2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Old, Tired, and Slow?

[Nate]

I was starting to think my truck was getting old, tired and slow. I road in a Duramax down to Utah, we had a truck on a trailer and 4 guys in the Chevy, weighing in just right around 18,600... and I have to say it pulled VERY nicely... lots of power and that 6 speed auto is great!



Made me a bit depressed when I got back home and climbed in my truck, even with the Smarty I don't think it could match the a stock Duramax power #s... and this fellow had the Edge setup that went all the way to program #6.





Anyway, I loaned out my truck to a buddy this week. So I'm driving his 99 Ram 1500 with the 5. 9L gasser. Now I'm wondering how the heck he deals with this GUTLESS, FUEL SUCKING, truck! I guess mine isn't so bad after all I've drivin it a total of ~40 miles and it's burned over 1/4 of fuel! The last time I drove it, I got 12mpg with it, and I bet that's about what I'm getting now. I can't imagine towing with this thing... I'm pretty sure my truck hooked to a trailer would beat this thing in a race



Only nice thing about his truck is the heat comes on after maybe a mile of driving... it's almost instant! My truck starts warming up maybe when I'm halfway home (about 6 miles into the drive).



So maybe my truck isn't king of the hill, but at least I didn't pay nearly $45,000 for it like the fellow with the the Duramax did :-laf

 

[SSabick]

Yeah, it is for sure that the Duramax has certainly come a long way. But I still think that the Cummins will hold up better with time. And besides... the dominating force in DHRA is still Dodge. Although Chevy is making its presence known. .

 

[Joe G.]

I thought this thread was about me when I saw the name.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

If I was in the market for a truck today, I'd be looking REAL hard at a new GMC Diesel...



WELL, at least until I saw the price tag... :-laf

 

[CHolman]

Yeah, it is for sure that the Duramax has certainly come a long way. But I still think that the Cummins will hold up better with time. And besides... the dominating force in DHRA is still Dodge. Although Chevy is making its presence known. .

AGREE 110% Cummins is known for it's logivity, that's why when I went to spend as much money as these trucks cost I did it with confidence

 

[litespeed]

I thought this thread was about me when I saw the name.

LOL... ... . Me too. :-laf



Pretty funny...



Yea..... Those new duramaxes are nice. After the disasters I had with I had with one I could never go back.



It is fun to ride in other trucks every now and then to see what you are missing... And what "they're" missing too.



I think there would have to be some significant breakthroughs beyond the current technology for me to "buy new" again. Transmissions are looking way better but it seems the engines have stopped evolving. They are just pushing the limits of "existing" designs... . But that is another story and a different thread.

 

[Bart]

One thing my '98 has that those new Maxi pads :-laf don't have, and that is a pink slip. I just put $4,000 in up grading my intake and exhaust system but that's still cheaper than monthly payments on a new $40+ rig of any brand. I've just about got mine where I want it so I can't change horses now.

 

[kentdiesel]

I don't think the Duramax or the Powerstroke run all that great. Dead off my manual is disadvantage but at a 20 or 30mph roll I've had no problem with the other brands.

I got behind a Duramax full of youngsters(early twenties) the other day and it had Banks strickers all over it, fancy wheels, etc.

We where running about 30mph when he floored it. I was in 3rd gear cause I knew what was going to happen. We where going up a hill and I could pull up on him , let off and pull right back up on him. The Duramax was smoking enough that I knew he had some fuel on it. The faster we went the more I had to let off to keep from pushing the Duramax.

Finally the road open up and I rolled up beside him and all his buddies were laughing and giving me the thumbs up. The driver wouldn't look at me.

My wife said I think his buddies want to race but I don't think he does, Doesn't he have a bigger motor than you?

I said yeah, all I have is a little 6 cylinder.

Kent

 

[pwerwagn]

Dead off my manual is disadvantage but at a 20 or 30mph roll I've had no problem with the other brands.

Same here. My bro in law has a 6. 0 psd with a quad race box on it and exhaust. From about a 30mph roll I can pull 3 or so truck lenghts on him by 100mph.

and that was with the stock turbo, 10 plate intake and 3" exhaust. :-laf



-Jeff

 

[2-ND TIME]

Mine has been gutless since I got it!!!

I have been getting H/H since I saw the 450 FORD that the one salesman told me that I didn't come that way !!! I will be soooooooo glad to have a diesel that will have POWER not like this gutless wonder that NORTHLAND SOLD ME.