3.0L EcoDiesel vs 3.6L Gasoline

[TRI-JAB]

Looking to hear preferences on diesel vs gasoline options. Trying to determine if it is just worth waiting until next year.... (Gator, Gator, Gator)

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[deadbug]

Unless I was using it solely for towing, it wouldn't be worth it for my type commuting I do with the regen they do to diesels today!

 

[Billy]

Torque. 442 ft/lbs for the 3.0 compared to 270 ft/lbs for the 3.6. Therefore the Pentastar is weak in head winds and climbing mountain passes. The Ecodiesel will make easy work of long climbs and head winds. And the torque peak of the 3.0 is down around 1800 rpm, where the 3.6 needs to be wound up over 3000 rpm.

 

[Blu542]

Unless I was using it solely for towing, it wouldn't be worth it for my type commuting I do with the regen they do to diesels today!

^This. The current state of diesel emissions is abysmal. I could only imagine being stuck in a 5 mph derate a hundred miles from anywhere because it didn’t see highway speed to regen or the DEF crystallized in the lines or doser.

 

[basicGlad]

it's a new italian diesel we don't know the reliability of not a Cummins.

 

[jeepncrowd]

I was diehard on the diesel train, but now I've switched over to the pentastar side.
My current Jeep is a 2015 Ecodiesel WK2. And while the power is great when the turbo kicks in, my last trip to the mountains it struggled keeping a good gear in 4 low. It would bog down, then the turbo would kick in and it would lurch forward. (At least with the pentastar it'll have a more level ppwer curve)
This is with the GDE hot tune.
The Regen is also annoying as often it decides to do it, not on my hour trip to work, but just as I pull into my neighborhood or on a short trip to the store.
While towing a 5-6k travel trailer across Texas it overheated (Feburary) while going 70-75mph .
I'm hearing emissions just got more more strict and a lot of the tuning companies may not be in it much longer.
This new version may be better, but the pentastar has a long record of being reliable.
Now the diesel still had many Pros. Stock with the tune I was getting 28-29 highway and 19 city. After my roof rack and steel bumper it dropped to 23 highway and still 19 city (but lately diesel had been more expensive)
The diesel sounds amazing at idle. I love the Chug sound.
After some hard thinking I've settled on ordering the gas, at least I will whenever they release the Gator.

 

[Gladiator4Runner]

I'll drive plenty to make it worth the $ to get a diesel however....I'm waiting on the RAM and the Wrangler to start using it to see what issues they come up with and to see how well the tuners/removal of the EGR thingy goes.

Maybe I'll get the Pentastar- drive the hell out of it for a couple years and see how it goes. If the ED is a Rockstar then maybe I'll trade it in- it's a business purchase so I can write it off over a couple years.
I'm waiting for Gator.... so I have more $ than time at this point.

 

[RedTRex]

I was diehard on the diesel train, but now I've switched over to the pentastar side.
My current Jeep is a 2015 Ecodiesel WK2. And while the power is great when the turbo kicks in, my last trip to the mountains it struggled keeping a good gear in 4 low. It would bog down, then the turbo would kick in and it would lurch forward. (At least with the pentastar it'll have a more level ppwer curve)
This is with the GDE hot tune.
The Regen is also annoying as often it decides to do it, not on my hour trip to work, but just as I pull into my neighborhood or on a short trip to the store.
While towing a 5-6k travel trailer across Texas it overheated (Feburary) while going 70-75mph .
I'm hearing emissions just got more more strict and a lot of the tuning companies may not be in it much longer.
This new version may be better, but the pentastar has a long record of being reliable.
Now the diesel still had many Pros. Stock with the tune I was getting 28-29 highway and 19 city. After my roof rack and steel bumper it dropped to 23 highway and still 19 city (but lately diesel had been more expensive)
The diesel sounds amazing at idle. I love the Chug sound.
After some hard thinking I've settled on ordering the gas, at least I will whenever they release the Gator.

Did you try manual trans mode? if so did that help?

 

[smlobx]

I have the 3.0L Ecodiesel in our Grand Cherokee and although it has had a couple of hick ups it’s been a great vehicle.
The only reason I’m getting a gas engine for my Glad is that we plan on taking it to Mexico and possibly South and the availability of ULSD is questionable. You don’t want to run non ulsd in this engine. We love the mileage and power the Diesel engine has.

 

[WXman]

There are tons of threads on here explaining why the EcoDiesel is a horrible investment. But to recap:

Pros:

-TORQUE. Torque all over the map. Loads of torque.

Cons:

-Everything else. Estimated $5k upfront to get one. Then $1k annually over the gas engine just to own and operate one. Then parts and repairs are exponentially more expensive. The emissions controls will prevent the engine from ever seeing high odometer readings. The press-fit cam gears that killed all those Gen 2 engines are still being used in Gen 3. There are new unproven parts like dual-EGR system, coated cylinders, lightweighted pistons, etc. that have been deadly to competitors' engines. Diesel fuel is $0.40/gallon more expensive on average according to AAA. Diesel fuel is only available at 55% of U.S. stations according to AAA. It's all just a pain in the ***.

At the end of the day, it's a gamble. If you've got a fat checking account and you just love the feel of that torque, then by all means go diesel. I had two diesel Jeeps and loved them, but eventually both of them found new homes because parts were $$$$ and guys I knew were dropping $7,000 on top-end repairs. Screw that.

 

[jeepncrowd]

Did you try manual trans mode? if so did that help?

Yep. Didn't help much.

Now the compression braking with the GDE tune is great though. Didn't really have to use brakes going down hills in colorado. 1st gear =~10mph, 2nd gear =~20mph, 3rd =~30mph. It was awesome with the paddle shifters.

 

[JCJeep1]

Already having a diesel (Cummins) I like the idea and value to the Gladiator. Would want to see the execution prior to buying

 

[TRI-JAB]

I have the 3.0L Ecodiesel in our Grand Cherokee and although it has had a couple of hick ups it’s been a great vehicle.
The only reason I’m getting a gas engine for my Glad is that we plan on taking it to Mexico and possibly South and the availability of ULSD is questionable. You don’t want to run non ulsd in this engine. We love the mileage and power the Diesel engine has.

All of my Grand Cherokees have had Hemi's... This will be my first Jeep (Gator, Gator, Gator) without a Hemi - I am definitely not spending the cash for that aftermarket upgrade.

 

[giskard]

Not much interest in the diesel here. I think the plug in hybrid will be a much more interesting option when it arrives.

 

[Bobzdar]

More money and (likely) lower tow rating is a lose/lose for me. Haven't had issues towing 5-6k lbs with the pentastar so I don't see the purpose at this point, especially for the likely $5k+ premium they'll charge. Would give longer range on a tank, but that's never been much of an issue for me.

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