I don't get it. These deesel drivers brag about towing their 5th wheels and 15000 pound travel trailers at 70 mph and getting 20 mpg.

Here's a guy that tops out at 70 mpg, full throttle on the flat and level. Running solo.

Who do I believe? The idiots towing their 15000 pound homes at 70, or the guy who tops out at 70. Running solo.

I really don't get the deesel crowd. Towing at unsafe speeds. Bragging at high mpg. Complaining about no power. Aftermarket add-ons for more power.

What's the REAL story abour deesels??? ???

I don't want to make anyone mad on this, I just want the TRUTH. My fellow boaters all swear their Duramax deesels are the way to go, but when I follow them down the freeway, I get 11+ mpg towing my 8000+ pound boat, and I don't run out of gas because a GAS station doesn't sell DEESEL fuel.

 

Just as a quick guestimate that sounds about right, John<br><br>Come on SeaRay88, John H has a 1st generation Cummins Ram. In 94 the Ram with Cummins had 400 lb-ft of torque @1500 rpm and were rated 160 bhp at 2500 rpm with auto tranny. Sounds like he's tellin it straight.<br><br>I've learned that many truck owners are a lot like fishermen, There is some truth in everything they say. You have to be the judge.<br><br>Trailer life had an article awhile back on towin with Diesels. Many Diesels do get 14 mpg towing high profile 5ers but mileage drops off fast after their speed gets above 60 mph. As a driver you must decide whether you want to get good mileage or pass everyone towing.<br><br>Solo driving on freeways in the open, mileage should be above 20 mpg for a Cummins. <br><br>You are correct that towing at 70 with a trailer of 15,000# is unsafe on most highways. That's why some states have a 55 or 60 mph speed limit for those towing. <br><br>Having worked hard to afford the tow vehicle and 5er I have I'm not going to risk a $75,000 investment. Besides I want to live to enjoy the fruits of my labors.

 

OK. So I got a little 4.6L gasser, 200 hp. Torque?, What's that. This little gasser gets 21+ on the freeway at 65. 15.5 on the weekly tank. Pulls a heavy boat and gets 11+ at 60, 9 at 65. Pulls just about any mountain pass under 10000 ft OK. Convince me. Or is it just the smell and the sound of the engine diesel drivers like?

 

Two kinds of diesel owners, those that want a reliable engine to tow heavy loads and those who like to brag bout their 800 hp and pullin the rear end out from under some DMaxi while his pistons are flyin through his hood.

 

<br><br>SeaRay, that was in third gear. <br>I tow a 53' car hauler with my 92 D-350. I get 15-17mpg loaded. It will accelerate to highway speed in the length of most on-ramps while loaded.<br>http://www.swampfoxcustoms.com/RigRtFrt.jpg<br>She's registered for 26,000# GCVWR and at least one other rig on this forum is registered for 31,000#.<br>Try that with a 4.6L gas engine and you will break something before you get to the highway.<br>I am getting ready to do a tranny upgrade to reap the benefits of a lock-up T/C and towing in OD (That is the THREAD TOPIC, right?).<br>btw, it's Diesel<br>

 

[quote author=SeaRay88 link=board=11;threadid=5014;start=15#47383 date=1033516047]<br> I'm totally against diesel with the smell, noise and carcenogenic exhaust, so I'll bite the bullet at the pump.<br>[/quote]<br><br>This was a quote from your second post on this forum board. My question is, &quot;Why don't you join a website whose focus is the gasoline engine?&quot;<br><br>[quote author=SeaRay88 link=board=11;threadid=6898;start=60#70355 date=1037852732]<br>I really don't get the deesel crowd. Towing at unsafe speeds.<br> Who do I believe? The idiots towing their 15000 pound homes at 70, or the guy who tops out at 70. Running solo. <br>[/quote]<br>This was a quote from your post at the top of the page.<br><br>[quote author=SeaRay88 link=board=11;threadid=6898;start=30#68340 date=1037570470]<br>I've had no complaints pulling my 8k trailer. (I know, it's too heavy, unsafe, overloaded, yadda yadda yadda). I drive nice.<br>[/quote]<br>Does “Driving Nice” keep one from being an idiot?<br><br> If you are so happy with your gasser and it fills all of your needs for the vehicle you want to tow with, why do you demand that someone convince you otherwise? You have not asked any questions to gain information that weren't accompanied by a negative attitude and evidently not read any of the other forums such as the 1st Gen, 2nd Gen or 3rd Gen Engine &amp; Drivetrain which would have educated you to the fact that there are many differences in these models of trucks.<br> If your intent of being here is to learn more about the diesel powered trucks from people who drive them, then fine. If your only intent is to have a place to repeatedly boast about your gasser and hope for an argument, then I find it unbeneficial to the members on this site.<br> <br>

