Who else is happy with the Pentastar?

[ShadowsPapa]

Gas motors in a truck are a compromise. Trucks are meant to work. That’s why most work trucks have a diesel motor. A gas motor in a truck is strictly for a price point, and also an entry point into a truck becoming the main vehicle of a household. You want power off idle. You have to thrash your LS motor, not because you want to, but because you have to.

LOL
And yet the vast majority of all light trucks are GAS and have been forever. Price point? Why - I've owned trucks since I was 16, even my farm trucks were gas trucks - hauling hundreds of bushels of grain miles to the elevator. You are thinking heavy trucks.
I have power off-idle. Plenty. I have no trouble taking off from stops and my grain trucks with I6 gas engines went through rough fields, even plowed ground with gas engines and no trouble.

You appear to be coming from a semi tractor or heavy truck world, not the world of light trucks. Light trucks like 1/2, 3/4 and even many 1 ton trucks have been doing work since trucks were first created. Even the dump trucks my former boss drove for the county- hauling rock and gravel were gas. There's no need for diesel in many cases.
I look at all of the farm pickups, the construction business and other industry and business here - a few diesels here and there but most are gas. Farm and business could be buying diesel - but have little need unless hauling more than 7 or 8,000 pound trailer loads. Grain heads, loads of hay and straw - being pulled by gas trucks.

Modern engines all get power from RPM. You totally miss the point that it's the way of modern engines. In the past you topped out at 4,000-4,500 rpm as you had size, you have cubes, you had long stroke slow engines or larger displacement. Power but very inefficient and wasteful.

I can pull and haul all I want or need to with gas engines.
My farm trucks were never lacking. You gear appropriately for the load and use of the truck.
My F250 did great hauling 6-7,000 pounds of loaded trailer through the mountains.
I had over 2,000 pounds in the bed coming back from Wichita years ago - I can't see a diesel would have been any better or necessary.
My Gladiator - tows fine - why do I need a diesel? Explain why a diesel would be better for me, logically, not "because you want lower RPM".

You just don't like RPM and yet you have a Yamaha that gets power at RPM.
Why not a truck? Gear for it. I see more prejudice than logic in your hate of gas engines in trucks.

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[Litfuse]

LOL
And yet the vast majority of all light trucks are GAS and have been forever. Price point? Why - I've owned trucks since I was 16, even my farm trucks were gas trucks - hauling hundreds of bushels of grain miles to the elevator. You are thinking heavy trucks.
I have power off-idle. Plenty. I have no trouble taking off from stops and my grain trucks with I6 gas engines went through rough fields, even plowed ground with gas engines and no trouble.

You appear to be coming from a semi tractor or heavy truck world, not the world of light trucks. Light trucks like 1/2, 3/4 and even many 1 ton trucks have been doing work since trucks were first created. Even the dump trucks my former boss drove for the county- hauling rock and gravel were gas. There's no need for diesel in many cases.
I look at all of the farm pickups, the construction business and other industry and business here - a few diesels here and there but most are gas. Farm and business could be buying diesel - but have little need unless hauling more than 7 or 8,000 pound trailer loads. Grain heads, loads of hay and straw - being pulled by gas trucks.

Modern engines all get power from RPM. You totally miss the point that it's the way of modern engines. In the past you topped out at 4,000-4,500 rpm as you had size, you have cubes, you had long stroke slow engines or larger displacement. Power but very inefficient and wasteful.

I can pull and haul all I want or need to with gas engines.
My farm trucks were never lacking. You gear appropriately for the load and use of the truck.
My F250 did great hauling 6-7,000 pounds of loaded trailer through the mountains.
I had over 2,000 pounds in the bed coming back from Wichita years ago - I can't see a diesel would have been any better or necessary.
My Gladiator - tows fine - why do I need a diesel? Explain why a diesel would be better for me, logically, not "because you want lower RPM".

You just don't like RPM and yet you have a Yamaha that gets power at RPM.
Why not a truck? Gear for it. I see more prejudice than logic in your hate of gas engines in trucks.

I come from plenty of high rpm motors. I have built and raced cars and motorcycles for years. Have you ever driven a truly high rpm motor? And don’t give me that 7k rpms stuff. Or better yet, on a race track? I don’t see the logic of bringing in high rpm capabilities of a car or motorcycle to compare to a 4x4 vehicle like a gladiator. Sure, you can rev out the 3.6 to get all its power. However, you move weight from a standpoint. This is why a diesel power plant makes more sense.

