Gas versus Diesel - Maintenance.

My Ram only has one as well, but I think lineman is referring to the water separator as another fuel filter.

You have one canister style in the rear under the bed, drivers side, with water separator, and a drop in under the hood also with a water separator, both have sensors that will tell you if one or they have water in them, and can be drained out easy then changed soon as possible. Both are fuel filters and water filters.

Having 2 filters the fuel and water better than one. Injectors getting water or dirty fuel can be bad, and it is very expensive to replace an injector or all. The older rams and the chebys and ford people do a cat conversion to add double filters to filter better than the one.

Do you do your own oil and fuel filters changes?
 
You have one canister style in the rear under the bed, drivers side, with water separator, and a drop in under the hood also with a water separator, both have sensors that will tell you if one or they have water in them, and can be drained out easy then changed soon as possible. Both are fuel filters and water filters.

Having 2 filters the fuel and water better than one. Injectors getting water or dirty fuel can be bad, and it is very expensive to replace an injector or all. The older rams and the chebys and ford people do a cat conversion to add double filters to filter better than the one.

Do you do your own oil and fuel filters changes?

Yes, I do my own changes. I guess you are correct calling the separator a filter seeing as it is filtering water out of the fuel, but it doesn't do any meaningful particulate removal. I've just always called them the filter, and the separator.
But I'm not sure about a water sensor in the engine bay filter housing. I know my '04 and '07 diesels had one..hmmm...There is a petcock for draining but I haven't noticed a harness connector. I better go look.
 
Yes, I do my own changes. I guess you are correct calling the separator a filter seeing as it is filtering water out of the fuel, but it doesn't do any meaningful particulate removal. I've just always called them the filter, and the separator.
But I'm not sure about a water sensor in the engine bay filter housing. I know my '04 and '07 diesels had one..hmmm...There is a petcock for draining but I haven't noticed a harness connector. I better go look.
My 2018 has the water sensor in the engine bay fuel filter housing.
 
Then I bet mine does too..lol...it's raining hadn't gone outside to check yet. I thought there may have been a difference between lineman's 2015 and my '18.

None difference between the 15 and 18.. 2019 went to drop in filters for fuel, front and rear, and hydraulic lifters. Maintenance wise, there are some non maintenance changes also. I bet they went drop in in the rear so its like the front and one doesnt have to remove then install in the new filter, the sending unit for the water sensing part. Front is incorporated as mentioned above, and now rear would be incorporated as well.

I used to order from A zone for the filters till one day i got a knockoff that wouldnt work for the fuel filters. I used Genos garage after that. The rear has a ball in it that if its not the right filter, it wont open the flow, so when changing, you can try and prime it all day long, and it wont. Its been a wile, but i think the drop in wouldnt go over the lip on the front.
 
Diesel you have the addition of fuel filter(s) and double the oil amount give or take. Diesel trucks tend to have better brake pad life depending on brake controller settings.
 
I have been towing for almost sixty years and earlier I used a gasoline engine. I later went to diesel engines. While the oil change on diesel is more expensive, I found that the diesel was more dependable in the long run. But you are right, the maintenance is oil, etc. I see no difference in maintenance issues, but an F350 Heavy Duty oil change is more expensive. It also has two fuel filters when they need to be changed out. DEF is an added cost as is the fuel. But that is not maintenance.

The water separator is not one of the fuel filters. That you only drain!
 
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I bought a diesel when we bought the large fifth wheel RV we used to have. Now that we have a small travel trailer I considered selling the diesel and getting a gasser. However, new truck prices are ridiculous and out of the question, used ones aren't too far behind, either.
So, I decided to just stay with my diesel. Besides, I've had it since new so I know where it's at maintenance wise and also use wise. Getting a used gasser would be rolling the dice on how it's been used and maintained.
Maintenance costs haven't been that bad so far.
Rich
 
We love our diesel. Not sure about gas engines, but we go up steep grades without feeling the trailer drag. We also like using truck stops to fuel up rather than worry about being able to navigate through a gas station parking lot. Our oil changes are up to about $190. We don’t really care since we planned for this. The real issue in our area is finding service when needed. Most dealers in our area can’t find diesel mechanics.
 
