Your help a few weeks ago about deciding which truck and why was invaluable. Now that the decision is made, the next question is gas or diesel. I test drove a Ford F350 Power Stroke diesel truck about a week ago. Since I've never driven a diesel truck I didn't really know what to expect. For instance, the tach only went to something like 4000 rpm. My current truck (gas) goes to about 7000 rpm. Why is that? Also, I can put my foot on the floor with a gas truck and GO. Can I do that with diesel? Thanks in advance for the help.

diesels are designed for low end torque and are incredibly good at towing large loads. They do not have the get-up-and-go of a gasoline engine. They probably won't have the top end either. One big difference is that many diesels will turn 500,000 miles with proper care.

Mo your right about the tourque but dead wrong about the get up and go

My 6.0 Turbo charged Diesel F250 cruises down the road turning 2000 rpm at 70 mph

But punch that puppy and bam it will haul

It will eat a chevy 350ci gassers lunch

390 hp and 525lbs of torque will haul any sized trailer down the road and blow the doors off of souped up japanese high winged racing striped coupe. you know the ones with coffee cans for mufflers

all this with 18mph highway 14 around town and 11 towing all figures gas trucks wish they could match

When at a light and you wanna shut down that honda next to you just power brake it to 1800 rpm to get the turbo spinning then let of the brake punch the throttle and hang on

coffee cans for mufflers.......hehe

they are definitely capable of producing crazy amounts of torque.......and will out-tow any gas engine. They will outlast them as well.

Years ago I witnessed a Cummins turbo diesel Ram truck blow the doors off of a 5.0 Mustang.

They pulled into a gas station afterwards and the guy driving the 5.0 wanted to see under the hood.

Nothing funny under there, and he shrugged off. Tail between his legs.

As the guy drove off I looked at the guy and muttered, "Got chips?"...the truck driver looked back at me and just smiled.

Where there's a will there's a way.

oh yeah those chips will boost ya up to 500 hp and around 800 ftlbs of torque

hehehehehe

If you need that much truck, then diesel's your best choice. You hauling stuff? You need to climb grades with big loads? You don't mind paying more for fuel that unleaded gas? Diesel is the way to go.

the diesel fuel is more than gas right now because of winter production going to fuel oil for heating

In the summer diesel is usually less than regular gas

and when you compare milage figures for diesel over gas either way you come out ahead. The only down side is the intial cost of the diesel engine over gas but in the long run (500,000) you come out way ahead

I tow an 8,000 lb camping trailer loaded with an 800 lb harley up grades at 70mph and still get around 11mpg

A gas engine that could handle that (V10 Triton the 5.4 V8 wouldnt be able to handle it that well) would be lucky to get 7mpg

My old truck was an f150 with a 4.6 and was rated to haul what I was towing but my first 100 mile camp trip with out the bike cost me a whole tank of gas. It was then I said I needed the diesel

EI,

My travel trailer paperwork says it weighs 5900 dry. Add the LP tanks and the kids bikes and I'm sure its more like 6200. Then there's the "stuff" like groceries and clothes. And my bride wants to take her scrapbooking supplies - almost all paper and weighs a zillion pounds. With everything I'm probably hauling 7000 pounds, maybe a little more. We usually take my bride's half ton Suburban and it does okay until we hit a hill. Then there's the quick downshift from OD to 3rd to 2nd, then we're stuck in the slow lane. From your experience I think diesel is the way to go. Thanks.

Your welcome.. and the 6.0 has a great tranny.. in tow haul mode when you crest a hill and start going down the other side the tranny actually brakes the engine so your not riding the brake pedal all the way down the grade

Dont ask me how it works I just know that it does

The new 05s even have a trailer brake indash so you dont have to hook one up and a beefer front end than the 03 and 04s

Your gonna love it... but you may wanna consider an F250 over the F350 for cost sake

They are the same exceppt the 350 has more bed capacity which you may not need unless your looking at a 5th wheel in the future

I got an 03 short bed supercab F250 and I would never go back to a gas engine in a truck again

EI,

I'm looking at used trucks right now. I really hate having a car/truck loan to pay. I can shop for a 1999 or 2000 model right now with cash - the dealers seem to have more respect for you if you say, "I'm shopping with cash, now lets get serious about that price..."

I agree about the price difference between F250 and F350. Relatives tell me that the "running gear" (whatever that means) is the same for for both trucks, so according to them, spending less for the 3/4 ton truck looks like the way to go.

Would you agree? Thanks again.

If you are looking at trucks a few years old I would recomend the Dodge Cummins. Cummins is a proven engine and they keep making it better.

My dad has a 1995 Dodge Cummins 3/4 ton PU. Pulls his 28 ft. fifth wheel trailer just fine. Only 130,000 miles and still running strong.

Hers's a link you might want to check out.

http://dodgetruckworld.tenmagazines.com/forums/forum.ten-id-522-n-diesel_engines 

I think there are Ford and Chevy Truckworlds from the same sponsor as well.

I would aggree that the 250 is a better choice for the reasons I stated earlier

As far as 1999 or 2000 models

anything before 2003 has a 7.3 diesel that has a long rep of relyablity and has a proven track record

http://www.ford-trucks.com/ 

and check out the forum page for superduty diesels they have one dedicated to 7.3 and 6.0

You can pick the brains of a lot of superduty diesel owners there

just sign up for a free log on... Im there as ultraclassic

oh and as for the dodge with the cummins

Good motor(ford owns cummins) but a damn ugly truck

Not to mention the garbage tranny in the Dodge. Stay away from the 03 6.0's (new engine, lots o probs) and you'll be fine. The 7.3L is a damn good motor but unfortunatley the trans is so so. Your best bet is an 04 PSD(Ford) w/ the torque-shift trans.

the later 03 are ok... I havent had a bit of problems with mine

The early 03s had wiring and fuel injector problems

so if your looking at 03 verify the build date of March 03 or later

Ford bought back a lot of 03 because of early troubles

But after March they got things straighten out