Return of the big block?

[grasmo]

With the insane prices of diesel,do you think it would make sense to start driving a big block gas motor ?? Come on some of you numbers guys is the . 75 per gallon price difference off set the loss of mileage? I know they pull decent.

 

[DCreed]

I drove a 454 dually back when and it got 8 mpg. I think I'll keep the Cummins.

 

[WMonroe]

A guy a work with has the 8. 1 chevy 2500. He gets 7-8mpg running around empty and 4-6 towing. And the bad part is that it is not that impressive towing. I'll definately keep my Cummins.

Will

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Just talked to a guy with a built 454 in his '72 Chevy 2wd longbed. Converted it to electronic ignition, fuel injection, and spent a small fortune on a rebuild a year ago. He gets a whopping 7mpg mixed highway/city. Pulling his travel trailer it drops to 4. . . says he doesn't do that often, or go far!!

I do know small block GM gassers can get good mileage. My brother's 1/2 ton Chevy 4x4 shortbed extra cab usually did 19 cruising 65-70, but only got about 12-13 in town.

 

[TFucili]

No way! I had a 2004 2500HD 8. 1/Ally. It certainly pulled better than my company truck, which was a Ford w/5. 4, but nowhere near as well as my CTD, it would lose MPH on hills and the Allison would get to hunting as well. It got 8 MPG pulling my cargo trailer and about 10 empty. Been there, done that. No thanks.

 

[Simplysmn]

If I want to save fuel and still have a little fun i just pull out my vw even with the built motor I can pull 25+ around town with it

 

[grasmo]

I guess what I,m wondering is how much difference in the price of diesel vs. gasoline, is required before a large ,equally powered gas engine becomes economical? Will the auto industry start to produce these high powered gas engines?? I know this sounds crazy but look how quickly the price has spread to almost 70 cents per gallon, and will it stop or reverse itself.

 

[HBarlow]

I agree strongly with ALL the posts above. The only folks that get good gas mileage towing with big block gas engines are the folks who tell you what they WISH their trucks were getting for fuel mileage, not what they actually do.



Plus a big block GM gas motor has to be wound to 3500 rpm to pull a grade and will be worn out long before 200k miles and be worth basically nothing when it's time to sell or trade.



I'll grumble when I fill up like the rest of you but I'm going to keep driving a Cummins Ram. When I no longer own a Cummins Ram my vehicle will be a nurse-powered wheel chair or a funeral car.



You can guess how I'm going to grumble when I fill my c&c's 52 gallon factory fuel tank then fill my 75 gallon Tranfer Flow auxilliary tank. That will be a $500 hit.

 

[Bobcatpat]

I think it's like comparing apples to oranges. The cummins diesel is the best engine in a light truck on the road period. I would never go back to gas.



As far as diesel prices compared to gasoline, Diesel is usually higher than gas in winter, and maybe slightly lower in summer. So let's just relax, and enjoy the ride, be glad we drive the most mighty beast on the road.

 

[Garlic]

I still have the V-10 Gasser and still use it. Although I don't tow as much with it as before, It still gets with the program. I have almost 100K pulling 10,000 pounds on the gasser and it uses no oil and the motor has never been apart, nor has the trans!! Who ever said that Gassers won't make it to 200K?? I'll bet mine does (And towing for 50%+ of it's life. I wouldn't part with it anyway.

 

[grasmo]

I guess what I'm asking is could the price of diesel reach the point to where it would become neccessary to manufacture gasoline engines to haul with. I' m not saying that a gas motor is good. I'm saying the price of diesel is increasing at an alarming rate. Lets say gas was 3. 29per gallon and diesel was 6. 00 per gallon then would it be economical to tow with gas. Would it be so economical that some one would start to manufacture a large gas motor to tow with?? One year ago how many of you guys would have thought diesel would be 70 cent per gal. more than gas??? I guess I will hope my customers will pay me a lot more for hauling than before, Don' get me wrong I bleed diesel.

 

[HBarlow]

Grasmo,



In my opinion, no. I don't expect the price differential between gas and diesel will continue to grow. I know of no reason why it should.



