[TnTAZ]

Hey Gang,

New to the forum so if this isn’t in the right spot, please direct me.

Not yet a RAM owner but looking to pick up a 2015-2017 1500 Eco. Just retired and planning to do some traveling with a light (less than 7000lb)trailer. This will also be my daily driver so I’d prefer to stick to the 1/2 ton 1500 rather than a 2500.

Just curious about anyone’s experience with the Eco, particularly anyone who’s approaching or has exceeded 150-200K. Will this have the same or similar life span as the Cummings if well maintained?

Appreciate any insight you all can provide!

 

[NevadaMike]

You might look into the towing capacity of the 1500 with the eco. It’s heavier then the gasser so it has a lower payload and towing capacity then a similarly equipped gasser as well.

 

[cnp]

Hard to say - relatively low volume sales with the Eco Diesel, and they stopped production last year for one year given some issues (at least best guesses online for whatever that is worth). A few things to also investigate - look at your payload capacity for models you are considering, not just towing capacity, and make sure your trailer loaded won't exceed. As mentioned, the diesel is heavier than the hemi.
Also look at your annual mileage and compare gas vs diesel - the price difference, even used, may buy years of gas before you catch up.
Additional issues - diesel has higher maintenance costs, requires DEF fill ups, and has much more emissions related items that sometimes can prove to be the Achille's heel for maintenance. Also, disels do best longer distances, not as well short drives (but many do this fine). More DEF used for short drives as I understand it. If you tow only on occasion, need this as a daily driver, and your distances are relatively short, the equation may favor the hemi. Best wishes... .

 

[RaceHillFarms]

There are many people who have owned ecodiesels and never had any problems with them, on the internet you will find the people who did have a problem and if you listen to them you will believe every ecodiesel ever made will suffer their problem.

This is with any make by the way as none are immune from this internet fear mongering.

From my understanding the build/sell rate for ecodiesels has been 20% of total production, meaning 1/5 of the production has been ecodiesels.

I just purchased a left over 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Laramie ecodiesel and the first thing I did was ordered the Green Diesel Engineering EPA approved Hot Tune with the regen message option and exhaust brake option and Transmission Tune, I currently have just a few miles under 4,000 on it and it has been fine so far, fuel mileage is averaging 27.2 MPG overall right now. I traded in a 2016 Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi so I have doubled my fuel mileage. I am also using Redline 15w-40 Group V synthetic diesel oil in the engine. I changed the oil at 1,800 miles to help wash out the break-in wear metals. I will follow the 10,000 miles oil change interval from this point forward so this first run on the Redline oil will be 8,200 miles then will be 10,000 miles thereafter.

 

[TnTAZ]

Appreciate the input so far. I’ve looked pretty extensively at the towing capacity and feel that if I can get the higher rated ED (w/the 3.92 ratio), I’ll get 8600lbs. That should give me a buffer as I don’t plan to tow a trailer over 7-7500lbs when loaded.

My only aversion to a gasser is that I’m looking at vehicles between 50k and 90k miles on them now. IF the ED has similar life expectancy to other diesels, it should have an effective life to and past 200K. I’m not confident a gasser will provide that type of life.

And right now, it appears EDs with similar miles and similar age appear to be no more expensive to acquire. In fact, they seem a bit cheaper.

So opening the question up, do any of you have Hemis that have been performing near the 200K range?

 

[pacofortacos]

The ecoD is no cummins and will not last like a cummins. It is a Italian made fiat engine.
Personally, I would only get a new ecoD, there have been several upgrades. BUT I am no expert on them.
There is an ecoD forum out there.

 

[HEMIMANN]

In addition to lower load capacity with EcoDiesel, the squatting of the 1500 is why I went to 2500 with my 7,000+ lb trailer. You could add the air springs to the 1500, but you're stuck with the same load limit and the air bags don't have a dryer, I hear, leading to moisture freeze up and failure in winter environs. Just not a good design IMO.

 

[Floyd1979]

I had a 2015 Ecodiesel Longhorn Rambox Crewcab 4wd Air Suspension
Ordered the truck . Every time we pulled our TT we got a service engine light 💡.
4 years only 48,000
Did the V08 recall, bad turbo lag .
Did the settlement, took the money traded it on 2019-2500 Megacab Rambox Longhorn 4wd Cummins

if you get a good one fell blessed
If you get a BAD ONE ITS BAD!!!

