# Diesel or gas what to buy?



## PTTP08 (Dec 9, 2009)

I am going to buy a NEWER truck like a 08 or newer super duty F250 or 350 next season I am going to spoil my self in stead of my wife this time haha she got the 07 Ranger last year. My qestion is this should I buy a gas v8 or a power stroke? What are you guys running or prefer? I never owned a stroke but I have ran them they have lots of power and sound cool going down the road and they seem to get a lil better mileage than a gas BUT if they break down I better get out my wallet just a belt is 300 bucks. Gas or the Triton v8 I never ran one so I know nothing about them I am assuming they get OK milage if I take it easy I see ALOT of gas super duties running around town. If they break down I would gather that parts are half the cost of a stroke. Thanks for the input guys/gals


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## P.L. (Dec 15, 2007)

I own 2 power strokes and I like them for what I do. They always have a heavy trailer on them or a heavy load in them. For a straight up work truck I would go diesel. However if you are not doing a lot of heavy towing or hauling I might consider gas. The gas will have plenty of power to plow and is much nicer to run. I get sick of listening to my trucks all of the time. Also diesel is more expensive than gas so even though you may get better gas milage you pay more. I would never buy a gas truck to work with every day, but would love one as my daily driver/ occasional work truck.


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## PTTP08 (Dec 9, 2009)

Ahh that is good thing to look at now my next ? is this and I should of put this in the original post what is the differance between a 250 and 350 ? is just suspension? It seems that both trucks have the same axles and or same drive train but I could be wrong. Again thanks again for your input guys/gals


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## JCark (Aug 21, 2008)

From what I've gathered usually the difference is 500 lb's on the GVWR rating on the base models (on paper), but essentially on the base models the only difference is the badges. On the F350 you have more options as far as the suspension goes, including the option to have DRW's as well.


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

Here's my take......I bought an 06 F250 with a 5.4L gasser new and back then towed a 16ft enclosed trailer for landscaping. Around town it did fine and even on the hi-way it was so-so. Now we have a 24ft enclosed trailer, a18ft skid steer and again, around town it does fine but on the hi-way.....forget it! This this is in 1st and 2nd gear, maybe 3rd gear going down hill. The tach is always in the 3-4500 range screaming down the road. Towing either trailer loaded is slow going up even slight hills. If your just going to be plowing or towing say under 5k total, you'll be fine with a gas motor but anything above and beyond that I would recommend a diesel. This summer 2 of our vehicles are paid off (whoohoo) and we're looking to sell our 1 ton dump and buy another F250 or 350 and its going to be a diesel.


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## JCark (Aug 21, 2008)

Brian Young;1190457 said:


> Here's my take......I bought an 06 F250 with a 5.4L gasser new and back then towed a 16ft enclosed trailer for landscaping. Around town it did fine and even on the hi-way it was so-so. Now we have a 24ft enclosed trailer, a18ft skid steer and again, around town it does fine but on the hi-way.....forget it! This this is in 1st and 2nd gear, maybe 3rd gear going down hill. The tach is always in the 3-4500 range screaming down the road. Towing either trailer loaded is slow going up even slight hills. If your just going to be plowing or towing say under 5k total, you'll be fine with a gas motor but anything above and beyond that I would recommend a diesel. This summer 2 of our vehicles are paid off (whoohoo) and we're looking to sell our 1 ton dump and buy another F250 or 350 and its going to be a diesel.


I had a 5.4 before my diesel only it was the 3 valve on a 99 F350 and it didnt have enough power to pass some one on the freeway with no load at all. I did tow a 20 ft flatbed trailer with it but I had to stay in the slow lane. Don't get me wrong I loved the truck but i had to go with the diesel and I'm glad i did. I have to say too the 5.4 was a beast when it comes to plowing and being a 99 it sat alot higher than my 06 too.


