my expirience has been the other way around no real problems like that, windows and all that electrical stuff has worked fine . its the foriegn stuff that seams to have either too sophisticated setups that cause problems or the extensive use of either cheaper components or cheaper plastic composits that tend to go or not work anymore due to these things. all of the electrical things on my truck have worked flawless.

 

The new "clean diesel" low sulphur requirement is 15 PPM. It's been that way in California for a number of years and next year the requirement will be for the remainder of the U.S. Last Monday I talked to an engineer at the Sinclair refinery (UT or WY's I don't remember which) and they are having to invest about $250M per refinery to meet the new standards. Of course that will be passed on to the consumer and right now diesel is 20-30 cents higher than gas - someone explain that to me please since diesel comes off the cracking tower earlier than gasoline and should be cheaper.

The problem with smaller vehicles w/diesels is meeting the NOX requirement. Mercedes (and Ford's new light weight diesel in the works) is doing this by injecting Urea (my mind is running over with jokes about that) but the EPA has not approved a method of ensuring the engine's source of Urea is maintained since it needs to be replenished. I suppose one could just pee in the container...dam, there I go with the jokes...

I haven't seen anything about the performance of the Liberty with the diesel. Probably good off road and urban environment, but I wonder how it will be on the highway. Jeep had to do something. I think they missed the market. Evidence is Jeep is replacing Liberty in the next year or two according to Autoweek. Too heavy at slightly over 4000 pounds and the 3.7L gas model MPG is not very good in day in day out driving.

BTW..walking back from church today noted local full service hi-test was $3.25/gal. Regular self-serve $2.35. There are 144 blends of gas across the U.S. at any one time (x2 for winter and summer blends). If the government wants to become involved - pick a standard for the entire country. Would drop the price at least .50 cents overnight.

 

What exactly does this "Urea" do, is it to lower the N0X in the exhaust? You're right, there should only be 1 grade of fuel, and all carmakers should build engines to run on it. I can see different formulas for diesel, as winter and summer has an adverse affect on its' water content. Diesel will never take off unless it's cheap enough to justify the cost of buying one. The extra few thousand dollars that you need to get a diesel would put an awful lot of fuel in a gas motor.
I really don't think they should make gas motors over 6.0 liters. After that, you're obviously using it to work, and you're now into diesel areas. My buddy has the 8.1 Vortec,/ Allison combo. Beautiful truck, that sits in the driveway as it gets 6 mpg. Gets in his Jetta diesel to go to work.

 

Bluethumb, I don't know exactly the method by which Urea works. Under specific conditions (load, throttle position, etc) it is injected/mixed with the fuel immediately prior or after combustion. Mercedes has proposed a container that would need replacing at oil changes and there are other proposals as well. I suppose the EPA wants to make it fool proof and is concerned people will just bag it when the time comes. And yes, it is to reduce the NOX emissions. Someone out there more knowledgeable than I can weight in here...

As for the various gas blends...all gas engines run on them presently. It's local and state requirement driving the blend. For example, gas sold in Chicago cannot be not be sold in St Louis. It's that way all over the U.S. And in cold climates (particularly in your neck of the woods) winter and summer gas has a different vaporization point for better starting. Winter fuel would be more inclined to vapor lock if used in the summer because it vaporizes more readily, and conversely, summer fuel could make an engine more difficult to start in the winter. Fuel injection systems of today are much better than carbs and mechanical fuel pumps of old, but there is a winter-summer difference in fuel between the northern and southern tiers of the U.S.

My take is to pick one blend (the most restrictive - California for example) and use it for all of North America. That may not be possible, I'm not a chemist, but anything would seem to be better than the existing system. It seems every time the government gets involved they only complicate the problem and it ends up costing me money.

 

I switched to a Dodge truck because gm wouldn't fix my brakes on my new Monte Carlo.

 

I have had 3 Silverado 1500's and i havn't had any problems so far i am knocking on wood. I really like the way they drive and i think the milage is outstanding. I think you got a lemon.

 

Sorry to hear about your bad luck with your GM. I agree that all the major manufacturers have lemons that roll off the line. Call it bad luck or what ever, it happens. I have had a 81 chevy that was a reliable truck but looked horible, a 2000 ram that needed the frontend replaced at 20k, a Toyota that was making me broke with repairs, and now I have a 98 GMC K1500 EC. I bought it with 90k on it from first owner and have had great luck with it doing my first repair at 111K by replacing the alternator. I have hauled 22' boats, three ATV's, building supplies, landscaping blocks and just about everything els under the sun and have nothing but good things to say about it. I was to the point where my next truck was going to be another GMC but with the replys on this thread I will have to rethink that whent he time comes if I am fortunate enough to be able to be a newer truck in the future. Keep your head up and keep riding.

 

GM DID quit making trucks after '98 (good trucks anyway). Chevys and GMC's are the same other than the badging, so if one's got problems, so does the other. The last GM I had was a '98 Tahoe I purchased new. Very good truck other than the ABS system. Won't buy any GM truck built since. That's big coming from a guy who's had 30-some GM trucks over the years. Never owned a Ford, never will, watched my friends and family have too many problems. Dodge is the way to go IMO. They have the best diesel for the main reason. I now have my third Cummins powered Dodge and love 'em all, especially the current one. One thing's for sure - you won't see any Japanese wanna-be trucks in my driveway. OK, I'm off the box....[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I bought a 2004 chevy silverado 2500HD 4x4, short bed 6.0L, 4:1:0, had lots of silmiliar problems. got 32500 mi in one year had it in the shop 13 times, the front diff has problems becuase it does not have factory synthetic fluid and mine froze while in 4wd overnight. stripped gears and siezed right front axle, GM said no repair becuase it was a fluid problem. I yelled and they replaced it, under warranty, now the tranny has the clunk, search - find - grind routine with anything over 500 lbs in the bed. GM is most uncooperative. Filed lemon law with BBB in Missouri, and contacted lawfirm, saposed to hear from GM tommrow and then get rid of it. The rear leaf springs like to twist, the rear diff growls, the locking diff engages for fun, the driveline bangs, the plastic trim flaps, the gas gauge goes down way too fast and it was mucho $ to buy. Any thoughts on the 8.1/Allison/3:7:3 let me know.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

Wow, after all that, I can't believe you'd still consider a GM.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]