Ram's new EcoDiesel

[Shadowrider]

Are guys really getting 22mpg out of their ecoboosts? Just curious. I'll be looking for something by the end of the year, and all fo this interests me.

If you can find a CNG conversion (dual fuel) you'll likely get 20 if the real world number is 17. But at a $1.50 per gge who cares? Now the real question is what would the mileage cost be out of the new Dodge diesel with CNG because it works fantastic in diesels too.

Personally I'm glad I'm holding out for a couple more years at least. I've been waiting on a half ton diesel option since the early '80s. When Ford came out with their EcoBoost I thought that with CNG it would be the way to go, and it would still be a great option if only our frakking EPA would certify a system or get the f*** out of our way. They have conversions in Canada yet we don't. There are shops that have them working here but who's going to add one if it kills the warranty on a 50K truck? Whichever way you go, keep CNG in mind, it is a seriously cost efficient fuel. It is running $1.39 at the pump by my house, but I think that's the cheapest pump in the state. Most are around $1.50-1.60'ish.

 

[SoonerP226]

remember those epa ratings are done via the manuf. then the gov kinda checks the data.

If there are questions, the EPA thoroughly checks the data. The only manufacturer that has been found to be cheating on the tests was Hyundai.

its also tested in optimum settings IE highway zero traffic on their test loops and city traffic zero traffic on their test loops.

The EPA tests are conducted in test facilities (i.e, wind tunnels); that's the only way to make them uniform. The EPA numbers aren't there to tell you what you'll get out of a vehicle, only what that vehicle can do relative to other vehicles. If you want to cross-shop an F150, a Cruze, and an S80 on mileage, you can, because the vehicles were all tested with the same methodology under the same conditions.

FWIW, I'm beating the EPA numbers in my '13 F150 5.0, getting ~20 MPG in mixed mileage.

 

[Okie4570]

Only know one person who has the ecoboost, it's a 2012 4x4 CC. He lives in Loveland, CO...............From Loveland, CO to Creed, CO and back he averages 19mpg........on that same trip with an 18' trailer and 3 500cc+ atvs, just a little over 11mpg. Loveland to Enid, OK he gets 24 via I70 to I35, gets 21 on the way home.

 

[farmerbyron]

I think every brand has their lemons, and more often than not, all the major brands are good trucks in their respective regards. There are just those ones that leave a bad taste in some people's mouth, and more often than not, those are the ones you read/hear about.

I wouldn't have called that truck a lemon. The problems I had with it were very common to that line of truck. Spark plugs getting stuck in heads, ticking motor, window regulator going out, premature rear end failure, reoccurring leaking third brake light etc. It always cracks me up that guys use dodge quality from the 90s to judge the current quality. In my experience, the new rams have had a better build quality than my 04 lariat ford did. Guess that's getting to be a decade out of date now but the trucks are still a very similar body that they were in 04.

 

[farmerbyron]

Wonder what this engineering marvel is going to cost? A half ton on the farm makes no sense. A half ton hotshot rig makes no sense. I guess if you are hauling a two horse, it might work. My understanding of the new IRS rules, no longer. Allows you to take accelerated depreciation. If you are using it to haul out of Wal-Mart. Hats off to you!

The diesel is a $2800 option over the hemi if I remember right. This is still a light duty truck just like all half tons. If you are going to tow anywhere near the upper third of the towing max, you need a larger truck.

The American Gestapo is going to crash this economy if that rule is not changed. 25k for total depreciation is nothing. Really hope some lobbyists for big corporations can get that rule amended. I won't be buying **** if they don't. Will have to take out a loan to pay the tax bill.

 

[Danny Tanner]

Call me when the factory slaps one of these things into the Wrangler.

This 3.6l minivan engine is shyte.

