Why do you say gassers are easier to maintain? If you leave 'em stock, IMO, diesels are easier. Just change the oil, fuel filter and air filter. That's it.

Most vehicles are gassers because every fuel stop in the world has gasoline. Not the case with diesel and now it's more expensive than gasoline. Also, with the Rams, the Cummins is around a $6,000 option and is only available in the 2500 and heavier trucks. Lots of folks just want a half ton. Also they are noiser and some say smellier.

Your statement about additives needed? Lots of folks have posted to these additive strings that they NEVER use any sort of additive and the engine is doing just fine. Sometimes I use Lucas. Sometimes I go for months without. I see no difference in fuel mileage or performance either with or without. Neither DC nor Cummins recommends any sort of additive. They built, sell and warranty the vehicle and engine, so if it was necessary wouldn't they have said so? JOIBO!

 

had a '91, 275k no additives no problems

have an '01 500 hp, 140k miles no additives 2nd lift pump and original vp-44

'03 sold at 70k no additives ...

just drive it ... if i put additives in each tank i would have spent enough to buy a new motor by now ...

 

I agree. All these guys spend all this time and money on crap that Cummins doesn't even recomend. My 92' W350 I just sold had over 300k on it and never a drop of any addidtive in it's whole life. Original pump and injectors too. I find in my business in dealing with owners of Dodge/Cummins trucks, that many of them are just plain goofy. They use some homebrew crap recipe of an addidtive for 50k miles or something, and don't have any problems and then swear by it. My truck had 300k with NO addidtives, so what about 50k with hombrew and no problems? If you really were serious about doing something good for your truck, why not pour something in the tank that was supposed to go in it? Instead of two stroke oil, MMO, ATF, or any of this other crap? Or better yet the guys who combine all this stuff and measure it out in some ratio's, like it makes any difference? They do all this stuff to the trucks and think they're doing something good for it. I buy one, leave it stock, I don't chip them or run crappy oiled filters on them, I pull the guts out of it, I change the oil and filters with mopar oil and filters, and I don't have any problems. So to the original poster, just do what the warranty/maintenence log says to do and you'll be fine.

 

Your 100% CORRECT.I find same kinda folks in the horse world.Mix their own feed.A little of this,little of that.Put a ton of effort into it and make claims.Darn feed manufactures been at it for years with research and got every mix you could think of bagged and ready to go.On top of that horses went centurys on some of the same oats,hays,corn,fodder in many countrys in the world.But some folks just gotta mix their own home recipes and claim how great it is.Ought to read BOB The OIL Guy forum.Chezz.Lets MIX some oil as well as additives.Little Chevron 10w30 dino,1.5 qts of Amsoil 5w20 syn. and don't forget in might get hot tomorrow so how about a pint of European Castrol 5w50.

 

Guess, like everything, it's a matter of opinion. With the changes to the low sulpher fuel an additive MAY be an inexpensive "insurance" policy....problem is it is one of those things that you don't find out the answer to until it may be too late to do anything about...except reach a bit deeper in the pocket ! My additive costs me less than $20 per month - I've done some add-ons to my set up which benefit my use - heavy towing , and they make the truck more "fun" to drive around town - but the stock trucks are fine.

My "collection" listed in my signature takes a lot more maintenance than my Ram does....

 

STOP! You will void your warranty if you dont add at least 100hp, and an exhaust system, the exhaust system lets you know that it's running so you dont keep trying to start it. THe 100hp makes you keep wearing stuff out(tires) so you'll come back for more!