 

[quote author=SeaRay88 link=board=11;threadid=6898;start=60#70409 date=1037856219]<br>OK. So I got a little 4.6L gasser, 200 hp. Torque?, What's that. This little gasser gets 21+ on the freeway at 65. 15.5 on the weekly tank. Pulls a heavy boat and gets 11+ at 60, 9 at 65. Pulls just about any mountain pass under 10000 ft OK. Convince me. Or is it just the smell and the sound of the engine diesel drivers like?<br>[/quote]<br><br>You're already convinced. You were before you got here. Keep that gasser. I know a great site for you, www.fordtruckenthusiasts.com

 

<br><br><br> Dan thats the way mine did at first. Try this, get in 3rd lockup and floor it, if the rpm goes up faster than the speedo then your TC is indeed slipping, mine was and when it was removed it had been so hot it had started turning blue.

 

Thanks, Jack. I'm still cruising for a bruising. I may think I'm convinced, but someone out there ought to be able to convert me. I'll check out the other site. <br><br>bob 8)

 

[quote author=Stevie G link=board=11;threadid=6898;start=60#70486 date=1037881656]<br><br><br>SeaRay, that was in third gear. <br>I tow a 53' car hauler with my 92 D-350. I get 15-17mpg loaded. It will accelerate to highway speed in the length of most on-ramps while loaded.<br>http://www.swampfoxcustoms.com/RigRtFrt.jpg<br>She's registered for 26,000# GCVWR and at least one other rig on this forum is registered for 31,000#.<br>Try that with a 4.6L gas engine and you will break something before you get to the highway.<br>I am getting ready to do a tranny upgrade to reap the benefits of a lock-up T/C and towing in OD (That is the THREAD TOPIC, right?).<br>btw, it's Diesel<br><br>[/quote]<br><br>The reason I did that was to test the governer (the engine is governed, isn't it?) I had been told in an ealier post that I aught to check it out, and that seemed the easiest way to do it. It did get up to speed pretty darned fast. I queried the speed and calculated engine rpm because I had been told (by someone at work) that the engines were supposed to cut off at 2500 rpm. My calculated 2850 rpm seemed high.<br><br>John

 

Chuck<br><br>I do not think my T/C is slipping. In O/D with T/C locked up, I never get any indication of slipping.<br><br>I had my truck out today pulling a small trailer and played with it with O/D locked out. I still have not determined that my T/C is locking up in 3rd gear. Every way I tried it it seems the it is unlocked. Maybe it is just hard to detect as has already been suggested. I will test some more.<br><br>Dan

 

I wonder what a flatbed Ford F550 with 20 pallets of sod weighs. Pulled one of those off the road once to clear a clogged freeway. 30-40,000 pounds maybe. Course, I only went a few hundred feet..... 8)

 

[quote author=dan239 link=board=11;threadid=6898;start=60#70948 date=1037942188]<br>Chuck<br><br>I do not think my T/C is slipping. In O/D with T/C locked up, I never get any indication of slipping.<br><br>I had my truck out today pulling a small trailer and played with it with O/D locked out. I still have not determined that my T/C is locking up in 3rd gear. Every way I tried it it seems the it is unlocked. Maybe it is just hard to detect as has already been suggested. I will test some more.<br><br>Dan<br>[/quote]<br><br>You know Dan,<br> It seems to me that I read somewhere, of someone tapping into the wire that sends the signal to lock and unlock the TC. They installed a small light that showed when the TC was locked and when it wasn't. It didn't seem like it was to difficult either.<br> At least I think I read it,,,,,,,,,, maybe I was just dreaming, or thinking of something else. Anyone else heard of this?

 

Thanks Dennis<br><br>I will check the wiring diagrams to see how difficult it would be to hock up a light or just a meter. I would like to know for sure.<br><br>Dan

 

Dennis<br><br>Thanks for the suggestion. I tapped into the TC signal wire from the PCM and put a meter in the cab for road testing. <br><br>I found that the signal is about 12 volts when the TC is unlocked and would drop to zero when locked up.<br><br>With this I could tell that my TC is locking up in 3rd gear, somewhere around 40 MPH with OD locked out. I also determined that when I am running at higher speeds with OD locked out and punch the button to go into OD, the first thing that happens is the TC unlocks. Then it goes into OD and TC lockup. This had mislead me to think that I did not have TC lockup in 3rd gear.<br><br>All is clear now and it is working as it should.<br><br>Thanks to all who offered help on this matter. <br><br>Dan