Newbie eco questions

[Sacerdote]

So I almost bought an EcoDiesel several years back but I decided to wait. I am looking again but this computer chip shortage his thrown a major wrench in ordering any new vehicle. Not the type to just pay sticker price or some pitiful discount. The price will be an issue
I would be purchasing this vehicle as a daily driver and to tow a 6,000 pound RV on occasion. I have never owned a diesel before but there are many aspects that draw me to this one. Economy and towing ability are at the top of the list. I test drove a Ram truck a few years back and absolutely loved it. I ended up buying a Ford EcoBoost F-150 and it was a pretty good truck but it wasn't as nicely appointed as the ram nor did it drive as good. Certainly not as quiet as the ram. Are there any issues with the new generation EcoDiesel? Has anyone regretted buying one? The maintenance sounds like about the same as a gas $$ but I could be wrong. Any imput is helpful thank you very much

 

[Sascwatch]

Oil changes will cost a bit more due to the volume of oil and expensive oil filters on the eco diesel. You will also have to replace the fuel filter every other oil change.

Here in Ontario diesel is cheaper than gas by about 15% add that to the 25-30% better fuel economy and the upgrade will pay for itself quickly.

If you don’t drive lots I wouldn’t recommend any modern diesel as you have to get the exhaust filter hot enough to do a regen every so often. I drive an average of 100km(60miles) per day and have only had the truck notify me once to continue driving as the dpf was nearly full.

 

[AMS Guru]

Where do I start. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE my EcoDiesel. (Which I'm waiting for number 4 so don't have one at the moment) I had a 17, 18 and 20. 20 was over the moon in all aspects. Worst mileage ever even with remote starts and winter fuel/driving was 20MPG. Was consistently getting 27+ average when I turned over the key fobs. Fired immediately w/o block heater plugged in down to 10 below. The Europeans know how to build a diesel engine. I'd say don't hesitate!!

 

[ayoslickxd]

15k miles in 6 months no issues so far and done it all including towing a few things heavy heavy was surprised how good it did also

 

[AMS Guru]

Oil changes will cost a bit more due to the volume of oil and expensive oil filters on the eco diesel. You will also have to replace the fuel filter every other oil change.

Here in Ontario diesel is cheaper than gas by about 15% add that to the 25-30% better fuel economy and the upgrade will pay for itself quickly.

If you don’t drive lots I wouldn’t recommend any modern diesel as you have to get the exhaust filter hot enough to do a regen every so often. I drive an average of 100km(60miles) per day and have only had the truck notify me once to continue driving as the dpf was nearly full.

I will second this... short trips with out being warmed up will not be good. I also average 60+ miles/day for commute plus other work duties.. And yes maintenance will cost you more but only doing it every 10K miles. Let the dealer do it so it's all on the official vehicle record using OEM approved synthetic with Magneti Marelli filters.

 

[ayoslickxd]

I will second this... short trips with out being warmed up will not be good. I also average 60+ miles/day for commute plus other work duties.. And yes maintenance will cost you more but only doing it every 10K miles. Let the dealer do it so it's all on the official vehicle record using OEM approved synthetic with Magneti Marelli filters.

i do my oils changes every 5/7.5k idk why always done alittle bit before any recommendations.

 

[Sascwatch]

i do my oils changes every 5/7.5k idk why always done alittle bit before any recommendations.

Same, every 10000km(6000miles) for me. It’s somewhat cheap insurance.

 

[ayoslickxd]

Same, every 10000km(6000miles) for me. It’s somewhat cheap insurance.

yes cheap insurance for a pricey engine …

 

[AMS Guru]

i do my oils changes every 5/7.5k idk why always done alittle bit before any recommendations.

I pile on the miles quickly, don't tow a lot, and always running trips long enough for proper warm up so I felt the 10K recommendation was fine but I understand more frequent changes. I did carry a quart of Rotella T6 with me to keep it topped off to the full mark.