 

[excat]

I wouldn't have called that truck a lemon. The problems I had with it were very common to that line of truck. Spark plugs getting stuck in heads, ticking motor, window regulator going out, premature rear end failure, reoccurring leaking third brake light etc. It always cracks me up that guys use dodge quality from the 90s to judge the current quality. In my experience, the new rams have had a better build quality than my 04 lariat ford did. Guess that's getting to be a decade out of date now but the trucks are still a very similar body that they were in 04.

Oddly enough though, on the new model trucks, I think Dodge looks the best, lol. I can't stand the new Chevy/GMC body, it's horrible with crappy sight lines from the inside. Ford has a pretty good looking truck these days, but not as nice as Dodge. I like to drive my Mom's Dodge truck, I just think it's pretty gutless, and she's had electrical issues out the wa-zoo with it.

 

[AllOut]

diesels also last 2 to 3 times as long before rebuild and rebuilding is almost surely possible where as gas the engine may just be wore out needing complete replacement.

Where the hell did you come up with this???
Typical rebuild time for most small diesels is between 250k-300k miles. Most people don't do it but thats when it needs to be done.
Most newer gas motors will go 2-300k miles without issues now. Plus they are very rebuildable.

 

[Travis798]

I own 3 diesel trucks, so I feel I'm speaking from experience when I say this. Diesel engines have been ruined by EPA regulations. Gas is the cheaper option.

Gas engines these days last for as long or longer than their diesel counterparts. The days of million mile diesels are gone. Being a pipeline welder who uses his truck for work, most everyone I know drives diesel trucks. Most of them are lucky to get 200k miles out of them. Diesels are more expensive to service and maintain. When you lose an injector, you can replace an entire gas engine for the money it would cost to replace just your fuel injectors on a diesel. I recently lost an injector in my 05 dodge, and although I spent 3k and replaced them within a week of noticing I had a problem, the damage to that cylinder was already done and it is currently getting a rebuild for 6k. That will 9k spent on that truck for one bad injector. That pricing is assuming everything else on the engine is still good, which with only 130k miles I hope I'm getting off easy.

This new diesel will also require Diesel Exhaust Fluid, so don't forget to factor the cost of filling that tank when figuring your mileage savings. You also have to really stay on top of your filtration. Letting your fuel filter go to long without changing it can let a tiny speck of dirt pass through and destroy a high pressure injector, leading to further engine damage. If you let your air filter go too long, you can let dirt through to dust and kill your turbo as well.

If you factor in the extra up front cost of a diesel at purchase, combined with the higher price of the fuel at the pump, plus the extra maintenance and repair costs, you will see that unless you actually need that extra low end power for pulling heavy loads, which you won't be doing with a 1500, diesel is just a bad buy.

 

[crrcboatz]

Moto Vitori makes the motor. It is a GM designed motor that GM chose not to use because of their impending bankruptcy. Fiat isn't making it, they are buying it. Fiat does own them. It could still end up in GM trucks too. Chrysler/Fiat does not have an exclusive deal with Moto Vitori.

Chrysler is not doing anything new by putting a diesel in a half ton. GM did it for years. GM put diesels into Suburbans and Blazer/Tahoes too. Ford once was putting diesels in US Rangers and Fiestas, there were even diesels in Isuzu/Luv pickups. The GM Duramax is an Isuzu motor. There will be four cylinder Duramax motors in the Colorado/Canyon pickups in 2016. Nissan is going to have a 5.0 Cummins V8 in their half to pickups real soon too.

Chevy is putting a diesel in the Cruze compact car this year.

I don't know where you got the above info but Fiat OWNS the company. They bought 1/2 of it earlier while Penske owned the other half. Fiat THEN bought our Penske. GM does not own the company!!! lol

If Fiat owns them which they do, they DO have an exclusive because THEY own Chrysler!!!!!!! There is no way this side of hell GM would end up with a Chrysler/ Fiat owned engine producer. Help me understand how that would happen. As for doing something new they ARE! I don't see a single 1/2 ton US owned pickup using a small diesel engine. Chevy and Ford will join the ruckus understood but this is a new concept for the present market. By the way what happened to the DuraMax??