Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Trade diesel for gas?

I have a 2011 duramax that has been stellar for 120,000 miles except emissions bs, which crops up every had and is a total pita. I tow a 26' travel trailer around 3-4,000 miles per year, much of it through the west. The latest cel on is another emissions related light. I have a decision to make.

1. Fix the problem by deleting the emission controls. This would give me a more powerful, efficient, and reliable truck. I would also devalue the truck quite a bit on any kind of trade or sale, as well as increasing noise and making the dealer nearly unwilling to work on it. It would also leave me with the Bosch fuel pump failure (big bucks) as a real possibility. I also could not register it in emissions states (I don't I've in one right now).

2. Fix the sensor and drive on, keeping on fixing emissions stuff as it happens. I have read dpf's are rated for around a 110-120,000 mile life and I am there. I don't see the system becoming more reliable with age. I have replaced NOx sensors, def tanks, etc all under warranty. The warranty is now gone.

3. Fix the sensor and trade or sell to get a new HD gasser. I actually have a gas HD in the family and other than towing, it is better for a daily driver. I just don't know how much I am going to miss the diesel in long pulls. I have only pulled with a gas 1/2 ton (sucked). I towed maybe 80 moves with a gas HD. It seemed fine but they were easy miles.

For what it's worth, if truck were stolen or otherwise gone today, I would purchase a gas HD over a diesel.

What says the fire?

My ‘03 Cummins (no emissions equipment) went 300k for me without any issues. My ‘14 threatened to shut me down at 65k miles when the DEF dosing pump failed on a trip with a trailer. Had to abort the trip and return home before the 150 mile limit. A truck is no good to me if I don’t have the confidence to take a road trip with. I deleted, and have no regrets. Not concerned about trade-in or resale value, and around here most people consider a deleted truck a plus anyway. I tend to keep my vehicles for a long time. Along with the better reliability, no EGR means cleaner oil and less deposits in the intake system. Win/win IMO.

#1

Despite all the signage at the dealership, a GM certified mechanic is probably least qualified to work on your truck. There are exceptions, but the that whole model is setup to benefit everyone but the vehicle owner. If it weren’t for the warranty, I’d never let them touch my trucks. You’re out of warranty—rejoice, delete and tune. Tune for longevity and efficiency.

I’ve got a tuned 07 Classic (LBZ) and a stock 2016 (still under warranty). I used to follow this stuff pretty closely, but don’t recall fuel pump issues.


My tuned 07 gets 23+ MPG hand calculated pulling an unloaded 24’ gooseneck tandem axle deckover equipment trailer burning summer fuel with the cruise set at 74.

I'd delete it and run it till it scatters.

Another vote for deleting. You can get a decent muffler so it isn't loud.

I ran a straight piped cummins for a couple years, and while it sounded cool running around empty, it was a freight train when you put a load behind it and went up a hill. I don't need to do that again. Well, maybe a few times, but not every day. I put one of these on when I deleted, and it is right at the same volume as stock: https://resourcefulsupply.com/donal...nlet-in-outlet-in-x-in-body-cfm-20182415

ETA: I have towed a bit with a Ford V10 gas. A truly miserable experience compared to even a stock diesel. I couln't go that route, but I guess it depends on what you tow and how often.

Around here, a deleted truck sells for more than a stock truck.

If you're out of warranty, delete the thing and you have another 300 K before she wears out.

There was a thread comment on deleting emissions equipment a while back and one writer claimed and cautioned that it would result in one driving an illegal vehicle and as such your insurance company could or would claim you are not covered upon having an accident.

I’d at least check into this before deleting.

A friend has a newer duramax that’s deleted def, dpf , egr blocked and with a 65 hp chip upgrade. It is one fine, smooth running truck and will haul azz when you put your foot in it. 19 mpg tank to tank.

If that were the case, then at least half of all accident claims would/could be denied for things like non-stock tires, accessories, exhaust systems etc. It would be up to the insurance company to prove that any changes were the cause of the accident.

Extended warranty companies, on the other hand, can and will deny repair claims to modified vehicles, even if the wheel/tire set is not stock. I've seen them do this on vehicles that came in to my shop for repairs. The adjuster will document mileage and condition, and photograph any upgrades or deviations from stock.

I don't own a coal burner, but I'm not sure about the deletes making less valuable. From what I see looking at CL and local stuff, it doesn't affect the value in a negative way at all unless they're done by a high school kid.