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## paponte (Oct 28, 2003)

I've been wondering the same thing lately, and maybe you gasser guys can chime in. I'll most likely be purchasing a new truck for myself this season, and turning my truck into a work truck. I only own diesels at the time, and while some start right up in the cold, I have two (fords...go figure) that hate the cold and need to be plugged in. After forgetting to plug mine in the other night, and waking up to snow on the ground I cranked the [email protected] out of it in a panic and killed the battery. Had to jump it with the wife's gasser, which of course turned right over.
So I guess I've just been really wondering about the difference. Gas is cheaper than diesel, I really don't tow too much with the truck anymore, and it can be harsh on the ears after hours of plowing. Is there really that much of a difference anymore, with all the new technology out? Especially with the new emissions additives.


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## JCark (Aug 21, 2008)

paponte;1190552 said:


> I've been wondering the same thing lately, and maybe you gasser guys can chime in. I'll most likely be purchasing a new truck for myself this season, and turning my truck into a work truck. I only own diesels at the time, and while some start right up in the cold, I have two (fords...go figure) that hate the cold and need to be plugged in. After forgetting to plug mine in the other night, and waking up to snow on the ground I cranked the [email protected] out of it in a panic and killed the battery. Had to jump it with the wife's gasser, which of course turned right over.
> So I guess I've just been really wondering about the difference. Gas is cheaper than diesel, I really don't tow too much with the truck anymore, and it can be harsh on the ears after hours of plowing. Is there really that much of a difference anymore, with all the new technology out? Especially with the new emissions additives.


IMO if your not hauling too much and you use it for mainly plowing, gas is probably the way to go, the mileage wont be as good but you wont have to worry about starting problems in the cold. Plowing with a gasser is a bit better too because you don't have to wait for a turbo to spool before you get torque to the wheels, you might like it better.


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## Cmbrsum (Oct 2, 2008)

I own both gas and diesel right now. both are 03 F250 supercab SB 4x4. first one i got 5.4L. Runs great. plows great. was gutless driving down the road with over a ton of salt in the back. Then I added an Edge computer running it in tow mode. that woke it right up. However towing my trailer and boats it still always lagged or I had to be winding it out. I bought a 6.0L diesel a few months ago. Was very uncomfortable with the turbo lag at first. I added an Edge Juice and intake mod to help with that. It helped a bit. For towing and running heavy loads it is incredible for. For plowing it plows great however i miss the response of hitting the gas that my other truck has. When the trans gets hot it engages a little slower into gear. And the engine and trans temps seam to run a lot touchier. Fuel economy is better with the diesel. But diesel costs more. I would say I prefer plowing with the gas truck. but I prefer the diesel for every this else.


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## bluerage94 (Dec 24, 2004)

Diesel is a very expensive option on a new truck or even pre-owned...and the maintenance gets a bit expensive as well, fewer people want to work on them, and it always seems something stupid goes wrong at the worst possible time...all of my trucks including my excursion are diesel but if i was buying another truck...I may lean toward gas...


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## absolutely (Dec 9, 2010)

As a personal driver I also prefer my gasser. Noise, smell, cheaper to fix and easy to find fuel. All my dumps are diesel, they are either loaded or pulling a trailer. I burn more fuel plowing with our Duramax than my 6 liter gas. Gotta slam the pedal all the time and in reverse it sucks, slow, slow, slow!


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## JJSLandscape (Sep 6, 2009)

iv'e owned both. switched to all gas for the last 4 years and hated it for all of them. But, it depends on your situation. If your only using it to plow, not running a vbox, and light duty - a gas may be fine for you. diesels are more expensive to purchase- however they hold their resale value much more. i've switched back over to almost all diesels now and only bought one new gas because it was a hell of a deal, and that truck does fine plowing and hauling my snowblowers in the back. As soon as you put one of our trailers behind it, forget it I would rather unhook it, go back to the shop and get my duramax.


