Ford F350: Which motor?
Greetings, My 97' F250HD 5.8L V8 has ~125K miles on it and I'm lucky to get 200-250miles out of the stock fuel tanks (16+18gal). I keep thinking larger more power might be just the ticket - however...
Forum Discussion
mbloof wrote:nomadictxn wrote:
As a former 5.8 l F250 owner, I would even consider the 5.4 l engine a huge upgrade.
Really?
I've pretty much written off the 5.4L as being to similar to my current 5.8L.
While there are some fairly inexpensive 'deals' on 97-03' 7.3L's with less than 200K miles, I'm thinking newer and larger gas motor.
I have a Golf TDI - you have to drive +5000 miles a year to have any reasonable payback on something new AND expect to pile up a few 100K miles to boot. Currently retirement is +6yrs out.
The local new truck lots are stuffed full with CC-TD's, ether of the features are a 'fail' to me. I don't need+want a CrewCab and I surely don't need to pay the "TD TAX" again. (I'm already paying it on my VW Golf!)
It seems that extended cab trucks are rare around where I live. It might take a while to find a decent 06-10 V10 with reasonable mileage on it.
I have owned a 2001 7.3 4x4 6spd manual that got great mileage, but did not do well sitting, I owned a 2005 6.0 4x4!5apd auto, mileage hauling never got above 13. Buy for 19 empty. I own two 2000 4x4!4spd auto, and mileage has been as high empty at 14 mpg, but hauling as low at 8 mpg. I have my 10 ft Avion Camper on my 2002 5.4 2V 4x4 with 6spd manual, and have for as high as 15 hauling the TC around Alaska, but as low as 10. But the 10 was off road in 4x4 going across the Denali Highway in Alaska.
That all said, I love my 5.4 coupled with the 6spd manual. I think it would do better if I had the 4.30 gears vice the 3.73's. But then my mileage may suffer a bit. I do use granny occasionally for getting going from a dead stop on a hill, but it is nice to have. If I could find a CCSB XLT with the 5.4 3V and 4x4with 6spd manual, I'd upgrade, but those are few and far between. Too bad the 6.2 isn't offered with the 6spd manual.
My coworker has a 2011 with the 6.2 and the 6spd auto with 4x4 and he routinely gets 15 + empty. He doesn't have a camper, but has pulled a larger boat (28ft) and was able to still get 11mpg.
I hope that this can give you some better ideas of what the gassers have to offer. I tried the diesels, and came back to the gassers.
Good luck!
Garry in Kodiak, Alaska
