anyone with diesel vans?

I'm in the market for a diesel van to replace my gas truck. The only vans i've owned have been old-school gas vans and they were nightmares to work on, but I imagine that newer ones might be even worse.

About the only vans out there to consider are Chevys with 6.2s, 6.5s, or Dmax, and Fords with 7.3 IDI, 7.3 'stroke, and 6.0 stroke. I'm leaning away from the 6.2 chevy and the 6.0 stroke; the chevy for power reasons and the Ford for potential reliability issues.

Any of you guys have one of these? any horror stories about a 6 hour fuel filter change? an 8 hour fuel pump replacement?

No data, but watching this thread with interest. A foray into diesel with a '91 F250 has been a fiasco (long story, old tanks, biodiesel, many fuel filters...). Also moving from that to a van, and don't want to give up on diesel, but strongly tempted to return to more familiar ground.

Working on vans always seems to suck, but 2/3 of what I want to use it for is better served by a van than a pickup.

Nothing to add - just noticed the thread above this one was about fast and furious - at first I read this as any Vin Diesel Fans and curious if the guy indeed has any. Carry on.

ransom wrote: No data, but watching this thread with interest. A foray into diesel with a '91 F250 has been a fiasco (long story, old tanks, biodiesel, many fuel filters...). Also moving from that to a van, and don't *want* to give up on diesel, but strongly tempted to return to more familiar ground. Working on vans always seems to suck, but 2/3 of what I want to use it for is better served by a van than a pickup.

I'm with ya. Stick with diesel. I've personally owned a 12v cummins, two duramaxes, one 6.5, one 6.2, a Mercedes diesel, and a 7.3 powerstroke. They all have their ups and downs.

But, I also worked as a fleet maintenance manager for a utility company. They had a wide array of gas and diesel from all three truck makers, and hands down the diesels represented much more money in our pockets over their lifespan. Even accounting for the more frequent maintenance and greater expense of parts, on average they were something like 20% less expensive to own. The major factors were fuel cost, reliability, and the big one: resale value. You can sell a beat F250 diesel with 300k on it for about as much as a nice gas F150 with $150k on it. If you can come up with the capitol to buy in, the diesel will almost always pay off big time.

You do have to watch out for other related items. A cummins of the same rated power as a Dmax or Stroke makes larger pulses every 120 degrees of crank rotation. The V8s make slightly smaller pulses ever 90 degrees. For this reason, Cummins tend to destroy transmissions much faster, and with much greater damage. Manuals are a little better, and typically cheaper to replace, but a good beefy reman on a 47RE or 48RE automatic is going to cost big time. Ford's 4R100 is a little weaker, but typically a good bit cheaper to repair. Allisons are bulletproof up to about 450 hp/700 tq, but much more expensive to repair.

For this reason I'm leaning towards a 6.5TD/4L80E. No wonderful power, but great MPG and a "cheap" tranny. There were some early Dmax vans that got the 4L80E, but they were de-tuned to 235 hp for obvious reasons.

I looked under the hood of a ford and bought a gas van. No room.

That and I don't drive it enough to justify the cost.

My work vans we run V6s in. Good fuel mileage and cheap.

cut and paste this whole line (site part too) into Google:

"diesel van" site:advrider.com

the inmates over there always be talkin about diesel vans

Found a guy trying to sell a 95 chevy van, non-turbo 6.5, with 165k on it for $4500. I told him it blue-books for $1540. He hung up on me.

Nothing to add except hope you like cargo vans, that seems to be 99% of the diesel vans out there.

There's a kid that karts with my son and his parents own a full size Duramax conversion van which has to be the coolest haul/travel/tow vehicle I've ever seen.

-Rob

rob_lewis wrote: Nothing to add except hope you like cargo vans, that seems to be 99% of the diesel vans out there.

Its exactly what I want. I currently have an F150 with a utility cap and I like the security of it, but I need a little more space for camping in the back. My truck has 8-9 feet of hood and cab with only 6.5' of bed. Nice thing about a cargo van is that it has 4 feet of hood and cab with 12 ft of lockable, easy to access bed space.

Vans pack a lot more usable space into the same length of vehicle.

Add in a futon, some shag carpet on the walls, and a disco ball and I'll be one swingin' cat.

How about a Sprinter? Diesel,Check. Reliable,Check. Good mileage,Check. Amazing headroom on the high roof models,check. Mercedes kits available to make 'em look like a euro spec van,check. What is the downside?