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## JCark (Aug 21, 2008)

absolutely;1190594 said:


> As a personal driver I also prefer my gasser. Noise, smell, cheaper to fix and easy to find fuel. All my dumps are diesel, they are either loaded or pulling a trailer. I burn more fuel plowing with our Duramax than my 6 liter gas. Gotta slam the pedal all the time and in reverse it sucks, slow, slow, slow!


Interesting I get much better mileage with my diesel plowing than I did with my gasser, of course the gasser I had was a 5.4 in a HUGE truck so that could be why...


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## exmark1 (Nov 30, 2005)

Every diesel I have had uses less fuel plowing then all the gas trucks we have had, for plowing and towing I think the diesel is worth every cent more that it costs you to purchase


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## Yamaha0219 (Jan 7, 2010)

Why get a v8 gasser? Get a v10!


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## PTTP08 (Dec 9, 2009)

What is the mileage like on a v10? It seems to me a v10 truck is always cheaper to buy than a v8


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## shott8283 (Feb 17, 2008)

PTTP08;1190801 said:


> What is the mileage like on a v10? It seems to me a v10 truck is always cheaper to buy than a v8


worse then a V8, and not that much more power when compared.


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## tuney443 (Jun 25, 2006)

exmark1;1190635 said:


> Every diesel I have had uses less fuel plowing then all the gas trucks we have had, for plowing and towing I think the diesel is worth every cent more that it costs you to purchase


I concur 100%.There is no question--any diesel properly running will do much better on fuel useage compared to a gasser anyday.Once you go diesel,AND know how to properly maintain one,.especially during cold weather,you will never want to go back to gas if you are comparing them for heavy duty use such as plowing.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

shott8283;1190806 said:


> worse then a V8, and not that much more power when compared.


Huh? What V10 are you comparing to what V8? When I was looking for a truck- mainly Superduties, I drove both the 5.4 and the 6.8 V10's. My favorite was a 3Valve 6.8 V10- it had a lot of power, plenty of torque, and was easily much more powerful/fast than the 5.4. Even the 2valve V10 that I almost bought (King ranch Crew Cab 2004), had a ton of power.

Fuel economy seems to be about 2-3mpg's less than the V8 all around, but towing or unloaded doesn't seem to make much difference in MPG's on the V10, as the V8 starts to drink it down when hooked up.

Personally, get the V10 if you're getting a gasser. I wish I had pulled the trigger when I had the opportunity.


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## fargosnowpro (Dec 4, 2010)

absolutely;1190594 said:


> As a personal driver I also prefer my gasser. Noise, smell, cheaper to fix and easy to find fuel. All my dumps are diesel, they are either loaded or pulling a trailer. *I burn more fuel plowing with our Duramax than my 6 liter gas*. Gotta slam the pedal all the time and in reverse it sucks, slow, slow, slow!


Thats an interesting statement, I burn A LOT of fuel with my 6 liter and I'm not even plowing with it!

I've never plowed with a diesel personally, we've had great luck with our Ford V10's, the power is great, fuel consumption is so so while plowing and pretty awful while towing (4-6mpg).


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## absolutely (Dec 9, 2010)

It is mainly from backing up. I have to have it red lined to do 10 MPH in reverse. My Duramax only gets 8 MPG pulling the lawn trailer in the summer, Powerstrokes both get 7 - 8 and my 6.0 gets 9. I think they all stink on MPG.


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

Another thought for you to compare. I also have a K&N air induction kit and a SuperTuner (or something like that) installed and its still a dog. Empty (besides my dump bed insert) the truck really moves but again towing anything is a bit disappointing. Mine gets about 10-11mpg empty, towing or plowing. It doesn't seem to make a difference what I'm doing with it it's still about the same mpg. It has a 38 gallon fuel tank and the other day I kept track of the miles and I went 230 miles, used just over half a tank of fuel 90% of that was plowing while hauling a v box full of salt most of the time. As far as a v10 as of 2011 they are no longer available but if your buying used then your ok I guess.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Holy Crap- 10mpgs unloaded? I was getting consistantly 15-16mpg's with my HEMI unloaded in the fall. The winter blend and ballast (stays in all winter) has brought me down to 12mpg's, plowing is around 9-10mpgs.


