Pros & Cons, Diesel VS Gas

[MCAT]

We are looking at a new shop truck, 2011 Ford F-550 Chassis
(it will be getting a 14'x8' aluminum bed)
The old shop truck averaged about 24000 mi a year the last nine years,
Do we stick with a Diesel (Fords new 6.7L V-8 32 OHV) or go with
Gas (Ford 6.8L V-10 SOHC)
We have had the Truck quoted both ways, with the Diesel comming out
$6117.00 more, so lets hear the pros/cons &/or your opinions please.
the loads being hauled daily are any were from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds, every now & then several thousand pounds.

fwiw- the Diesel is a six speed auto, the Gas is a 5 speed auto.

[Blackened300a]

Higher towing capacity, better fuel mileage under a load, longer engine life and a higher resale value. Go with the diesel.

[MMarauder03]

Diesel ftw!
22735

22736

22737

[blazen71]

You will feel the difference when hauling a heavy load with the V-10. With the diesel, you won't even know there is 5,000 lbs. on the bed!

[FordNut]

I would go with the Diesel. I have a V10 in my RV and it has great power, but it's a real gas hog.

[Vortex]

For a big work truck Id go with a diesel. That said, most of the diesels you see on the road in pickups today are going to waste and the owners would have been better off with a gas engine.

[EMAS]

I'd have to lean to the V10 because it is a know quantity. The new 6.7 well it is new and hasn't proven itself. Now if loading it to capacity will be large portion of it's life then maybe the diesel.

$6K buys a lot of fuel, add in the increased maintenance cost and the higher cost of diesel in many parts of the country and the V10 will often come out ahead in overall cost per mile.

Yes when it comes time to sell the diesel you have the potential to get some of that increased purchase cost back in higher resale value, IF the 6.7 turns out to be a good engine. If it turns out to be a dog then it may not be worth much of anything.

[FordNut]

I'd have to lean to the V10 because it is a know quantity. The new 6.7 well it is new and hasn't proven itself. Now if loading it to capacity will be large portion of it's life then maybe the diesel.

$6K buys a lot of fuel, add in the increased maintenance cost and the higher cost of diesel in many parts of the country and the V10 will often come out ahead in overall cost per mile.

Yes when it comes time to sell the diesel you have the potential to get some of that increased purchase cost back in higher resale value, IF the 6.7 turns out to be a good engine. If it turns out to be a dog then it may not be worth much of anything.

Good point. The 7.3 was a great engine. the replacement (6.5?) was terrible.

[fastmerc03]

Good point. The 7.3 was a great engine. the replacement (6.5?) was terrible.

6.0, then 6.4, now 6.7 I'm pretty sure

[offroadking208]

We have 6.4's in our work trucks and they get absolutely HORRIBLE mileage. mostly due to the fact that they mostly idle around town doing things at slow speed and have to "clean the exhaust filter" every few hundred miles at idle. we average 6.3 MPG on the F-550's we have (Dually, 4x4, aluminum dump bed) but the power is fantastic. Even towing a trailer with 6,000 lbs of asphalt in it, they're no slouch. I can't speak for the new 6.7, but my personal experience with Ford diesels has always been positive (based on the 7.3 and 6.4). I'd say go diesel if you have any type of heavy towing you'll have to do

[jabird56]

For the long haul with longevity, DIESEL. Bought my SUPERDUTY in May 98, currently have 218K miles on it. The only real major repair was the water pump went back in 2004. Still have another 150-200K before I need to consider an overhaul,....I think the body will die of cancer before this diesel motor with die.

I did have to replace the exhaust here a few weeks back.

You need to be religious with replacing the filters on time

Plus the HP/torque can't be beat.

[LANDY]

I work in an rv dealership and most customers prefer the diesel when loading 8k pounds and up.
If I were to choose. Duramax alisson ftw.

[martyo]

I wouldn't buy a gas 550. Too much truck for a gas motor.

No one has mentioned it, so I will. Keep in mind at 150,000 or so miles the gas truck will be getting tired and the diesel will just be getting broken in.

I just sold my gas doowally to buy a diesel 450. I am happy I did.

Either way, let us know what you do.

[Joe Walsh]

If I were buying a truck that would frequently be hauling heavy loads there would be no question:
Turbo Diesel!

The only thing that is a rip off, is that ever since Diesel trucks became very popular with the non-commercial public,
the price of Diesel fuel has climbed to ridiculous levels.
I still see Diesel priced higher than 93 octane at some stations.
What a friggin' royal rape!
To make Diesel fuel they basically filter crude oil through a piece of cheesecloth!
I would be really pissed everytime I had to fill the 40+ gallon tank of my Diesel at the price per gallon higher than I pay for my Marauder.

[CBT]

If I were buying a truck that would frequently be hauling heavy loads there would be no question:
Turbo Diesel!

The only thing that is a rip off, is that ever since Diesel trucks became very popular with the non-commercial public,
the price of Diesel fuel has climbed to ridiculous levels.
I still see Diesel priced higher than 93 octane at some stations.
What a friggin' royal rape!
To make Diesel fuel they basically filter crude oil through a piece of cheesecloth!
I would be really pissed everytime I had to fill the 40+ gallon tank of my Diesel at the price per gallon higher than I pay for my Marauder.

