The EcoDiesel vs Hemi

[BoostN]

I know a lot of members have come from the Hemi motor into the EcoDiesel, I did not so I can't compare.

For future EcoDiesel owners, I would like to create a nice comparison chart.

For example:

Average MPG for the Hemi vs EcoDiesel
Maintenance Cost

From reading on our Facebook page, most are doubling their towing fuel mileage pulling the exact same trailer!

 

[Ramconvert]

Can I add my experience with the pentistar/8 speed 2014 that I had.
If not just move this.....

Anyway. For those who don't know. That 3.6/8 speed is all the truck 99% of us will ever need and then some. It makes almost the same power numbers as my dads 2003 Z-71 Silverado.

* Pulling my boat (2004 Glastron sx195) with the v6 was easy work. Of course I used tow/hall mode. Total weight of boat/trailer fully fulled was about 4,000lb.

I was able to maintain 70 mph pretty easy. However throw a hill into the mix and she would slow down pretty quick. One hill in particular is a one mile long stretch of all up hill. I don't now the grade but it's substantial. Here the v6 gasser would run out of breath. It would down shift to 6th sometimes 5th and if have it at 7/8 throttle to maintain 60mph.

The 48 mile one way trip would get me about 14 mpg.

Now the ecoDIESEL has no such troubles and and twice has seen an average well above 20 mpg. The first trip saw 21.4 and the second saw an astonishing 22.8 mpg!

Both times I set the cruise at 65mph and did not use tow/hall mode.

For everyday driving the Pentistar would struggle to see above 20 mpg. The problem was its lack of torque. With 3.55 gears (same as my ED) the first peice of road that wasn't flat would cause a downshift to 7th. Doing so would take a 25mpg readout and kill it. Where I live your either going up a hill or coming down one. Not much flat land at all.

My ED is the opposite. With an abundance of torque it stays in 8th 95% of the time.

Whether or not my ED will save me any money in the long run over the Pentistar is TBD. fuel and Maitnence cost along with diesel prices and premium at time of purchase will make it a close call.

I put on a lot of miles per year and it's still going to take many years for this ED to hopefully pay me back. But like I've said before. My decision to buy an ED wasn't 100% practical. The cool factor of a diesel was also part of it. Just don't tell my wife. It took a lot of back of napkin calculating to convince her this was a financially responsible purchase.

 

[BoostN]

Good info @Ramconvert .

A close friend had the same motor, he loved it. I'm trying to convert him to the EcoDiesel side now.