Diesel versus Gasoline

[ironman_jk]

I'm looking to get a 2 door 96-99 Tahoe and recently came across a 99 2 door diesel. I know diesel's are supposed to get better gas mileage, but it looks like Tahoe's diesel will only get 1-2 mpg more than the gas engine. Also, the diesel's cost a lot more.

What are the pros/cons of diesel vs gas?
Are diesel's worth the extra upfront cost?


Thanks for your input.

 

[Sepiroth]

I'll tell you, Diesels are the way to go. I dont think the 1-2MPG change is correct. Diesels have tons of torque, but not a lot of horsepower. The thing with the 6.5, as I assume that is whats in the 99, is that they like to go thru injection pumps which are on the engine. This is in comparision to the 5.0, 5.7 that like to go thru fuel pumps, which are in the tanks, and injectors. Not to mention intake and head gaskets.

Diesels also do not have a distributor or spark plugs. So you dont need to worry about the distributor gear shearing off, the plastic distributor stripping out when you replace the distributor cap, or replacing spark plugs.

Also there are more things that are plug and play you can do to increase horsepower, torque, and economy.

Diesel FTMFW.

On a side note, around here, the Chicagoland ares, Diesel is at 2.02 a gallon and going lower. I have a feeling the days of diesel fuel being lower than gasoline are back.

 

[sasquatch094]

man i saw a 2door diesel for sale a while back and wish i would of bought it, even still today i do. I love that sound and performance of a diesel, especially when it comes out of something that small. those big 4 inch round tips out the back and the black smoke : ) ahh just something i wish i would of got and it was dirt cheap too. around 5 grand with very few miles.. those motors will go along time too..

like what he was saying, tons and tons of stuff to do to em. not like gasoline ones u cant, but tons of torque..

 

[TahoeGoBoom]

yea, diesels last forever. and with just a tune those things can make big power. diesel>gas imo..

 

[sasquatch094]

but also those motors that Gm produced in your year, wernt the greatest ever. they need some help like those block stabilizers or whatever u call em. (they keep the block from flexing)

 

[General Stalin]

The Diesel engines that were in the GMT400 Tahoe were not all that great. The Detroit Diesel engines were not as good as the competitors of the time, and the Duramax, which they started producing in 2000, are leagues better. The 6.5L Detroit Deisel in these trucks do make like 360 ft.lbs. of torque, though, which is cool. I think they came normally aspirated in the Tahoes, but you could always get a turbo from a different engine vin model and chip it. It is really easy to make bigger power with a turbo diesel. My brother just bought a 2004 GMC Sierra 2500 HD with the 6.6L Duramax Turbodiesel, and for like $500, he can add another 140 HP and 160 ft.lbs. or something crazy like that.