the dealer in a few weeks when I go on vacation. Hopefully I won't get taken to the cleaners while I'm gone.....



Compared to a gasser, cab heat will always be inferior no matter what you do, UNLESS you are running it hard like it was designed. If you just putz around from job site to job site its a PIA especially when your job means you work outside in the mud & muck in the snow. I essentially dress for outside conditions IN THE TRUCK during winter work



Yes, I am trolling for new answers in this time of extreme instabilty & to find some relief at the pump.



Canada pays over $8/gal

Europe pays over $10/gal

WE got it pretty good at $4. 80/gal but w/ alot folks paying over twice what we do, you can bet your sweet *** there is absolutely no incentive for the oil co's to help us. They know that we will pay... . because others are paying!



BTW,Sauda Arabia is currently paying 0. 68/gal



I'm thinking of the long term future... ... . and it's a pretty scary scenario... .



I just hope the OEM's are thinking about it as hard as I am because the answer lies w/ them.



Mike

 

[jwilliamson]

16-17 mpg in a gasser? in what a Tacoma 4 cylinder, reg cab, 2wd? In comparible trucks to mine, my friends get anywhere from 12-14 with 12 being the norm. I get 18 overall. That's 33 percent better. I'll keep the diesel with 20 percent higher fuel price.

 

[JHardwick]

My other half gets 15-16 in her 2001 1/2 ton Silverado, cab and a half, short bed, V8, auto.


EDIT: I get 13-14 in it, lol

 

[cuevas623]

all I gotta say is my buddies are telling me that thier gasser trucks are getting 12-15 mpg and they are paying almost a hundred bucks to fill their tanks... so why not pay $15 more a tank have a truck that is capapble of more and gets better fuel economy. Prices will come down eventually.

 

[Matt400]

1) PRICES being 21-22% higher than gas.

How difficult would it be to swap the Cummins out for a gasser like a Hemi

I don't understand Mike, the Hemi would get 30-40% less fuel mileage. If you want to do it then a trade would be the easy way to go and I bet you won't have a hard time finding a willing person.



The price listed for fuel can be misleading when the real concern is cost per mile to operate. My CTD is cheaper to run than our gas Jeep Liberty even though Diesel is higher at the pump.

 

[mikepvg]

It's a pretty easy mathematical calculation to determine which is more cost efficient on the mpg front but also don't forget the additional $5,000 add on option for the diesel engine.



I am hearing many reports from the new Hemi owners w/ the new high tech option of cutting out 4 of the 8 cylinders in hwy mode and getting outstanding fuel economy equal to and better to what I am getting. Are they valid claims? I do not know. But w/ all that is going on, I am pressed to find out.



I seriously doubt a gasser would have gotten less than 10mpg like I did on my last load but I have no way of knowing for sure.....



What I want & what I need are 2 totally different things... .



Wants = A Viper or perhaps that new Dodge Challenger w/ the 425HP just like the original 70's version. Oo.



What I needs = A Tacoma 4 cyclinder that can pull 10,000-lbs ocasionally!



Neither are going to happen in the near future!:{

 

[Forrest Nearing]

It's a pretty easy mathematical calculation to determine which is more cost efficient on the mpg front but also don't forget the additional $5,000 add on option for the diesel engine.

nor the % and rate of depreciation of a gas truck vs. a diesel, you'll get that $5k back and then some as the trucks rack up miles

 

[Matt400]

It's a pretty easy mathematical calculation to determine which is more cost efficient on the mpg front but also don't forget the additional $5,000 add on option for the diesel engine.

That doesn't count when you have already bought it especially for the purpose of pulling loads. You might calc that in if contimpalting a new purchase and concerned about operating costs but not when you want to pull 10K.

I am hearing many reports from the new Hemi owners w/ the new high tech option of cutting out 4 of the 8 cylinders in hwy mode and getting outstanding fuel economy equal to and better to what I am getting. Are they valid claims?

I have one in a Charger, our Charger gets 2 mpg more than the CTD but that won't happen in a 2500 truck.

What I needs = A Tacoma 4 cyclinder that can pull 10,000-lbs ocasionally!

Thats what you have... at least thats what I have with mine. My truck gets 20 un loaded so pretty much the same as a 4x4 Tacoma or Tundra and it will pull the weight when asked to. If you are getting poor mileage I would fix that issue through repair or change of driving habits vs buying a gasser.



If you are getting odor in the cab there is a great fix for that here:

http://www.rounsevell.com/blowby.pdf

I have done 3 trucks and all worked out real nice.

 

[AKaiser]

Keeping my foot out of it, and driving on average 50 MPH up the center of Southern Indiana from Evansville area to Indy, U. S. 231 thru Jasper to Loogootee, U. S. 50 to Bedford to IN 37, thru the hills, I could get maybe 17 MPG on my old 99 with the 318. It was a 4x4 QC, SB 1500, 265x75R16s and a 3. 92 ratio. On the superhighway doing 70, about 15 MPG all day long. I never drop below 17 on winter fuel at 75 with this rig I own now. Get +2 on summer fuel, +3 or more if I keep the speed below 65.

 

[AClayton]

It's a pretty easy mathematical calculation to determine which is more cost efficient on the mpg front but also don't forget the additional $5,000 add on option for the diesel engine.



