Sponsored

Nice honest review on EcoDiesel

Drooler

New Member
First Name
Alex
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Chicago
Vehicle(s)
2015 JKU Rubicon with 3.5” AEV and 35”
Occupation
Ops Manager
Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.

Anupdates on the eco diesel?

Especially folks who have taken it on rock climbing trails for a few hours a day over a few days?

Plan is to spend a week or 2 in Moab each year. The 20+ hr drive one way to Moab will be great for the engine.

Sadly my daily use is minimal. Mostly city driving on the weekends as I take public transportation for work.

hoping folks who have bought the ecodiesel for a number of months now have some good news to report
Sponsored

 

kclendaniel

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
157
Reaction score
139
Location
Annapolis, MD
Vehicle(s)
2021 Gladiator Rubicon EcoDiesel
Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.

Anupdates on the eco diesel?

Especially folks who have taken it on rock climbing trails for a few hours a day over a few days?

Plan is to spend a week or 2 in Moab each year. The 20+ hr drive one way to Moab will be great for the engine.

Sadly my daily use is minimal. Mostly city driving on the weekends as I take public transportation for work.

hoping folks who have bought the ecodiesel for a number of months now have some good news to report
I have towed at the spec'd limits (confirmed by a CAT scale) and it pulls great. The only thing I noticed was the temps rising on an extended grade (~5-6%) over a pass in western VA but never got above 3/4 of the gauge and I was doing 70 and the air temp was 75. Temp dropped back down as soon as I hit the top.

As far as off road, while I was in that area I did the Peters Mill Run Trail (Jeep Badge of Honor Trail) to confirm all my 4wd functions were working. It is a fairly easy trail (rated 1-4 by Jeep) so not too much crawling or climbing but there was no engine screaming at high RPMs and plenty of power just to roll over anything. Some serious crawling will be fun with this engine.
 

stickshifter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2020
Threads
4
Messages
272
Reaction score
365
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
Tacoma
I was originally in the waiting for a diesel club but sprung for a 3.6 with a manual transmisison. BTW the Mopar ecodiesel is tried and true - since about 2014 in the Ram and Grand Cherokee and based on the European built VM Motori version that's at least a few years older.
Not trying to be argumentative - but this is the third generation of the eco diesel, and this version is new, so no real data yet. Weren’t the first and second gens famous for problems? Recalls on emissions, fire risk, engine failure, etc. This is all well-documented. Right?
 

biodiesel

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
716
Reaction score
631
Location
New Mexico
Vehicle(s)
2015 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel
Not trying to be argumentative - but this is the third generation of the eco diesel, and this version is new, so no real data yet. Weren’t the first and second gens famous for problems? Recalls on emissions, fire risk, engine failure, etc. This is all well-documented. Right?
The second gen engine was used in the 2014 - 2019 Rams. I have both, a 2015 (2nd gen engine) and a 2020 (3rd gen engine) Ram EcoDiesel. The 2nd gen engine has problems, but FCA has slowly addressed those issues. My 2015 has been an excellent truck, so much so that I bought a 2020. There are many happy 2nd gen owners out there. Plus, there are now 2nd gen engines with over 300,000 miles!
 
OP
OP
WXman

WXman

Banned
Banned
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Threads
69
Messages
3,102
Reaction score
4,067
Location
Bluegrass region of Kentucky
Vehicle(s)
2021 Jeep Gladiator Overland EcoDiesel
Occupation
Meteorology and Transportation
Well I'm coming up on 9,000 miles and I've towed with mine quite a bit and other than the timing cover leak that took the truck down for two weeks back in the summer it's been doing really well. My only complaint continues to be the horrendous software calibration. But, oddly the 2021 Jeeps with the same powertrain have a different calibration and those don't have any of the lazy throttle and response issues.
 

Sponsored

OP
OP
WXman

WXman

Banned
Banned
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Threads
69
Messages
3,102
Reaction score
4,067
Location
Bluegrass region of Kentucky
Vehicle(s)
2021 Jeep Gladiator Overland EcoDiesel
Occupation
Meteorology and Transportation
2.8 Duramax is a $4k up charge from their 3.6l V6 in the Colorado, seems pretty consistent for the market.
Which is a rip off because the 3.0L Duramax I-6 is only half that upcharge in the Silverado 1500.
 

Matt84

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
76
Reaction score
94
Location
South Carolina
Vehicle(s)
F150
Which is a rip off because the 3.0L Duramax I-6 is only half that upcharge in the Silverado 1500.
Yeah, but the Duramax isn’t available on all trim levels, you have to step up to the LT minimum so you are already paying the extra. Vehicle pricing can be weird.
 

stickshifter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2020
Threads
4
Messages
272
Reaction score
365
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
Tacoma
The second gen engine was used in the 2014 - 2019 Rams. I have both, a 2015 (2nd gen engine) and a 2020 (3rd gen engine) Ram EcoDiesel. The 2nd gen engine has problems, but FCA has slowly addressed those issues. My 2015 has been an excellent truck, so much so that I bought a 2020. There are many happy 2nd gen owners out there. Plus, there are now 2nd gen engines with over 300,000 miles!
Thanks for the reply! I had heard positive stuff about the outlook for the 3rd gen, good to hear your experiences with the second gen. I hope this goes well for Jeep.
 

