I'm looking for a used F250, probably with a v10 and I wondered how milage compared. I will be putting on at least 285's and maybe even up to 315's if I can make them fit w/o too much lift.
Is there an easy way to check a used truck to determine what ratio it has?

 

At 70 MPH my 3:73 is running at 1900 RPM. Same day, I drove the 4:10 and at 70 MPH i was at 2200 RPM. There is a difference. Dad has the 4:10 and I get 11.5 when driving it mixed, I get 13.2 when driving mine mixed. I am not sure, but I think you can check the ratio in the door jam.

I have a buddy at the river who has the 6 speed w/4:10, and he gets 14.5 mixed driving. But he bought his in Nevada where you can get the 6 speed in an V10. I cant here, or I would have gotten the 4:10.

 

I think the V-10 only comes with 3:73's or 4:30's, mine with the 4:30's at 60 mph is at 2000 rpm with the 6-speed tranny, best mpg so far is 9.9 with no real trips, and mostly all around town driving.

Later,,,,,,,,,,Mark

 

I'm not sure there's a big mileage difference between the 3.73s and the 4.30s - while the 4.30s definitely increase the RPMs, I don't think that they use much more fuel.

On my truck - 2004 4x4 crewcab auto w/4.30 gears - I've gotten an all-time best of 13.5mpg and an all-time worst of 9.9mpg, and overall I'm averaging about 11.5mpg. Since all 8,000 miles on my truck were put on in the last two months, those are winter mileage figures - so summer mileage figures would probably be a little better. Also, at least half of those miles are with the hubs locked, and probably 1,500 of those miles I had the truck in 4-hi - and even running 4-hi I've only ever had two tanks that dropped below 10mpg (both at 9.9). While I've towed with the truck a few times, it's usually for less than 50 miles - so I don't really have any separate towing mileage numbers.

This is a mixture of perhaps 75% highway driving (at 70-80mph) and about 25% city driving. At 80mph I'm turning about 2,700-2,800 rpm - and my tires are 235/85r16s, which are about 32" tall.

Anyway, as far as I can tell the 4.30 gears don't seem to hurt mileage very much.

LK

 

circlev,
its all in how you drive it. i can grandpa mine around (3.73 auto) and get 11 or so in town and over 16 on the highway...

or i can drive like i normally do and get about 9 in town and 15 on the highway.....

if you have a super heavy foot, i wouldnt expevt to get over the single digits though.

my best is 17.5 my worst is 3 (the 3mpg was comming up a loooooong mountain hill, pulling about 12kat 45 -50 mph)

 

High 18, low 8.5 towing.
Normal hwy avg 15-16 at 65. @12 in town.

Still what bothers me is how it drops when my foot is weak and I can't hold it off the go pedal....but its so much more FUN!

 

Nomo always said that the magic number for the V10 was 2000 rpm. Keep it below that and enjoy much better mileage than any driving done above that.

m350 - I think the 4.10 is offered but not with the LS option. If you want LS, you have to choose 3.73 or 4.30.

 

Similar to LK...

2001 Crew Cab 4x4, V-10 auto, limited slip 4.30 gears with 26575R16 tires.

City - 8-10 MPG
Highway - 12-14 MPG
Daily driver - 11.5 MPG
Towing 28' travel trailer - 7-10 MPG, depending on terrain & wind

The 4.30 gears reduce high speed mileage a little, but give you several advantages over the 3.73 gears:

- As you put bigger tires on your truck the ratio drops... Starting at the lower 4.30 may give you a high enough ratio to not require new gears.
- Higher tow rating... Click here and click on the "Towing Capacities" along the left side.
- Better acceleration from a stop.

Edmo

 

LK if you put bigger tires on but did not recalibrate your speedo than your actually getting better milage than you think. Your traveling farther between fillups than what your odometer says.

 

The 235/85r16s are the stock all-terrain tires you can get with the FX4 package. I've thought about going with larger tires and a small lift (which is part of the reason I got the 4.30s), but for now I'm going to keep these tires until at least spring - they seem to do pretty good in the snow. At least, they're good on-road - there's too much snow to get off-road anymore, even if I did have the lift and larger tires.

Maybe one of those track setups would work...hmmm...

LK

 

Like gus said, On the door frame sticker, at the bottom, under AXLE you will find the code.
For example:
F1 = 3.73
F2 = 4.10
F3 = 4.30

 

If you are going with 285's or larger, I would recommend the 4.10 or or 4.30 gears.

 

4.10s are only offered with the 5.4L. Too bad, too. Would be a perfect ratio for the V10.

 

I have a IDI that I just changed to a zf 5 speed from an E4od and my mileage went from 12 to 14. My tach turns about the same and I am thinking of swapping to a 3.55 from the present 4.10. Tach right now is 2500 at 70