Dodge Cummins or Ford Powerstroke

[04SSHD]

well, I have driven 7.3 and 6.0 Powerstrokes. I had a 1996 F250 7.3 PSD with 316k miles on it, I replaced the injectors, batteries, and a few other odds and ends and it kept running strong until the trans blew out of it when I was towing a trailer up to Alberta, Canada. I lipmed the truck up to my destination, and all the way back home to California. I threw it on ebay with a busted trans then started my search for a new diesel. The 7.3 was a pretty good motor, not alot of power but with that kind of mileage it was tired. it would struggle to go up hills on its own power, with a trailer it would be down to 55 mph.

I now have a 6.7L Cummins and it's been great so far, tons of power and alot better fuel efficiency. I have got up to 20 mpg with the dodge, where the ford would struggle to get 12-13 mpg.

here is my old Powerstroke bleeding tons of tranny fluid on the side of the road in Montana almost to the Canada boarder.


This is my friends 04 6.0L Powerstroke, this has been a very good truck to him so far. I drove this truck to Arizona a few times, and my friend and I drove it from California to Nova Scotia Canada and back. He bought it with 18k miles and it had a new motor installed by ford already. This truck is fast, pulls great, and has had no issues in the 3 years my friend has owned it.

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07.5 Dodge Ram 3500HD SLT 6.7L, 6 speed manual, Hypertech Max Energy, Pos. Crankcase Vent, 4.10, reg cab, C&C, HBS 2" leveling kit, 5000k HID lights & fogs, Valentine V1, 3000 miles to date, DPF & EGR bites the dust soon, 22.5's awaiting rubber

[SANDDEMON08]

Originally Posted by Black Pwrstroke

IF you want a nice ride and dnt want to put power to it i would say a 7.3 powerstroke but if you want power i would go with cummins. I guess the newer 04-08s cummins are nice rides also. GO DODGE. I WISH I HAD

I came out of a 99 7.3 PSD with over 200,000 miles and went to the 08 6.4 PSD. I think the ride is great and the power is phenomenal compared to the 7.3.

The break down of the PSD's

7.3 PSD=

6.oh thats were my money went than

6.4 PSD= than

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08 F350 CC FX4 6.4 PSD,torq-shift trans,
AFE Stage II intake, AFE boost tube,4" MBRP cat back exhaust, ditched the DPF,Spartan Diesel custom tunes, 434HP 765TQ

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Last edited by SANDDEMON08 : 06-09-2008 at 09:25 AM.

[swampdog]

Spending a little time on the Ford Diesel forum convinced me to take the PowerStrokes off my list of possible trucks. I've never seen so many unhappy truck owners in one place!! Most seem to regret their choice.

My past experiences with Dodge/Chrysler products weren't good either. A company I used to work for bought Chrysler products and we had to drive them. The vehicles were fine for a little while when new but had bodies and other components made of the cheapest and lowest quality materials available. The towing companies loved our vehicles.

The only reason I'm considering buying a Dodge pickup is because of the Cummins diesel. But it's unfortunate that the new Cummins isn't as economical to operate as the old 5.9.

This morning I heard an analyst predict a 25% price differential between gas and diesel by the end of the year (diesel 25% higher than gas.) That's discouraging too and will only lead to rapid depreciation of diesel pickups. I may just stick with my '04 GMC 2500 6 liter gas, which gets twenty mpg.

[04SSHD]

Originally Posted by swampdog

This morning I heard an analyst predict a 25% price differential between gas and diesel by the end of the year (diesel 25% higher than gas.) That's discouraging too and will only lead to rapid depreciation of diesel pickups. I may just stick with my '04 GMC 2500 6 liter gas, which gets twenty mpg.

Diesel is already about 25% higher than gas right now. And I don't see how you can be getting 20 mpg with a 04 GMC 2500 with the 6.0 gas burner. I had a 04 Silverado 2500 that I bought brand new and right off the showroom floor I was struggling to get 14 mpg. With the lift wheels and tires I added it dropped to 12-13 mpg with the 6.0L and 3.73 gears

This was my rig, I got rid of it because of the poor gas mileage

__________________
07.5 Dodge Ram 3500HD SLT 6.7L, 6 speed manual, Hypertech Max Energy, Pos. Crankcase Vent, 4.10, reg cab, C&C, HBS 2" leveling kit, 5000k HID lights & fogs, Valentine V1, 3000 miles to date, DPF & EGR bites the dust soon, 22.5's awaiting rubber

[swampdog]

20 mpg on the highway with the well broken in 6.0 gas; add or subtract a mile or two depending on the wind and speed travelled. No lift, running in 2WD, and Goodyear Workhorse 2.45 x 16 tires aired up. I was surprised after hearing that the 6.0 litres were pigs on gas.

A lift and more aggressive tires will kill the fuel mileage on any truck. Even putting winter tires on a car will wreak havoc with the fuel economy.

When I want to go off road, my old 232 - 6 cyl. Jeep with 14.5 x 35 Boggers and lockers front and back does just fine. I doubt if any 6,500 pound pickup will go where that Jeep will go.