Each brand may be different, but my 2015 ram 2500 with the 6.7 cummins diesel went as follows

1, oil and oil filter, 3 gallons and 1qt of oil, 2 fuel filters every 15,000 miles empty. Oil filter was a pain to get at, through the inner fender well, through a hole, couldnt get from below, from above needed inter cooler removed.
2, ccv filter, crank case filter, every 67,500 miles a bit of work to get to and change. Not cheap.
3, fuel additive for cold temps even with winter blend fuel.
4, yep 2 batteries and in general, a bigger more expensive alternator.
5, yep, def fluid.
6, may need egr cleaned at some point.
7, forgot to add, pre 2019 cummins need valve adjustment at 160,000 i beleave my manual said. It/they have solid lifters.
8, also, ifffff, injectors are maintenance, as they are a wear item. Gas, pull and put in. Diesel, WOW, quite the job, and sequence.

That said, the emissions systems and turbo setup with the actuator and turbo moving vanes, is a wear item, sooner or later, will need replacing. Out of warranty is expensive. Def pump and injector will wear out sometime, and not cheap to replace.

Gasser, muffler and or pipe and cat, cheaper, way cheaper.
Less oil, but also half the miles between changes, but no fuel filter. Yep spark plugs.

The diesel motor should go double or more for the lifespan of a gasser.

I am glad i had my past diesel for 8 years, i am really glad i have a 2024 3500 chevy gasser now.

Cummins suspects the new 6.7 will go almost 1,000,000 miles before overhaul. 268k miles on ours with oil and filter changes only. Keep idle time close to 10% of total hours and the emissions systems should last longer than 200k.
 
Also, FYI Cummins is developing a 6.7 gasser and a propane burner with similar hp/torque/fuel efficiency of the oil burner.
 
Cummins suspects the new 6.7 will go almost 1,000,000 miles before overhaul. 268k miles on ours with oil and filter changes only. Keep idle time close to 10% of total hours and the emissions systems should last longer than 200k.

The engine way last 1,000,000 miles but the rest of the truck wont.
 
Cummins suspects the new 6.7 will go almost 1,000,000 miles before overhaul. 268k miles on ours with oil and filter changes only. Keep idle time close to 10% of total hours and the emissions systems should last longer than 200k.

Thats great. I had problems, with the emissions, not the motor
 
Also, FYI Cummins is developing a 6.7 gasser and a propane burner with similar hp/torque/fuel efficiency of the oil burner.

I have read that. When i worked in New Hampshire, we had what is referred to as network underground. Its is what most big cities have. Manholes. We had that in Manchester. There were 2 bread vans that were converted to propane as to help with less o2 going in the manholes wile working. They had the same motor just fitted for both, gas and propane, but only were run on propane.

When i grew up on the farm, one never saw a tractor broken down. Now quite often hear in northern MN as i come back to visit my home area. Tractors are unhooked and sitting there waiting for them to have an emissions part fixed. Often during harvest, a semi will have to be unhooked and towed to have an emissions part fixed. Its sad.
 
For 8 years i towed my tt, 7,500lbs. I never really needed a diesel, but wanted to try it, and got it incase i wanted to go bigger, but didnt. I sold it at 160,000 miles and 8 years. I never recouped the added cost for the motor and transmission costs. I mostly monthly it, so my yearly towing was 3,000-4000 miles, and still will be. The last blow was at 103,000 miles when the turbo actuator pooped out, and that was out of pocket cost.

Now i have a new gasser, and i tow this 10,000lbs gvwr 5ver, so it will be fine. I have only towed it 70 miles, so i wont know what it does till this fall. But then again, i only tow 3,000-4,000 miles total a year.

For my empty needs that are about 15,000 miles a year, so far tank to tank with this new gasser vs my past diesel, the gasser is cheaper, not by a lot, but not more. Again, for my area and needs, as long as gas is .60 cents cheaper than diesel, its a wash cost wise tank to tank empty driving. All winter hear, diesel was a solid $1.35 more than gas, and i always took a solid 2mpg hit on winter fuel with the diesel.
 
The engine way last 1,000,000 miles but the rest of the truck wont.

I disagree. Here in the southwest a truck (or car) will last as long as you want it to, given proper maintenance.
Probably not so much in snowy locations with high salt use where rust kills them.
Rich
 

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