Simple Guide to RAM 1500 EcoDiesel Engines

Photo Source/Copyright: Stellantis

Four gasoline engines are now used in the half-ton range, and none of them use diesel, unlike the situation in the past. For almost ten years, the RAM 1500 EcoDiesel offered a turbodiesel option that gave half-ton trucks an advantage in both torque and towing capacity, and it acquired a following that’s still evident in used-vehicle listings today.

What the Turbodiesel V-6 Delivered

In the version that was finally completed, the engine generated 260 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque, this being transmitted via an eight-speed automatic transmission. When fully equipped, the RAM 1500 EcoDiesel was capable of towing up to 12,560 pounds, a figure which at that time was the highest available for any half-ton diesel truck. The torque was available at low engine revolutions per minute (RPM), which is mainly why the truck seemed more stable when carrying a heavy trailer than its horsepower figure indicates.

Fuel economy is estimated to be as high as 22 miles per gallon (MPG) in the city and 32 MPG on the highway when the configuration is two-wheel-drive. The efficiency model designed for this purpose achieved 33 MPG on the highway, and with the optional 33-gallon fuel tank, the range exceeded 1,000 miles.

• Engine: 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6
• Output: 260 horsepower, 480 pound-feet of torque
• Maximum towing: up to 12,560 pounds when properly equipped
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: up to 22 MPG city, 32 MPG highway

Why the Diesel Option Went Away

For the 2014 model year, the engine was introduced because no other light-duty full-size truck available in the United States had a diesel option at the time. Production stopped in January 2023 as part of a general shift toward electrified and turbocharged models. The statement presented this as a final order period rather than as a silent withdrawal, thereby giving this last type of truck a kind of farewell.

The new engine isn’t a diesel because the twin-turbo inline-six was intended to meet the same performance requirements on gasoline. However, nothing that gasoline offers equals the old truck’s range between refueling.

What Powers the Half-Ton Lineup Now

The range of engines now includes four models, beginning with the Pentastar V-6 fitted with eTorque, producing 305 horsepower and capable of towing up to 8,130 pounds. The HEMI V-8 with eTorque has recently been brought back, with a rating of 395 horsepower and 11,320 pounds of towing capacity. 

Above these are two versions of the Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six, rated at 420 and 540 horsepower, although the one with the higher towing capacity is the lower-powered of the two, reaching a maximum towing capacity of 11,610 pounds.

• Pentastar V-6 eTorque: 305 horsepower, up to 8,130 pounds towing
• HEMI V-8 eTorque: 395 horsepower, up to 11,320 pounds towing
• Hurricane Standard Output: 420 horsepower, up to 11,610 pounds towing
• Hurricane High Output: 540 horsepower, up to 10,000 pounds towing

How the Diesel Compares to What Replaced It

The vehicles currently available don’t match the towing capacity of the diesel-powered truck; the difference is about 950 pounds compared to the most powerful gasoline option, which becomes important if you’re loading close to the maximum capacity and is probably irrelevant when the load is under 10,000 pounds. 

Regarding torque, the situation is different: the new high-output six-cylinder engine exceeds the previous RAM 1500 EcoDiesel figure by approximately 40 pound-feet, and it does so without requiring diesel exhaust fluid.

What to Check on a Used One

The first three model years include an emissions modification that owners were offered free of charge following a federal settlement, and it’s important to ensure the update has been carried out before any purchase is made. Since these records are linked to the vehicle identification number, they can be retrieved by any dealer’s service department, such as Miami Lakes Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. The extended coverage included with the modification has now largely expired due to time elapsed, so a documented service history is more useful than the settlement documents. 

Other trucks avoid addressing that specific issue but do bring the typical diesel considerations, such as the need for exhaust fluid and a fuel filter replacement interval, something that owners of gasoline engines seldom give any thought to. The maintenance required by a well-kept RAM 1500 EcoDiesel is generally quite predictable, and this does a certain amount to reduce the unpleasantness of the extra complexity.

Schedule a Test Drive

A diesel half-ton truck handles differently from a gasoline-powered one, and this difference is noticeable when the vehicle is on an incline with a trailer behind it, rather than on a specification sheet. Why not arrange a test drive with us and take the route you actually drive?