HD with Gasoline I6

[sam darakjy]

I think gas engines in hd trucks do serve a purpose. They are great for those that haul those lance bed campers or anyone who will normally be hauling allot of bed weight only.
Now saying that 429 tq is more then the trucks of 15 years Ago, your right there but why would anyone buy a new vehicle and compare numbers to there 15 year old vehicle, when
there won't be much at all in common between the two. Just look at the tow specs from 15 years ago and compare to today, no comparison and today's trucks can do 2-3x more then those older trucks. Maybe not as reliable today Becaus of all the electronic junk. I'm not totally throwing your idea in the bushes but in my opinion 500hp is great but that low tq value and HD just don't seem to go together. That's why I say might be a good take off for a beefed up 1500.
Jmho

It's pretty simple why a HD truck owner especially a 3/4 ton owner wants a gas truck. PAYLOAD PAYLOAD PAYLOAD to carry our truck campers

 

[Robeffy]

My first truck was a 76 1500, 3 on the tree.... Not the world's most powerful... understatement, but torque and reliability were amazing. I put a 69 slant six cylinder head and carb set on it, pre emission, higher compression ratio and had a drag race with a 86 or so 318 with a 4 speed manual. I kept up with him to 60 mph.. we were both amazed. Inline 6, yeah... just like the Cummins inline 6.. tons of torque, flat torque curve.. yeah... turbo for some get up and go... yeah..

 

[BowerPower]

I find it funny the world is comming back to inline 6s. Back in the day it was very common for dump trucks and such to have an inline 6 engines. Everyone switched to V8s then diesels now we are back to 6 cylinders?
It seems the push I'd about smaller displacement so why not small V8s? The Italians build 4.5L V12s, why not a 3L-4L V8s? We could have V8 sound and power delivery with a fuel sipping nature. They could add turbos to force the little V8 to drink like a big one.

 

[OLEJOE]

If they want to go to an I6 then why not a 5 or 6 liter with the turbo? Then we’re talking even higher torque at lower rpm’s. I might think about that.

 

[Lubeman]

Inl

I find it funny the world is comming back to inline 6s. Back in the day it was very common for dump trucks and such to have an inline 6 engines. Everyone switched to V8s then diesels now we are back to 6 cylinders?
It seems the push I'd about smaller displacement so why not small V8s? The Italians build 4.5L V12s, why not a 3L-4L V8s? We could have V8 sound and power delivery with a fuel sipping nature. They could add turbos to force the little V8 to drink like a big one.

Inline 6's gave way to V6's in the 80's due to the switch to front wheel drive. All of the heavy duty Class 8 trucks i've ever driven were inline 6's. That's all you've been able to get in a semi for several decades now. They produce more torque at a lower RPM compared to a similar displacement V8. They also run smoother.

 

[JayLeonard]

I had a 1967 Chevy C10 that I put a 292 cu in inline 6 (replaced the 250 cu in 6).
That thing was a beast to tow with. It wasn't fast, but it could tow and haul. Just sayin'.

 

[BowerPower]

Inl

Inline 6's gave way to V6's in the 80's due to the switch to front wheel drive. All of the heavy duty Class 8 trucks i've ever driven were inline 6's. That's all you've been able to get in a semi for several decades now. They produce more torque at a lower RPM compared to a similar displacement V8. They also run smoother.

I figured someone would bring that up. The rotating forces are more balanced on a I6. I was just saying that the V8 doesn't have to be dead. Large displacement, maybe.

I had a 1967 Chevy C10 that I put a 292 cu in inline 6 (replaced the 250 cu in 6).
That thing was a beast to tow with. It wasn't fast, but it could tow and haul. Just sayin'.

I have a 292 in my '49 chevy pickup. Definitely a neat engine. I can't "tow" with antique tags...

 

[Lubeman]

I have a 292 in my '49 chevy pickup. Definitely a neat engine. I can't "tow" with antique tags...

I have a '64 Chevy with a 292. It ran good for a while but I need to find a better carb. I've had it up to about 83 with the stock running gear, but it cruises nicely around 65.

 

[JayLeonard]

I found an electric overdrive unit and bolted it behind the 3 speed manual that mine had. Mounted the switch on the "indy" stick shifter. It was a hoot to drive. It was actually a 6 speed. Plus it had an anit-rollback feature that was awesome on steep hills.

 

[BowerPower]

My truck is geared so low 55 is about top speed. I wonder if the builders intention was a rock crawler. Carbs have always been my issue. I have dual Holly's, such a pain!
I never knew over drive units like that could add a hill hold feature. I wonder if they still make something like that.

 

[Mort Triggs]

Thinking of the torque in a half ton. How many drive shafts, axles, or rear pumpkins do you plan as routine maintenance. The 2500 would be a better choice!

 

[BossHogg]

Does anyone remember back in the 60s you could get a HD pickup with a two-speed axle? I had one when I first started driving, it was an Internation Harvester. Maybe, the engineers could adapt the current 4 wheel transfer case to a smoother two-speed setup to help enable an I6 to do some heavy lifting.

