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Deciding between gas and diesel

I ended up with the hemi in a Powerwagon and after towing my jeep with it, I'm glad I did. While it drinks gas like a college freshman does cheap beer, it pulled like a champ.

I think everyone in this thread has made some good and valid points. That dial shifter in the hemi is plain stupid and by far one of my least favorite attributes of the truck. I also agree that you rarely hear of guys leaving diesel to go to gas (although it has popped up in here after frustrations with DPF/ DEF issues and never ending recalls with no parts). Hemis don't get much glory on here, but the number of diesel threads about 6-speed trans issues, recalls with no parts, stuck in limp mode while towing, etc issues with diesels seem to far out number folks running into the lifter and cam issues with the hemis at higher mileage (add MDS to my list of stupid ass things you get with the hemi).

I was considering the Cummins as well, but the biggest thing that made me go hemi was my daily commute. Its less than a 20min drive each way in stop and go traffic. That would lead to nothing but endless frustration with clogging up DPF filters and the after-treatment system with trips that short. Diesel is still the king of power and towing, but modern exhaust regulations have really knee-capped their ability to fully shine above gas IMO. If you're gonna put a bunch of miles on and tow heavy regularly. Go diesel. If you are going to drive short runs daily and only tow occasionally. Go hemi. I say that not from a preference point, but more of a practicality on which scenario will make each one shine and be the most reliable.
 
Blythkd1 said:
I was running Rotella T4 from a 55 gallon drum. It was about $9 a gallon so $22.50 per change, then $8 for a filter. Of course Covid took care of that. The oil is over $16 now. But I changed a lot of it for $9-10 before it went through the roof.
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That's great, but you're quoting current prices for the Ram oil change and years old prices for the Duramax. Is T4 still okay for the Dmax?
 
Blythkd1 said:
With OEM filters and synthetic oil? I was talking about the full meal deal, all filters. I've been buying from Geno's.
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I linked in the full filter set from Geno's in the post you quoted from. $129 + $70 for the T6 oil gets you to $200.
 
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jebruns said:
That's great, but you're quoting current prices for the Ram oil change and years old prices for the Duramax. Is T4 still okay for the Dmax?
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Agreed. What I meant was I got used to changing oil in the Dmax for about $30, and it wasn't last week. Same thing today would be closer to $50, and that's without fuel filters but those were far less painful too. At least now with the Mopar fuel filters, I do feel like my fuel is being properly filtered. GM has a long history of cheaping out on the fuel filter.
jebruns said:
I linked in the full filter set from Geno's in the post you quoted from. $129 + $70 for the T6 oil gets you to $200.
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I guess you're going to have to get me there because I can't. I'm seeing $165 for filters. Where am I missing it? And I've been having a hard time finding oil for less than $30 a gallon. That's another $90.
$255 plus tax and shipping is about $300 for me. But I'm all ears, I'd be tickled to death to be wrong.

Edit: Ahh I got it. I went back and found your link. It was for fuel and oil filters. My list included air.
And yes, T4 is still fine for a Dmax. That's one nice thing about them, they aren't picky at all about their oil.
 
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Blythkd1 said:
Agreed. What I meant was I got used to changing oil in the Dmax for about $30, and it wasn't last week. Same thing today would be closer to $50, and that's without fuel filters but those were far less painful too. At least now with the Mopar fuel filters, I do feel like my fuel is being properly filtered. GM has a long history of cheaping out on the fuel filter.

I guess you're going to have to get me there because I can't. I'm seeing $165 for filters. Where am I missing it? And I've been having a hard time finding oil for less than $30 a gallon. That's another $90.
$255 plus tax and shipping is about $300 for me. But I'm all ears, I'd be tickled to death to be wrong.

Edit: Ahh I got it. I went back and found your link. It was for fuel and oil filters. My list included air.
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Yeah, I have no plans to replace the air filter on every oil change, or even every other. I'll think about it when I get 30K or so on the truck. I don't drive down many dusty roads.

