Is The Eco Diesel Worth It?

[CactusOnTheBrazos]

My 2011 5.7 Hemi took a dump on me, it needs an entirely new engine at 182,000 miles. It's not worth putting a new $10,000 engine into a truck I could only get $13,000 for if it was fully healthy. I'm about to take a job that requires a lot of travel so I am interested in the ecodiesel. I need something with good gas mileage, that can pull a small camper, and will last a while. It will be mostly highway driving and barley any city driving. I have heard to stay away from the 2014 and 2015 models. I'm looking at a 2017 ecodiesel with just under 100,000 miles.

I've owned a diesel before but it was years ago and was a 2005 LLY Duramax.

Any thoughts? Thanks guys!

 

[LouM]

I had a 15, which I traded at 98,000 miles. I miss the way that engine drove and pulled and the mileage it got. I did not get the upper 20.s that many post about getting. I did average around 24 in the spring, summer and fall, it did drop to 20-22 in the winter. That did have more idling on it and it took much more fuel and time to regen in the cold weather.
It was not the summer/winter fuel as I could see the difference on the same tank of fuel in the winter on colder days compared to warmer days.
If I could find another eco diesel in the Larime trim with the light colored interior and a bench seat I'd jump on it. I do not like the full length center counsole with the bucket seats. It was hard to find a Laramie with the bench seat and 18" wheels and the off road group.
So I have the 5.7 now it is quicker then the eco diesel and has a nicer exhaust tone, but I'd prefer the diesel.

 

[crash68]

This is a very Hemi biased forum, you're going to get a lot of naysayers. There's a EcoDiesel specific forum that has quite the lengthy list of truck well over the 100K and 200K mile mark, even ones over the 300K and 400K mile achievement.

 

[mikeru]

My 2011 5.7 Hemi took a dump on me, it needs an entirely new engine at 182,000 miles. It's not worth putting a new $10,000 engine into a truck I could only get $13,000 for if it was fully healthy. I'm about to take a job that requires a lot of travel so I am interested in the ecodiesel. I need something with good gas mileage, that can pull a small camper, and will last a while. It will be mostly highway driving and barley any city driving. I have heard to stay away from the 2014 and 2015 models. I'm looking at a 2017 ecodiesel with just under 100,000 miles.

I've owned a diesel before but it was years ago and was a 2005 LLY Duramax.

Any thoughts? Thanks guys!

I owned a 2015 EcoDiesel for short time. I got rid of it in 2017, before the EPA issue was resolved. It gave me zero issues and the fuel economy was amazing at almost 27 mpg average. But it wasn't exciting to drive at all LOL.

My understanding is that there's little if any difference between any year 4th gen EcoDiesel engines mechanically. Main difference is the programming for 2014 thru 2016 was different than in later 4th gen trucks. All 4th gen EcoDiesels are gen 2 engines. Gen 3 EcoDiesel engines were introduced after the 5th gen 1500's came out.

 

[Defuse]

This is a very Hemi biased forum, you're going to get a lot of naysayers. There's a EcoDiesel specific forum that has quite the lengthy list of truck well over the 100K and 200K mile mark, even ones over the 300K and 400K mile achievement.

I had a 14 with 120,000 miles on it before I sold it to Carmax. I had zero issues with it, had all recalls done and it was also never modified. That being said. The ED forums are rife with people thinking they know better than the engineers that build these things. Those 300-400k guys are not on their original motors. The expected life of the 3.0 was 150-200k from VMMoturi.

 

[diymirage]

never had a eco diesel in a ram, but ive had a 6.0 diesel in my superdookie

personally, i find a 3.0 engine way to small for a truck
(in fact, the smallest engine in my fleet is the hemi)

but it all depends on what your goals are

 

[MarkMac77]

I’ve driven Rams for 20+ years, my wife has a 22 Hemi, I have an 18 Cummins and an 01 1500. I previously had a 14 and an 03.

As much as I like Ram, I’d jump on the half-ton Duramax over the Ram eco-diesel. I hear too many issues with the eco-diesel and nothing but praise for the baby Duramax.

I’d also strongly consider getting a used engine from a salvage yard for your current Ram and changing it out. Installing an “entirely new engine” is a poor choice, but a salvage engine is a smart call IMO. They usually come with a 90 day warranty, and if it runs well for 90 days then it’ll probably last years. Your current truck is worth $1500 as-is, but if you spend $2500 on a salvage engine it’ll be worth that $13,000 again.

Buying a new vehicle you’ll spend $2500 in taxes and fees alone, not to mention the crazy depreciation.

Salvage yards are stacked high with wadded up Hemis.

 

[crash68]

Those 300-400k guys are not on their original motors. The expected life of the 3.0 was 150-200k from VMMoturi.

That's true as @VernDiesel has gone over 300K with two motors(same truck) and working on a third, there a couple more that have topped 300K with proof on the original motor.
With the exception of the Cummins none of the truck engines have a life expectancy of over 200K. If I remember correctly the Cummins has a B-10 of 300K for the 2500/3500 trucks.

 

[CunningStunt]

My 2011 5.7 Hemi took a dump on me, it needs an entirely new engine at 182,000 miles. It's not worth putting a new $10,000 engine into a truck I could only get $13,000 for if it was fully healthy. I'm about to take a job that requires a lot of travel so I am interested in the ecodiesel. I need something with good gas mileage, that can pull a small camper, and will last a while. It will be mostly highway driving and barley any city driving. I have heard to stay away from the 2014 and 2015 models. I'm looking at a 2017 ecodiesel with just under 100,000 miles.

I've owned a diesel before but it was years ago and was a 2005 LLY Duramax.

Any thoughts? Thanks guys!

What is wrong with your engine specifically?