I am hearing many reports from the new Hemi owners w/ the new high tech option of cutting out 4 of the 8 cylinders in hwy mode and getting outstanding fuel economy equal to and better to what I am getting. Are they valid claims? I do not know. But w/ all that is going on, I am pressed to find out.



I seriously doubt a gasser would have gotten less than 10mpg like I did on my last load but I have no way of knowing for sure.....



What I want & what I need are 2 totally different things... .



Wants = A Viper or perhaps that new Dodge Challenger w/ the 425HP just like the original 70's version. Oo.



What I needs = A Tacoma 4 cyclinder that can pull 10,000-lbs ocasionally!



Neither are going to happen in the near future!:{

I can save you the trouble of figuring your mileage pulling a heavy trailer. I just purchased my 01'CTD for the sole reason of pulling my trailer. The combo has grossed recently at 19K. Subtract 1200lbs from that with my old combo... a 3/4ton Chevy with 6. 0. Now the numbers that will interest you... My old gasser would get a best of 7. 5mpg loaded and avg. ed 7 most of the time. On top of not having any power pulling grades with same trailer mind you,the truck rendered horrible mileage when loaded. Without being hitched to anything,the truck barely squeezed 14mpg. Now the Cummins #'s... . 11 being the worst and a high of 14 once pulling through Indiana on flat level road at 60mph. Solo, my truck has gotten 19 before and usually maintains 18 regulary in the summer. I'm not going to do the math for you as it has been done on these threads numerous times... but you will find it cheaper to own the CTD. I went through this last year with these guys when I experienced all of the hassles of owning a 24V... . lift pump,gauges,auto trans and steering woes,all to find that once all the bugs were worked out... . as with purchasing any used truck... . you simply cannot beat these trucks. If you pull that same trailer with your newly purchased Hemi,you will surely miss the CTD!!!



Alan

 

[JasonCzerak]

Don't park down wind of your tail pipe for starters.

 

[mikepvg]

It seems I need to do 2 things:



1) Find out what is the cause of the excessive smoke & hard starting & get it fixed.



2) Explore options for increasing the CTD efficiency.



Everyone has mods for increasing power. Who cares... . I have more than enough power & actually would be willing to accept less power in exchange for more efficiency (higher mpg). I'm surprised I haven't seen a "high mileage kit" offered by someone; such as better flowing turbo, smaller more efficient injectors with the known timing advances that work on these units. Somewhere between 20-25mpg s/b obtainable.



Who has experience w/ TST's module that advances timing on level #1? That is supposed to increase mpg... .

 

[JHardwick]

2) Explore options for increasing the CTD efficiency.

Get you a lockout hub kit, that's good for a few mpg

 

[NBeebe]

About 3 months ago, I put the quadzilla max mileage box on my truck. Prior to the box, I was getting about 19 to maybe 19. 5 mpg at the very best, but the average was around 19 (in the summer... . more like 17. 5 avg in the winter). With the box and the most current update (the city mileage tune) I am getting 21 mpg, and that IS hand calced. I have gotten exactly 21 mpg for three tanks in a row now. Getting 675 miles out of a tank is very nice to say the least. So I would say a 2 mpg increase was well worth the $180 cost of the box, and will pay for itself shortly. As you can see in my signature, the other mods I have aren't really "mods", but straight piping did help the mpg a bit. The before and after numbers I listed above are before and after the addition of the Quad box ONLY (other mods were already in place). I haven't towed or hauled anything really heavy (except 2700 lbs of shingles in the bed for about 20 miles) since I put the Quad box on so I don't know how much improved the MPG numbers will be when towing.

 

[Matt400]

mikepvg- Here is some more info of interest on your vehicle encase you missed it:

• TSB 18-004-04
  
• TSB 18-007-04
  
• TSB 18-037-04
  
• TSB 18-017-05
  

There are lots more here: TSB Index Page for DR 2004 Ram Truck All Engines-All Groups but the above bulletins may address some of your issues.

 

[JimB1]

Mikepvg



Is your engine warranty still good?



Make it run right bone stock first, otherwise you're putting lipstick on a pig.



Mine, stock, '07, 10k miles, @ 65 mph freeway, 21. x mpg.



Stock, '06, 5k miles, same speed, 20. x mpg.



I'm guessing 22 mpg when finished breaking in, hand calculated.



Tons of power, completely OEM, That's about what yours should do.

 

[mikepvg]

I agree. Eng warr is 100K & 7 yr, so it s/b covered. Def go that route 1st... just try to get it running the way I bought it when new.



After that, probably only need 2 things done. Remove CAT, which @ 79K is probably mostly used up (certainly too expensive to add a new 1) & add a timing adv feature like w/ the TST module for an extra 5-10% mpg jump.



Good analogy... . evrything else is like "putting lipstick on a pig"!



Last night's business rpt has future oil forcasts calling for $7/gal gasoline w/in 2 years in the U. S. . That means almost $8/gal diesel. If that should happen, it will change everything we know or love forever.....

 

[DerekW]

give me a price might be interested? just not in a 4bt or a hemi clunker

 

[dieselman24]

Let me go warm up a bottle of milk I will be right back!!! I would never ever drive another gas truck no matter how high fuel goes they just dont compare at all I have drove a Diesel for the last 9 years and wont even ride in my wifes gas rig no power at all. . Thats my . 02 cents. .