I work at a Dodge dealership here. The EcoDiesel does not have that many issues with it. Most common are emission related (as with all other modern diesels), possible timing cover seal starts to leak oil (it's a diesel, quite common regardless of make). The biggest complaint with the EcoDiesel is the expensive oil changes, it requires a 5w40 full synthetic diesel oil (early models required 5w30 synthetic diesel oil). Which is $207. Several people have traded their Ram 1500 EcoDiesels as their contract has expired for oil changes, and they do not want to buy a new contract, nor want to pay for the oil change at the dealership.
One thing that diesel owners refuse to understand is, especially on the Cummins is the oil change calls for and hour and a half. 30 minutes to drain the engine (2 quarts of oil can easily stay in the head and cylinders of you only drain for 10 minutes), fill it with oil, start the engine for a few minutes, then let it sit for 30 minutes to check oil level.
My problem with Ford's 3.0L PowerStroke is, they are using a timing belt instead of chain, which has a 150,000 mile replacement interval. It's always felt timing belts are inferior, I don't care if it's for NVH. The engines are noisy as is, you cannot really hear the difference in noise with a chain drive. I cannot even hear the gear train in a Cummins 5.9 or 6.7, all I hear is the clatter of the engine.
Many people are maintenance adverse. IMO, some of the failures in post-emissions diesels relate to neglected maintenance - diesel folk were used to how much neglect many older diesels would tolerate. Frequent fuel filter changes are MANDATORY on most modern light diesels - that cost adds to the oil change objection.
I'm in the camp
If you want to Play, Be prepared to Pay...... don't take on a modern diesel unless you are willing to adhere to ALL the MTCE needs, on-schedule. That's just part of being an informed buyer, no foul on the part of the equipment, IMO.
A lot of people like the fact that they don't have to change fuel filters on many modern gas engined vehicles.... I wish they still had them from the factory.... If I signed on for a modern diesel in my driveway, I'd have no issue with spending the extra coin on routine maintenance, but I can see where many people would....
People being cheap, that's one concern I have (esp. re modern dzl emission systems) buying one used..... many diesels have
very specific oil requirements.
Might have been the Benz 3.0L dzl,,, IIRC, they tended to spin the cam gear at higher mileage, but that's not really a complexity issue, just marginal mechanical design.....
Complexity..... look at cylinder de-activation in gas truck engines..... GM had plenty of issues (modern day), Ford stayed out of that game altogether, and Dodge seemed to nail it out-of-the-gate.... tech is great, when it works/stays working/creates no downstream collateral issues......
With you on the Tbelt.... that's one thing I struggled with rationalizing a VW TDI...... a 600k+ km engine, that grew to have seriously expensive Tbelt changes....... starts to cut into the long-life/fuel saving cost advantage.....
Rgds, D.
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