You're too stupid to... own a diesel small truck

[Zaster]

If Dodge would only use the Allison transmission....not a Dodge guy but agree with the engine choice

[LowThudd]

If Dodge would only use the Allison transmission....not a Dodge guy but agree with the engine choice

Yea. Banks can greatly fix most of the reliability problems with the dodge trans, but the parts are pricey. Figure @$2k to upgrade what dodge built, then a Power commander. Engine upgrades can also get pricey, but nothing runs like a Banks modded cummins. The Duramax is just not durable enough, and not as efficient. The powerstroke is a great engine, but noisy and not nearly as efficient.

[rgramjet]

So what's the best domestic diesel engine: Duramax, Cummins, Power Stroke etc.?

The Duramax/Allison combination is tbe one to beat.  The Duramax when allowed to breathe is smooth gets good mileage and is quite freakin fast!

The Allison is very smooth and the shifts are remarkably intuitive.  Shift points mesh into higher gears under hard acceleration with no jarring.

Ive only towed a loaded dump trailer so far.  Looking forward to seeing how it pulls a Bobcat.

[rgramjet]

The powerstroke is a great engine, but noisy and not nearly as efficient.

Which one?  There have been so many.........


 

[ducatiz]

Ford did until 2010. 

They've since moved back in house.

in Europe, they have the Duratorq 2.2 and 3.0 TDCi engines in the Ford Ranger.  They are based on the Mazda W engine. 

In 2012, they put a particulate filter on the exhaust to comply with Euro IV emissions, which means they are essentially Tier 1 EPA legit (but not Tier 2 CARB legit)  The filter took 2 hp off the output.

In actual "combined" use (highway and city), they are seeing about 26.5mpg (imperial) which is about 22 US mpg.

Estimates:  >30 highway and 19 city (US)

http://gas2.org/2012/07/28/diesel-ranger-gets-driven-in-the-uk/

Ford bring diesels to the US?  They say "Fah Cue"

http://gas2.org/2011/03/15/ford-exec-says-diesels-don%E2%80%99t-make-sense-for-america/

[duc_fan]

Cummins is arguably the best US diesel engine builder.  Duramax is number two.  Ford got sick and tired of quality problems with the Navistar (International) engines, so they developed the 6.7 "Scorpion" motor in-house.  It's had some teething problems, but the biggest question mark is longevity... it was a completely new engine when it came out in the 2011 trucks.

I bought a Chevy with the Duramax engine and Allison transmission because myself and my extended family have all had problems with Chrysler automatic transmissions.

The Duramax has proven durable enough for my needs.  One hotshotter (professional RV tower) racked up over 750,000 miles on his... and the only hard part it ever needed, IIRC, was a starter.  Lots of guys on DieselPlace (GM diesel forum) with upwards of and over 200,000 on theirs.

Only common issues with the LML (2011-present) engine is the emissions crap... diesel particulate filter and urea injection.  Delete with aftermarket kit, and it seems to run just fine.  Gets better gas mileage, too.

Note that the Duramax motors are not designed in-house by GM only... they were co-developed by Isuzu.  If you've spent any time outside the US, you'll know that Isuzu knows what they're doing with diesels, as they've built many millions of them.

So yeah... in my opinion, the ranking of US diesel engine manufacturers is:
1. Cummins
2. DMAX
3. Ford

Transmissions are another story:
1. Allison

Ford and Chrysler automatics are a distant second and third... as far as which of those two is better, I couldn't tell you.

[LowThudd]

You could always do as Banks does: http://www.bankspower.com/dakota

[ducatiz]

Note that the Duramax motors are not designed in-house by GM only... they were co-developed by Isuzu.  If you've spent any time outside the US, you'll know that Isuzu knows what they're doing with diesels, as they've built many millions of them.

Isuzu sells a shit-ton of diesel NQR/NPR box trucks in the USA with their 5.2L I4.

Think about that -- a four banger pushing over five liters..  up to 175 hp, but torque out the wazoo.

[LowThudd]

Isuzu sells a shit-ton of diesel NQR/NPR box trucks in the USA with their 5.2L I4.

Think about that -- a four banger pushing over five liters..  up to 175 hp, but torque out the wazoo.

Yup. I see Izuzu box trucks and tow vehicles all over the place. They are well renowned work horses. No small vehicles though. Shame.

[ducatiz]

I bet there are a lot of ppl watching the new Chevy Cruze diesel.  If it sells well and there aren't any issues with it, I bet there will be a few more.

EPA says it has a 46 mpg highway rating.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=33578

The EPA for the 2005 VW TDI is 41 highway, but actual use shows about 48-50mpg highway.

[the_Journeyman]

You could always do as Banks does: http://www.bankspower.com/dakota

Banks can toss me a diesel for my Dakota any day now.  I'm tired of 13MPG and only OK towing from a 4.7L gas V8.  I wanted the 318 or 360 but it wasn't available the year I ordered mine.  They are both better towing motors than the 4.7.  A small diesel would be even better.

JM

[duc_fan]

You could always do as Banks does: http://www.bankspower.com/dakota

That is cool. 

I think I'd have kept my Durango if it'd had a Cummins 5.9 and I had known what Banks offered for it...

As it is, the 2000 Durango with the 4.7L gasser got 14 mpg... on a good day.  I sold it to go shopping for a Suburban (my parents' 1996 3/4-ton 454 gets 14 mpg highway, my father-in-law's 1/2-ton gets 18).  Then midstream, my wife and I wound up with plans to move out to my in-laws 600 acres in south/central Washington.  Needed a farm & ranch truck.  Bought the 2011 Silverado 2500HD Duramax, 4x4, crew-cab short box.  It gets 16-17 mpg (empty), and 14 mpg when towing my dad's 6000-lb 25' travel trailer (over the Cascades, no less).

Now what I'd like to have is a small diesel to commute in.  Not sure a Jetta is the best option, as much as I love them.  In winter, we'll get 8-12" of snow at a time out here.  Been using the Subaru Outback, which seems to handle up to 9" of snow pretty well.  If I could get a diesel HiLux, I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

I bet there are a lot of ppl watching the new Chevy Cruze diesel.  If it sells well and there aren't any issues with it, I bet there will be a few more.

EPA says it has a 46 mpg highway rating.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=33578

The EPA for the 2005 VW TDI is 41 highway, but actual use shows about 48-50mpg highway.

I'm another one watching this with interest.  Really curious to see what people get for real-world mileage, because like you said, the Jettas beat the EPA estimates with boring regularity.

[ducatiz]

Been using the Subaru Outback, which seems to handle up to 9" of snow pretty well.

You should see the diesel Subarus... with horizontal-4 diesel engines...

http://www.boxerdiesel.com/legacy_outback/en/index.html

[duc_fan]

You should see the diesel Subarus... with horizontal-4 diesel engines...

http://www.boxerdiesel.com/legacy_outback/en/index.html

I know.  If I could get a 6-speed manual 2.0D Outback with leather and moonroof, I'd be all over that like a fat kid on a cupcake.  Same amount of torque as the 3.6L flat-6 gasser we currently have, with half the fuel consumption.  With a mixing stick, it'd still be more fun than the 2.5i/CVT.

Maybe when the 3.6 wears out, I'll make a trip to Oz and visit a wrecking yard.    No emissions checks out where I am, so no problems there.  If I ever had to move back to a smog-checked city, I am positive I could find a tree-hugging Hood River local to buy it.

[JohnEE]

GM should definitely re tune and throw the cruze diesel in the new colorado.......or just use one of the other 3 turbo diesels they sell everywhere else. We poor americans with cheap gas and no diesels to exploit it.....