I'm not towing as much and am thinking about cashing in my 10 year old diesel for a Dodge 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi. Anyone have any experience with this engine?
Didn't get any feedback, so I bought one. Guess I'll have an opinion in a month or so. Actually, a friend of mine bought one and is claiming 16 mpg on the highway. I'm afraid he may be a bit optimistic.
the 6.4 seems like a good market with the lack of large displacement gas motors any more, problem is it's a Chrysler product and may take a few years to be a good motor
I do not own a 6.4 but did buy a new 2012 Ram 1500 4x4 Longhorn with the Hemi. It has been flawless thus far. Does 20-22 mpg on the highway, 15-17 in everyday driving.
The 6.4 is a breathed on 5.7, and the 5.7 has been a good motor for Chrysler so I would expect good reliable performance. I have read reports of 18 mpg on the highway and 13-15 town driving with the 6.4.
Let us here at the fire know how it works out for you. Best of luck and congrats on the new ride!
From all of the testing I have seen that 6.4 should be pretty bullet proof. I work with a couple of towing companies and due to maintenence cost the owner of one runs "Gassers". He still has quite a few V10 Fords and Dodges with very high miles. Currently he has new Ford 6.2's and Dodge 6.4's. No complaints from him thus far.
2014 Dodge 2500 4x4 "Big Horn" w/ 6.4 Hemi. Been through 1 tank of fuel, mostly around town with one 60 mile highway trip. Looks like 13 mpg in town and 17 mpg highway. I expect it will get better as it breaks in a bit. Haven't done any towing yet, but will be hauling hay in the next couple of weeks.
Not bad. My dodge diesel gets just under 19 on the road and a little over 15 around town.
You'd have to alot of miles on a truck to pay for a diesel with competition like that. E
You will NEVER pay for the diesel upgrade on that small of a mileage difference alone. The higher cost of diesel fuel and increased maintenance will eat the small increase in mileage. Of course, a diesel pulls better and will theoretically last longer (but the rest of the truck won't). You may make the some of the money back on the diesel when you sell it.
Depends on how long you have it and what kind of mileage you put on it each year. As to maintence costs, they run less, not more.
I might add that mine has the 3.73 rear end, not the 3.43.
As to the truck not lasting, my first one went over 300,000 miles w/o any major repairs. Haven't seen it for about 3 yrs. now. But I did for at least 5 yrs. after I sold it. E
You will NEVER pay for the diesel upgrade on that small of a mileage difference alone. The higher cost of diesel fuel and increased maintenance will eat the small increase in mileage. Of course, a diesel pulls better and will theoretically last longer (but the rest of the truck won't). You may make the some of the money back on the diesel when you sell it.
Premium gas is higher than Diesel around here. I dont see the 6.4 Hemi running too well on the cheap stuff. I'd say fuel cost is a wash...Quite a bit more intial investment for the truck, though.
A friend got the new 1500 Diesel, gets about 26 ont the open highway, that truck is pretty cool. Seems that may be the way to go to have a Diesel pay you back...
Have 4000 miles miles on it now and thought I would give an update on mpg. By the way, it runs fine on cheap gas. Around town it gets 12-13 mpg. You really have to watch how you drive cause it can really burn fuel if you want it to. Out on the highway it gets 18.5 mpg. The engine management system that shuts down part of the engine really works and you can't tell it's operating. Pulling a 6000 lb. trailer on the highway, 13 mpg. Pulling a 14K lb. trailer on the highway, 11 mpg. I don't tow that much anymore, so I'm pleased with the performance for my use. My old Duramax was a better tow vehicle. This one is more on a par with my old non turbo 7.3 Ford. Should be a great road truck for hunting trips and serves to haul an occasional load of hay and stock trailer.
Thanks for taking the time to write an update, jimdgc!
Very interesting, and that isn't bad highway mileage either.
John
How are the RPM's and shift 'busyness' when towing?
Keep us posted on your rig as time goes along, please.
The truck usually turns about 1700 rpms at 70 mph. In "tow/haul" at 65 mph it was turning 2200 rpms. This was with a 14,000 lb. gooseneck trailer. The only time it downshifted was on a couple of hills and a steep overpass and if I passed someone. It was a 70 mile trip on flat to hilly terrain west of Dallas.
Is yours a 4x4, quad cab, mega cab, etc.? What other info can you give us? Thinking about one in quad cab 4x4 in the near future.
Thanks.
Mine is a quad cab 4x4. Was looking at the mega cab, but there's not enough clearance for my gooseneck without offsetting the hitch.
Thanks and again, keep us posted.
I'm getting real close to getting a new one...I sold my 04 2500 Cummins today and hopefully will be selling my 01 3500 Cummins this weekend. I can't decide between getting a brand new 6.4 Hemi or a used Cummins. It will either be a 2008+ Megacab or 2010+ Crew cab...I need more room then my 04 has in the back for car seats.