Ok, I am going to be finally buying an excusion in the next couple of weeks and I have some questions. First off, how bad is the 5.4l in these things? My dad has a 15 passenger E350 with the 5.4 and it goes fairly well. So I would like to hear some true tales of the 5.4 l in the ex. I really want the 7.3l but they are not easy to find around here. My second choice is the V10. Drove one and love it. Also how reliable is the V10? How many miles can I expect to get out of one that was takencare of? Thanks a lot in advance.

Bill

 

Well you can tell by my sig what I prefer. Never have driven one with a 5.4 so cant give you personal experience. But from what Ive read it shouldn't even be offered as and option. I have heard of no problems with the V10, plenty of power if you are ever going to tow. And thats the main thing, if you cary more than 4 people or tow anything the 5.4 wont get out of its own way, and get crappy mileage to boot. If your going to get crappy mileage then you might as well have great power with it. Of course the best option is good mileage with fantastic power (diesel).

 

I have driven the 5.4 in an Expy and it is as gutless as it sounds. The 10 is a good engine. I have not had a single problem with mine. If I had it to do over again, I would have bought the 7.3 deisel. The 7.3 is a proven engine that seems to last for ever. I also own a 6.0L deisel and perfer that over all of them, despite its quirks. Either of the diesels are great.

If you have the time to look and the extra money to spend, hold out for a deisel. You will not regret it. If not, the 10 is a good engine as well. The only problem with the 10 is that there is not much room for perfomance gains. Definitely, shy away from the 5.4. In my opinion, it is as worthless and the 4.0L V6 that the Rangers get, but that is a whole different topic.

 

With 4.10s out back and 2WD the 5.4L wouldn't be a bad choice for light duty stuff. People hauling, light tow loads etc.

You get a powerplant that has a large aftermarket following, very cheap buy in price and that wonderful V8 sound not found in the other two powerplants.

If the price is right, it wouldn't be a bad choice with the driveline specs stated above. Just don't expect to win any drag races...

 

Thanks to all. I will probably go with a V10 as the 7.3's (looking at 2000 model yr) around here are a little cost prohibitive. We shall see what the next two weeks will bring. Looking forward to not having to upgrade my truck as the family gets bigger!!!

 

Whatever engine you choose, the Ex is a great vehicle. You will not be dissapointed.

 

Another quick question. How are the 2wd models? How are they in the snow and such? Migh be going to either Colorado or Nebraska so foul weather handling is a must. Thanks again you guys and gals!!!

 

We got a major snow and ice storm here not long ago (major for us anyway since we get snow once every 4 years or so). Anyway, I never had to use 4wheelfooie, I'm mean 4WD. I have a LSD though. Tell you the truth though, had I not had 4WD, I would not have taken the vehicle out, 'cause you never know when you might get to a spot in the road where you do need it.

 

i have a f250 with 5.4 and ex with v10, i tow two snowmobiles with both. they both do ok, locally i will tow with f250 but you can really tell the differnce between the f250 and ex when towing.

with 5.4 motor when towing only get about 10mpg. have used ex on several trips to new york towing sleds and get 12 mpg and the ex does not even know there is a trailer behind it, lots of power when needed.

hopefully one day to upgrade ex to 6.0 l, but will wait for a good used 04 ex with 6.0

 

Recommend you stay far away from an Excursion 5.4L. I traded a '99 5.9L Durango for the '01 5.4L Expedition and missed the torque of the 5.9L badly. So bad, that I traded in the otherwise perfectly nice '01 Expedition for a '03 6L PSD Excursion. Local dealer had 8 of 'em reduced by $10k. There is just no comparison. I was unhappy with the performance of the 5.4L in the Expedition; I can't imagine how pitiful it would be in an Excursion. Was towing a 2-jetski trailer [~2000 lbs] with Expy then last year went to towing a 4500 lb boat. Top speed of 45 mph @ 4500rpm going through the Blue Ridge mountains in western NC on I40. Pretty pathetic. Between that experience and the short wheelbase of the Expy causing the entire rig to begin an uncontrollable oscillation at 60mph, that nailed it for me. Hello Excursion! Been happy as a clam since.

 

I have to agree with everyone else who says that the 5.4 should not even be an option on the Excursion. I've owned my 7.3 since I bought new in 2001 and I haven't had a problem with it. I get plenty of power with room for expansion and improvements. As far as mileage is concerned, I normally get about 16.5 to 17+ combined highway and city driving. The V10 is a great gas engine. Before I bought my X in '01, I test drove a 2000 V10 X and loved it. It had jaw dropping power that shocked me. The dealer even let me keep it for the weekend. I loved it, but the wife didn't like the idea of buying at the time. But if you can't find a stroker, I'd go with the V10. The V10 as well as the Stroker should both last you awhile regardless. Either one you choose, you're going to get a great vehicle with plenty of power to go around.

 

Thanks all for the replies. I am now searching for a good 2000 with a 7.3L. How are the 2wd models? There seems to be a lot more of them than the 4x4 version. I cant wait o finally own one!! Thanks again.

Bill

 

Glad to see you are going with a diesel. I have never owned one until now and can't believe I waited this long. You will be happy with the performance.

Before you buy, make sure you test drive the x...and not those 2 mile trips the salesmen take you on. Since you are looking at the 2000, does this mean you are buying person to person or are you going through a dealership?

In either case, try to keep it for the entire day and use it running your daily routines, drive-thrus, and malls. I have never driven a 2000 but from what I have read, the steering can be something to get used to. I test drove an 03 and an 04. The handling between the two was noticeable but not dramatic. Plan on paying attention to your lane and everything else around you.

Once you have an uderstanding of the vehicle, you'll be much happier with the purchase. We love ours. The interior dimensions are unbelievable!

Good luck with your purchase!

 

I have test driven many 2000's and 01's. they were all V-10's though. I like the way the Ex rides and handles. I am used to driving large vehicles so the size is no issue for me. The wife on the other hand... She just said I get to drive it all the time. Aww shucks. The search goes on.....