Silverado 2500HD gas vs. diesel?

[lancerplayer]

What is the better choice for the 2021 Silverado 2500 HD? 6.6L gas or 6.6L diesel

I have the 6.0L gas engine now in a 2014 Silverado 2500 HD, but looking for extra power and an overall heavy duty machine. Does the gas 6.6L deliver a noticeable difference from the gas 6.0L?

Driving scenarios include:
- daily driver
- towing trailers up to 10,000 - 15,000 lbs
- snow plowing on private parking lot
- hot/humid summers and cold/snowy winters (Northern Ohio weather)

 

[JohnnyG]

My buddy just bought one, and he went with the diesel. I'm going to trust his judgement implicitly on this one because he researches EVERY DETAIL!
It also depends on how you are going to use the truck. If it's going to be a "Cowboy Cadillac", you would probably prefer the gas engine. But for towing and hauling the diesel is the workhorse.
He also said "Once you've been bitten by that diesel torque bug, there's no going back"

 

[wpod]

An engine with a turbo has lots of power, diesel engines with out turbos are pigs. The emission controls on diesel engines can be quite expensive, that is what prevented me from getting another diesel when my wife replaced her 7.3 Powerstroke F250 with a Gas F350. She is happy with the power but I doubt she will tow more than 12,000 lbs. You need to take some test drives as you will be spending lots of $$$ which ever choice you make.

 

[RooflessVW]

Towing? Diesel.

Pimpin? Gas!

 

[JohnnyG]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the urea blue juice and the regen, if it does that. Fuel economy is NOT a factor.

 

[2EHA]

people who tow for a living generally avoid gm trucks because no solid front end and max tow ratings, in hot shot you’ll see 20 cummins and 10 fords for every duramax operator. the owner operators i’ve met that drove GMs, liked them, but fleet owners don’t.

obviously you’re probably not sleeping in your truck and on the road 24/7 so I’d say go for the diesel unless you’re planning to keep it for decades. post warranty experience with any diesel truck can get expensive

 

[SEBZX79]

I have a small hotshot company with a 2019 ram and 21 duramax. The duramax has has check engine issues since about 7k miles currently 40k. A lot of transmission codes and injector 4 and 7 codes. Seems to clear it self up every few weeks.
2019 ram lost the cp4 pump at 14k miles. But since cp4 replacement has been solid with 0 issues. The 10 speed is a great but I am worried about the reliability long term. Ram has the aisin trans and they are industrial feeling but bullet proof.

 

[Nick1994]

I'd never own a modern diesel. First, they have too much that breaks on them. Second, their purchase price is usually ridiculously higher.

 

[ls1mike]

I have been towing with 2 different 6.0s for 12 years an 02 and a 2017. They are bullet proof and if you are under 10000lbs they are great. I drove a new 6.6 it wasn't enough of a difference for me to make the leap. Still the 6 speed with 3.73s vs 4.10s with the 6.0. If you are regularly towing 15000 lbs get diesel.

 

[bullwinkle]

Duramax will out tow gas, but if I was going to pull a 10K+ trailer regularly, I would go at least 3500, maybe even consider a dually, that’s a lot of weight for a 2500. Fuel prices seem to be roughly equivalent now, but remember a DPF is going to be an expensive failure if WHEN it happens! The Express in my sig (6.0, 3.73s, 6L80E) COULD theoretically pull a 10K trailer, but it would be challenging, and I wouldn’t get more than 7 MPG pulling it, a Duramax could probably get 12. Don’t forget, make sure you get a full float 4.10 or higher rear axle in whatever you buy if you‘re going to work it hard.

 

[AZjeff]

Your 6.0 is 360 HP and 384 lb/ft torque @ 4200. The 6.6 is 401 HP and 464 lb/ft torque @ 4000. 20% more torque.

Can you even find one to buy in Cleveland?

 

[4WD]

My buddy just bought one, and he went with the diesel. I'm going to trust his judgement implicitly on this one because he researches EVERY DETAIL!
He also said "Once you've been bitten by that diesel torque bug, there's no going back"

Yeah, one of our engineers went from towing w/ a Ram 2500 6.4L to a GMC 2500 DMax.
Never going back …

 

[dareo]

It comes down to how often and how heavy you tow and the budget you want to spend. The 6.6 gas should be a nice upgrade but the diesel is the king.

 

[CheezWhiz]

i love my 6.0 2500hd but if i was in the market for an HD truck today I would look hard for a 7.3 ford gasser.

 

[Dinoburner]

It would seem that a supercharger on a 6.0 or 6.2 at no more than twice atmospheric would be a consideration. Less money than the difference between gas and diesel with similar torque.

 

[avacado11]

If you tow 10-12k a lot the diesel won’t be missed. But a few times a year I think the gas will suffice. Will be easier on the front end for plowing, easier starts in the winter. Less maintenance. Lower upfront purchase cost.

Have a couple 6.0 2500/3500 trucks and while it pulls easier than the tundra 5.7 a diesel would be nice to have.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Depends on how much towing and how far and also, flat land towing or mountain towing.

Firstly, I’d use 10,000 lbs as the comfortable cut off if you are towing a lot. If it’s just a few excursions during the summer it’s fine with the 6.6 gas. If you are mountain towing with 10,000 lbs and up, get the diesel. If you are towing for 8 hours straight with 10,000 lbs, get the diesel. The thing about the old 6.0 gas and the new 6.6 gas is that they are high rpm engines with their peak torque developed at over 3000 rpm. Revving at over 3000 rpm all day long is annoying. Also, if you have a macho man issue and hate being passed on a mountain slope, get the diesel. Come on, be honest with yourself. On the other hand, I found my 383 lb ft of torque from my 6.0 gas was just barely enough to flat tow 10,000 lbs in 5 th gear and would constantly shift down to 4 th at 60 mph when encountering a head wind or grade. That extra 20% from the 6.6 gas would be enough to keep that from happening making a long tow manageable, but still, you’ll get passed by the diesels.

 

[emmett442]

Both are capable.

Yes, the diesel is more expensive. However, eventually the gas truck will be worth nearly 0. Even a clapped out rotted out diesel will still fetch some dollars.

That's about the only quantifiable difference, in my eyes.

 

[AZjeff]

The thing about the old 6.0 gas and the new 6.6 gas is that they are high rpm engines with their peak torque developed at over 3000 rpm. Revving at over 3000 rpm all day long is annoying.

My BIL just had his new 10k lb 5th wheel out with his new Silverado 2500HD 6.6 for a test run up the Interstate and back. He said it ran 2200 on flat ground at 70 and dropped a gear and ran at 3000 up a decent hill again around 70. Sounds like the additional grunt of the 6.6 is worth it, I think he needs to back it off a bit.

Agree about revving all day at 3000 rpm. That's what my 18 Nissan Titan wants to do at 65 with the recently acquired 6000 lb travel trailer and I'm not putting up with it.

 

[dareo]

Both are capable.

Yes, the diesel is more expensive. However, eventually the gas truck will be worth nearly 0. Even a clapped out rotted out diesel will still fetch some dollars.

That's about the only quantifiable difference, in my eyes.

That has been the historical performance but today's diesels have far more complex everything. Maybe they get mechanically totalled at some point, like 300k miles 15 years old. The 6.6 gas can live a nice long easy to repair life. Who knows?