My last truck was a GMC 2500 4x4 with a 454, which would do 10 mpg on a very good day. That certainly did limit my driving, but I can live with 20 mpg.

[Moparman]

Originally Posted by swampdog

Spending a little time on the Ford Diesel forum convinced me to take the PowerStrokes off my list of possible trucks. I've never seen so many unhappy truck owners in one place!! Most seem to regret their choice.

My past experiences with Dodge/Chrysler products weren't good either. A company I used to work for bought Chrysler products and we had to drive them. The vehicles were fine for a little while when new but had bodies and other components made of the cheapest and lowest quality materials available. The towing companies loved our vehicles.

The only reason I'm considering buying a Dodge pickup is because of the Cummins diesel. But it's unfortunate that the new Cummins isn't as economical to operate as the old 5.9.

This morning I heard an analyst predict a 25% price differential between gas and diesel by the end of the year (diesel 25% higher than gas.) That's discouraging too and will only lead to rapid depreciation of diesel pickups. I may just stick with my '04 GMC 2500 6 liter gas, which gets twenty mpg.

With 87 octane at $4+, diesel is $4.59+ here in north Texas. Yes it hurts, costs me at least $125-130 to fill up. I'll be back on the road hauling cars soon, so I'll be putting a waste vegetable oil system on the truck. You can do the same. Check the alternative fuels forum for more information.

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FOR SALE 2006 white quad cab Dodge dually, 6speed manual, True Flow XDI air filter system, FilterMag, am/fm/cd/sirius, Fluidampr, LineX bedliner, 3.73, gooseneck hitch, rear bags w/ in-cab controls, P235/80R17 Michelin LTX M&S on stock wheels

[Suprcynic]

Refineries have shifted to producing more Diesel in the past month so I don't see the differential staying that high... that being said I still say diesel is 6.00 before '08 is over but gas will be close to it if not ahead of it.

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2006 5.9 2500 Regular Cab 4x4 auto SLT. Debadged, Quadzilla/AFE Intake, No Muffler, AirLift 5k bags, No Silencer Ring, ATS Exhaust Manifold, Custom Stainless Intake Horn, Full Dipricol Gauges, Glock 36 Security System, Kenwood HU, 5 Channel Infinity reference Amp, Boston Acoustics throughout.

[Joe Doucette]

well believe it or not due to the new EPA requirments of ULSD it cost about 20% more to produce diesel then gas due to the last step of having to use a precious metals catalyst to remove the sulphur down to 15ppm. And that is the only reason they have jacked the price of diesel up.
So with that said refiners are going to use that as an excuse to gouge us as long as they can.

And as far as our mileage goes. I can explain that. The standard for diesel in north america requires a cetane rating of about 42 whereas in europe it is 70. Example my wife owns a jeep liberty diesel with the 2.8L motori. In europe that vehicle gets 29 MPG whereas here we get about 23. My suggestion for everyone is use power service diesel clean (gray bottle). It raises cetane about 5 to 7 numbers it will defintley save you a few bucks as well as act a as great fuel conditioner.

i use it in all 3 of my diesels. including my 2 dodge's.

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Last edited by Joe Doucette : 06-18-2008 at 07:27 PM. Reason: changed topic

[lvin4jc]

Originally Posted by Joe Doucette

Every tractor trailer on the road uses an inline six diesel, so why would you want a V8 in your pickup.

Bingo!

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2001 4X4 Auto SLT Laramie - DANA 60/DANA 70, 3.55's - Isspro Gauges, FP, Pyro, Boost, Trans. Temp. - HBS Leveling Kit - Straight Pipe - Amsoil Nanofiber 4510 - Quad Mileage Max Barely Used in Box (For Sale, Make Offer via PM) - 285/75/16 Firestone Destination M/T's

[crzybowhntr]

I had a powerstroke 2001 dually and my 06 straight bed cummins pulls WAY better STOCK than my ford with a chip and intake. NO comparison!!!!

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2006 3500 CREW CAB, LWB, K&N, 315`S Otherwise bone stock

[js4024]

There is no slang term used to discribe a cummins turbo diesel...

Most Ford PowerJOKE owners wish they had a cummins under the hood. Reliability issues, poor MPG, Noise, all have been halmarks for the ford..

Chevy's DuraCRAP well, here we go again, Reliability, poor MPG, Noise....

I test drove all 3, and I mean test drove.. the most significant thing was when I got back in the Dodge, it was QUIET in comparison! Look at the torque curve for both the chev and Ford...the Chevy does peak out a bit ahead of the dodge but then peters out quickly...The cummins engine keeps MAX torque 650 lb-ft from 1200 RPM all the way to 2800 RPM...the whole time the chevy and ford are dropping like rocks..THAT IS WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THE DODGE.. Cummins Engines are truly bullet proof..Do some research...

[KopterDoctor]

Originally Posted by cesibley

Cummins - I6 - 7 Main Bearings for 6 Cylinders
Power Stroke - V8 - 5 Main Bearings for 8 Cylinders

Which engine do you think is more bulletproof?

In terms of support at the crank; by design the support is the same by ratio for both engines. You cannot have more main bearings than what you have.