go diesel or nah?

[1RNGR]

I have a 2020 JTR. I like a diesel engine more than gas but reliability is critical for me as I often hunt / fish alone and can be 50 to100 miles from blacktop. How reliable is everyone finding the eco diesel in the JTRD? So far I'm hearing some mixed reviews. Is the 3.0 eco diesel bulletproof yet? I can get a fairly good deal on a 2022 JTRD. I don't need more HP, but more torque would be sweet.

 

[benatc1]

I think you’ll find mixed reviews here too, maybe more on the positive side as I know some members love their diesels and have had no issues, while some have had issues but still love it. I just ordered a new Rubi and was strongly considering the diesel but ultimately passed because issues that some have mentioned (nothing out there is perfect though) and the political climate towards diesel powered vehicles. But that’s just my 2 cents.

 

[HighwayTrout]

Diesel all the way

 

[kevman65]

Pro's: More torque, better fuel mileage, more reliable (with qualifiers)

Con's: More expensive up front, more expensive maintenance, SOME units seem doomed from the start. It is not consistent, but it seems some units have multiple mechanical issues from the start. Fuel is more expensive (shouldn't be, least refined fuel out there, goes through same process to lower sulfur as unleaded gas. Should be half the price of gas. But it's taxed out of this world and they have artificially inflated the price)

Personally, I won't have a "new" diesel. Too many nanny government controls and that seems to be where a LOT of issues start.
There is a bit of a reprieve coming on one of the nanny control programs. The Feds announced everyone went to the extreme on the depowering program, they announced a new set of guidelines that are to go into effect either in '23 or '24 which will improve things.
I walked away from diesels when they announced the ULS requirements for fuel. On older diesels the ULS caused the fuel pumps to not be lubricated properly and additives had to be used to prevent damage.

 

[WJCO]

 

[jorgelrod]

Con's: More expensive up front, more expensive maintenance, SOME units seem doomed from the start. It is not consistent, but it seems some units have multiple mechanical issues from the start. Fuel is more expensive (shouldn't be, least refined fuel out there, goes through same process to lower sulfur as unleaded gas. Should be half the price of gas. But it's taxed out of this world and they have artificially inflated the price)

This, looks like the Ecodiesel 3.0 has been plagued with a lot problems, not on only on the JT but on all platforms, RAM, etc

 

[HighwayTrout]

This, looks like the Ecodiesel 3.0 has been plagued with a lot problems, not on only on the JT but on all platforms, RAM, etc

What problems?

 

[benatc1]

Not that it really matters but is the diesel option going away? I thought I read that somewhere, could be a get it now or don’t kinda thing. Granted there will always be used ones out there.

 

[kevman65]

Not that it really matters but is the diesel option going away? I thought I read that somewhere, could be a get it now or don’t kinda thing. Granted there will always be used ones out there.

There is an end of life for the 3.0, but I haven't heard that diesel is dying at Jeep.

 

[OverlanderJK]

What problems?

This. I have heard of zero JT people with issues with diesels. Bunch of hearsay.

 

[kevman65]

This. I have heard of zero JT people with issues with diesels. Bunch of hearsay.

There are a handful that have had derating and overheating issues. The derating isn't really an issue, it's what it's designed to do under certain conditions and non-diesel people buying diesels think the sky is falling. It's what happens when people gloss over the negatives just to see the positives. They raise a stink and scream recall without knowing it's supposed to happen that way.

 

[OverlanderJK]

There are a handful that have had derating and overheating issues. The derating isn't really an issue, it's what it's designed to do under certain conditions and non-diesel people buying diesels think the sky is falling. It's what happens when people gloss over the negatives just to see the positives. They raise a stink and scream recall without knowing it's supposed to happen that way.

a handful. But people are scared to buy it? And the issue isn’t even really an issue? I’m confused as to why the diesel would be discouraged then.

 

[kevman65]

a handful. But people are scared to buy it? And the issue isn’t even really an issue? I’m confused as to why the diesel would be discouraged then.

You'd have to ask Chrysler/Jeep/Fiat/FCA/Stellantis, it is internal grumblings that are killing the 3.0. Some have ventured a guess to the "electrification" of the world, but Europe is still strong on small diesels.

I always figured they'd go with the Cummins 4 cylinder diesel, but whatever caused that divorce still boils strong.

