Hehe, I was just throwing Hino out there as a conversation piece due to the Toyota ties. Dorton, in all seriousness, if you chose to go the route of a late model GM engine I can trade you tutoring on late model GM swaps for your tutoring me on the ways of Toyota being I just got a 4Runner last week.
Expo is the only online community outside of diesel specific forums that I know of where the vocal masses drink from the diesel fountain. I work for a truck and diesel engine manufacturer. We build diesel engines from 2.0L world market engines to 15L over-the-road Class 8 diesel engines and I wouldn't own a single one of them. Not even our old beloved 6.9L or 7.3L engines or my old ties with the 6.2/6.5L. Diesels stink, they leak, they're distractingly loud, and they're heavy, gutless until the turbo spools up and require way too much maintenance. The fuel costs more and the maintenance costs more. In my opinion, there is no real advantage to a diesel unless you are pulling full GVWR 80% of the time, driving 80,000 miles a year or plan on traveling outside of the Continental USA with your rig. The only real immediate advantage of a diesel is RANGE. Yes, you can obtain higher MPG with a diesel but when you really put a pencil to it the money you save on fuel economy either cost you a fortune at inception for a diesel swap or comes back to get you later when the diesel shoots craps. Really, where in the good ole USA can your average outdoor adventurer go where range is that big of deal that a person cannot pack enough gasoline with them in order to get back to the next fuel stop!? Not many places, if any!....not even in Canyonlands or Death Valley. I run a 425HP 8.1L and haven't ran out of gas yet! Only the very few true Overlanders on this site really benefit from diesel power. The rest of us normal folks that hold fulltime jobs that are weekend warriors with the occasional weeklong adventure can get by with gas engines and still be money a head even at 10 MPG running a 300+ HP gas engine.
Another thing with diesels is when diesels break they break big time and take big money to fix. Look at all of these later model diesel guys with Duramax and Powerjoke engines….even the beloved Cummins. While their friends that bought gas engines in the same model of truck only have to pay $100 for spark plugs, wires and fuel filter at 100,000 miles the diesel guys are buying $4000 worth of injectors if they pay a dealer to make the repairs. A late model V8 gas engine is more than able to deliver 300,000 miles of durable service backed by easy 300HP with 12 to 15 MPG in light duty truck. There are reasons why major US fleets are moving away from diesel engines back to gasoline. Start listening to the brown trucks that deliver packages to your house and place of business. The vast majority of the 2007 and later model trucks are now powered by GM gas 4.8 and 6.0L gas engines, not rattily leaky smoky old diesels anymore. Diesels had a place and time….that time has passed.
There are those that are scared to death of computer controls on late model gas engines. I have to tell you that computer control issues on late model GM engines that would leave you on foot are as rare as a Toyota vehicle with a legitimate sudden acceleration problem. It just doesn't happen! And if someone is worried, there are only about 5 parts to carry with you if it makes someone feel more secure knowing they have the staples to get home.
Opinions are like bellybuttons, everybody has one. The chocolate vs. vanilla, Coke vs. Pepsi, Bud vs. Coors and the Diesel vs. Gas debate will go on forever. I am just voicing my opinion based on experience in the vehicle manufacturing industry and personal dusty trail travel.