 

[ayoslickxd]

I pile on the miles quickly, don't tow a lot, and always running trips long enough for proper warm up so I felt the 10K recommendation was fine but I understand more frequent changes. I did carry a quart of Rotella T6 with me to keep it topped it topped off to the full mark.

i tow alot and carry. a **** ton in bed at times lol about 100 miles a day or more

 

[Sascwatch]

I pile on the miles quickly, don't tow a lot, and always running trips long enough for proper warm up so I felt the 10K recommendation was fine but I understand more frequent changes. I did carry a quart of Rotella T6 with me to keep it topped off to the full mark.

Not sure if you know, but T6 does not meet the oil spec for the new eco diesel. It unfortunately does not meet the ms-12991 spec.

 

[AdamChandler]

7500 miles in I love it. I think we’re averaging 24MPG but 20 when @ full pay load (not towing).

I’m prepared to pay for the additional maintenace but I do all of my own service And have already bought he first 3 oil changes worth of parts needed. Still need to order some rear-dif fluid.

 

[AMS Guru]

Not sure if you know, but T6 does not meet the oil spec for the new eco diesel. It unfortunately does not meet the ms-12991 spec.

It's what the dealer handed me... nice to know THEY didn't know!

 

[Sascwatch]

It's what the dealer handed me... nice to know THEY didn't know!

When the gen 3 was released FCA misprinted the owners manuals and even trained their techs improperly on which oil this engine uses.

The misprint has since been fixed but it seems that FCA doesn’t think telling their dealer techs in a tsb or retraining them is required, they’re just supposed to know.

If you have a 4th edition owners manual it’ll say in one section T6 is fine and in another section it says ms-12991 (pennzoil euro oil) is required. New owners manuals were NOT sent out to owners nor was a letter sent informing them of the error.

While T6 is a really good oil and I’d run it if I knew my warranty would be fine, but there has been several posts by @RamCares stating that T6 isn’t the correct oil along with a new version of the owners manual that says nothing about rotella T6.

Sorry for high jacking the thread, but it upsets me that FCA hasn’t made sure their dealers know something like this. I will be over 50000km (30000miles) in the next two weeks without any engine or tranny issues, so far so good.

 

[AMS Guru]

When the gen 3 was released FCA misprinted the owners manuals and even trained their techs improperly on which oil this engine uses.

The misprint has since been fixed but it seems that FCA doesn’t think telling their dealer techs in a tsb or retraining them is required, they’re just supposed to know.

If you have a 4th edition owners manual it’ll say in one section T6 is fine and in another section it says ms-12991 (pennzoil euro oil) is required. New owners manuals were NOT sent out to owners nor was a letter sent informing them of the error.

While T6 is a really good oil and I’d run it if I knew my warranty would be fine, but there has been several posts by @RamCares stating that T6 isn’t the correct oil along with a new version of the owners manual that says nothing about rotella T6.

Sorry for high jacking the thread, but it upsets me that FCA hasn’t made sure their dealers know something like this. I will be over 50000km (30000miles) in the next two weeks without any engine or tranny issues, so far so good.

Well, NOW I know so I'll be looking for that spec specifically. Funny thing is I used the 1 qt of Rotella over two oil changes then they gave me a Mopar one. I thought that was weird. I'll see if it lists the spec on it.

 

[NorthStar]

As long as we're all giving our opinions...I'm on my third diesel (two 2nd Gens and now this 3rd Gen) since the EPA screwed up the diesel engine in 2004.

I have an 81 year old neighbor (Mike) with a 2016 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel with just over 19,000 miles on it who is a retired Caterpillar mechanic. He has used his truck as a grocery getter, go to the VFW for dinner limo and Sunday church cruiser since new and has never had a problem. When asked how he does it, he says it is because he has a ScanGauge II attached to monitor soot level and regens, and takes it out religiously every Sunday afternoon for a forty to seventy mile drive for passive/active regen purposes. Likewise, we are in southeast Texas where it hot and warm ups are quick however...living in a northern climate may affect warmups and cause problems. Finally, he also changes his oil religiously ever 3000 miles or twelve months saying the truck will outlast him.

