Hey all, I am taking delivery of my SD250 / V10 on Friday morning. I am very excited, naturally. This is a big step up for me, from my 97 4.6. Just wondering about the care and feeding of the truck. What weight of oil have you all found works best, octane of gas, any problems someone should be aware of? I got a 4X4 with 3:73s.

The dealer told me it mistakenly came with the "tow package" which I didn't order but will take since I am getting it for free. Anyone know what this means? I can't find any mention of 'tow package' on any Ford site. It is by the way, a 2003 model if that helps.

 

Welcome! You'll find a lot of great knowledge on this site, so look around and have fun.

w/r/t your questions, it's pretty simple for an unmodified truck:

- Oil: use what Ford says - 5W20. The tolerances are too slim to use anything heavier (e.g. 10W40 or such). I run 5W30 in the summer here in FL and 5W20 all other times.

- Gas: use what Ford says - 87 octane. You won't see any improvement running higher grade gas unless you modify your truck and it requires it.

 

WOW!!! 5w/20?? seems very light. I use 10w/30 in my 4.6 during summer months, 5w/30 in cooler months. We run 5w/30 in wifes Windstar all year. I am certainly no tribologist, know nothing really of oil, it seems that 5w/20 is almost water thin though. Are they doing this to up mileage?

Any idea what is added in a 'tow package?'

 

You can safely bet that is a major factor in the equation.

As for the Tow package, I really am not 100% sure. I would think at a minimum it is the front tow hooks, the rear rcvr. hitch and the trailer wiring harness plug. Might include a payload upgrade as well (springs/leafsprings). I should know this - mine has it - but I couldn't find the exact desc. on Ford's site right now either. Sorry. Someone else will chime in here soon..... just hang on.

 

Welcome to the V-10 club. You won't be disappointed. The truck will run best on 87 octane. The truck will run a few degrees cooler than optimum on any thing higher in octane, unless you chip it. I use 5w30 mobil one synthetic. The oil struck me as a little lite so I up'd it to mobil one syn to give some better protection. The tow package is the tow hooks on front and a class IV receiver with the appropiate wiring. Good luck with the truck, I'm sure she's a beauty.

 

Thanks for the replies. The front tow hooks are standard equipment now for all SD's. You are probably right though, it is probably just a receiver and wiring. Funny, I don't know what a lot of the things I got are. They are just on the sheet that came with other 'packages.' Jewel effect headlamps? What the hey? Friday can't get here soon enough!

The funny thing is, the dealer bringing the truck to me, at my house. I'm not out of the way or anything. I think that is pretty cool. Trailering the truck to my front door and bringing all the paper work... New one on me. Come on Friday. I hope I am not writing into this forum in 6 months cursing the day I bought this piece of s/;t.

 

I believe for the '03s there is no formal tow package. The 7 and 4 pin plug with electric brake harness and trans oil cooler are standard. Front tow hooks are standard. Trans temp gauge is standard if you get an automatic.

The only thing that's listed as an option in the '03 brochure is the 12,500lb/hitch receiver and the telescoping 2-way towing mirrors (which I highly recommend if you tow anything at all). If I'm wrong sorry-I'm just using the '03 sales brochure as a guide.

If the dealer says it has a tow package, he probably just means it has the optional hitch and maybe the towing mirrors installed.

Hope you like the new ride.

 

LIke everyone else said, the "tow package" is the trailer electriical connectors, and the receiver which is only rated 10,000LBS... I think they all came with it.

My '01 came with it. I don't think it was an option either. Too bad they put the tranny temp guage in for '02 and not '01

ak