Mazdax605 wrote: How about a Sprinter? Diesel,Check. Reliable,Check. Good mileage,Check. Amazing headroom on the high roof models,check. Mercedes kits available to make 'em look like a euro spec van,check. What is the downside?

I have an 05 sprinter as my company truck. I love it. I run it hard every day and it averages 20mpg, its just passed 100k miles and its only broken down twice, and managed to get home on its own power both times. Both repairs were minor. I would buy a 1st gen sprinter with my own money in a heart beat if I needed a diesel work van.

Mazdax605 wrote: How about a Sprinter? Diesel,Check. Reliable,Check. Good mileage,Check. Amazing headroom on the high roof models,check. Mercedes kits available to make 'em look like a euro spec van,check. What is the downside?

Have you seen what they COST???? They are so expensive that they are way off my radar. Great idea, but they cost about twice what they would if they were an E350.

I have a customer with a late 7.3 e350 conversion van. He even uses to tow a 36 ft travel trailer.

Under the hood sucks. under the dog house sucks. Of course, its a full size van with a full size motor, so working on it sucks.

But im totally with you on your plan. 6.5+4l80 is what id be looking at because of : buy in price, parts price, 4l80 simplicity, and its a known quantity after all this time.

Yuo left out the best van on the market today. SPRINTER. My good freinds been in a wheel chair close to 30 years now (diving acident). He's had all sorts of vans rv's and busses, All were E36 M3 when compaired to his Sprinter. 25.6mpg hauling him (240+) his chair another 200 and 4 others from mass to Fl for bike week. I used to hate to ride in his old van it made me sick unless i was driving the sprinter stays in the lanes and very little sway in the wind. He hauls a trailer with it too, Small 8x14.

One other nice thing is he didn't have to buy a fiberglass top! it's hi enough stock and the windsheild is HUGE he can see the tree line now.

44

As much as I like the Sprinter, they simply cost too much to justify as a private, part-time use vehicle. I've also heard of transmission issues.

Otherwise... I pity the poor sob who has to work on a diesel van. The only way I'd buy one is if I could buy it new (so I know the service history) and can pay somebody else to work on it. I'll never again buy a used diesel. I've made many automotive mistakes over the past few years... buying a used diesel was the biggest one.

Sprinter's are great, but cost is really high.

Although this might be closer to your price range.....

(The talk of diesel vans had me looking again)

http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/2314057090.html

-Rob

I bought a used ($1100) diesel station wagon back in the day. The engine lasted 90,000 mile before it broke the head bolts on the way home. The engine stopped and never ran again. This was the first generation GM 5.7L diesel. It was really economical while it lasted.

I would think any modern Diesel Van would last forever unless you were hauling heavy loads full time in the mountains. Maintenance is very important with Diesel Engines. Do not skip oil changes.

rob_lewis wrote: Sprinter's are great, but cost is really high. Although this might be closer to your price range..... (The talk of diesel vans had me looking again) http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/2314057090.html -Rob

Its closer. I'm selling the F150 for $5000 so I'd like to stay closer to that.

But, almost 300k miles for $9000 with that Sprinter, or compare that to THIS VAN that has 180k for $5000.

They are also a Mercedes... which is great, until you need to work on them or buy parts. Ever price out an alternator for one? $560 online. Ouch. that seller also let out of the bag his retail cost that he paid for transmission repair.

Don't get me wrong, I love sprinters... just won't be able to afford it.

I picked up a 7.3L IDI Ford E350 "conversion van" for $1800 3 years ago. It had 135k miles on it. The guy had trouble selling it because it was an ambulance (lights and sirens work!). The ambulance aspect was a bonus for me ;)

It's definitely a PITA to work on, and I'm a slacker on the maintenance front (partially because of that, partially because I'm lazy). I mostly use it to tow race cars and get 8-10mpg, which is not so great.

Ya Sprinters are not the cheapest but when priced against a high top conversion van it wasn't that much more.

I've been finding conversion vans for $2000 all day - with very low miles. They don't hold their value well at all.

There is a 99 Dodge conversion (really sweet one) with 87k for $4000 right now. Unfortunately its a 1/2 ton and I want at least a 3/4. Heck, there is a 3/4 chevy van with 130k that needs a fuel pump and they're asking $950.

