This too. All the new trucks have to use DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) which is basically water with urea in it that is injected into the exhaust system for the good old EPA regs. They're even more of a PITA.
It takes about 30 sec. to dump a 2.5 gal jug of DEF into the tank about every 5000 miles. Definitely not a PITA. Just another fluid to check, and the computer does that for you.
The truck will need to be warmed up substantially before the exhaust system will work because the DEF needs to be thawed out. They have coolant lines that run through the DEF tank in order to thaw and keep it from freezing solid.
I'll have to check my book, but my understanding is that the heater is electric. It works automatically.
Then if you have computer glitches or sensor issues, your really screwed.
That is the case for every vehicle now.
Plus the DPF needs to do a burn off (regen) periodically. If you're on dry leaves or grass, it could light the place on fire or melt the asphalt.
The fire stories are about 10 years old. That problem has been resolved.
The new diesels are very clean operating and probably cleaner than many gas rigs still on the road.
They drive almost like a gas truck (acceleration and performance) and can't be beat for HP and torque.
That said, my caveat above still applies.
Actually, the place where we buy our fuel for the trucks, has a DEF pump, so it's not a big deal to put it in. However, they're telling us now to keep them topped off because the urea will crystallize in the tank and can build up.
As far as heating the tank goes, I'm not sure how it works with small stuff, but on heavy trucks it's a water line. That's another reason to keep them plugged in, to keep the water circulating through the coolant lines to keep the DEF from freezing.
Yes, every thing can have computer glitches, but when you have this crazy exhaust system, it's a lot more to go wrong. I've got a 2012 Kenworth that hasn't been right since we got it. We have constant problems with it. KW points it's finger at Cummins, and Cummins points it's finger at KW.
Again, I don't know much about small stuff, but I've seen a truck melt asphalt when doing a standstill regen. If your stuck in a traffic jam or in the city and not moving over 35 mph, and that thing decides it needs to regen, you have to pull over somewhere and sit for a half an hour while it does it's thing.
Yes they do burn very clean and have plenty of power, but my response to the OP was that if you don't NEED a diesel and you live in a cold climate, why put yourself through it. I was just trying to let him know what he's in for if he's considering buying one in AK. But you live up there and have one, so it must be OK. I just know from my experiences, that once it gets below 20 degrees, it really starts causing a lot of problems. I've got a 2500HD GMC with a 6L gas engine. Once very couple of weeks, I might pull a trailer with a Bobcat or load the truck with a ton or so, and it pulls fine. In my opinion, I don't need a diesel so I don't drive one.
