I emailed Dodge to see if they were planning on offering a diesel 1/2 ton 1500
or Dakota next year or in the near future. Their response was negative which
was the same response I received after also emailing GM and Ford. Toyota
states on their web page that they have no plans to introduce diesel engines
in the U.S. any time soon. Nissan didn't respond but I wouldn't buy one of
their butt ugly trucks anyway. With the advent of low sulfur diesel this
fall in the U.S., along with the ever rising price of gas, it would seem now
would be the perfect time for the introduction of a 1/2 ton diesel. Dodge did
say the Dakota will be offered with a flex-fuel engine option for 2007. If
it's a V8 I guess that'll be my next truck.
Christopher Thompson - 13 May 2006 22:46 GMT
i still dont see why they wouldnt. the CRD in the liberty is awsome.

Signature
-Chris
05 CTD
06 Liberty CRD
> I emailed Dodge to see if they were planning on offering a diesel 1/2 ton 1500
> or Dakota next year or in the near future. Their response was negative which
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> say the Dakota will be offered with a flex-fuel engine option for 2007. If
> it's a V8 I guess that'll be my next truck.
clare at snyder.on.ca - 14 May 2006 03:26 GMT
>i still dont see why they wouldnt. the CRD in the liberty is awsome.
The diesel going into the new Caliber in Europe is a VW built TDI.
No reason that could not go into a light duty pickup.
Advocate - 13 May 2006 23:13 GMT
>I emailed Dodge to see if they were planning on offering a diesel 1/2 ton
>1500
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> say the Dakota will be offered with a flex-fuel engine option for 2007. If
> it's a V8 I guess that'll be my next truck.
All of the current diesels that American automakers put in their light duty
pickups would be too heavy for 1/2 ton and Dakota vehicles to handle.
Why are you stuck on 1/2 tons? Step up to a 3/4 ton pickup or Ford Excursion
if you desire an SUV.
Christopher Thompson - 13 May 2006 23:30 GMT
> >I emailed Dodge to see if they were planning on offering a diesel 1/2 ton
> >1500
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> Why are you stuck on 1/2 tons? Step up to a 3/4 ton pickup or Ford Excursion
> if you desire an SUV.
there again you forget the liberty. its using a small 1.6 litre 4cyl turbo
diesel putting out 160 hp & 295 ft lb of torque.

Signature
-Chris
05 CTD
06 Liberty CRD
Advocate - 14 May 2006 00:22 GMT
>> All of the current diesels that American automakers put in their light
> duty
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> there again you forget the liberty. its using a small 1.6 litre 4cyl turbo
> diesel putting out 160 hp & 295 ft lb of torque.
But the Liberty isn't a light duty pickup...Who makes the engine used in the
Jeep?
td - 14 May 2006 05:10 GMT
The Jeep Liberty diesel is made by VM Motori of Italy
(www.vmmotori.it). It is designated R 425 DOHC. A major reason you
will not see this in a RAM 1500 is because DC is scared it would be a
hit. A hit with those who would otherwise buy a 2500 Cummins powered
diesel, in which case they would loose money on the sale and also on
the maintenance. Remember 2500 and 3500 series trucks are cash cows
for auto makers. Until the stats show a diesel 1/2 ton would generate
enough new buyers or enough buyers from a different segment to replace
the loss of larger truck sales you will not see it.
Christopher Thompson - 14 May 2006 13:23 GMT
we arent suggesting replaceing the cummins with the 4 cyl. but instead
putting the 4cyl in the dakota/durango chassis

Signature
-Chris
05 CTD
06 Liberty CRD
> The Jeep Liberty diesel is made by VM Motori of Italy
> (www.vmmotori.it). It is designated R 425 DOHC. A major reason you
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> enough new buyers or enough buyers from a different segment to replace
> the loss of larger truck sales you will not see it.
David Reston - 14 May 2006 15:02 GMT
> we arent suggesting replaceing the cummins with the 4 cyl. but instead
> putting the 4cyl in the dakota/durango chassis
Cummins makes a prefectly good 4 cylinder engine -- the 4BT. It's
essentially the same engine as a 6AT in the 2500 but its got 2 less
cylinders.
Max Dodge - 14 May 2006 17:53 GMT
> Cummins makes a prefectly good 4 cylinder engine -- the 4BT. It's
> essentially the same engine as a 6AT in the 2500 but its got 2 less
> cylinders.
Correct. However, it weighs about 2/3 as much, or around 750lbs. Bit much
for a half ton or small pickup. It also has the same height dimension as the
6BT version, which means its too tall to fit under a smaller pickup's hood.
This is likely the reason why the 4BT wasn't used for the Liberty.

