Diesel Truck

[Aaron]

I second that notion! Mechanical diesels are stupid simple and easy to diagnose and repair. Almost all issues can be attributed to bad fuel, bad fuel filter or water in fuel.


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I third that notion.

If you're a mechanically inclined person then the old diesels will be cake compared to the new ones.

The only thing I would add is that in a diesel engine, your vacuum pump is actually important. In gas engines it's acceptable to brush a vacuum pump issue to the sidelines, but in a diesel engine this can negatively impact your transmission. So long story short, if you've got a vacuum pump issue on a diesel, don't make the same mistake I made by putting it on the sidelines. Be knowledgable of your engine's abnormalities compared to other vehicles you've driven so you know when something's serious.

 

[highdesertranger]

ha ha I don't have no stinkin vacuum pump. don't need one, I have nothing that requires vacuum. highdesertranger

 

[Baloo]

ha ha I don't have no stinkin vacuum pump. don't need one, I have nothing that requires vacuum. highdesertranger

Yeah, vacuum pump! pffft'd my brakes are electric over hydraulic. The vacuum pump in the Ambo is my shopvac!

In all seriousness, my 7.3 had a vacuum pump and I never had an issue with it.


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[BildrRick]

I have been happy with my Diesel Dually 4X4 Silverado 3500. Yes there is a small learning curve on diesels but forums are a great help. As for buying a good one , mine is a 2006 LLY Duramax, well built with a tuner and I pull and have since 2008, 13,500 daily so my vote is duramax, but the cost is high, I would not sell mine for 20K.
BildrRick

 

[DuneElliot]

I don't know whether you bought a new truck or not but I can vouch for the 7.3L Powerstoke that Ford put in their trucks back in the late '90s and early '00s. My fifth wheel is about the same weight dry as the one you are being given and is easily pulled with my 2000 F-250 with manual transmission. It is mostly bombproof and easy to fix and maintain and the mileage really isn't too bad, better when hauling than my old gas 2500.

To give you an idea I traded a 2001 Dodge with an auto tranny for this truck and the asking price was $10K with 140,000 miles on it...so plenty of life left. Six years later you could find a great truck for the same price or less which sounds well within your budget.

Big Blue also handles some seriously tough terrain and back roads and has hauled loaded horse trailers into some pretty remote back country. A great all around truck and a little easier to find than the same generation Dodge Cummins. You'd have to pay me a ridiculous amount of money to sell it, and even then it might be up for debate since I love that thing

 

[DannyB1954]

For me a used diesel that is out of warranty is a big gamble. It could run forever, but it might cost a fortune to do it.

 

[user 13531]

I've had multiple diesel powered vehicles and equipment in my life. Nothing runs like an older naturally aspirated diesel. Unfortunately, once environmental equipment was added, life spans began to shorten. With the addition of turbo chargers for pickup truck applications, durability came into question once again. The old Cummins and Detroit diesel engines would run forever. That simply is not the case now without substantial repair and maintenance costs....

 

[rastaman]

For what its worth.....2005 Dodge Cummings 5.9...now has 320k miles.  the first 295k was done pulling a 4 car trailer.
Other than belts and breaks and a water pump no issues. Injectors were changed at 298K ....not because of a problem but as a preventative measure ($2500) Love my Cummings, there is nothing it cant pull.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Would a 97 Dodge Cummins Diesel be considered the old mechanical diesels?

 

[highdesertranger]

the break year for the Cummins was 1998. before 98 they were called 6BT after 98 they were called ISB 5.9. you want the 6BT, they are mechanical. highdesertranger

 

[thatdarncat]

with 6k I would look for the older Ford IDI's from 1994-back either a 6.9 or the 7.3...cheap and easy to work on. An older dodge 12vavle cummins would be a good choice too. You could probably find a good F-350 dually in those year ranges for under 6k

 

[thatdarncat]

Interesting read.  I know that the camper will be about 8,250-8500 loaded up and I will not upgrade to anything larger because I just don't need that being alone.

That being said, is it feasible to think about a gas 3/4 or 1 ton can pull it comfortably? I plan on shed hunting to make most of my money so it must be able to handle dirt roads and all that jazz to get there.  

Also, do they put Allison transmissions in gas trucks as well? I'm pretty much set on Chevy or dodge, at least that's what my brain tells me thus far.

Yes I have seen Allison transmissions in a 2500 chevy 8.1 Gasser, I asked the guy what was his mileage like with that big block, he said 12 miles to the gallon, if he was towing or not.