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

Three words for those considering a gas Super Duty. 

6.8L Triton V10.


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## Bigrd1 (Dec 4, 2010)

I have a 5.4 F350 and I hate it. everything runs fine and dandy but yeah towing something on the highway it's always in the 3000-3500 RPM range. Plowing with is is alright but I've used a 350 with a v10 and a 7.3diesel and they both did awesome in the snow. They also both did good towing and just driving around. The 5.4 in my opinion is underpowered for the truck. My f350 is getting a 7.3 when it gets paid off. It also help in a diesel to have a cold air intake and a different exhaust. the faster it can breath the faster the turbo spool's. As for the 08 and up fords the 6.4 is a lot quieter than the previous ones. Just my opinion but i'd go with a diesel.


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## show-n-go (Feb 5, 2009)

after driving a diesel i can't stand to drive a gas truck. And i agree with the above that the 5.4 is way underpowered for the truck, If i was going to buy a 3/4 or bigger gas truck i would get the chevy with the 8.1 and ally trans..


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## PabstBlueRibbon (May 11, 2010)

The main difference between the 250 and 350 is the front axle. 350's have always came straight front axle. Also if your looking for a Diesel I recommend the 6.4L far superior engine than the 6.0L and with a modest tune you can easy achiever 20+ MPG's. I have a '93 350 and am glad I have the diesel. I get about 16-18 mpg vs. 8-9 MPG with the V10 motor


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## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

It all depends on what you do. 

Daily driver and plowing

I have 4 GM 6 liters (2001/03/05/07). Occasionally they might pull a trailer, but nothing extremely heavy, because thats when the MPG drops like a rock. Ok on the highway, as long as you are not looking to lift off - keep it reasonable and your good (FOR A TRUCK). I will only buy the 6.0L, because I feel that they give me better MPG and durability over the smaller gasser motor.

Any heavy pulling or carrying I have 2 ford dumps (350/550), 7.3L diesel. They both carry salters, 1 is also a plow truck. The diesels are made for pulling and carrying and thats what they do.

Diesel - more expensive purchase, repair - holds higher value longer

Gas - less expensive purchase, repair, lower MPG / can find great deals if you look long enough

Ultimately, it depends on what you are doing / your needs / your cash up front or long term.

Good Luck in your search / decision


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## Cmbrsum (Oct 2, 2008)

PabstBlueRibbon;1191531 said:


> The main difference between the 250 and 350 is the front axle. 350's have always came straight front axle. Also if your looking for a Diesel I recommend the 6.4L far superior engine than the 6.0L and with a modest tune you can easy achiever 20+ MPG's. I have a '93 350 and am glad I have the diesel. I get about 16-18 mpg vs. 8-9 MPG with the V10 motor


Both the F250's and the 350's have straight axles since 99.


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## PabstBlueRibbon (May 11, 2010)

Cmbrsum;1191772 said:


> Both the F250's and the 350's have straight axles since 99.


It took them long enough to realize the the IFS sucked!


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## Cmbrsum (Oct 2, 2008)

As a work truck, I-beam did suck. Was awesome in the desert at 80 mph though. I'm a Chevy guy that owns 3 superdutys these days because if you take care of them, they hold up great plowing.


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## JCark (Aug 21, 2008)

I will say this... now that I own a diesel I don't want to go back to gas, I like the noise too!