Signature
Max
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
>> we arent suggesting replaceing the cummins with the 4 cyl. but instead
>> putting the 4cyl in the dakota/durango chassis
>
> Cummins makes a prefectly good 4 cylinder engine -- the 4BT. It's
> essentially the same engine as a 6AT in the 2500 but its got 2 less
> cylinders.
Max Dodge - 14 May 2006 17:46 GMT
> we arent suggesting replaceing the cummins with the 4 cyl. but instead
> putting the 4cyl in the dakota/durango chassis
Actually, the thread opened with the question of a diesel in a half ton
pickup truck. It did not specify what pickup, Ram or Dakota, was to have
this. Thus the confusion.

Signature
Max
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
> we arent suggesting replaceing the cummins with the 4 cyl. but instead
> putting the 4cyl in the dakota/durango chassis
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>> enough new buyers or enough buyers from a different segment to replace
>> the loss of larger truck sales you will not see it.
Christopher Thompson - 14 May 2006 13:18 GMT
yes i know the liberty isnt a p/u but that wasnt my point. the point was i
believe that would be an ideal engine for that platform.
and as i understand it the CRD is made by an italian based company (cant
remember the name of it now)

Signature
-Chris
05 CTD
06 Liberty CRD
> >> All of the current diesels that American automakers put in their light
> > duty
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> But the Liberty isn't a light duty pickup...Who makes the engine used in the
> Jeep?
GeekBoy - 14 May 2006 18:29 GMT
Actually there was a Liberty pickup... The Eliminator. A Liberty with the
back turned into a bed and front a cab.
> yes i know the liberty isnt a p/u but that wasnt my point. the point was i
> believe that would be an ideal engine for that platform.
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> the
>> Jeep?
craig@metronet.com - 14 May 2006 15:47 GMT
>there again you forget the liberty. its using a small 1.6 litre 4cyl turbo
>diesel putting out 160 hp & 295 ft lb of torque.
My girl is going to buy a Liberty. We test drove it the other day in
it was a 2.8 liter turbo. Are you sure you have a 1.6?
Craig C.
Christopher Thompson - 14 May 2006 19:47 GMT
im sorry i was reverting back to other engines in my mind. i wrote that
after a 13 hour night shift in the factory. i was more than just a little
fried. forgive my error on the displacement of the engine.

Signature
-Chris
05 CTD
06 Liberty CRD
> >there again you forget the liberty. its using a small 1.6 litre 4cyl turbo
> >diesel putting out 160 hp & 295 ft lb of torque.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Craig C.
craig@metronet.com - 15 May 2006 15:07 GMT
>im sorry i was reverting back to other engines in my mind. i wrote that
>after a 13 hour night shift in the factory. i was more than just a little
>fried. forgive my error on the displacement of the engine.
No apology necessary ... I was thinking that perhaps DC offered two
different CRD's. I would still want the bigger of the two, mind you.
:-)
I was quite impressed with the CRD Liberty. Very much worth the $$$.
Craig C.
Christopher Thompson - 15 May 2006 15:52 GMT
naturally i would agree *grin*
we love it. thing is stout and Tara is reporting 25 mpg to and from work
looking forward to first trip to the lake with it (and the boat of course)
and the first long road trip to KY to see the inlaws in it. im looking
forward to impressive performance and mpg out of it. if the round town
numbers are any indication naturally.

Signature
-Chris
05 CTD
06 Liberty CRD
> >im sorry i was reverting back to other engines in my mind. i wrote that
> >after a 13 hour night shift in the factory. i was more than just a little
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Craig C.
Electrician - 14 May 2006 00:01 GMT
>All of the current diesels that American automakers put in their light duty
>pickups would be too heavy for 1/2 ton and Dakota vehicles to handle.
How can a Jeep Liberty handle the weight of a diesel engine if a 1/2 ton
can't?
>Why are you stuck on 1/2 tons? Step up to a 3/4 ton pickup or Ford Excursion
>if you desire an SUV.
I have limited space in my garage and a Dakota fits in it quite nicely. The
Dakota has all the advantages of a full size truck without the size. A diesel
would make it a real stump puller.
SnoMan - 14 May 2006 01:10 GMT
>I emailed Dodge to see if they were planning on offering a diesel 1/2 ton 1500
>or Dakota next year or in the near future. Their response was negative which
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>say the Dakota will be offered with a flex-fuel engine option for 2007. If
>it's a V8 I guess that'll be my next truck.
There is a very big reason for this. Diesel are very bad NOx emission
generators (about as bad as 7 to 10 like gas trucks) and they have
gotten by for years because there was no serious regs to limit it.
Well, that changes in 2008 big time and detriot is struggling to meet
it with current models and it only gets tighter in coming years which
makes them a lot less atractive to auto manufactures for compliance.
2007 diesel emissons are nothing compared to NOx limits that start in
2008 and get even tighter after that. I look for diesel to lose favor
in the next 5 to 7 years in detriot because of this because they will
cost more to make, warrant for emissions and that together with cheap
diesel fuel being gone for good all adds up to a less than bright
future for them in SUV's. Starting in 08 they will have full fludge
CAT's on them too, not just the current thermal reactors for
particulates that are called CAT's by some.
-----------------
The SnoMan
www.thesnoman.com