Ram Updates Its Diesel Option For 1500 - How Does It Compare To GM's New Diesel?

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
6-11-2019

Ram revealed the specs for its updated EcoDiesel V6 engine in the 1500 this week. The big news is 480 ft-lb of torque in a light-duty truck. Towing is also very impressive with towing up to 12,560 pounds. Finally, Ram says that it expects to also have class-leading fuel economy from its 3.0-liter turbo-diesel engine-equipped truck. 

 

"The new Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is America’s most powerful half-ton diesel pickup, following up on Ram’s Heavy Duty torque leadership and achieving what no other manufacturer has, with up to 480 lb.-ft. of torque in a 3.0-liter engine,” said Reid Bigland, Head of Ram Brand. “The all-new EcoDiesel engine and our eTorque mild-hybrid powertrain technologies deliver the highest available fuel efficiency for our Ram 1500 customers.”

Ram says it will also pair its diesel with the only air suspension in the class. Being able to lower the truck at highway speeds will likely help with fuel efficiency.  Ram's new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 uses dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) with four valves per cylinder and a 60-degree angle between the cylinder banks. The block is cast compacted graphite iron, which Ram says provides strength to dampen vibrations, but weighs less than grey cast iron. Ram uses a compacted graphite iron bedplate to add rigidity to the block. The new EcoDiesel has a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods for strength and durability. Ram's aluminum alloy pistons are cooled on the underside via oil jets. Heat-treated aluminum cylinder heads have individual bearing caps to reduce friction and minimize NVH. The engine's chain-driven overhead camshafts employ roller-finger followers.

 

Ram pointed to these specific upgrades as significant: 

-A new-generation water-cooled turbocharger with variable geometry turbine (VGT) increases efficiency and responsiveness during transient conditions
-Redesigned cylinder head intake ports improve swirl and flow, increasing performance and fuel economy
-The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system design has been updated to a dual loop (low and high pressure) system. The added low-pressure circulation system draws gases after the diesel particulate filter, thus minimizing turbocharger energy losses, which increases fuel economy
-The compression ratio has been optimized to 16.0:1 from 16.5:1
-High-pressure (29,000 psi/2,000 bar) direct-injection fuel injector nozzles were redesigned to match the newly designed and optimized combustion chamber
-Lightweight aluminum alloy pistons were completely redesigned to include thinner rings and low-friction coating on the pin and side skirts to reduce losses
-NVH has been reduced by offsetting piston pin by 0.3 millimeters from the centerline; thus, minimizing mechanical noises
-The lower portion of the two-piece oil sump uses a lightweight sandwiched polymer/metal material that further reduces NVH
-The dual vacuum pump system uses electric and a new mechanical low-friction pump with new blades that improve overall system efficiency

 

Ram will not build this engine in the United States. Rather, it will be produced FCA Cento facility in Ferrara, Italy and imported. Watch for price and fuel efficiency new in about two months. The engine will be available in Ram trucks starting this early winter of 2019 unless it is delayed for emissions testing or other reasons. 

 

[Black02Silverado]

Competition is good.  I think the Duramax inline six will be a better engine.  It has larger rod and main journals and having a stout bottom end means you can add power up top.  Plus less vibrations.

 

There will always be a battle back and forth between the big 3.  

[Sierra Dan]

I remember back in the day, my Dad had a 1985 Chevy Blazer with the 6.2L Diesel.

He hated that engine and only had the truck for about a year due to all of the problems with it.

Technology has come a long way since then and it is good to see other engine choices out there coming ahead.

Competition is good indeed.

[MaverickZ71]

RAM for the win.  Again and again.  

[Colossus]

Ram is fighting hard to establish itself as being better than GM and wanting the number 2 best selling truck spot bad.  they are doing a good job at it.  They must have hired some pretty good engineers and what not. 

[j-ten-ner]

20 ft-lb more? That's good!

I'd still choose the inline six.

I'd also take an 2.7 inline four over a 2.7 V6.

 

so long

j-ten-ner

[16LT4]

I usually always prefer in I/L-6 over a V6, but this V6 diesel has evolved in europe for quite some time.  The GMs I-6 diesel will no doubt have its growing pains (especially considering you'd have to pull the engine to replace the timing chain/tensioners/guides, which you'd have to do at least once before its end-of-life).

 

Looking forward to a diesel-half ton contest on Youtube between the big 3.

[CombsL83]

20 more torque but the air bags don't work

[HondaHawkGT]

On 6/12/2019 at 7:50 AM, dukedkt442 said:

I usually always prefer in I/L-6 over a V6, but this V6 diesel has evolved in europe for quite some time.  The GMs I-6 diesel will no doubt have its growing pains (especially considering you'd have to pull the engine to replace the timing chain/tensioners/guides, which you'd have to do at least once before its end-of-life).

 

Looking forward to a diesel-half ton contest on Youtube between the big 3.

All of the half-ton diesels will have growing pains. The 3.0 EcoDiesel and 3.0 Powerstroke have timing belts. Plus the 3.0ED already has a bad history wheb it comes to engine failures.

[Z45]

With all the technology (electronics etc) they are all subject to problems and would be a risk IMO keeping them past the warranty period.  I drove Dodge (now RAM) for 30 yrs at work.  I seen how they can be nice trucks when new but give them 3-4 yrs and they start to show as inferior to GM and Ford with frequent and severe maintenance trends.  The last Dodge we had was pulled from service at around 75,000 miles (lease was 100,000) because the bean counters determined it was not worth repairing anymore, cut the loses and replace it.  I recall the agency in charge of equipment saying once, Dodge was lowest fleet cost on initial purchase but in the long run were most costly to own (fleet wise) than GM or Ford which cost more new,  and Dodge/Ram had the lowest resale/auction value.  This was based on 100's of vehicles purchased for gov't agencies, they  were required to accept the lowest bid as a vehicle was considered just a commodity,   that which is of equal value no matter what company produces and markets it, and as such, is available at any discount with little differentiation among brands.

. 

Edited June 21, 2019 by elcamino

[16LT4]

3 hours ago, HondaHawkGT said:

All of the half-ton diesels will have growing pains. The 3.0 EcoDiesel and 3.0 Powerstroke have timing belts. Plus the 3.0ED already has a bad history wheb it comes to engine failures.

If it's got OHCs, a timing chain/tensioner/guides is more likely than not considered routine maintenance.  As someone who has replaced quite a few belts and chains for various vehicles, I'll prefer a belt for an OHC vehicle, at least a belt system was designed with the intention of having to be replaced; I've never seen a belt snap inside of its maintenance schedule, but have seen plenty of engines who've eaten their "lifetime" chains.

 

FYI, the 3.0 ED also has a great history of going well over 300k on maintenance alone, there's a few guys on the Ram forum with over 400k.  If you maintain them to a proper schedule (one devised by an engineer and NOT an accountant or marketer), any of the engines will go for a while, but maintenance shouldn't be a week long affair for what should be an easy task.

[Cpl_Punishment]

Autotrader.ca's review of the new I6 Duramax: https://www.autotrader.ca/expert/20190625/first-drive-2020-chevrolet-silverado-1500-duramax-diesel

 

Fuel economy is impressive. They have the same comments as every other media outlet about the interior.