People used to swap diesel and home heating fuel around. The difference? Price. Same stuff.

[Joe Walsh]

People used to swap diesel and home heating fuel around. The difference? Price. Same stuff.

If I owned a farm, my tractor(s) would use an inordinate amount of 'Ag' fuel.....;)

[Blackened300a]

People used to swap diesel and home heating fuel around. The difference? Price. Same stuff.

Exactly, "on road" fuel is taxed higher, but it just contains less sulfur then the "off road" fuel they use on jobsites for the equipment. It smells strong through the exhaust and burns your eyes but I hear it makes more power then the blue "on-road" fuel with the lower sulfur content.
Its heavy fines getting caught with off-road fuel in your tanks thats why "off road" fuel is red.

[EMAS]

6.0, then 6.4, now 6.7 I'm pretty sure
Correct, and the early 6.0 was big trouble. Of course it was rushed into production to answer the DMax, and so Navistar could start earning credits with the EPA for producing and selling engines that met 07 emissions before 07, that allow them to keep selling 07 spec engines past the deadline for 10 emissions. On the other hand since that 6.0 ended up causing the divorce between Ford and Navistar, Ford was stuck w/o a diesel. Since Ford was in a rush to get the 6.7 into production, are it's early versions are going to suffer from it?

In the case of the 6.0 some of the problem was issues with the engine itself, but some of the problem was that there weren't sufficient numbers of mechanics trained to work on it. So even if they were "simple" fixes trucks often sat at dealerships for weeks on end waiting for their turn in line for the lone mechanic at the lone dealership that would mess with them in that area.

I know Ford claims to have tested the hell out of the 6.7 and there has not been any durability problems with engines they have introduced recently, but I still always have reservations of a all new engine. Even though I trust Ford and they have realized that they can't afford another bad diesel.

[Joe Walsh]

Correct, and the early 6.0 was big trouble. Of course it was rushed into production to answer the DMax, and so Navistar could start earning credits with the EPA for producing and selling engines that met 07 emissions before 07, that allow them to keep selling 07 spec engines past the deadline for 10 emissions. On the other hand since that 6.0 ended up causing the divorce between Ford and Navistar, Ford was stuck w/o a diesel. Since Ford was in a rush to get the 6.7 into production, are it's early versions are going to suffer from it?

In the case of the 6.0 some of the problem was issues with the engine itself, but some of the problem was that there weren't sufficient numbers of mechanics trained to work on it. So even if they were "simple" fixes trucks often sat at dealerships for weeks on end waiting for their turn in line for the lone mechanic at the lone dealership that would mess with them in that area.

I know Ford claims to have tested the hell out of the 6.7 and there has not been any durability problems with engines they have introduced recently, but I still always have reservations of a all new engine. Even though I trust Ford and they have realized that they can't afford another bad diesel.

I completely agree...I wouldn't buy that new 6.7 Diesel until at least the 2nd year of production.
I'd be a little leery of that new compacted graphite block.
Let everyone else be the 'guinea pig' and a part time Ford R&D person.

Just like the new 5.0 DOHC engine in the Mustang.
Let everyone else race/beat on their 'first year' cars and allow Ford to make any adjustments that crop up and you are good-to-go on later years.

BTW: I have a friend who bitches about the gas mileage in his 6.4 twin turbo Ford F250.
I just remind him that 350HP/650TQ doesn't come for free!

[EMAS]

I'd be a little leery of that new compacted graphite block.


BTW: I have a friend who bitches about the gas mileage in his 6.4 twin turbo Ford F250.


I wouldn't worry about the CGI block due to it being CGI as that technology has been around for awhile and proven itself in MD diesel use. In fact Ford was using it for their "new" FMS "boss" 302 block that was actually cast by Navistar. Of course just because the technology is sound doesn't mean it is implemented properly.

Why is he bitching about gas mileage it shouldn't use any. ;) I will have to ask my buddy that bought an 6.4 08 F450 a month or so ago what kind of MPG he is getting.

I know one of the problems is that Ford removed the indicator of when it goes into DPF regen mode. If you don't continue driving it until it completes the regen, it can get stuck in regen mode and fuel mileage will suffer greatly.

[guspech750]

Our F-350's and F-550's with diesels really out perform our gas powered F series trucks. With the diesel, its almost as if the load is not there. They are just so powerful and trans work great.

[Raven34]

Diesel FTW! If you keep your foot out of it until you need it, mileage shouldnt be bad at all.

[MCAT]

sorry I am not the best with a camera & the camera is very old...:lol:

[SHERIFF]

People used to swap diesel and home heating fuel around. The difference? Price. Same stuff.

I just had 500 gallons of home heating delivered to my mother's house. $2.999 a gallon. Diesel would have been $3.299. There's little to no advantage in using diesel now. Strange market there.

Back to the F550 issues, tough question to answer. Is the new 6.7L diesel in the Fords going to turn out to be lemons like the old 6.0L diesel did? Is it too early to tell? The major malfunctions with the 6.0L diesel put the hurt on a lot of people nationwide. Is it going to be worth an extra $6,000 up front, with a $5,000 repair here and $2,000 repair there? I just don't trust Ford and their diesel engines ever since they scrapped the 7.3L diesel.