4X4 On The Track?

[ls1kenny]

Montecarlo31,

The US has become so stict on the emissions of diesels that they don't run good anymore. It's not that I don't like MB or their line of engines, it is how they go about their business.

It is either great fuel mileage and horrible emissions, or the other way around. Another factor that weighs in heavily is maintenance. If you are constantly having to maintain and repair one, it isn't worth all the money and the research. MB's have a break in period of about (depending on application) 5-10K miles. That is a long time to break in an engine.

I just remembered this, cost of parts. MB parts are unreal expensive. If you're running them in a fleet, it better be a multi million dollar corp. Take their transfer pump, $1900.00. That's at cost too.

Don't get me wrong they run great, but for how long? When you buy a diesel, you are looking at two maybe three things, Performance, Fuel Mileage, and Longevity.

If they run good for 6 years then they shit the bed, what the hell is the point? Your lease on the truck is probably 10 years anyway.

[MacADaYear]

Definity some sweet trucks there!

[montecarlo31]

ls1kenny,

Nice to see your very opinionated. It's a good thing but remember you have never worked on a real benz with the fuel it was designed for. I could name tons of old benz motors without problems and very high mileage but you missed my point, all diesel will go to the new injection system so something must be good about it, companies don't just change over to lose power, reliability, and consumers. give me a break, i bet the new engines will last long, with lower emissions and better fuel mileage and maybe even lower operating costs.

Lenny

[GMCwantsLS1]

It sure seams to me that diesels are getting more powerful and getting better mileage all the time. If the don't last 300K anymore than I guess that would be a fair tradeoff. Most sheetmetal wont last well past 10 years anyway so why should the rest of the truck.

[BigBlue]

How bout a cummins that runs 11.9's in the 1/4, is a 4x4 long bed extended cab with 35" tires, is daily driven, and pulls over 20 to the gallon running 80mph? Oh yeah, that's on the stock internals. All he's got done is some head work, a new cam, a BIG set of twins (around 80 psi and they are full spooled by second gear), a LOT of fuel, and a race built auto. No nitrous, no propane. Just good old fashioned #2 diesel. And that's not even the fastest street legal Cummins. The fastest street legal PSD is a reg cab, short bed, 2wd. His name is David Lott and he is in Houston. He's only running high 12's. There are a LOT more cummins in the 12's than PSD's. The fastest Dmax I know of is owned by ATS and is running a high to mid 12.

Diesels are bad mothers. You can dog em, rag on em, do whatever you want and they will keep on ticking. I know guys who are pushing over 800 hp and over 2000 lb.ft. of torque out of their engines, and have over 200K on them. They still run like brand new. The diesels of today are getting better and better everyday. The technology that is going into them is amazing. The variable vane technology on the Fords (and soon Dodge) is absolutely incredible (VGT has been out for a while in big rigs, but not in normal trucks). Each injector controls it's own timing and pulse width and stuff. Not only does that make for a very nice power curve, but the mileage and potential for power is down right amazing.

[SSilverado60]

Originally posted by Hit Man X@Oct 19 2003, 07:04 PM
I was going to work my 1500 Z71 LT over (as in my sig) but opted not to for many reasons:

I need a stronger 4L80E trans vs the 4L60E (even fully built, with what I had planned would blow up a 4L60E).
the stock 8.5" wouldn't take a 2Hi launch on slicks
10.5" SF axle is $2500
E-Locker for the small IFS isn't available yet
Only avail in ext cab

I thought of doing a medium compression 422 around 9.5:1, stuffing 7psi into it, running dual stage nitrous also (75/125), obvioulsly heads/cam too. While you can get the motor to handle it, the trans and rear axle aren't up to the task.

I am going with a Duramax Diesel in the spring Better motor, MUCH stronger trans than the 4L80E, 11.5" rear axle, oh and 20+ MPG when cruising. Fully done will make about 750rwhp/1300rwtq...

Your probably not gonna agree with me, but id do this, keep your truck and build that motor you want for it.

then swap in the 4L80, weld up the spider gears in the front diff (just remember to disengage 4wd before you make the turn at the end of the track, get that rear end that you want from the junkyard. They are only worth about $250 at the yard. I dont know where you got that $2500 from. The best way to get one would be to get one out of an older truck and do a disk brake conversion on it, it will still be cheaper than that high price tag.

Then go out there and kick the shit out of anything you want

Im not a big fan of diesels. . . unless they are pulling my race car or pulling some kind of toy somewhere. thats what they are for. Yes they can be made fast but im not a fan of the huge clouds of black smoke and all that crap

[BigBlue]

SMOKE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!

[blown02]

my buddie has a 02 single cab 4wd with a 10 inch lift on 36's, exhaust programmed and 150 shot and he ran a 14.1 in june at famso in bakersfield

[BigBlue]

Originally posted by Hit Man X@Oct 19 2003, 07:04 PM

I am going with a Duramax Diesel in the spring Better motor, MUCH stronger trans than the 4L80E, 11.5" rear axle, oh and 20+ MPG when cruising. Fully done will make about 750rwhp/1300rwtq...

If you want that kind of power, you are going to need at least a PSD. And if you want that kind of power reliably, your going to need a Cummins. There's a guy here in college station that is makin over 600 rwhp and doesn't smoke at all. He has a MASSIVE (capable of over 100 psi) set of twins and injectors that are unstreetable. Yet he tows 13K pound cattle trailers with not EGT problems and he doesn't smoke at all. It's all about how well you research your parts. This is on a stock 6 spd tranny with nothing more than a new clutch. This is with a stock head, bottom engine, rear and front end. He pulls over 25 to the gallon on the freeway.