Walmart sells the T6 5-40 for $23.38 a gallon.
 
jebruns said:
Walmart sells the T6 5-40 for $23.38 a gallon.
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I assume they do here too, they just never have any. I was in our local Walmart a couple weeks ago and they had shelves full of everything but T6 or the 10W-30 conventional. The only T6 they had at all was 2 gallons of 15W-40. Seems like the local Ram guys must be frequenting our Walmart early morning every day. Our local Napa has been the only reliable source the past couple years and it's $30 there. Sure be nice if things would ever get back to "normal."
 
jebruns said:
Yeah, I have no plans to replace the air filter on every oil change, or even every other. I'll think about it when I get 30K or so on the truck. I don't drive down many dusty roads.

Walmart sells the T6 5-40 for $23.38 a gallon.
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Unless you’re changing the oil early the longest it’s supposed to go is every other oil change.

I drive a lot of dusty roads, but on my previous CTD’s I was easily able to get 30K miles out of an air filter. The 22’s appear to be more sensitive, so I’m going to swap the air filter out at this upcoming annual oil change. I’m not sure I’ll see a difference in anything, but may as well try it out.

The ‘22 has done 2 regens based on soot, where the ‘18 never did any. There are lots of differences in the way the engines run, but it’s worth a little experimenting with the air filter.
 
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I checked mine at just over 10,000 mile and it was pretty dirty with feathers and a like, but I did average driving on avererage roads so I don't know why my air filter was trash. So I changed it. It was about a year old at the time. Shortly after I decided just to change everything.
 
I wonder if the intake design doesn’t get more dust and debris in it.
 
Blythkd1 said:
I assume they do here too, they just never have any. I was in our local Walmart a couple weeks ago and they had shelves full of everything but T6 or the 10W-30 conventional. The only T6 they had at all was 2 gallons of 15W-40. Seems like the local Ram guys must be frequenting our Walmart early morning every day. Our local Napa has been the only reliable source the past couple years and it's $30 there. Sure be nice if things would ever get back to "normal."
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It was hard to get here last year. But I just looked a week ago when we were in WallyWorld and there was a LOT of it sitting on the shelf. Caveat being I live in WalMart land. Their world HQ is less than 10 miles away. Walmarts, Sam's Clubs and their distribution centers all over the place. So we always seem to fair better than most when it comes to shortages.

But you can always order it and pick it up locally.
 
AH64ID said:
Unless you’re changing the oil early the longest it’s supposed to go is every other oil change.
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I'll be early, at least miles-wise. Only have 7k on it and coming up on a year since I took delivery in early Oct.
 
jebruns said:
It was hard to get here last year. But I just looked a week ago when we were in WallyWorld and there was a LOT of it sitting on the shelf. Caveat being I live in WalMart land. Their world HQ is less than 10 miles away. Walmarts, Sam's Clubs and their distribution centers all over the place. So we always seem to fair better than most when it comes to shortages.

But you can always order it and pick it up locally.
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So you're in NWA? I get through there fairly routinely. Maybe I'll try hitting one of them next time I'm down that way. I'm not that far away, SEK, just a couple hours away from the NWA metroplex. Thanks for the tip.
 
jebruns said:
I'll be early, at least miles-wise. Only have 7k on it and coming up on a year since I took delivery in early Oct.
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The oil is 12 months/15K miles, and the air filter is 24 months/30K miles, so wether it’s months or miles the air filter is an every other oil change item… at least for warranty reasons.
 
Blythkd1 said:
So you're in NWA? I get through there fairly routinely. Maybe I'll try hitting one of them next time I'm down that way. I'm not that far away, SEK, just a couple hours away from the NWA metroplex. Thanks for the tip.
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Yep, in NWA.
 
AH64ID said:
The oil is 12 months/15K miles, and the air filter is 24 months/30K miles, so wether it’s months or miles the air filter is an every other oil change item… at least for warranty reasons.
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Thanks, good to know. I'd have never even thought about it until the 25-30k mark otherwise.
 
in for the post count. I never tow or haul anything but my spare tire. Diesels may ride better due to the extra weight.
 
ClawSS said:
in for the post count. I never tow or haul anything but my spare tire. Diesels may ride better due to the extra weight.
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Rides even better with extra diesel tank in the bed.
 
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