Calling all diesel truck enthusiasts/experts

[rockhound]

i have played the modern diesel game...

never again,

the older diesels were way more reliable, louder, but reliable. do a google search for fuel related problems to the new diesel motors, since they went to the 23,000 lb injection pressures on the modern diesels they have been nothing , but problems, my cummins was a badass truck, total custom 8 passenger one ton diesel dually, beautiful truck, never missed an oil change, taken care of like no other truck on the planet, ate me alive in repairs, to the tune of 25K over the last three years i owned it. I finally replaced the motor and sold it as fast as possible. cummins is not the only one, everyone i know that has a modern diesel that keeps them past 150K or so is having nothing but issues,


the 7.3, old dodge 12 or 24 valve were better engines, not as powerful, but way more reliable, if you are going to a diesel the 7.3 or cummins 24 valve is a decent choice

problem you will have with the older 7.3 or other diesels is that they were not designed to run on the crappy diesel they produce now, no lubrication coming from the fuel, you will have to run a fuel additive at every fill up, guys are adding old engine oil, 2 stroke oil, power steering fluid, or one of the actual additive like power service. increases the cost of owning and operating an older diesel.

I can tell you right now that I moved from my cummins to the 8.1 vortec chevy, It has as much torque and power as the 7.3, makes power like a diesel, very flat torque curve, moves my 12K fifth wheel just fine, i have made some minor mods, I am getting decent mileage, 12-16 and 9 pulling the rv, it runs on regular gas, i can replace the entire motor with a factory crate engine for less than the cost of a set of injectors on my cummins.

i bought a 2001 with very low miles, like no miles, it makes almost as much power as the same year duramax and is naturally aspirated. i have a few more mods planned mostly just air flow, you can get 600 ft lbs out of this motor without doing much more than air flow, when finished i expect to see solid mpg and as much power as my cummins. I did a lot of research prior to switching from a diesel,

my truck will get as good mpg as the newer diesels, or the 7.3 and runs on fuel that is 30-60 cents a gallon cheaper depending on the time of year.