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Old 06-16-2018, 08:23 AM   #1
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Seeking opinions on less-noisy diesels

Hey all, I'm needing to upgrade my TV. Would love a 3/4+ ton diesel but the wife won't have it...too smelly and too noisy! I've heard some of the newer ones have gotten less stinky and more and more "quiet"(?)

I'd love to hear some opinions/experiences from you all as to which types of diesel are relatively quiet and less smelly. For example, I've heard others talk about the Ford Powerstrokes after 2009. Apparently, they were a big improvement (?)

What does everyone think?

THANKS!
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Old 06-16-2018, 08:35 AM   #2
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The new ones are very quiet and no smell or smoke. You can barely hear my Duramax in the cab. Test drive any of the big 3, you and more importantly SHE will be pleasantly suprised.
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Old 06-16-2018, 08:41 AM   #3
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The new Powerstroke Diesel is pretty quiet. Guy in the neighborhood has one you can barely hear.

The RAM 1500 EcoDiesel is pretty quiet too. Not sure what you're trying to haul.


Need to tell the wife it's part of the Ambiance then get a fully deleted and studded 6.0 you'll wake the neighborhood! (Yes, I'm.kidding).
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Old 06-16-2018, 08:45 AM   #4
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13 and up Cummins made some big improvements to help with emissions control reliability. My stock Ram is probably the loudest of the bunch in the cab, but it doesn't bother me. They're all going to be louder than a gas engine outside the truck. Diesels rattle. It is what it is. And with my 17, unless you stick your nose into the exhaust pipe, you can't even tell it's a diesel from the odor.
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Old 06-16-2018, 08:48 AM   #5
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Anything model year 2007.5 and newer (with a DPF on the exhaust) will be less stinky, they’re all a bit quieter by then as well but the early DPF years don’t get the best fuel economy. I’d look at years 2011 and newer (DPF and DEF/SCR) to get better fuel economy and typically even quieter still.

A lot of the newer diesels are quieter when towing than their gas counterparts because they don’t have to wind the engines out at high RPM when accelerating and climbing hills.
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Old 06-16-2018, 08:59 AM   #6
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The only folks that protest about so called 'stinky and loud' diesel pickups are those that have never owned one. That is just an incorrect preconception.

True, the newer they are, the quieter they are. I don't believe there have been 'stinky' diesels in 15 years or more, unless you tune them that way.
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Old 06-16-2018, 09:03 AM   #7
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X2 what NMWilcat said my ram does not smoke or stink and very little noise.
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Old 06-16-2018, 09:04 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NMWildcat View Post
The only folks that protest about so called 'stinky and loud' diesel pickups are those that have never owned one. That is just an incorrect preconception.

True, the newer they are, the quieter they are. I don't believe there have been 'stinky' diesels in 15 years or more, unless you tune them that way.


DPFs have been required on any diesel built after Jan 1, 2007. So 11 years. Prior to that they weren’t really smoky but they still smelled (I like the smell).
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Old 06-16-2018, 09:13 AM   #9
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I agree with NMWildcat...I drive a ‘96 GMC Suburban 6.5L TD and I have never noticed a smell except sometimes when starting and I get the puff of smoke. Noise, well...it’s a bit loud, but it’s not ridiculous. That’s an old beast though. If it’s stock, it isn’t stinky and usually not too loud. Just my two cents. Obviously, the newer ones are much more quiet and have better emissions.
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Old 06-16-2018, 09:24 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselDrax View Post
DPFs have been required on any diesel built after Jan 1, 2007. So 11 years. Prior to that they weren’t really smoky but they still smelled (I like the smell).
I have one of those pre-dpf/def Duramax (classic 2007). It is my daily driver. If they smell more, it isn't much.

The smell I don't like is the smell coming out of newer gas engines when they first start up and especially when going up a hill. Now that is a distinct odor

Oh, and I get frequent offers from strangers to buy my Duramax for a little more than half of what it cost new 11 years ago. Value retention is apparently worth a little perceived smell and noise
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Old 06-16-2018, 09:30 AM   #11
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Thanks!

Great (and FAST) feedback! Looks like we will be shopping for something a little newer than the ones we looked at yesterday!

There is renewed hope in acquiring a diesel without losing the wife...and I kind of like having her around! LOL
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Old 06-16-2018, 09:32 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NMWildcat View Post
I have one of those pre-dpf/def Duramax (classic 2007). It is my daily driver. If they smell more, it isn't much.

The smell I don't like is the smell coming out of newer gas engines when they first start up and especially when going up a hill. Now that is a distinct odor

Oh, and I get frequent offers from strangers to buy my Duramax for a little more than half of what it cost new 11 years ago. Value retention is apparently worth a little perceived smell and noise


Oh yeah, those LBZs are quite popular. Reliable, good fuel economy, and no emissions. No wonder you get so many unsolicited offers.

My LB7 wasn’t too bad but there is a definite difference in odor with a DPF. When I tuned and deleted my 6.7 Cummins it didn’t smoke but the smell was obvious. I didn’t mind it.
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Old 06-16-2018, 09:56 AM   #13
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2014 F350 PowerStroke and it's very quiet. No smoke either.
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Old 06-16-2018, 12:40 PM   #14
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My neighbors wife have same issue with sound mainly. Let him take her for a drive in my Duramax and that did it. He traded his 08 Dodge for a 2014 Duramax. He loves it, she does even mention sound any more. Seems like the big three all have gotten into the noise reduction business,
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Old 06-16-2018, 12:41 PM   #15
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I have a 2015 RAM 3500 dually. No noise or smell. I haul an 8 ton 5th wheel. I doubt your rig is heaver than that.
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Old 06-16-2018, 12:50 PM   #16
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Stand beside a school bus, majority are diesel, not noises and don’t smell unless, if you sit idling for long periods of time ( there are laws against that )

I just bought a 2017 Ram 3500 diesel yesterday, very quiet and no smell at all
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Old 06-16-2018, 12:53 PM   #17
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2015 Duramax here. I was surprised at how quiet the cab is. Recently traveled with my BIL and my sister on a long trip. He pulls with a 2018 Ford gasser. We tooks turns on whose truck we went in on our trips to go sight seeing in our unhooked trucks and both cabs seemed about the same as far as interior noise.

As for exterior noise, though these newer diesel's are also definitely quieter than those older models, the exterior noise is still louder than the gassers. I usually cut the engine when I'm ordering at a fast food drive thru for instance.

Bottom line for me though is the towing power. I'm not sure if I'll ever need a 1 ton but I can tell you I'll never tow with less than a 3/4 ton. After 15 years towing smaller trailers with various SUV's and trucks, the 3/4 ton diesel difference seems like night and day better.
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Old 06-16-2018, 01:05 PM   #18
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Quiet Duramax

My 2018 Duramax is very quiet
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Old 06-16-2018, 01:11 PM   #19
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Go Ford Powerstroke. We love our 2012 which was upped to 400 hp. Believe the newer models are 435/440 hp. Quiet as a gas engine and no smoke
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Old 06-16-2018, 01:16 PM   #20
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Of all the diesels that drive by my site every day, the newer, stock Chevrolets are the most quiet. I Have no clue about the noise levels inside the cabs of the various brands, though.

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