Searching for a truck to pull our camper next year. A friend has a 2000 F250 V10 with a 5speed manual. I test drove it tonight and swear my 93 Chevy w a 350 felt stronger. The truck was just tuned up and added new wires , plugs, clutch and throw out bearings. The cat was clogged and was cut off and replaced with a straight pipe . At idle I could hear a slight sputter exhaust leak. Any suggestions would be awesome.

 

Did you check the brakes to see if one is dragging?

 

Yes. No unusual odors either

 

Is the check engine light on just out of curiosity.

 

No engine lights, nothing out the ordinary.

 

It's probably running fine. The Chevy you're comparing it to likely weighs significantly less.

The 2V V10 doesn't have a great top end, most of your pulling grunt lies between 2-4,000 RPMs. Mine wouldn't win any races, but happily pulled a 16,000 lb trailer across the country in overdrive.

 

I've pulled my son's 10k trailer with both my brothers 99 F-259 V-10 and his own Chevy truck with a 350. No comparison between the two. My son's truck couldn't get out of its own way on a windy day while towing.
There must be a misfire or timing issue or the manual tranny is a bit deceptive.

 

There is part of the problem. Cutting a cat and straight piping cuts the backpressure needed to create power. And if it has broken exhaust studs that are leaking, that does not help either. There is probably more going on as well. Did they change plug boots when the plugs were done?

 

A misfire is not going to light the check engine light on that truck. Code scan it and check for pending codes. Most likely cracked or leaky COP boots or a bad COP.

 

Why not? My 99, 5.4 would promp the CEL and prompt a code or two with a misfire?
It will if it affects emissions and a misfire surely does that.

 

That's because your '99 had California emissions, most don't. Your truck is OBD-II, but most of those sold elsewhere were OBD-I. I had active misfire codes on my old Excursion that never set the CEL.

 

Oh ya. California and then there's the rest of the world. Some say we're soooo far ahead of the other 49.

Others just have to ask, why having to spend so much more for everything, is progress.

As much as I hate gov regulations, I have to admit, changes in EPA standards have allowed us to see the surrounding mountains again.

I remember growing up in the San Fernando Valley and not knowing there were mountains around us. Playing at lunch in the playground and not being able to breath without choking and having my lungs hurt. Riding behind cars and having to shut the vents because you couldn't breath the blue smoke. Mostly only memories now...unless an old truck or two, somehow made it around the rules, and is still spitting out that smoke going down the frwy.

I guess progress comes at a price.

 

I guessed that since he is somewhere that someone would even consider cutting off the cat and driving it around that it is somewhere besides California.

 

If you are looking for a new TT tow rig and thinking about a V-10 then think gears, the deeper the better! Regearing my V-10 tow rig was the best thing I've done to it. My change went from 3.73s and stock 265/75R16 tires to 4.88s and 305/70R18 (35") tires for an effective 4.39 ratio. Huge improvement in towing performance AND fuel mileage.

 

Thankyou all for the replies. I've been away for the holiday and havent been on here. I ended up walking away from the truck. I had bad vibes going into it and just seemed to worn out to buy it. So my search is still on.