 

[Whammo]

RAM 1500 Diesel Forum Welcome and here’s the link to the land of EcoDiesels. I’ve got a 2026 since new w/59889 miles on it. It’s been a great truck, no issues I can tow what I need to without a problem and get decent fuel economy. Hugely comfortable and, again for me it’s been solid worker & player! Good luck & Enjoy!

 

[Floyd1979]

RAM 1500 Diesel Forum Welcome and here’s the link to the land of EcoDiesels. I’ve got a 2026 since new w/59889 miles on it. It’s been a great truck, no issues I can tow what I need to without a problem and get decent fuel economy. Hugely comfortable and, again for me it’s been solid worker & player! Good luck & Enjoy!

My truck that I specifically ordered was
59,900 MSRP
To have the trouble I had was very disappointing

 

[Millhouse32]

Hey Gang,

New to the forum so if this isn’t in the right spot, please direct me.

Not yet a RAM owner but looking to pick up a 2015-2017 1500 Eco. Just retired and planning to do some traveling with a light (less than 7000lb)trailer. This will also be my daily driver so I’d prefer to stick to the 1/2 ton 1500 rather than a 2500.

Just curious about anyone’s experience with the Eco, particularly anyone who’s approaching or has exceeded 150-200K. Will this have the same or similar life span as the Cummings if well maintained?

Appreciate any insight you all can provide!

I had a used 2016 ED with 40k on it.
Kept overheating. Constant low coolant levels. Lots of shop time at dealer. Finally dealer notified FCA of problem. They ended up declaring the truck unsafe to drive due to the amount of soot in engine.
These trucks have major issues (egr cooler, No acceleration from a dead stop, manifold filling with soot causing engine fires). Look up the FCA settlement related to ED’s.
Luckily I had dealership that let me swap trucks.

 

[Floyd1979]

I had a used 2016 ED with 40k on it.
Kept overheating. Constant low coolant levels. Lots of shop time at dealer. Finally dealer notified FCA of problem. They ended up declaring the truck unsafe to drive due to the amount of soot in engine.
These trucks have major issues (egr cooler, No acceleration from a dead stop, manifold filling with soot causing engine fires). Look up the FCA settlement related to ED’s.
Luckily I had dealership that let me swap trucks.

You my friend were very lucky 🍀

 

[Calson]

Diesel fuel is incredibly dirty, though USA diesel is considerably cleaner than what is used in Europe. The diesel fuel filters supposedly filter out particles larger than 4 microns, which they do not, and even at 98.7% filtration a gallon of diesel fuel will send more than 240,000 particles at high speed into the fuel injector solenoids. It is the fuel injector solenoids that are the primary expense with diesel engines.

At least with a smaller engine and fewer injectors the repair cost will be less. With a V-8 diesel the replacement cost is around $5,000 and the injectors may last for 200,000 miles or they may go at 80,000 miles, as a lot depends on how much fuel is actually burned and not the miles driven.

With an older truck I would factor in the cost to replace the injectors and turbo and the cost to replace emissions control parts as well as the cost for replacing the water pump and suspension components (tie-rods, etc). There is more to fail on diesel engines and repairs are more expensive than for a gas engine powered vehicle.

Definitely a good idea to get an extended warranty policy for the truck.

 

[BWM]

Hard to say - relatively low volume sales with the Eco Diesel, and they stopped production last year for one year given some issues (at least best guesses online for whatever that is worth). A few things to also investigate - look at your payload capacity for models you are considering, not just towing capacity, and make sure your trailer loaded won't exceed. As mentioned, the diesel is heavier than the hemi.
Also look at your annual mileage and compare gas vs diesel - the price difference, even used, may buy years of gas before you catch up.
Additional issues - diesel has higher maintenance costs, requires DEF fill ups, and has much more emissions related items that sometimes can prove to be the Achille's heel for maintenance. Also, disels do best longer distances, not as well short drives (but many do this fine). More DEF used for short drives as I understand it. If you tow only on occasion, need this as a daily driver, and your distances are relatively short, the equation may favor the hemi. Best wishes... .

My son and me have them over 120.000 hes is a 2014 my 2015 watch your front end when they get that meany miles I get around 26 over all some town driving will knock it down HY driving 65 it will bring it back up use 5w40 oil shell Rotella change filter oil every time at 6000 air every other time and fuel filter every 3 oil change we use we have the linted limited edition they have air ride