Diesel engines, because of their enormous torque at low rpms, will always be the choice for moving heavy loads like in OTR trucks.



Longevity is another reason why gas engines will not replace diesels. Few TDR members and few Dodge Ram owners ever actually use the life of a Cummins diesel. Most tear them up with radical mods and racing or grow tired of the truck and buy a new one long before the engine is worn out. The Cummins is actually a million mile motor in a Dodge Ram. I know one TDR member/RV transporter who retired a '95 with 930k on the odometer. Have known others who have put 600k+ on one. One of our TDR members, GAmes, has almost 600k on his '97.



And third, resale value. During normal times even a rough, high mileage Cummins Ram will sell for a good price because buyers looking for a good, cheap work truck know what they are capable of doing.



I believe diesels are here to stay. I'm not about to sell or trade mine. I'll grumble when I fuel up like everyone else but I'm committed.

 

[JDiepstra]

Grasmo, from what I have seen here, a big block gasser ranges between 4 to 10 mpg towing or not.

From what I have experienced, a Cummins will double that.

That tells me that to break even on just gas price vs diesel fuel price, diesel would have to cost twice what gas does.

I'd bet that won't happen.

 

[Missouri Mule]

I have had two big block ford vans. The 78 regular size 12 passenger 5000 lbs 460 cu/7. 5 L 4 barrel averaged(loaded/unloaded) 8 mpg in town and 10 mpg on the highway.

My 88 extended van 15 passenger wt. 6000 lbs 460 cu/ 7. 5 L port fuel injection averaged 12. 5 mpg (unloaded/loaded).



My Mule weighing in at 5900 lbs averaraged 18 last year unloaded/loaded.



My Freightliner(Moose Pack) at 11000 (unloaded) to 16000 lbs (loaded) averaged 11. 5 mpg last year.



I think I will stick with Cummins engines. Oo.

 

[klenger]

What ever happened to the Chrysler 6. 1 Hemi that was supposed to come out after the V10 was dropped?

 

[HBarlow]

What ever happened to the Chrysler 6. 1 Hemi that was supposed to come out after the V10 was dropped?

It has been available for several years in the Chrysler 300 "SRT8" high performance option and also in the Dodge Charger R/T "SRT8. " It is a high performance engine probably not suitable for pickups.

 

[grasmo]

Thanks for the posting. I would hate to see fuel prices get crazy enough to cause people to pull with gas. The fuel prices are certainly alarming. Don't get me wrong I absolutely worship diesels... especially the cummins.

 

[FATCAT]

I guess what I'm asking is could the price of diesel reach the point to where it would become neccessary to manufacture gasoline engines to haul with. I' m not saying that a gas motor is good. I'm saying the price of diesel is increasing at an alarming rate. Lets say gas was 3. 29per gallon and diesel was 6. 00 per gallon then would it be economical to tow with gas. Would it be so economical that some one would start to manufacture a large gas motor to tow with?? One year ago how many of you guys would have thought diesel would be 70 cent per gal. more than gas??? I guess I will hope my customers will pay me a lot more for hauling than before, Don' get me wrong I bleed diesel.

It is not a matter of "IF" diesel goes to $6/gal it is just a question of "WHEN" it will be at that level (probably before X-Mas 2008). But, gas will be right there with it.



Remember about a week or so ago, Goldman Sacks "estimated" oil will hit $200 a barrel soon? Well, that was not a "estimate", it was more of a statement that it will be $200+ soon because they and other huge investment firms dictate prices of commodities. Their major institutional investors have now began buying up oil futures like they are going out of style.



These financial institutions need to make their money back on the mortage fiasco somehow, so oil will be their tool.



So ... forget about big block gassers, the only thing we will be pulling when diesel AND gas are $6+ / gal. will be your Radio Flyer wagon -or- the triggers on you Rem 700 as the next American Rev. takes place.

 

[grasmo]

Man ,I hear you ... . A revolution is coming. It is a proven fact that you can only push people around so long before they revolt. I'm scared to say ,but I don't think there are enough people with the B_LLS to actually do something ... America is disgustingly weak. A few of us can really see what is going on!

 

[grasmo]

My post will probably get reported and pulled ... if so I apologize in advance.