Eco diesel or 3.6 gas??

[JET_83]

In the end I know that diesel owners will be much happier than driving an underpowered gasser.

I know I did it for 13 years. And that is why every person in here said it's the better engine and got it after driving both back to back. The only people that complain are penny pinchers and those with no personal experience with the platform who regurgitate everything they see online.

“penny pinchers” bad choice of words considering the price point

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[bleda2002]

Try both, decide if the performance gain in exchange for the slightly reduced handling and tow/payload is worth the 4k. If it is, get the diesel. Chances are high that it will be just reliable as the 3.6 and long term costs will most likely be fairly equal as well unless you live in one of the states where diesel isn't routinely 1.50-2.00 bucks a gallon more.

The diesel to me is a lot like 37s. People will argue about how 35s (gasser) are adequate and will get the job done, but 37s just do it better in exchange for some minor trade offs. If I could go back a year and do it over again I'd honestly probably go diesel myself, but at this point I'll most likely wait out the hurricane/4xe in 1-2 model years.

 

[shokker70]

Diesel is same price as premium here at buccees, filled up for $4.75/gal last week.

Why is anyone running premium? Not called for or needed.

As to the rest of it, as we've seen, it's very much going to depend on where you live. NE Dallas area, diesel prices have been coming down as regular unleaded has continued to rise. That could change of course, but for now it's a no brainer for diesel. Just wish mine was here already.

 

[BlueScapegoat]

Why is anyone running premium? Not called for or needed.

As to the rest of it, as we've seen, it's very much going to depend on where you live. NE Dallas area, diesel prices have been coming down as regular unleaded has continued to rise. That could change of course, but for now it's a no brainer for diesel. Just wish mine was here already.

Irrelevant but I run 93 octane in my TJ and get 11 mpg. I'm thrilled with the price and mpg of the diesel ?

 

[Pburnett]

my n = 1 on a Diesel Overland that I picked up from Gupton (TN) and drove back to MD for about a 900 mile break in.

We AVERAGED 32.0 MPG on the highway around 70-75 on the way back. Over the 900 miles with a 50 mile detour through the Blue Ridge Parkway. Around town here (Another 500 miles or so) and Mojave take offs, I'm averaging around 26 on my daily commute, although, that is skewed with one day sitting in 2 hours of stop and go from traffic.

Thrilled with the torque and responsiveness so far. I also started dosing with Hotshots to protect the CP4 pump. I work Marine Diesels for my work with some very high pressure fuel pumps, and the low sulfur diesel just tears them up. Adding back the lubricity I cannot see any downside to.

Will have a towing opportunity pretty soon when I hitch up my boat and move... I doubt that it will even notice the 750 lbs of boat behind it!

 

[NC_Overland]

Now if you don’t mind listening to the gas engine scream at 5000rpm up some Blue Ridge mountains there in Georgia, then you’ll be fine with the gas model.

Huh? I drive mine through the mtns in NC and TN for hundreds of miles at least a few times a month. My 3.6l doesn’t scream at all. I do 80 on I-40 on all but the parts with the sharpest corners. It’ll kick down a few gears and turn around 4K rpm on some of the steeper grades to maintain 80, but it’s so smooth and quiet I can even really tell except for looking at the tachometer. That engine loves to rev and 4K is nothing for it. Shockingly, I get roughly the same 21-22 mpg driving from NC to TN as I do NC to GA and it’s basically flat driving from NC to GA. Just some hills in N GA.

2020 Overland stock 3.6l/8 speed 3.73 gears and 285/70/18s

 

[Bjeepz]

Seems to me based on the biased posts ppl are making for their own personal preference, or the few that have bad experiences with diesel or gas that no matter what you choose it will be complete pile of shit that will leave you stranded on a street full of mountain lions and grizzly bears. But don't worry, you won't be stranded for long hahaha

 

[staying_tuned]

They are both awesome and this being our 4th Jeep, yet first diesel ever, reliability anxiety is real. I guess we've been fortunate in that we've had zero issues over the past 25k miles, getting ready for trip out to WY from PA in a few weeks. It has seen nearly every environment the country offers from Texas to FL and onto WY while being home in the Pocono mountains of PA. It lives its life saddled with armor, RTT, full rack, 35s, bed-slide, fridge slide, winch and our family on trips. Only issue is a leaking rear axle which plagues the many across the lineup.

While diesel is up in price, over $6 here, I was pushing 14mpg in my JKU with less weight on a good day. Yes I'm aggressive on the pedal and we have significant elevation fluctuation just running to the store. I get 22+ around our area and creep up to 26+ on the highway in the diesel loaded out. On average, this is poor for the diesel, but relative to my experience it has all but nulled the gas vs. diesel cost issue.

EOD the reliability anxiety is felt far less than my frustration once carrying weight with the gas engine. The unfortunate thing is the reliability anxiety comes from the internet. I've now met 3 diesel owners in person all same story, zero issues. Ironically a glady 3.6 owner approached me at our son's soccer practice and asked how my diesel is holding up because he read a lot of bad stuff : o )

The internet however also schools me on many areas I'm ignorant in so it's a fair trade. Point being, of you're not heavy on the pedal and you don't plan to carry a lot regularly, I'd go with the 3.6 all day if for no other reason than simplicity to work on & maintain. If you need to move and/or you lug a ton of static weight all the time, strongly consider the diesel. Either could be *hit due simply to poor pre-delivery prep but issues spanning both are exceptions, certainly not the norm.

 

[CerOf]

Why is anyone running premium? Not called for or needed.

Premium was brought up, at least once or twice, as myself and another had vehicles that required it before getting the JT.