To respond to your f250 comment, my cousin is a farmer and constantly complains about his gas powered f250. Friends of mine who are farmers don’t drive gas trucks, they drive diesels. What it comes down to is tolerance. You are willing to drive a gas powered Gladiator. You do you. But it sounds like maybe you are just trying to convince yourself you made the right purchase with your money.

 

[Slojo]

I put 80k on my 2015 JKU and 76K on my wife 2016 JK with zero problems, we bought them brand new. We live in Colorado at 7K above sea level which you lose about 20% of your horsepower. I had 35s on mine with 4.88 gears and it was awesome. I was up in the mountains at 10K feet plus and had no issues with not enough power.

We have 140k on my wife's 2011 GC. No issues, great motor. I think what lacks is the 6 speed in it. I was considering the diesel gladiator but saved a ton of money on a used low mileage 2020 gas. The 8 speed with the motor is a great step up from the GC.

 

[NC_Overland]

Gas motors in a truck are a compromise. Trucks are meant to work. That’s why most work trucks have a diesel motor. A gas motor in a truck is strictly for a price point, and also an entry point into a truck becoming the main vehicle of a household. You want power off idle. You have to thrash your LS motor, not because you want to, but because you have to.

For fleet trucks, that’s becoming less and less true every year. The diesels have become too expensive to maintain and operate and most are switching back to gas engines.

I’ve had a lot of fleet managers say the 6.0l LS were the best trucks they had. Very little problems and lasted a very long time.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I come from plenty of high rpm motors. I have built and raced cars and motorcycles for years. Have you ever driven a truly high rpm motor? And don’t give me that 7k rpms stuff. Or better yet, on a race track? I don’t see the logic of bringing in high rpm capabilities of a car or motorcycle to compare to a 4x4 vehicle like a gladiator. Sure, you can rev out the 3.6 to get all its power. However, you move weight from a standpoint. This is why a diesel power plant makes more sense.

To respond to your f250 comment, my cousin is a farmer and constantly complains about his gas powered f250. Friends of mine who are farmers don’t drive gas trucks, they drive diesels. What it comes down to is tolerance. You are willing to drive a gas powered Gladiator. You do you. But it sounds like maybe you are just trying to convince yourself you made the right purchase with your money.

I never even considered a diesel. I don't need convincing as I never even though of diesel and have no desire to ever consider one in the future. No NEED for one.

Yes, I know high rpm engines. I've done my share of riding and working on motorcycles years ago.
I also hang out in a world of high-revving engines, 180 mph quarter miles so I'm familiar. (and have a pretty nice dual-quad setup on one of my cars now)

You seem to be very prejudiced against what the majority of light truck people own and drive. We're all fine. We've no problems and don't think "gee, I wish I had gone diesel". I've had 1700 pounds in the bed (landscaping block) and we live in a very hilly area, almost no level roads out here by the river. (the glaciers missed this area) and I've towed and was beyond happy with it. No regrets, no need to convince myself of anything. If my truck were totaled tomorrow I'd go get another just like it - gas included.

Still trying to think back to see if any farmer here (I live on an acreage surrounded by farm) owns a diesel pickup and can't think of any. No one drives by here with any, none of my neighbors when I farmed had diesel except one guy and he was not happy with it - wanted to go back to gas (a lot of fuel system issues, maintenance issues) His son handled a couple thousand acres and a large confinement operation - gas trucks.

So you like diesel - but I don't see that your reasoning is enough to sway anyone away from their gas engines or even applies to most truck owners.

In the end when I trade or sell, I'd have more luck selling it based on the gas engine. The market for diesel small trucks is pretty slim.

 

[NC_Overland]

Now that I think about it, I have a lot of relatives in MI who farm. The ones who actually do the real farming all have gas powered trucks.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If I upgrade lawn tractors to something larger than my current Kawasaki powered John Deere all wheel drive I could consider diesel - but that's because I'd probably also get a loader and other accessories and our big lawn with really thick lush grass (ok, and weeds) taxes even 24 hp gas at times. Never had a problem but it's a consideration.
I've had both gas and diesel tractors, for a while I had the largest 2 wheel drive tractor Case made, and my utility tractor was gas. I've run both and I'm torn on a small utility tractor. Could go either way.