I don't follow the GM diesels, but my Ford is deleted. Like others have said, value will not be hurt, if anything it will help. I also wouldn't go to a dealer for repairs, find an independent diesel shop that knows what they're doing. They'll be cheaper and do better work.

Thanks for all the advice. I think I found a good local shop to get out from under the dealers thumb. I will see what they have to say next week.

Gas vs. diesel - Towing a 26' trailer 3-4,000 miles/year, mostly in the west and probably a lot of mountain going, it's no contest. The gasser makes it's torque at something like 3600-4000 rpm, not a useful speed. Diesel torque is at 1800 or so, right where driving is done, and twice or 3x as much of it as a gasser. Plus the diesel is turbo'd which makes a huge difference at any kind of altitude. You really feel it in the mountains. It's really a no-brainer. About the other stuff, that's up to you. The CP4 thing is something you hear about and supposedly cause for concern. Industrial Injection and others make a conversion kit to replace that CP4 with a CP3. It's not that expensive, but those things aren't so easy to get to, lots of stuff needs to be removed first. Also a lift pump is always a good idea with either CP but especially with a CP4. About deleting.....if you can still pass inspection wherever you are, then do it. California's real sticky about everything, but I don't know if that's everywhere - every county - or what. Find a good performance oriented diesel shop and go to them for modification stuff. My Dmax is a daily driver/hunting truck and used for everything. I don't tow but would never trade it for a gas truck, the thing is very much built and just too much fun to drive.

low RPM torque in a gasser? Yeah, we've got that....

3.5 ecoboost has peak torque available from 2,000 RPM to 4,500 RPM. Plus the turbo mitigates the altitude problem.

Got the EGT sensor replaced (no big deal) but now it is throwing EGR cooler bypass valve code. It threw this about 6 months ago and I cleared the code and drove on. The mechanic says clear it and romp on the truck. If it doesn't clear it is a $500 part but 13 hours of labor as they have to R&R the transmission to get to it. Woo hoo.

The only way I could tolerate a diesel these days would be fully deleted. For me, the EGR is the biggest issue. I do all of my own service and my last EGR diesel really helped me understand how terrible EGR is. You buy that expensive high quality oil and instantly destroy it when you dump it into that EGR engine, it's black instantly. It's horrible. Get rid of the EGR and the DEF system and you've got something you can trust for a long time. You'll get the towing economy that offsets the astronomical service expense that comes with the diesel, and you've got more than enough power to pull those hills with your camper at reasonable and comfortable RPM's.

If I was looking for a diesel truck right now I'd choose a deleted one over a stock one. As long as the deleted one didn't have douche bag wheels, a big lift and colored lights that shine at the ground under the truck.

Thanks Dave, knowing the work you do I value your opinion. It is certainly disconcerting to see fresh oil with 2 miles on it look black as coal. FWIW I cleared the CEL, finished the regen it was in and drove it hard. No codes came up, so I have a bit to decide what to do with it before the next CEL pops up. Truck is a beast in all other ways and goes off road far better than a crew diesel has any right to.

What does that 26 foot trailer actually weigh? That could make a lot of difference. Then it depends on which gas engine you're talking about, how much of that towing is hills vs flat, how big the "hit" is climbing, how often that "hit" occurs, and your own patience with such things. The same difference might mean a lot to one person and not much at all to another.

I towed a bit this year with a 6.0 GMC 4:10 rearend and also a F250 v10 with a 4:30 rearend.

I don't recall what the trailers weighed, 5-7K I'd guess.

They both tow great......until you get in the hills. If I was pulling often, I'd go diesel. There is just no way around it. Both the 6.0 and the V10 simply run out of ass and you have to start down shifting and wring the motors out to keep going up at anything resembling a decent, or safe, clip.

I'd delete and go forth!

When I pull a loaded 24' enclosed car trailer with my ford 6.2 gasser, it does the job but it uses a lot of RPMs to get it done. mileage goes straight into the single digit area.

I own a 2007 GMC Sierra 2500hd Classic Duramax deleted. No way would or could I replace it with a gas burner to pull my 32' fifth wheel camper. Forget the gas burner and delete that baby and unleash the beast. As others have said you'll recoup expenses via much improved mileage and it'll feel like the truck lost 1000lbs. I live in a county that has emissions test every year and they don't even know what they're looking at. They don't lift the hood.