Recommend a diesel truck forum

The wealth of high quality information in the TDIClub is the only way that I’ve kept my 2000 Jetta TDI on the road and in top running condition for 17 years. (Thanks Fred!)

In my limited experience searching forums of other car and truck brands, I’ve been discouraged by the poor quality of posts, contradictory information and bloviated declarations of “fact” based on little more than opinion and conjecture.

Now I’m planning to buy a new 3/4 ton diesel pickup truck for non-commercial hauling, towing and plowing, but I’m in a panic over where to find useful, factual forum information to support DIY repair and maintenance. I haven’t selected a truck brand or model yet, and a large part of my decision will depend on finding a forum that I can rely on. I've done some test searches on a few truck forums, and I'm horrified at what I've found.

HELP! If you have personal, positive experience in a quality forum that discusses the care and feeding of any brand of diesel pickup, please tell me about it.

cumminsforum.com is very good for trucks based on that bulletproof platform . . .

Powerstroke nation is another good resource. The members are generally well informed, helpful, positive, and mature. Unlike a forum like pirate 4x4 where there are helpful folks but also a lot of immaturity.

For Dodge I can recommend https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forum.php? lots of good knowledge and Geno's garage good source for common items.

Diesel Place for GM

For my Excursion diesel I used:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/
http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/

Al Kane said:

T

Now I’m planning to buy a new 3/4 ton diesel pickup truck for non-commercial hauling, towing and plowing, but I’m in a panic over where to find useful, factual forum information to support DIY repair and maintenance. I haven’t selected a truck brand or model yet, and a large part of my decision will depend on finding a forum that I can rely on. I've done some test searches on a few truck forums, and I'm horrified at what I've found.

Click to expand...

If buying new, I'd strongly suggest getting a gasser.

Far too much emissions crap on the newer diesels to make them:

1) achieve good fuel economy

2) not be a money pit

How many miles per year are you planning to drive the truck?

Thanks to all who posted their favorite diesel truck forums. Some of them are new to me.

Greenskeeper, I agree that complex diesel emissions equipment and mediocre fuel economy of diesel pickups makes gassers an attractive alternative. I don't expect to put more than 5000 miles per year on the new truck, so objectively diesel makes little sense.

However, the one advantage of diesel that I can't get from a gasser is long term fuel storage. I currently store sufficient diesel fuel to run my TDI locally for a year in the event of a fuel shortage. Or I could run my diesel generator for a couple of months in a long term blackout. Or, with a diesel pickup and my stored fuel, in the event of a regional evacuation I could drive anywhere in the USA with the basic necessities of life in a small trailer without waiting in fuel lines. You can't put a price on that much peace of mind. There's no way to store that much gasoline safely, nor to keep it fresh for years. That's why I'll stick with diesel.

I'll assume you have an above ground storage tank?

Gasoline or Diesel for a years worth of fuel needs some kind of additive so it's a push for either fuel.

If there is a fuel shortage for a full year, we've all got bigger problems than simply driving around town, good luck to all of us with that.

Regards to brand new trucks, gas or diesel, the fuel economy for diesel has all but disappeared so I would go with the cheaper purchase option if I had to buy new, but personally I'd go with an older, pre-emissions diesel and take the 20 mpg highway.

Yes, I'm using an above ground tank intended for #2 fuel oil but storing undyed pump diesel. I bought the tank new. The vent has an inline indicating dessicant canister that has been 100% effective at preventing moisture accumulation. If I have to get out of Dodge and take fuel with me, I have a number of empty 15 gallon drums that I could fill. They weigh a bit over 100 lbs each when full, so they are manageable.
My current batch of stored fuel is 7 years old, crystal clear, smells like brand new fuel and runs my TDI with no problems. No stabilizer, no antibacterial, no algicide. With due respect to opinions on diesel fuel storage, dry and dark is all the preservative I've ever needed, and I've been doing it this way since 1989. In the past, when the fuel got to be 10 years old, I'd transfer it to someone's home heating oil tank and buy fresh diesel. But I did save a quantity that's currently 17 years old in a sealed steel can. In another 3 years when it's time to refresh my 10 year old fuel, I'll see how the 20 year old stuff is holding up and then decide what to do.

Dang: 10 year old real diesel with low or few additives, high cetane / sulphur and no alcohol.

I'm jealous

If you want a decent forum look for one that keeps the performance mods away from the maintenance sections. IMho the performance modification people seem to be the immature bunch

When I had a Chevy diesel I used
www.thedieselpage.com
Nice folks on there and willing to help. They have literature from the forums that has been printed and bound available for small fee. I bought the Chevy books they had and they were great. I sold my truck though

The guys at dieselplace are very accommodating and helpful.

Both Cummins and Powerstroke forums should have plenty of knowledge to offer.

For GM, duramaxforum is also good.
http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/