But I've never even had a desire for a diesel truck. I absolutely will not diss or question those who have them and love them. Many, like WXman, have reasons for diesel and tow a lot and tow heavy and are "in the hills". I get that, makes 100% sense for some folks like him. I worked with a guy (he was our sr. network admin before I took over and he retired) and he owned diesels - he towed huge 5th wheel campers with the slide-outs and you likely know the sort of weight those have.

I farmed in northern Iowa - the only close town was 5 miles away, Mason City was 30 minutes away - my point - it was all record-value farm ground. I knew of one diesel truck - like I said - the guy was questioning it. My wife's cousin farms about 40 minutes SW of me down in the Iowa hill country - gas trucks all his life and he has cattle, etc. so he pulls loads and hauls things through the pastures and fields (and he's an avid hunter - the racks hanging in his shed show success over the years)

Like I said - won't diss the diesel people. I get why it's right for them or their needs in towing or where they live, and there's some who simply prefer diesels even if they don't haul much or frequently - fine! And I love the sound of a fully loaded diesel (and I love tractor pulls and truck pulls, too)
But I have no problem with the sound of a fast-revving gas engine. Super charge it and you can keep the revs down a bit for the same power and torque.
I bet Dave can really tow and haul with his SC'd 3.6 - likely similar to how a diesel may work under certain conditions.

(I come from a time where an ordinary car engine was running 3,000 RPM down the highway and that was high gear)

I love the 3.6. This morning I was telling the sales guy I bought from how great the truck has been, how well it towed, how the engine didn't rev as high as my Chevy did.
It's weird, though, running down the highway in vehicles with engine turning sub-2,000 rpm. After years of that I still can't get used to it! I want RPM. I even built my 4.0 to be able to wind up tighter.

 

[PsyRN]

I have no problems with my Pentastar. I too came from a V6 1st Gen Tacoma. It gets me where I want to go. Pulled my trailer no problem. Carries my stuff. Gets me home. Gets me to 75mph +/- on the freeway no problem. Has been extremely reliable and has done everything I've asked it to do, except use less gas when driving around town. lol

 

[Litfuse]

I never even considered a diesel. I don't need convincing as I never even though of diesel and have no desire to ever consider one in the future. No NEED for one.

Yes, I know high rpm engines. I've done my share of riding and working on motorcycles years ago.
I also hang out in a world of high-revving engines, 180 mph quarter miles so I'm familiar. (and have a pretty nice dual-quad setup on one of my cars now)

You seem to be very prejudiced against what the majority of light truck people own and drive. We're all fine. We've no problems and don't think "gee, I wish I had gone diesel". I've had 1700 pounds in the bed (landscaping block) and we live in a very hilly area, almost no level roads out here by the river. (the glaciers missed this area) and I've towed and was beyond happy with it. No regrets, no need to convince myself of anything. If my truck were totaled tomorrow I'd go get another just like it - gas included.

Still trying to think back to see if any farmer here (I live on an acreage surrounded by farm) owns a diesel pickup and can't think of any. No one drives by here with any, none of my neighbors when I farmed had diesel except one guy and he was not happy with it - wanted to go back to gas (a lot of fuel system issues, maintenance issues) His son handled a couple thousand acres and a large confinement operation - gas trucks.

So you like diesel - but I don't see that your reasoning is enough to sway anyone away from their gas engines or even applies to most truck owners.

In the end when I trade or sell, I'd have more luck selling it based on the gas engine. The market for diesel small trucks is pretty slim.

The great thing is we have a choices when we buy our Gladiators. And that is a good thing!

Tell me about your high performance vehicles. On the motorcycle side, I would track race my SV650, zx10r and my CBR1000rr. I would use my modified zx-14r for the strip.

 

[FrankFrqnkFrank]

My 3.6 JTW feels mighty fast after I’ve driven my recent Ram Promaster 3500 with its 3.6…

 

[JET_83]

most reliable engine in the lineup there is, so I love it, only wish it had a little more hp

 

[Tanners Owner]

Late to the discussion, but for my needs, DD, bird hunting, it’s been more than satisfying.

 

[JET_83]

Late to the discussion, but for my needs, DD, bird hunting, it’s been more than satisfying.

well I’m not exactly an old member, hope yours ends up being reliable too

 

[Rocksalt]

happy with mine... 25k miles

 

[JD101]

It's just alright . Does the job no complaints there . A diesel would be better in my current state of build for fuel mileage. However entry cost, fuel cost ,and maintenance would probably average out ... Maybe . I will say the 2.0T in our JLU absolutely seals the show between it and the 3.6.

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