Please Educate Me on Diesel Engines

One other thing about the next few years of diesel pickup trucks, there is a lot of turmoil in the industry dealing with government regulations. The on-board diagnostic (OBD) requirements started in 2007 and then just when the manufacturers got their arms around that, emissions dropped in 2010 and more OBD regulations kicked in. Things stabilized in 2012 and a few additional OBD requirements kicked in for 2013. Things weren't too bad but they are going to get weird during next few years.

Misfire diagnostics detecting 5% misfire and misfire up to 75% of max torque and max engine speed phase in starting 2016. That's not easy. Also some failure modes on diesel particular matter (PM) filters (soot traps) can no longer be exempted from detecting a cracked filter element making the use of PM sensors pretty much mandatory but those aren't very reliable. 2016 emission thresholds for how far degraded systems can be when the check engine light must come on get tighter as well. LEV III emissions levels are coming in 2017. This means many of the diagnostics must detect systems that aren't working right at levels down to just 1/6 of the amount of system degradation they used to have to detect.

Manufacturers are struggling to meet all the requirements and there are going to be a lot of running changes and probably some recalls as they find issues during the next 4-5 years. If you want a brandy new diesel pickup with DEF system, you'd do well to buy a 2014-2015 model.

AT

 

Second to last work truck I had (Company issued) had a duramax diesel. Come wintertime whenever it was less than 10 degrees getting it running and moving was a roll of the dice. It had a block heater but needed a fuel heater. Yeah I'd put different brands of anti-gell additive in but they never seemed to work. Now I have a vehicle with a gas motor.

That's my experience with diesels.

 

1980 Turbo Diesel Scout, all mechanical. Conversions to the Diesel ready Scout are also made using a small Cummings.

Conversions to the Diesel ready Scout - - Yahoo Search Results

Cummins Turbo Diesel-Scout II Swap - Binder Bench

 

Pros and cons of a diesel truck : Trucks

Looking for a Diesel truck to convert to Dual Fuel WVO/Biodiesel , any advice ? : Diesel

 

You really didn't want want the 6.0 diesel back then, my first lasted 600 mile, it took a lemon lawyer to get Ford to give me my money back, second 6.0 needed a new turbo at 50,000 not under warranty because it' 5 years or 50,000 miles not both....

Rancher

 

A diesel truck will eventually become part of my vehicular posse, but not for a while, yet. What I've been eye-balling are the 80's era military trucks. M1008, or better, the M1028 trucks are 5/4 ton, leaf springs at all 4 corners, and will drive through just about anything you can throw at them. Set up with a 700R4 auto transmission (the 700R comes on them), and they can also do 70mph all day long, on the highway. Best of all, they were built back before all this silly diesel emissions crap was introduced, so they'll burn just about anything (kerosene, cooking oil, jet fuel, etc).

 

If you like for stick with a 7.3 Turbo Diesel or later 7.3 non turbo. As far as GM durmax is a great engine and personally I would stick with either the LBZ series or LB7 ( replace the injectors). No if you want old school mechanical go with a GEN 1 Dodge 1989-1993. You will be in great shape with any of these...

 

I used to be very " shy" about diesel anything, now I think everything should be powered that way! But that statement also shows how little I know about Diesel engines. I just keep trying to understand what BTP says when he keeps trying to edumacate me.

 

BTP just likes the smell of diesel, so just dab a bit behind each ear lobe and you should be good to go.

Rancher

 

Had a 2007 dodge with the 5.9 Cummins, loved it and just getting broken in where millage was good, cousin's son ran into it, total loss. Now I have a 2011dodge with the 6.5 lot more power but not the milage. If you are looking for a used I would look for the 5.9 if you like dodge.

 

I used to design Class 8 diesel engines until 1990.
Skinny8446 at the above link is absolutely correct. The short form is diesels are designed to work, they to need to work and aren't happy if they aren't working. If they work, a diesel with 150K on the clock is just breaking in. YMMV, however, a diesel in a stop and go cycle will express its displeasure sooner or later.
Gas engines have no such need or city driving means change your oil more frequently. PassCar diesels are a different subject; however, a lot closer to the over the road truck engines than PassCar.

 

The 2 trucks that have the highest demand for used trucks are the 5.9 Dodge and the 7.3 Ford. The demand is based on the proven performance and reliability. I had to get a truck last year and bought a 99 Ford 7.3. Love the truck. Stay away from the 2002 thru about 2007 Ford they have a 5000 dollar turbo issue. I think its the 6.3. I know Ford changed the engine again later in the model years to get away from the problem.

 

Exact same thing here. If we could do it all over again, we'd just put a chunk of $$ into the 07 to give it a face lift and left the '11 on the lot. The extra power is nice, but it rarely gets as good as 14 and just got another recall notice in the mail as well.

 

I have had a 05 Duramax in a GMC since 05. 249,xxx on the clock and I love it. I have had to change 4 injectors but none for the last 5 or 6 years. I have had a bit of a problem with fuel jelling up but when I changed where I bought diesel, that stopped. Where I bought diesel they used a biodiesel mix and it gelled up in the filter and it looked like snot and couldn't pass through the filter. The 911 additive solved that. Had the same problem with a 2000 Ford with a 7.3. I guess I bought an expensive fix??? I am not planning on going back to gas.

 

There are also several other ways to deal with the fuel waxing/jelling problem:
1. An electric fuel filter head that has a small heater that heats the fuel as it enters the heater. Those are readily available.
2. An electric wrap around heater that goes around the fuel filter and heats it. Readily available.
3. Plumb a path from the return line to the tank that T's off of the return and connects in to the supply line into the filter. The fuel returning to the tank is much warmer and if you flow some of that direct to the filter, you heat the filter. Generally you will want a valve in that path to control how much fuel you shunt direct to the filter. In warmer months you may need to shut that off to keep the fuel temp from getting too hot. Using a bare hand on the fuel line and adjusting you fshunt valve to cause the fuel entering the filter to be luke warm but not too hot to hold if just right. Low cost but takes some plumbing work.

Stay warm.
AT