 

[BowerPower]

Yeah "gas is on the way out". The funny part is we don't have an infustructure or the affordable technology to make it happen.

1. The U.S.A. DOES NOT have the electrical grid to sustain everyone charging there electric cars. Current solution is not allow everyone to charge at the same time and or partial home solar (is a problem in and of it self). What happens if you car isn't scheduled to charge and it's almost empty and an emergency happens you need to get to now? OH CRAP! Someone is in dire need of an infustructure upgrade or total reformation.

2. Many companies like tesla rely on battery technology that is made of rare earth metals. Again, not sustainable! "We can't rely on foreign oil" but it's ok if we rely on foreign metals for car batteries? $20,000-$30,000 for a new battery every 100,000 miles. You wouldn't buy a gasoline car that needs an engine (approximately same price) in that amount of time.

Politicians will continue to make laws for deadlines but not the legislation to make it possible so deadlines will be pushed back as they get to close. Something has to be done about reliance on oil products and greenhouse gasses but the solution isn't black and white.

 

[Justin Stafford]

Maybe Im just naive but what are heavy duty truck buyers and fleet truck buyers going to do with 475 ft lbs tq. Maybe a 1500 ho hd , lol. 500 horses sound nice but you should be able to perform on both ends to be a hd truck

I agree needs more torque for a HD

 

[Willie Mosher]

I think 3.0 6 cylinders is good for 1/2 ton. Fast an good MPG,
Tow 8.000lbs to 10.000lbs few times
Tow 6000lbs camping trailer 2000 miles a year, cool .
This is 80 % truck owers,
Company owner w 3/4 an 1 ton have U bed or flat bed- box on work truck.
The EPA as wrecked diesels for this
Guy. So back to big block gas.
I don’t think 3.0 I6 do 9500 lbs U bed
For 200.000 miles + at stop an go.

They don’t make any money sitting in the shop wait new engine.

Willie

 

[Fatbob Frank]

Frankly I think would be nice to have an optional gas motor to pick from.
But as I plan on driving my P.W. to the grave I doubt I'll ever need to choose...

 

[Dusty]

I have not seen the survey you mentioned. I'm a bit confused because you referenced the new I6 turbocharged engine, then in the second paragraph, you referenced a naturally aspirated engine. Were you referring to the 6.4L HEMI or is RAM thinking of a new non-turbo I6?

The survey, and again I've not seen it, seems strange because asking about "would you buy" would have to go along with a qualifier question like, what do you use your HD for. There are usage cases to support the new I6, the 6.4L Hemi, and the Cummins. What do you tow, how often, tow weight, towing area (mountains/flat lands), in-town service truck, etc.

Since I've been around for a while, and worked for an automobile manufacturer, this is a marketing driven question. I suspect the target truck for the new engine is/was the 1500 series. Makes sense since forced induction sixes aren't unique to the current half-ton market.

I suspect that someone is thinking it could make an HD engine as well, more likely with the emphasis on 2500s. Ram's current philosophy appears to be use as few engine choices as possible (efficiency of design and production), so using as much of the new engine would be a positive.

My son recently purchased a 2014 Ram 2500 with a 6.4 as one of his plow trucks. He would admit, however, that for his purposes (including towing) his 2008 with a 5.7 does just as well. In fact, he bought the 2014 from a friend whose only towing requirement was a camping trailer that could be hauled with a '75 Dodge Diplomat.

Some may need the power and torque, but from my vantage point it seems like the "bigger is better" axiom has taken hold for many. It's the latter group that might be turned off by "a puny I6."

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 067524 miles.

 

[Dusty]

I find it funny the world is comming back to inline 6s. Back in the day it was very common for dump trucks and such to have an inline 6 engines. Everyone switched to V8s then diesels now we are back to 6 cylinders?
It seems the push I'd about smaller displacement so why not small V8s? The Italians build 4.5L V12s, why not a 3L-4L V8s? We could have V8 sound and power delivery with a fuel sipping nature. They could add turbos to force the little V8 to drink like a big one.

Just out of high school I drove a flatbed, Chevy C600 with a 292 inline six. Going fast or zero-to-sixty was not the goal, especially carrying ten or twelve-thousand pounds of lumber.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 067524 miles.

 

[HEMIMANN]

I still worry that only 3 liters of displacement is insufficient durability for over 400 ft-lbs of torque on a 5,000 pound vehicle. Sure the duty cycle is low - it's not a long haul semi trucking steel over the Rockies weekly, but at some point these engines are too small to make 200,000 miles in a truck.

 

[huntergreen]

Does anyone remember back in the 60s you could get a HD pickup with a two-speed axle? I had one when I first started driving, it was an Internation Harvester. Maybe, the engineers could adapt the current 4 wheel transfer case to a smoother two-speed setup to help enable an I6 to do some heavy

I guess they could add a splitter of some sort.