natedawg

Dodge just said they will be putting the 3.0 v6 Diesel in the 1500 trucks starting this fall should be good for high 20s mpg. Well thats what it gets in the grand cherokee. As well nissan has talked about offering a diesel option on the titan soon.

mr_hyde

iTrader: (4)

I really do love my beater truck. The 4.9/300 straight 6 is bulletproof and I can hold 45-50mph over the pass which is fine with me. I wouldn't want to pull a 20' enclosed with it but a simple tandem open with brakes is totally fine. It's also nice to pay cash for something that is only used 12 to 15 times a year plus dump runs.

bbundy

The 3L V6 is what currently comes in the sprinter. Yea it gets good fuel economy 188hp and 325 FT lbs probably enough to pull an open trailer but not much excess. If you try and price one out it quickly gets over 40k to buy a new one.

At the local Chevron today
Unleaded $3.53
Diesel $4.11

If I can get 18 towing a light open trailer with gas I need to get 21 with diesel to even break even. Even if it is better say I save a few cents a mile with diesel It’s going to take a long time to make up the higher up front cost of buying the diesel engine option.

I love pulling with my dads Dodge and I can get 18MPG with it and it feels like it is hardly working hard. It rides bad and loading and unloading or even accessing anything in the back of a pickup truck with a canopy is a royal pain. The only way a truck works well is to have with a large enclosed trailer so you can put all your stuff in the trailer.

bbundy

I plan to use a van not just for going to the track but also for camping, hauling hay, and I can transport my alpacas in the back of it. poor alpacas can't stand up comfortably in the back of my Blazer. The truck bed on the dually Dodge is too high to get them in.

mr_hyde

iTrader: (4)

It makes sense if you can use the vehicle for more than just going to the track. What are you doing about a trailer? I assume the old one didn't survive the altercation?

toppertee

I made the switch to a ford transit short wheel base, low roof van a couple of years ago.
There is no way I would ever move back to a pick up / ute.
It runs a 2.4 TDI motor, hauls my race car, plus every thing I need for the track. 70 liters to fill the tank and I get 800-900 kms out of it. Sits on 110km/ph on the open road and will still pull away in 6th gear fully loaded.

There is a reason why in the uk, they are the number 1 get away vehicle for a bank robber.

natedawg

I believe thats a mercedes diesel. the newer one is a fiat based diesel but they have been making it for a long time. I believe it has higher numbers than that like 220hp and 400ft lbs. I'd have to look though i might be wrong. I agree 40k is a little high. I'd rather get a 12v diesel ram 5-10k or 98.5-04 for 20k.


what year dodge/ motor combo? sorry if i missed it.

jmann

I bought my 97 dodge 2500, 12v diesel extended cab for $7000 and it had 110 thou miles. The early 98's are the last of the mechanical pumps and have no issues and no ecu's. It pulls the 18' double axle with the miata and dosen't even shift out of overdrive up over the Siskiyou's. I cable my rain tire and gas cans in the bed behind the in bed tool box and my smaller gear goes in the extended cab part. It got just under 16 pulling over the siskiyou's and gets low 17's on more everyday terrain if you keep the rpm's 17 to 1900. I agree with Bob that having a canopy on the back and trying to get to the stuff up front would be a pita and plus he has to do farm work with whatever rig he gets. But for having something in hilly and mountainess country that pulls without shifting up and down and having the cruise being able to keep it at an even speed up and down the rolling hills with out have to be assisted with your foot is nice. Yes the diesel is a bit more, but the oil changes are twice as far and for the relaxation that comes with driving it especially a 1000 miles to laguna it is worth it if you can afford it. Depends on your cash and wants I guess.

jmann

Let me clarify something before everyone jumps on it. The dodge averaged just under 16 mpg over the Siskiyou's for the tank of fuel which included going over Grants Pass, Mount Ashland and the Siskiyous, I'm sure it wasn't getting that while climbing those three areas.

bbundy

2002 24 valve with 5 speed manual. Fuel economy goes to **** if you go more than 60mph though. Keep it between 55 and 60 and egt's stay low and it sips fuel.

jmann

I have found over the years that any rig, gas or diesel towing, the mileage well go down quite alot for every 5 mph you run past roughly 60 mph.

natedawg

Ah those are pretty good trucks.


I can't praise the 12valve trucks enough. I bought a 98 12v QC SB 4x4 5speed 115k miles aka "the holy grail". Loved that truck got 20mpg and got a killer deal from an old couple for $8500. Drove it for a year or so then sold it for 15k since I never towed my Miata anywhere as I just drive the miata to all the events for the most part. I'd like to get another one but probably a 2wd since it would do even better on gas. There's guys reporting mid to high 20 mpg with the right gear on a 2wd.

quick dodge - Buyers guide
12v has no issues once you fix the 5th gear nut and the KDP.
24v has lift pump issues. which then kills the injection pump.
03-04 diesels are great trucks without all the emissions ****.

Any modded Dodge diesel (besides 08-up) with the stock auto is gonna have issues eventually. So look for a 5spd or 6spd.

jmann

Yes they come with either a 4:10 or a 3:56 ratio and either is in both the 4x4 and the 2 wd. Mine is the 4:10 and I have dibbs on a 3:56 if the guy ever changes out his Dana 70 for a Dana 80 rear axle. Mine is a 2 wd and runs about 1800 at 60 and gets 22 not towing. I think I should be able to run about 65 or a little better with the 3:56 ratio.

bbundy

My dads truck I bult a 4" exhaust with a straight through magnaflow Muffler and added a Banks exhaust brake. no emmisions ****. I had to fix the fifth gear nut and replace a TPS. The powertrain is wonderful I just wish it was in a Van so it had more useful and accessible enclosed cargo space.

mr_hyde

iTrader: (4)

I'm sure you've thought about it, but what about a cheap camper on the truck?

bbundy

It would be better to remove the truck bed and put some form of walk in box on it. but you still wouldn't have a walk in side door and unless the truck is 2WD and slammed the bed height is really high. Not something you can just step up and walk into.

Truck configuration works well if you have a extra large enclosed trailer and you just use it like a tractor for pulling. Might as well have a fifth wheel trailer.

mr_hyde

iTrader: (4)

Well, that truck could pretty much pull your whole shop off its slap and drag it 1,000 miles so whatever you hook up to it should be no problem.

jmann

I looked into a closed trailer, as here is Wash. that would be nice to have in the spring months, but even a diesel is effected milage wise quite a bit. 16to 17 open trailer verses 11 to 12 closed. In a year and a half when the wife gets retired we are thinking of a Keystone Rapture toy hauler. They have a 38 footer that has a 14' garage in the back, really nice, we would go south for 3 months in the winter and I could track down south and unhook the truck for driving around. Just dreamin.

Alta_Racer

iTrader: (4)

A 14' enclosed is big enough to put a Miata in. You will have to be a contortionist to tie it down though. I just bought a 16' V nose, it measures 17' from center of V to the ramp door, and it is tight for tying down, but manageable. It leaves little room to haul anything extra in the trailer.

Ron

jmann

That is the longest garage space I can find in a 5th wheel toy hauler. It has plenty of cabinets on the walls of the garage and a whole lot of basement area for all kinds of storage. I was planning on making tapered wheel blocks with say a 1" dia. stud on the bottom and then bolting a plate with a 6" deep pocket for the stud to set down in on the front and rear of the front tires and tying down the backend with straps. Anyway that is a way off yet.