Hot off the presses from today's edition of Autotech Daily:

CHRYSLER CONFIRMS CUMMINS LIGHT-DUTY DIESEL…
Chrysler Group says it will offer a Cummins diesel engine in Dodge Ram 1500 light-duty pickup trucks sometime after 2009. It hasn’t disclosed any details about the powerplant, other than to promise that vehicles equipped with it will meet ultra-stringent 2010 nationwide U.S. emission standards.
The company says it is still evaluating several alternatives on how to accomplish this, including the use of DaimlerChrysler AG’s ultra-clean Bluetec diesel technology being introduced now on Mercedes-Benz cars and soon in the heavy-duty versions of the Ram pickup. The current Ram 1500 offers three gasoline engines: a 3.7-liter V-6 and 4.7- and 5.7-liter V-8s.
Last summer, Cummins announced it was developing a new family of light-duty diesels for an unnamed automaker. Dodge led the list of likely candidates, but this wasn’t confirmed until now. In addition to light trucks, the clean diesel powerplant is expected to be used in some bus, marine and industrial applications.
Chrysler Group is launching a 3.0-liter V-6 common rail diesel in the U.S. this spring in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Developed by DCX, that engine produces 215 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. The U.S. federal fuel economy rating for the diesel-powered SUV is 20 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

 

I had heard rumors about this. I wonder whether it will be a V6 like the Jeeps, or an I6 like the current Rams. I'm assuming that it will be a smaller displacement than the 5.9 or 6.7 due to weight.

 

I would get this, I dont have a house to pull like lots of you guys on here and a 1500 would be perfect with a diesel.

 

Im interested as well. Doesn't seem like a lot of horsepower. I guess that is comparable to the V6 in the fords...Of course more torque. Can you imagine how many trucks will be sold to commercial companies? It will be a hit. Wonder what the price diff will be?

Z

 

I read an article a month or so ago about the new v-6 and v-8 diesels Cummins/Chrysler is working on for the 1500 and durango. The v-8 for the 1500 was making like 325 hp and 500 on the torque, the v-6 for the durango was around 250 and 425. The test mule 1500 with the new v-8 cummins ran qtr mile only .02 seconds seconds slower than the current 1500 (17.76 vs.17.78) with the Hemi. I think this article was in Diesel Power. I will try to find it to get all the specifics. They said these engines would be ready for the 2010 or possibly 2009 models. Average fuel economy in the Durango was 24 mpg city and hwy combined, the 1500 was 21 (much better than the Hemi's 12-14). I am trying to get my wife to hold out for a new Durango until the new diesel is available for them.

 

I hope they plan on beefn up the drivetrain, rearends, axles, ect

 

Me too. it would be great for the hi mileage driving I do. Personally though, I'm about to move back (notice I said "back" as in backwards) to a gas engine until the price of diesel settles down, and diesel engine technology advances more here in the US. The price difference between regular gas and diesel is sometime $.40 more per gallon, so there is no chance of me ever recouping the option price of the diesel engine. Whi knows, maybe in another 4 or 5 years, I'll switch back to an oil burner again.

 

But the increased mileage of the diesel balances out the operating costs with the gasser, and you'd go through 2 unleaded engines for every Cummins....

 

The engine family is a V-design, V8 5.6 Litre V6 4.2 Litre. They are projecting a 25 to 30 percent increase in fuel mileage over the Hemi engine. The 5.6 was making 300hp and around 500 ft.lbs of torque. These engines have undergone extensive testing by Cummins, DaimlerChrysler and the Federal Government.

 

Mileage-wise I'm getting 19-20 during the winter with the diesel, 21-22 in the summer, and the new cylinder deactivted GM gas engines are getting about the same. You have a very valid point about engine longevity and I considered this except I forgot to consider one point: I get sick of driving the same vehicle day in, day out after about 5 or 6 years!
Granted, if you keep your vehicle for 8-10 years....well then you have a valid arguement. As far as operating costs go....I just dropped $3000 into my Ram for a new injection pump and lift pump. I never spent close to that with my old 146,000 mile gasser. AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH THE SAME DARN PUMP!!! I'd have to say that in my case, my decision to go with a diesel engine some 132,000 miles ago was a mistake. I don't pull. I drive a lot of interstate long distances and a gas engine should....should be able to handle this.

 

The 6.7L in the 2500/3500. Here's the article...

Chrysler Group has the cleanest diesel pickups ready for the 2007 model year, the company announced at the 2007 Washington D.C. auto show - and the clean Ram diesel will wear the Bluetec badge when it goes on sale.

The new version of the Ram sports a 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine that meets the Environmental Protection Agency's 2010 rules for diesel emissions in trucks. It also meets California diesel rules, making it the first 2010-certified truck that can be sold in 50 states.

The Ram will also be the first Chrysler Group product to wear the Bluetec badge. Bluetec is the common name used by Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Volkswagen and Audi to denote clean diesel engines that meet tough new emissions standards. The companies do not share technology under the Bluetec banner, though.

The new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty will be priced from $33,650 including destination when it arrives in showrooms in March.



MikeyB

 

As much as I like my diesel, I'd have to think twice about another one. Right now diesel is $.60 more per gallon than unleaded regular. I have wanted a light duty diesel for years, but the lousy price of fuel is getting to me.

 

hopefully they design the body and front end to last the estimated life of the engine.

if it's a brand new V6 diesel, I'll bet there will be some major mechanical issues with it until they have time to correct them.

I think they would be better off to take the blueprints from the 5.9 and reduce the dimensions by say 30%.

instead of taking something that is proven, they try to start all over again with a new design. nothing but problems for the first few years. The few prototypes that they put 10,000 hours on the bench is no comparison to hundreds of thousands running in real everyday conditions.

 

the fuel mileage promises are pretty pathetic...i mean 20mpg city and 24mpg highway out of a 3.0 diesel in the jeep??....gimme a break.....i slmost get that out of a 7000lb truck...i expect nothign less that 30+ mpg on the highway to attract me to buy it...i expect more considering that gm offers 1/2 tons trucks equipped with the 4.8 V8 asser and that gets more than 20mpg on the highway

 

You would think that with a common-rail Diesel cylinder deactivation would be a piece of cake.

Then again, I don't think that a Diesel would actually get better mileage with cylinder deactivation.

I still can't figure out how new engines can be programmed to make 200 more horsepower but can't be tuned for 4 better MPG...