 

[DailyMoparGuy]

Huh? I drive mine through the mtns in NC and TN for hundreds of miles at least a few times a month. My 3.6l doesn’t scream at all. I do 80 on I-40 on all but the parts with the sharpest corners. It’ll kick down a few gears and turn around 4K rpm on some of the steeper grades to maintain 80, but it’s so smooth and quiet I can even really tell except for looking at the tachometer. That engine loves to rev and 4K is nothing for it. Shockingly, I get roughly the same 21-22 mpg driving from NC to TN as I do NC to GA and it’s basically flat driving from NC to GA. Just some hills in N GA.

2020 Overland stock 3.6l/8 speed 3.73 gears and 285/70/18s

5,000 rpm was an exaggeration haha. I have no idea what the rpm has been when going up hills/mountains. I don’t recall too much engine noise when I drove through lower Appalachia last year (highway speeds 65-80 mph on 33s and 4.10 gears).

However, just over Memorial Day weekend in Austin and around Texas Hill Country, my Pentastar was singing like Aretha Franklin at times. I do have 35s now though so that probably is the difference. The worst was on a hill in northwest Austin heading to Lake Travis. I was going like 45mph and it was a steep ass hill. Like I said though, the engine noise doesn’t bother me. I got about 17.5 mpg on that trip from Houston and back (with the back roads and Austin traffic included). No complaints from me.

 

[JET_83]

5,000 rpm was an exaggeration haha. I have no idea what the rpm has been when going up hills/mountains. I don’t recall too much engine noise when I drove through lower Appalachia last year (highway speeds 65-80 mph on 33s and 4.10 gears).

However, just over Memorial Day weekend in Austin and around Texas Hill Country, my Pentastar was singing like Aretha Franklin at times. I do have 35s now though so that probably is the difference. The worst was on a hill in northwest Austin heading to Lake Travis. I was going like 45mph and it was a steep ass hill. Like I said though, the engine noise doesn’t bother me. I got about 17.5 mpg on that trip from Houston and back (with the back roads and Austin traffic included). No complaints from me.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T ???

 

[NC_Overland]

5,000 rpm was an exaggeration haha. I have no idea what the rpm has been when going up hills/mountains. I don’t recall too much engine noise when I drove through lower Appalachia last year (highway speeds 65-80 mph on 33s and 4.10 gears).

However, just over Memorial Day weekend in Austin and around Texas Hill Country, my Pentastar was singing like Aretha Franklin at times. I do have 35s now though so that probably is the difference. The worst was on a hill in northwest Austin heading to Lake Travis. I was going like 45mph and it was a steep ass hill. Like I said though, the engine noise doesn’t bother me. I got about 17.5 mpg on that trip from Houston and back (with the back roads and Austin traffic included). No complaints from me.

I think I’m right at the bleeding edge of still getting stock mpg.

 

[Kintama40]

Traded my 2020 Max Tow for a 2022 diesel. I am thrilled with the diesel! Powerful, and gets great fuel economy. I’m running Mopar lift and 37s and getting 24mpg in town.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Quick answer to the question diesel or gas is "yes".

Those who have diesel will preach that diesel is the way to heaven and gas is a sin and any fool who likes gas engines or believes that are ok will go to the hot place.
Those who have gas will tell you all about the bad stuff associated with owning diesel.

Both will leave out truths.
If you own a diesel and suggest a gas engine, you are admitting maybe your love for diesel isn't what you proclaim
If you own gas and say diesel is the way, the truth, the light, then you are admitting maybe you have second thoughts about gas power.

You will never get 100% honest assessments from the owners of either. They bought for their needs and more than that, their wants.
There will be talk of mpg and the cost of fuel - but they will leave out the initial costs, the cost of oil, filters, DEF, fuel pumps and other costs that in the end can either even things out, or make the diesel more expensive to own in the long haul.

I've owned things over the years with gas and diesel engines. Each has pros and cons.
For my purposes, the gasser has been extremely cheap to own and maintain, fuel is everywhere, and it tows like a dream - RPM actually LOWER than my Silverado equipped with LS, and the 3.6 delivered better mpg when towing than my LS, the 3.6 didn't have to rev as high (but it can handle it if necessary). It's quiet - to the point of almost getting out forgetting it's still running.

I won't diss the diesel - it has its points and it fits the needs - or desires, which is more accurately said, of those who own 'em. I have found no reason to own a diesel truck in all of the years I've hauled antique tractors or engines to shows, or cars to and from show. Diesel power was different for the farm, I just never saw a need for it in my pickups. In fact, I'm trying to recall if anyone I knew from my farming days ever owned a diesel pickup - and can't think of anyone.

That's me.

What you "need" or "want" is up to you, not anyone else. Drive both, heck, might be worth renting for a while to experience for yourself - might help prevent buyer's remorse down the road. Buying diesel then later wishing you had gone gas, or buying gas and then later really wishing for your personal needs you had gone diesel - expensive mistake.

 

[FMTrainmaster]

I would not say that at all. the pentastar since its inception has been PLAGUED with cylinder head and cam issues.

My 2020 sport S 3.6L had multiple random misfires from around 10k miles. Throw a soft CEL if you drove it hard then it goes away. Dealer wanted my own money to teardown to investigate. It also ticked at idle and ran rough at idle. This was my 3rd 3.6L jeep with issues like this.

Now more owners are chiming in on the same issues plus theres multiple class action suits regarding this engine.

I would argue we've reached a point where NO new vehicle is RELIABLE. Much less serviceable!

wow i didnt realize that this engine had that many issues. I have the 3.8 in my 2011. Its a dog but really the only issue is that I have had to change the egr solenoid at the back of the engine twice. 143k miles. No manifold cracking either. A/C still works fine as well.

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