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## DGODGR (Nov 30, 2008)

You are going to get a ton of replies on this one. It's a pretty big debate on forums, and in every day discussions between truck users. I'm not even going to read all the posts so this may have been covered. I own (2) diesels and no gassers. I prefer the power and torque that I get from the diesels. My trucks are heavy and my excavation business requires that I tow up to 14,000# (with pickups, more with class a A trucks). IMO the deisel makes scense in this application. With the high cost of diesel fuel, repairs, and the outrageous up front purchase price, the diesels are hard to justify. This topic has been covered before and if you search you will find some who have done math that justifies the diesel. As I said, I prefer the diesel but, from a pruely practicle point of view, I don't think the diesel pencils out unless you need it for heavy loads.


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

PabstBlueRibbon;1191531 said:


> T*he main difference between the 250 and 350 is the front axle. 350's have always came straight front axle*. Also if your looking for a Diesel I recommend the 6.4L far superior engine than the 6.0L and with a *modest tune you can easy achiever 20+ MPG's*. I have a '93 350 and am glad I have the diesel. I get about 16-18 mpg vs. 8-9 MPG with the V10 motor


Not. 350s get a Twin I beam setup in 2wd configs. As for the second comment, you better have a DPF delete and a whole bunch of other stuff in there too. V10s are known for 10-12 not 8-9.


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## snowplowpro (Feb 7, 2006)

I LIKE GAS HOPE YOU HAVE A BIG CHECK BOOK FOR THOSE DIESELS THERE EXPENSIVE TO FIX.Thumbs Up


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## DGODGR (Nov 30, 2008)

I though the 350s had larger rotors than the 250s. My 350 (7.3) usually does 15 MPG. It can go down to 9 MPG when towing really heavy loads. It's probably important to note that I don't much drive on flat ground.


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## kb9snp (Nov 17, 2010)

I don't know, never met "Pinky Demon" but what he is telling you is the best advice IMO. The v10 is rock solid, tried and true. In the 08-09 model, the 6.4 will regen when you are about 1/2 a mile from getting home, you'll get crappy mileage, and there are parts under the hood that you have to lift the cab off the frame with a hoist to get to. The only way around the mileage is to do a DPF delete and you'll have to have the truck reprogrammed for that. This will likely void your warranty if a Ford rep got involve in a warranty claim. It's also probably illegal in your state.


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## PTTP08 (Dec 9, 2009)

I concur 100%.There is no question--any diesel properly running will do much better on fuel useage compared to a gasser anyday.Once you go diesel,AND know how to properly maintain one,.especially during cold weather,you will never want to go back to gas if you are comparing them for heavy duty use such as plowing.

If I buy a powerstroke how do I maintain one? Oil Change? and air filters? what is involved


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## PTTP08 (Dec 9, 2009)

*whah?*



PTTP08;1193878 said:


> I concur 100%.There is no question--any diesel properly running will do much better on fuel useage compared to a gasser anyday.Once you go diesel,AND know how to properly maintain one,.especially during cold weather,you will never want to go back to gas if you are comparing them for heavy duty use such as plowing.
> 
> If I buy a powerstroke how do I maintain one? Oil Change? and air filters? what is involved
> 
> the top part is a quote I did it wrong oops


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## kb9snp (Nov 17, 2010)

Ford only put that 6.4 in there for a few years. There is a world of difference between it and say a 7.3, just keep that in mind. Yeah, once you go diesel, it's hard to go back. I have a 7.3 and a v10. I like them both. I hate the expensive oil changes on the 7.3 and worrying if maybe i should change the fuel filter this time. The 6.4 i'm sure is a good engine, but if i bought one, the first thing i would do is a DPF delete. Hopefully Ford's new 6.7 engine will be a good one and I'll have one of those someday. It doesn't have a DPF, as far as i know.


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## show-n-go (Feb 5, 2009)

kb9snp;1193903 said:


> Ford only put that 6.4 in there for a few years. There is a world of difference between it and say a 7.3, just keep that in mind. Yeah, once you go diesel, it's hard to go back. I have a 7.3 and a v10. I like them both. I hate the expensive oil changes on the 7.3 and worrying if maybe i should change the fuel filter this time. The 6.4 i'm sure is a good engine, but if i bought one, the first thing i would do is a DPF delete. Hopefully Ford's new 6.7 engine will be a good one and I'll have one of those someday. It doesn't have a DPF, as far as i know.