My goal for the van is to use it as a truck/camper/tow rig. So I could go either way; get a gas conversion van cheap and strip out what i don't want, or get a diesel cargo van and add some conveniences.

The tow rig part is also a strike against the Sprinter. Kinda wimpy.

Ya there built to HAUL not tow, but it does well with resonable trailer. I would not try towing my toy hauler with it though.

Most conversion vans are built on a 1/2 ton cargo van base. Occasionaly you'll find one built on a 3/4 ton, but they're rare. Some GM's were built on a G20 van, but that isn't really a 'true' 3/4 ton chassis (uses 5 lug wheels, for example). IMHO, the "ultimate" is one of the 3/4 or 1 ton extended length models, which are exceptionally rare, although oddly enough if you search for Quigly 4x4 conversions, many are extended, raised roof coversion vans. However, these do hold their value reasonably well, mainly due to how much they cost to build in the first place. Many of these are also diesels. The downside of the extended vans - at least Fords & Dodges - is they're not as good for towing due to the additional length between the axle line and the hitch. GM's are better here since they extend the wheel base for the additional length.

Having been down this road in the past, if the plan is camping, you want a raised roof van. Don't dismiss how much you'll want the extra standing height. Especially when changing clothes.

The 1/2 tons seems ot tow reasonably well, if weight is kept within reason. I remember a guy on Ford Truck Enthusiasts who used his E150 conversion van to tow his race car in a 20 foot-ish enclosed trailer. There are a few tricks you can do to increase stability w/o going crazy: rear air springs, RSB, spacers to increase the rear track width, HD trans cooler and so on. Unfortunately, most conversion vans come with smaller engines (5 liters), although some GMs have 350s.

The option I've considered is a retired airport shuttle van (NOT a bus, which usually have whacky door set-ups), which are extended length 3/4 or 1 tons with a raised roof. They're often diesels as well. Then gutting it and doing my own conversion on it. The trick there will be finding one that isn't already used up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYum5V90O_Y

Another Diesel van.

Ian F wrote: Most conversion vans are built on a 1/2 ton cargo van base. Occasionaly you'll find one built on a 3/4 ton, but they're rare. Some GM's were built on a G20 van, but that isn't really a 'true' 3/4 ton chassis (uses 5 lug wheels, for example). IMHO, the "ultimate" is one of the 3/4 or 1 ton extended length models, which are exceptionally rare, although oddly enough if you search for Quigly 4x4 conversions, many are extended, raised roof coversion vans. However, these do hold their value reasonably well, mainly due to how much they cost to build in the first place. Many of these are also diesels. The downside of the extended vans - at least Fords & Dodges - is they're not as good for towing due to the additional length between the axle line and the hitch. GM's are better here since they extend the wheel base for the additional length. Having been down this road in the past, if the plan is camping, you want a raised roof van. Don't dismiss how much you'll want the extra standing height. Especially when changing clothes. The 1/2 tons seems ot tow reasonably well, if weight is kept within reason. I remember a guy on Ford Truck Enthusiasts who used his E150 conversion van to tow his race car in a 20 foot-ish enclosed trailer. There are a few tricks you can do to increase stability w/o going crazy: rear air springs, RSB, spacers to increase the rear track width, HD trans cooler and so on. Unfortunately, most conversion vans come with smaller engines (5 liters), although some GMs have 350s. The option I've considered is a retired airport shuttle van (NOT a bus, which usually have whacky door set-ups), which are extended length 3/4 or 1 tons with a raised roof. They're often diesels as well. Then gutting it and doing my own conversion on it. The trick there will be finding one that isn't already used up.

Agreed on all points.

I'm faced with the following options from what I can find:

1) diesel cargo van which is perfect in almost every way. I would probably add some kind of interior roof and wall lining/insulation for the camping part (heating and cooling reasons). Buy one of those conversion van fold down seats and be done.
2) conversion van - super cheap, but almost always gas, and almost always 2.73 or 3.08 rear (or similar) and half-ton chassis. I can strip out what I don't want.
3) airport shuttle/15-passenger van. Again, almost always gas, but they at least a true 3/4 or 1-ton and typically have a more tow-friendly rear ratio.

Not sure about you guys, but 'round here diesel is still the clear choice for fuel cost (more expensive fuel but better mileage)

I'm a bit torn on the hightop roofs. The extra headroom would be nice, but compared to what I have now (truck bed with a cap) I don't think its necessary. Also not sure if they affect MPG and if so, how much.