DIESEL vs GAS

DOGMAN · November 9, 2003

What are the pluses & minuses of DIESEL vs GAS... when towing dont they both get s**tty gas milage? Then why have a noisy Diesel?

stlmaj · November 9, 2003

Wasted topic but hay if you want to hear the arguments I am sure that ARE422DP, CMNTMXR81, HendyPhoto and 04Chevy2500HD will have plenty to say LOL. As for me I just love GM's and think there is a place for both diesels and gas weather it be a big block or a small block. It all depends on how much money you have and what you want to do with it!

Matt

HendyPhoto · November 9, 2003

LOL STLMAJ, you answered that one perfectly!! LOL DOGMAN, you opened a can of worms here (not a new can of worms for sure)!! (just a warning) LOL

I wont have much to say until I have more facts on my truck, but I am working on it. Hopefully I can have some good numbers for you within a week for mileage. If you arent towing with that duramax, you will get excellent fuel mileage , but there is a definite drop when you start pulling . The 8.1 stays within 2-4 MPG whenther you are towing or not, which still isnt good!!! THIS MAY NOT BE RIGHT FOR ALL 8.1 OWNERS!!! LOL Sounds like everyone really likes their diesels, and everyone really likes their 8.1's, so everyone SHOULD be happy. I just like the sound my 496 and flowmaster makes when I am blowing by DMAX's at 4300 RPM's. (that comment is just to start some %$#@)

04Chevy2500HD · November 9, 2003

Hey now now... I just purchased my Diesel and don't have anything to say yet. But I know for sure Hendy and ARE422DP will have plenty of feedback on the issue... All I can say I am perfectly happy with my purchase and I am sure others are perfectly happ with theirs.

-David

NoWake200 · November 9, 2003

This is our third diesel and unless they do something really stupid to engine we will keep getting diesels! As for the noise, these new diesels are really quiet, you hardly know your driving one. Now our first PowerStoke you knew you were driving one. I do not know were you live but were we live diesel fuel has been $1.25 to $1.35 per/gal over the past year with some spikes here and there. Gas is up in the $1.60 to $1.80 per/gal range...so when it comes time to fill'r up you will be saving a few doors each time....but then again it is a $5,000 option.

Love the diesel engines...

Just my 2c

bluenote · November 9, 2003

I don't consider 12 mpg pulling my 5 ton fifth wheel to be such bad mileage. Based on accounts I've read, those who are pulling coaches that size with the 8100 get about 8 mpg, sometimes less. I know that I pulled this same 5er with a vortec 7400 and mileage ranged from 5.5 to 8.5, so I'm pretty happy with the figures when towing.

As far as comments that the 8100 doesn't suffer such a drop in mileage when towing, those are really misleading. I get 20 mpg towing empty, so my percentage loss when towing is just about the same as an 8100 driver who goes from 12-13 mpg empty down to 8 mpg towing. We both see about 60% of our empty mileage when in towing situations. In all cases, I will be getting about 1½ times better mileage than the 8100 owner. A friend of mine tows a 7K travel trailer with his Duramax, and gets better mileage towing than anyone with an 8100 can get empty!

There are NO stock 8100's that can "blow by" a stock Duramax if the diesel driver doesn't want him to. The 0-60 and ¼ mile times for the 2 engines are very similar, with just a slight edge to the 8100. The stock top end speed is the same because of speed limiter programming. Considering the 8100 has 45 more ponies to use, you'd think they could walk away from a diesel, but they can't...I'll bet that superior torque of the diesel helps level the playing field.

Finally, as has already been said, the new generation diesels are not that noisy. At idle, or in town, I can hear some diesel clatter, but it's quite subdued. At highway speeds, you can't tell you're driving a diesel from the sound. In fact, when towing hills, my current truck is quieter than the vortec 7400 was because it doesn't have to scream at high rpm's to make the grade.

To each his own, they are both towing beasts!

MCourson · November 9, 2003

To each his own, they are both towing beasts!

Very True.

As of now I am happy with the diesel.

Heres some good reading:

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...showtopic=21542

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...?showtopic=6293

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...showtopic=21709

NoWake200 · November 10, 2003

...so when it comes time to fill'r up you will be saving a few doors each time....

I think I need to prof read my posts just alittle better next time!

manytranny · November 10, 2003

Can you get an extra 120+HP (300 lb ft!!!) out of a 8100 for 1000 bucks? I THINK NOT!

Wingnut · November 10, 2003

...so when it comes time to fill'r up you will be saving a few doors each time....

I think I need to prof read my posts just alittle better next time!

Yeah....Because there is no way I'm buying a truck with no doors!!! Diesel or not

HendyPhoto · November 10, 2003

Can you get an extra 120+HP (300 lb ft!!!) out of a 8100 for 1000 bucks? I THINK NOT!

You cant either!! It will cost you lots more than that to beef everything up to handle that much more torque and HP. Maybe it will cost you 1000 now, but lots more later in repairs.

Jpshostr · November 10, 2003

Purely from a work truck stance, all I'm going to ask is, what fuel do all OTR trucks, tractors and combines, farm equipment, and other off-road heavy equipment burn?

One hint: it sure isn't gasoline.

timk49 · November 10, 2003

To keep it simple do you tow a big load often or id the truck an occasional tow machine. If you mostly drive around empty get the gasser. If you mostly tow large loads on long hauls get the diesel. Guess we need more information.

c5hd · November 10, 2003

Diesel all the way. I mostly commute, 80 miles/day and I am getting 23.6 mpg unloaded. When I am towing 7000+lbs, for some weekend racing, I get 18 mpg. I have the DIC to prove it. Plus Diesel is cheaper.

BlackSilver · November 10, 2003

I have one of each.

The diesel is great for pulling, and I grin everytime I hit a grade and quietly just head on up the hill while other vehicles are huffing and puffing and whining away at 4000+ RPM like some mad banshee.

The gasser is great for "daily driving", light duty hauling, etc.

Maybe THAT's why they give us several choices. Sunuvagun, what a concept.