I also have two coworkers (one has a 2nd gen and the other a 3rd gen Ecodiesel) who during COVID have been following the same type of schedule as Mike, and had no issues. Some of us aren't driving near as much as we used to but want the diesel for towing purposes. A little planning on how you can extend the life of your low mileage diesel can make all the difference in the world. Neglecting your diesel will become your worst nightmare as they aren't as simple as the pre-2004 diesels.

Bottom line is you can own a modern day diesel and use it for short trips but also need to understand there are certain considerations which have to be made (and not follow a 10,000 mile own change interval for example) to ensure longevity. It will cost you more money to do so than the diesel owner putting 20,000 miles a year on his truck, and won't be like having a Hemi or Pentastar in the driveway that you can use/forget regularly. Additionally, you may not get the longevity out of your diesel by using it for short trips but there ways to help ensure you get as much as possible...however, failing to maintain a diesel will be the quickest way to empty your wallet and the most aggravating ownership experience you'll ever incur. In that case, you'd be better off with a Hemi or a Pentastar.

 

[AMS Guru]

As long as we're all giving our opinions...I'm on my third diesel (two 2nd Gens and now this 3rd Gen) since the EPA screwed up the diesel engine in 2004.

I have an 81 year old neighbor (Mike) with a 2016 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel with just over 19,000 miles on it who is a retired Caterpillar mechanic. He has used his truck as a grocery getter, go to the VFW for dinner limo and Sunday church cruiser since new and has never had a problem. When asked how he does it, he says it is because he has a ScanGauge II attached to monitor soot level and regens, and takes it out religiously every Sunday afternoon for a forty to seventy mile drive for passive/active regen purposes. Likewise, we are in southeast Texas where it hot and warm ups are quick however...living in a northern climate may affect warmups and cause problems. Finally, he also changes his oil religiously ever 3000 miles or twelve months saying the truck will outlast him.

I also have two coworkers (one has a 2nd gen and the other a 3rd gen Ecodiesel) who during COVID have been following the same type of schedule as Mike, and had no issues. Some of us aren't driving near as much as we used to but want the diesel for towing purposes. A little planning on how you can extend the life of your low mileage diesel can make all the difference in the world. Neglecting your diesel will become your worst nightmare as they aren't as simple as the pre-2004 diesels.

Bottom line is you can own a modern day diesel and use it for short trips but also need to understand there are certain considerations which have to be made (and not follow a 10,000 mile own change interval for example) to ensure longevity. It will cost you more money to do so than the diesel owner putting 20,000 miles a year on his truck, and won't be like having a Hemi or Pentastar in the driveway that you can use/forget regularly. Additionally, you may not get the longevity out of your diesel by using it for short trips but there ways to help ensure you get as much as possible...however, failing to maintain a diesel will be the quickest way to empty your wallet and the most aggravating ownership experience you'll ever incur. In that case, you'd be better off with a Hemi or a Pentastar.

Well put. Diesels of any make or model are NOT for everyone.

 

[70runner]

Not new to the diesel world, owned a Kubota diesel backhoe for 24yrs. It's the most reliable machine on 4 wheels I've ever owned. One problem in 24yrs, hardened/cracked fuel line. Not real good for trips to town or freeway driving however, so decided to buy a diesel better suited for town/freeway activities. Very pleased with the eco-d. Drove it from the dealer (Auburn WA) to SOCAL, 1200 miles. One stop to refuel at 846mi on the odometer and 28.4 on the mpg readout. Amazing range with the 33gal tank. Quiet, solid, comfy.

 

[Dragonmaster13]

Worth every penny spent. I tow more than most and on the heavier side at about 7600lbs. This thing is a beast, has more HP and torque than the legendary 2nd gen 12valve Cummins and is more efficient than my wife’s Toyota Highlander and 200x better than my 4th gen Hemi 1500. If you want it, get it.

 

[c3k]

Ditto.

Amazing vehicle.