BajaDrifter

Well-Known Member
First Name
Leo
Joined
Dec 15, 2019
Threads
10
Messages
192
Reaction score
165
Location
Southern California
Vehicle(s)
2020 Gladiator Rubicon
True. If up to the lawmakers here in Cali. diesel would be outlawed only allowing for true commercial use, Cali is trying it`s best to make diesel ownership difficult with now yearly inspections and 15k fines if deletes are found. I own a 2017 MB Sprinter 4x4 van and a 2019 F250 last year i spent $180 for the inspections. Last year the UN made a proposal to limit diesel sales to only commercial use so it`s just not Cali. It`s been proven that if not kept in as new condition a diesel will pollute more than a gas engine, a diesel has three times the emission parts as compared to a gas engine.

Long term a diesel is going to be more expensive to own and maintain, there is more to go wrong and does go wrong and the days of diesels lasting 500k or more miles are long gone.
Excellent points to consider, if only people thought it about who and what they are voting for, but that's another topic. I would hold off on the ecodiesel just because of its history, it's been the subject of a huge recall because of fire danger, involved in a lawsuit that settled for 800 million, and rated poorly by the Automobile Protection Association due to main bearings failure. I'm not sure the quality is there in Italy. Pretty sure the French are better at making diesels, maybe with the merger... The diesel calls out to me for its durability over the mpg, torque, and fuel costs. Hard to see this ecodiesel lasting 300k.
 

biodiesel

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
716
Reaction score
631
Location
New Mexico
Vehicle(s)
2015 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel
Hard to see this ecodiesel lasting 300k.
I know at least 3 EcoDiesel engines with over 300,000 miles. One guy is getting closer to 400,000 miles.
 

Sponsored

BajaDrifter

Well-Known Member
First Name
Leo
Joined
Dec 15, 2019
Threads
10
Messages
192
Reaction score
165
Location
Southern California
Vehicle(s)
2020 Gladiator Rubicon
It's always interesting when people, who have no desire to buy a Gladiator EcoDiesel, want to come into the EcoDiesel section of the forum and speak against the EcoDiesel. By all means, if you don't like the Ecodiesel option, then spend time in the spark plug section of the forum. I don't go into the Pentastar threads and tell people how crappy their low-torque 3.6L is.
The thread is about a review of this engine, its not about or only for prospective buyers. Myself, I like to listen to the pros and cons regarding almost anything I am about to sink 50-60k in. And if you already have an ecodiesel and feel offended by a difference of opinion regarding this engine, you shouldn't be. Its a discussion, plain and simple. You make your choice, you drive what makes you happy. Period.
 

ssteve

Well-Known Member
First Name
Steve
Joined
Nov 4, 2020
Threads
23
Messages
164
Reaction score
137
Location
Comifornia
Vehicle(s)
camaro, audi Q, cj2a, ram
Just read through here. Some good points but seems like a lot of people expect everyone to purchase good for the same reason they do or have that magazines do. I'm buying the diesel cause its the lesser of two evils(theres no v8). The pentastar has about zero entertainment value and little to no ability to with mods short of a SC and then you run into a handful of issues that aren't worth dealing with imo.

Could it have issues? Yep, same with all mechanical things. Its not a forgone conclusion that it will though. What is a forgone conclusion for this buyer is that I wouldn't bother buying a gladiator (and haven't owned a modern jeep) because of the pentastar motor.

Worst case scenario, the motor is junk and I trade it in in a year or two. Best case scenario, jeep stuff's a v8 in the 2022 gladiator and I trade it in. Most likely scenario is I drive it for a few years and enjoy it even though it ends up in the shop a few times for some completely stupid TSB's and ultimately sell it for a TRX or whatever the next fun toy is on the market.
 

biodiesel

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
716
Reaction score
631
Location
New Mexico
Vehicle(s)
2015 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel
The thread is about a review of this engine, its not about or only for prospective buyers.
Exactly, so why do you want to listen to people who have ZERO experience with the EcoDiesel?
 

ssteve

Well-Known Member
First Name
Steve
Joined
Nov 4, 2020
Threads
23
Messages
164
Reaction score
137
Location
Comifornia
Vehicle(s)
camaro, audi Q, cj2a, ram
Exactly, so why do you want to listen to people who have ZERO experience with the EcoDiesel?
Honestly I think a lot of guys who own the pentastar have some ego involved here. Had I bought one last year I would have wanted the diesel, I ordered the diesel and if a v8 comes out next year I’ll want the v8 cause the ecodiesel is still underwhelming imo. Due to emissions I’m sure but none the less a 5500+lbs truck could use more power. For some reason people justify their purchases by crapping on the next comparable thing even if their criticism is completely unfounded.
 
 



Top