I switched to Amsoil so now i only do an oil change once a year. It is a little more but once a year is much cheaper than every 4000 miles. I also do my tranny, diff, and rear end once a year. It's about $700 in fluids...


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

show-n-go;1193931 said:


> I switched to Amsoil so now i only do an oil change once a year. It is a little more but once a year is much cheaper than every 4000 miles. I also do my tranny, diff, and rear end once a year. It's about $700 in fluids...


Why diff and rear end once a year? What do you mean by diff and rear end?


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## Jacobsmovinsnow (Jan 12, 2011)

For colder climates I like a gas engine. However Im working with 3 6.5 diesels GM that are 11 to 16 years old. Perhaps the newer engines are better in the cold.


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## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

I'd buy either. Things to take into consideration, you will pay a premium for a diesel even used $4000 more will take close to 50,000 miles to payoff, you will get better mpg with a diesel but you do pay more per gallon at the pump, general maintenance is more. My next work truck will probably be a gasser.


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## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

show-n-go;1193931 said:


> I switched to Amsoil so now i only do an oil change once a year. It is a little more but once a year is much cheaper than every 4000 miles. I also do my tranny, diff, and rear end once a year. It's about $700 in fluids...


I run Amsoil too, it should only run you around $350 in fluids per truck


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## monson770 (Dec 18, 2010)

i've been plowing with a 02 2500hd gmc 6.0 and i don't ever see any more than 13 mpg, and thats all highway.. checked my milage and fuel usage over 8hrs of plowing and i used a full tank($60-$70) and got around 180 miles. and when i have th eplow off, i get in the neighborhood of 225-275(normal and some highway driving, per tank)

i have heard a lot of diesel guys say they are around 17-20mpgs, not sure about their gas usage plowing, but 70% more mpgs, all the time for driving pourpeses can save you a lot over the course of a year. mix that into costs of maintenance and depending on how well you take care of both gas and dielels, and you may have saved some money on gas. 

as for power- gas is awesome power from a stop, but the deisels will push a bigger run of snow easier than a gas. i had the snowstorm we got last year pushing my truck around because the snow was way too wet and heavy.. i had to push piles into big lines in some lots and come back later to chip away at it cause i didn't have the extra time right then.. or the power to do strait pushes..

could be that my GMC is running out of power, but what a flippin hard decision right???


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## dirtymax (Dec 12, 2010)

kb9snp;1193903 said:


> Ford only put that 6.4 in there for a few years. There is a world of difference between it and say a 7.3, just keep that in mind. Yeah, once you go diesel, it's hard to go back. I have a 7.3 and a v10. I like them both. I hate the expensive oil changes on the 7.3 and worrying if maybe i should change the fuel filter this time. The 6.4 i'm sure is a good engine, but if i bought one, the first thing i would do is a DPF delete. Hopefully Ford's new 6.7 engine will be a good one and I'll have one of those someday. It doesn't have a DPF, as far as i know.


Firstly, I don't care who told you what, but you should change your fuel filter EVERY oil change. Secondly, if ford's new 6.7 doesn't have a DPF system, then it most definently is running urea. I don't know either way, cause I'm not a ford guy!


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## DGODGR (Nov 30, 2008)

dirtymax;1193977 said:


> Firstly, I don't care who told you what, but you should change your fuel filter EVERY oil change. Secondly, if ford's new 6.7 doesn't have a DPF system, then it most definently is running urea. I don't know either way, cause I'm not a ford guy!


I Know you have to add urea in the '11s, but I think they still have a DPF.