 

[AZVAJKU]

We have a 2021 diesel Gladiator with 24k on the odometer and it’s had no issues. It has a ton of torque and will get up and go. It’s not as quick as our 392, however it does gets 23-25 mpg on 35’s. I took it to Moab and it crawled over everything it had the clearance to crawl over. My wife is still a bit upset about that.

We love it.

A few months back there was an update to the computer concerning the use of DEF. After this update DEF consumption has dropped a significant amount. I don’t have exact numbers but I burn way less.

I don’t own it for cost effectiveness, I own it for the torque.

 

[kevman65]

We have a 2021 diesel Gladiator with 24k on the odometer and it’s had no issues. It has a ton of torque and will get up and go. It’s not as quick as our 392, however it does gets 23-25 mpg on 35’s. I took it to Moab and it crawled over everything it had the clearance to crawl over. My wife is still a bit upset about that.

We love it.

A few months back there was an update to the computer concerning the use of DEF. After this update DEF consumption has dropped a significant amount. I don’t have exact numbers but I burn way less.

I don’t own it for cost effectiveness, I own it for the torque.

And some diesel JT's won't go through regen and shut down and are undriveable. Other diesel JT's see the DEF system as empty even when it's full, again becoming undriveable.

A "handful" is a general term for the amount of JT's out there that have a diesel is relatively small. For some reason the JT's are having issues that the JL isn't. The thinking is it's the "nanny control programming" has bugs, but it doesn't happen in a consistent fashion. The 3.0 SHOULD be an awesome platform in the JT, but they ARE having issues.

What I would like to hear about is someone that does a delete and a "jail break" on a 3.0 and see if all the issues go away.

 

[HighwayTrout]

But where are you hearing this? A thread similar to this on the internet? Any of your friends or family? I’m confused how people can say with authority that the 3.0 is problematic but have zero actual first hand experience.

 

[kevman65]

But where are you hearing this? A thread similar to this on the internet? Any of your friends or family? I’m confused how people can say with authority that the 3.0 is problematic but have zero actual first hand experience.

I have worked in all 4 Chrysler plants in the Kokomo, Indiana area. I have had general discussions with plant engineers in those plants. There are intercompany communications that discuss problems with various make, models, trim levels.

I don't put a lot of faith into what "I read on the internet". But as I said earlier, I have seen non-diesel owners who bought diesels scream the sky is falling when the systems do what they're supposed to do when specific conditions occur. Some of those problems are the ReGen not happening, ever, and the vehicle shuts down. The DEF system malfunctioning and shutting down because it "sees" the DEF is empty and yet the DEF tank is full.

These are the glitches that are happening with no rhyme or reason and they're trying to figure it out.

But neither here nor there, Stellantis doesn't like the 3.0 and so be it. FCA loved it.

 

[OverlanderJK]

You'd have to ask Chrysler/Jeep/Fiat/FCA/Stellantis, it is internal grumblings that are killing the 3.0. Some have ventured a guess to the "electrification" of the world, but Europe is still strong on small diesels.

I always figured they'd go with the Cummins 4 cylinder diesel, but whatever caused that divorce still boils strong.

Lol no I am asking people who say there are problems and then give mom problems. Hence my hearsay comment.

 

[kevman65]

Oh no, I agree. A LOT of complaints are from people who have NEVER owned a diesel before and don't know that things are different.
The biggest bitch I see is about the power derate when the engine temps hit a certain range. Well DUH, it's SUPPOSED to do that to protect the engine. "But none of my gassers have done that". Well no, things are different on a diesel.

My personal favorite, "Something is loose in the engine, it rattles all the time"

 

[benatc1]

Problems with the eco diesel are fairly well documented, some are older some are more recent does that mean everyone will have those problems? Absolutely not..is it a high probability, certainly no or else a recall would have occurred. Do all engines have possible problems, absolutely. Shit my 2021 ram just had to have an injector replaced. When I said one of the reason was the issues, I didn’t want to deal with def anyway let along the common problems and all the electronic controls that come with egr system , especially for the increased cost up front. The whole picture with the reported “issues” didn’t make sense to me personally. And while you can’t deny the power increase or fuel efficiency, most importantly the future is diesels in America, whether we like it or not, is changing.