Diesel truck fans take note

It's not a fuel pump that'll take it out, try a oil pump. If it loses fuel pressure it just won't run, loses oil pressure then your cooked. Especially on the 7.3 and maybe more, the oil pump runs the injectors

 

But oil pumps don't generally go out. Try snapping a tbelt on a v6 engine boom there goes motor

 

Oil changes cost more, you have DEF fluid to buy, plugs in newer engines don't cost much, and some run up to 100k before they recommend replacement. So at that point the rest of the stuff is about the same.

 

How would this cost more than a traditional timing belt change in a gasoline engine? It's just a timing belt, not a flux capacitor. It really isn't anything complicated.

And I'm not sure why you think the torque the engine produces makes a difference. It's not like it takes extra force to turn the cams...

 

It's more power being transfered through the belt, kinda like when you hook a strap to car to pull it you can go slow and not put out much power and pull the car. If you stomp it and pull the same car with much more power, your more likely to break the strap. And my point with maintenance is I've never had to replace a timing belt or really anything on my 7.3. Cummins and dmax are the same way. A timing belt is just another area for an engine to possibly fail

 

Oil changes don't cost much more, your only paying for the increased volume of oil. A spark plug service on a Honda v6 is around $300ish just in labor. Subaru boxer engines are more of pain also. Also no distributor to go bad, no coil packs to melt. And DEF is honestly the stupidest shit I've ever seen on a diesel... But still doesn't add too much to cost especially when mpg in a diesel vehicle is proportionately much higher than a standard gasoline engine.

 

You have to be real careful about buying a diesel in our area and make sure you really need one. Why ? Rust makes for a bad investment if you don't do diligence with the body like a friend with a Seven year old GM with a diesel did not. He had fewer then 100 k miles and his truck had rust through every where, it was un-inspectable and the diesel engine had just a third of it's life in wear. A sad state of afairs when you pay that much new and have it worth zero except for parts just seven years later.

 

I'm a diesel fan and would happily pay a premium for purchase & routine maintenance. I've owned a few different diesels from the VW TDi to a PowerStroke. I follow the manual on maintenance and excluding "what ifs" have found diesel more costly to maintain (just routine, scheduled stuff). It's not a huge difference but, it's there... Fortunately for me, the only "what ifs" I've delt with were on the diesel products...just uncharacteristic reliability problems but, costly.

 

The cost of the pump itself will give you a heart attack.

 

Oh really? http://www.4wdaction.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=120&t=141477

And keep in mind this is before GM chokes down the motor with DEF and DPF for the US market, equipment complicated enough to require their own dedicated ECU to control.

 

My 7.3 has been going strong since 01 without anything other than oil changes and the cruise control switch recall. Now I'm running some banks stuff at 27 lbs of boost and it's real fun

 

Rust is an issue with all trucks not just diesel and I think it was the truck gods that took out the GM.... Can't have that jalopy on the road lmao

 

I did the exact same thing. I had an '02 Silverado, I loved that truck and hated to part with her. I mainly hunt and fish and drive down tight trails to get to those places. I rarely towed anything, so the smaller, more offroad capable truck just made more sense. I do miss my diesel though, my Tacoma and the Silverado get about the same mileage, this is the biggest bummer of the whole deal. I may try out the new Colorado, if only it could compete in the offroad prowess of the Tacoma.

 

It's hard to make diesel engines reliable, affordable and clean to operate. This is why Toyota is very reluctant to bring them to NA. Especially with fuel so cheap right now.

I hate working on diesels, I briefly worked at a diesel performance shop, it stinks, the smell follows you home. Doing suspension work is murder too, I eventually got good at it but found myself wanting lighter duty work.

Its why I'm a Toyota tech, we get 1 diesel land crusher/hilux every 5 years.

 

I love the arguments about associated costs in a diesel. Here's a good argument: maybe I just prefer a diesel and I'm willing to pay for it? Hence, I'd like to see the OPTION of a diesel. Then the gas guys are happy and I'm happy. Win-win.

Food for thought: a Hellcat Challenger costs more upfront and to operate than a V6 Challenger (basically double). But certain people feel it's worth it and some don't. That's why Dodge OFFERS both.

And for the record, I'd be just as satisfied with the 4.6 V8 from the Tundra...

 

The more you invest in a truck, especially a diesel and not get the use intended, the worse the investment. One of the reasons Taco four cylinders 4 wd are bigger sellers around here if you ask the owners, they just don't want to put the money into a truck they feel will rust out. Rust is an asymptote that all vehicles approach in value. The farther away you start, the worse the investment. That is economics in rust land. If you are a rich bastard, who cares. Just existing in this area is "body abuse" in the winter time.

My friend not only drives with road salt on the road most of the winter, he lives and works near the coast with the salt air. He learned. His new truck is a more basic and much cheaper model. He loved driving his diesel and he bought the truck with the intent of keeping it way more then ten years and 200k plus miles. The diesel motor was a lost investment.

 

I have a diesel tractor I maintain at home. You're right. It's just one vehicle but I can see if you did it regularly it would be a smellier job. The diesels in my tractors over the years have been very reliable. But, you plug them in at night when it's cold, start them up in the morning and shut them down at noon for lunch and dinner time for the day. They like to work better that way. Stop and go driving with frequent shut offs brings out the worse in them. Before you buy one, you need to ask yourself if the money is worth it for the use you give it. I know car and truck diesels are made differently, but not that much.

 

But what about the FRAMES?

 

Rust doesn't discriminate and every different vehicle has their weak points. It is not the frame in a GM in a 3/4 ton. Of course, it doesn't have to happen with any truck, anywhere. But that's a different thread.

 

True, but it finds a healthy home in Toyota frames.
I'm just having some fun with the frame issue. Of course all mild steel is privy to rusting, it's the nature of the beast.