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## PTTP08 (Dec 9, 2009)

Wow I didn't expect this much info from this post! Thanks for all the info.Well I pull a lil 5x10 lawn care trailer I don't plan on getting any bigger in the lawn biz. The last time I pulled a bobcat around was a year ago I don't pull one around that much. The truck I have now is old 92 chev 3/4 with an 350 TBI a newer gasser v8 has to have a lil more power than that old thing.It plows great and the mileage sucks but a newer gas truck has to get a lil better than that old thing. The diesal trucks are a lil more maint. and gas is higher I don't think I would use all the truck has to offer and if something breaks on it I better get my wallet out. So I think I am going to get a F250 gasser 5.4 triton just a standard cab to keep the truck light and basic no need for a crew cab just more room for me to have more crap in the truck. I will hang thee old western on it and away I go! Thanks much guys/gals


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

monson770;1193976 said:


> i've been plowing with a 02 2500hd gmc 6.0 and i don't ever see any more than 13 mpg, and thats all highway.. checked my milage and fuel usage over 8hrs of plowing and i used a full tank($60-$70) and got around 180 miles. and when i have th eplow off, i get in the neighborhood of 225-275(normal and some highway driving, per tank)
> 
> i have heard a lot of diesel guys say they are around 17-20mpgs, not sure about their gas usage plowing, but 70% more mpgs, all the time for driving pourpeses can save you a lot over the course of a year. mix that into costs of maintenance and depending on how well you take care of both gas and dielels, and you may have saved some money on gas.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you need to add some weight in the back and get better tires or start plowing in 4wd. Only time I ever get "pushed around" is in 2wd. 4HI unleashes the beast, 4LO makes it legendary.


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## monson770 (Dec 18, 2010)

Pinky Demon;1195703 said:


> Sounds like you need to add some weight in the back and get better tires or start plowing in 4wd. Only time I ever get "pushed around" is in 2wd. 4HI unleashes the beast, 4LO makes it legendary.


i have never used 4 lo plowing, i always keep it in 4hi unless i'm cleanin up lots with less than 2 inches.. then i go 2wd.. as for the weight, i had about 500 lbs of salt in the back last year, this year i got about 800-1000 lbs of salt back there, and better tires.. (last yuear had nitto terragrapplers and sipes were gone after first 10k) so this year i got general grabber AT2's and they rock.. not nearly as much of a problem this year, but it still happens.. not usually while windrowing, unless its more than 12" and really wet and heavy, which we haven't seen yet, just about a 16incher and i handled that one fine..

what is the diff between plowing in 4hi and 4lo? never asked that question before.


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## DGODGR (Nov 30, 2008)

IMO it's easier on your transmission, particularly an automatic. The lower gear ratio means the transmission will slip less and that means less heat.


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## damian (Jan 29, 2009)

most of my fleets are fed up with the out of warranty cost of all the modern diesels and they are returning to gas.cummins may be the exception.all current modern diesels-duramax- powerstroke-cummins have dpf regen catalytic converters, egr systems,injector control devices(ficm) turbos,many coolers.all will cripple you out of warranty,the past history of many these engines have proven if you keep it long enough out of warranty your gonna get it.most of these engines have problems that have been blamed on maintenence but often times that isnt the issue,these engines are trying to meet unrealistic federaly mandated emmisions regulations using technology that is over their heads and set up for eventual failure.if you really need a diesel get one with an extended warranty.here are some numbers i see every week;early duramax injector replacement 4500.00,duramax hp pump 1800.00 duramax,service w/fuel filter 160.00. 6.0 powerstroke injectors all 3500.00, hp pump 1800.00,egr cooler and oil cooler replacement 2000.00,head gaskets w/upgrades 5000.00,ficm w/programming 1100.00 service w/fuel filters 200.00,engine replacement 13000.00,turbo 1800.00.cummins common rail injectors 420.00 apiece we dont do as many of these. good luck.


