It's no secret that round two of the diesel wars is about to begin. Round two you ask?
Yep, that's the one in which the full-size 1/2-ton trucks will be the combatants. It's believed that GM and Toyota will be offering 4.5L V8 diesels, and Ford will have a 4.4L V8 diesel. It is also assumed that Dodge would offer a new smaller Cummins diesel for their new Ram 1500.
Now it is revealed, via an under-the-hood sticker found on the new Ram, that the new small diesel will displace 5.0 liters, making it a half liter bigger than the competition. Hey, it's all about braggin' rights when it comes to trucks, right?
Mike Levine, of PickupTruck.com, and who posted this story, thinks this new diesel will also be a V8 and not a straight six like the larger 6.7L unit found in Dodge HD pickups. Expect this new small diesel to show up for the 2010 model year.
firstwagon says:
07:26 AM, 09/12/08
I would say it's more likely a typo. It's a standard sticker for all the trucks and it should have been a 9 instead of a 0.
rsholland says:
07:53 AM, 09/12/08
5.9? Maybe, but I doubt it. I think it will be an all-new engine, and not just a re-hash of an older Cummins engine.
firstwagon says:
08:01 AM, 09/12/08
Every other engine on the plate is the same old engine as before and I've heard no mention of a new 5.0 diesel in any truck magazine.
I don't think it's a rehash, I think it's the same 5.9 Cummins as always.
I'm hoping you're right but I'll bet on a simple typo.
104wb says:
08:51 AM, 09/12/08
'Now it is revealed, via an under-the-hood sticker found on the new Ram, that the new small diesel will displace 5.0 liters...'
Small? With modern diesels pushing 100hp/L, even a 4.4L or 4.5L V8 seems grossly oversized. For my LD pickup, give me a 100hp/L BMW 2.0L dual-turbo diesel, or a Fiat 100hp/L 1.9L dual-turbo diesel. Most people used to be plenty happy with a 5.2L or 5.9L Dodge Ram making 220hp/295lb-ft or 240hp/330lb-ft. A Mercedes 2.2L I-4 dual-turbo diesel makes 204hp and 369lb-ft. That's what I want. If I need to do more than 370lb-ft of work, I'll buy a HD pickup.
ateixeira says:
08:51 AM, 09/12/08
Interesting how some times info leaks out by accident. I guess we'll see...
estreka says:
12:44 PM, 09/12/08
I'm not convinced it would be used for a 1500. Diesel is still awfully pricey.
firstwagon says:
10:52 PM, 09/13/08
Depends where you live.
Here in Canada it's about 40 cents/gallon cheaper the regular right now.
I'd like to see a good 3 to 4 litre diesel for 1/2 tonnes.
emale says:
09:27 PM, 09/14/08
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/pdfs/deer_2005/panel2/2005_deer_stang.pdf