What’s your take on the state of diesel power for half-ton trucks? I’m looking specifically at the new GM 3.0 liter inline 6 available in the 1500 trucks. I used to be a big diesel fan, and owned 3/4 and 1-ton Duramax trucks, but never a half-ton diesel.
The GM 3.0 diesel is rated for 460 ft-lb of torque, same as the 6.2 gas V8, although the diesel makes more torque lower in the rev range. The diesel is supposed to get around 5 MPG more overall and my experience with diesel is that real world economy is often higher than EPA estimates. That’s roughly 25% improvement in fuel economy vs the gas 6.2 and possibly more in real world use.
The problem with diesel today is the overall reliability and performance of the emissions equipment. I’ve heard and seen a lot of problems with the particulate filters, which are expensive to repair or replace. The DEF systems also seem to have some issues especially in really cold weather. Have these issues been resolved in the latest gen engines? Is diesel power worth it versus the proven reliable gas 6.2 V8? The diesel and the 6.2 cost the same - $2500 upgrade on the GM trucks. Which way would you go?