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## PTTP08 (Dec 9, 2009)

I concur with damian. I am a truck driver and I drive a new Pete what a piece of crap!! The goverment took all the fun away and this truck has been in the shop more than the road.I am lucky I am just the driver and I don't own the dam thing.I drove a 90's Pete for years this truck was rock solid never had a problem cause it didn't have that computer crap on it! My partner in crime has an 01 power stroke this truck is a good truck always runs and has lots of power. He has owned power strokes for years. But he spoiled him self this year and bought a 2010 power stroke so far Egr failed 4 times and 2 sets of injectors later he installed like 5 grand worth of after market stuff just to bypass and the federal goverment demands and it runs fine now. But really you have to install these things from the get go what a joke. This was the selling point on a gasser truck for me! He told me either buy an older power stroke or just buy a newer gasser truck.


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

monson770;1196770 said:


> i have never used 4 lo plowing, i always keep it in 4hi unless i'm cleanin up lots with less than 2 inches.. then i go 2wd.. as for the weight, i had about 500 lbs of salt in the back last year, this year i got about 800-1000 lbs of salt back there, and better tires.. (last yuear had nitto terragrapplers and sipes were gone after first 10k) so this year i got general grabber AT2's and they rock.. not nearly as much of a problem this year, but it still happens.. not usually while windrowing, unless its more than 12" and really wet and heavy, which we haven't seen yet, just about a 16incher and i handled that one fine..
> 
> what is the diff between plowing in 4hi and 4lo? never asked that question before.


I mainly use 4LO for stacking heavy piles. When I got some that are 2 feet high or more and I need to push them back, I just drop it into 4LO and idle forward. Might have to rev to 14-1600 or so to push the pile, that's it. Transmission stays between 117-124 degrees. No heat at all. The truck does not have to work as hard, it's beautiful. I don't know if I would be running around a lot in 4LO though unless it was really, really heavy. Even running around in circles with 4HI, I have not seen transmission temps above 160.

But, I've never had the truck "pushed around" like some people told me it would. I am running a Boss 9' 2" VX-T.

IMHO, getting pushed around is an indicator you need to look at the truck's equipment. It could also be that with your 8 ft. blade, you have some snow spilling back under the tires, which never helps. I noticed that I am not having anywhere near the traction issues I was having before with my 7' 6" Western. The 9' 2" always throws past the wheel wells.


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## monson770 (Dec 18, 2010)

ya i'm sure the v is a little bit heaveir, my dad has the mvp pro plus, i have the pro, and his is even a bit heavier than mine( gets pushed around a lot less). so i'm sure the weight of the plow is a facter, but no snow usually spills over, unless its coming over the top of the plow (don't have a rubber flap on mine, of course the old man does!) 

but as for the 4hi and 4lo, i tried it out a lil bit last night, and it seems to be a lot quicker on the throttle, makes sense on pushing piles back, i got piles ina ll my lots that are a lot taller than 2ft.. gonna need a cat soon to move them around...


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## snowbelt5 (Jan 19, 2011)

im not tring to scare anyone or myself, but i have a F-350 SRW 6.0 diesel and it been the best truck ever! very stout front end. incredible power with my programmer. Never a problem but it seems like everyone i know that has the 6.0 liter has horror stories about the EGR, injectors, and head gaskets and turbo failures. I only have 98,000 miles on it now, and am having a very hard time deciding if i should just sell the truck and get a gasser maybe a 2500hd or something.. Injectors are $3000.00 to replace, turbos 2500.00, egr and oil cooler about 1800.00 and the head gasket i dont want to know. these are all very common problems with the 6.0 that are more often gonna happen once it gets above 100,000 miles. Say worse case senario all these things go bad thats almost $10,000 in repairs. 

Does anyone else have a 6.0L with higher milage? any problems.


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## snowplowpro (Feb 7, 2006)

The diesels are nice but expensive to work on i love gas


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## rochestersnowma (Sep 21, 2010)

with my v10 I get 12 mpg, or 5 gallons an hour when plowing


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## Glenn Lawn Care (Sep 28, 2009)

If you get a diesel make sure it has a warranty!


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