Powerboat Article on diesel pickup

[joe308]

Just got the new issue of Powerboat magazine and saw they did a tow test on the Chevy dmax. They made a completely rediculous statement (especially for a "high performance" publication) that the dmax equipped Chevy was favored over the Dodge because of it's superior fuel economy to the Hemi and Cummins. I couldn't help myself and just fired off a letter to their editor stating: 1) they should know better than to compare a gas to diesel for economy (what economy does the GM 8100 get?) and 2) the Cummins gets no worse milage than the dmax - probably the reverse! I'm not holding my breath, but let's see if the Ed replies in next months issue.

 

[BHolm]

Relax My experience is that the Cummins and the Duramax do get about the same milage and my old 7. 3 PSD a little below those two. Gassers are obviously out of the ballpark. You are correct, everybody should know that.



Since it is "Powerboat", they may have preferred the quicker acceleration of the Duramax. It is definately more "gasser like" in its performance. It would be better to just accept the Chev and Dodge as different animals.

 

[joe308]

A Speedy reply!

Wow, that was fast - here's what the the Editor Brett Becker had to say:



"Joe,

Since we are a boating magazine, and not a truck publication, a three-way

shootout isn't likely. With everything going on in the go-fast boating

community, we have to dedicate our features to covering boats, races, poker

runs, et. al. It would be nice to do a shootout like that, but most of our

readers want more boat stories, not more stories on trucks. Thanks for the

idea, though. I will run it by our other editors.



We'll eventually get to all the diesels this year. In fact, I think we'll

have them all covered by August. We tested the Dodge HO Cummins in February,

the Duramax last month, the 7. 3-liter Ford/International in the Excursion in

May and I am currently evaluating an F-250 Ford Super Duty with the new

6. 0-liter and five-speed automatic. The only one we haven't tested is the

standard Cummins. I'll try to get one of those. I'd like to test a diesel

Dodge with an automatic.



As far as cross comparisons between gas and diesel engines, sure, everyone

knows that diesels get better mileage. I was merely pointing out, while I

was on the subject, that the Dodge Hemi fewer mpg than the Duramax. It wasn't a mistake. It was intentional. Sorry

if it seemed confusing.



Now if you want comparisons between GM and Dodge gasoline engines, our

findings are that the Vortec GM engines get better mileage than the Hemi.

That's party because the Hemi we tested seemed to be tuned for upper-rpm

power, and the GM Vortecs pulled pretty strong at lower rpm. When we had the

Hemi, we had our foot in it most of the time because the engine just loved

to rev and made most of its power above 3,500 rpm. No fault of anyone, just

a different state of tune. For towing, I'd take low-end torque of a Vortec.

For hot rod stuff, like the RT Durango concept, I'll take the Hemi.



I still think the Hemi could produce more torque lower in the rpm range and

be better suited for towing with smaller intake and exhaust valves.



And as for the mileage comparison between the Duramax and the Cummins HO,

our findings were that the Duramax did in fact get better mileage than the

Dodge we tested. In fairness, the Dodge we tested was fitted with a 4. 10:1

rear axle, not a 3. 73:1 ratio like the GMC, which may have been the reason

for the difference in mileage.



Thanks for reading

Brett Becker, editor

Powerboat magazine"