I'm looking at 2 trucks and am trying to make up my mind and need alittle help. Trucks are comparable condition and mileage, one a 460 the other a 351. I've never owned a 460 so am a little concerned about fuel consumption. What should I expect the difference to be?
I pretty much drive like the old man I'm getting to be, so not that heavy footed.

 

They both will get between 9-13 depending on your driving style. Unless you tow or haul often the 460 is over kill

 

well yeah will you be towing and hauling? they both get 9-13 like he said but if your not gonna tow that 460 will kill you, but i personally thing that you should do a few upgrades to either one to harvest more gas milage, if you never tow get the 351 and do things like headers, cams and heads and it should put you up to like 13-16, the 460 is hopeless if you want more mpg really

 

I own and drive both. Both SC, F250, 4.10 rear, 2WD, C-6, dual tanks, Holley 4V, single,stock exhaust. The 86 w 351 does not compare that well to the 87 W/460 when towing as far as pulling goes, esp. on hills. Running empty 86 gets 14mpg on a trip, the 87 - 10mpg. Loaded and pulling a trailer with car or backhoe on it, the 86 gets about 8mpg, the 87 - 6mpg. My son's 89 460 with similar set up but EFI and 3.73 rear and duals.would get 10-12 towing as mentioned above.

 

If you live in a hilly/mountainous area or pull anything I would go 460. I have had a couple 351's in this gen truck with 5spd 3:73 gears and had to downshift to 3 or 4th gear going uphill. Worse if towing anything. Don't see any significant difference in mileage between them.

 

I have a '90 F250 supercab 4x4 with a 460/C6/3.55:1. I was a bit underwhelmed by the acceleration (I haven't towed or hauled with it yet) but it didn't turn out to be quite the gas guzzler I expected. Sure on a normal daily drive it's down around where you'd expect but one time on a 60 mile drive I was taking it very easy staying under the speed limit with a tailwind and mileage worked out to be so high I still don't believe it so I'm assuming I'm off somewhere and rounding DOWN to 15mpg.

If you're very concerned about fuel economy than a gas-powered fullsize pickup might not be for you. I paid cash for my rigs so the money I save in payments and insurance is quite a bit more than what I'm paying at the pump.

 

Thanks for the info, sounds like a bit of a crap shoot. I will usually have a small camper on and will be for highway trips. I've got an explorer for my daily driver.

 

If you are just going to pull a small camper, go with the 351w. in stock form there is of course a difference, with 1 being 109 CI bigger than the other. but the 351 will pull anything that the truck is rated to pull, the 460 will just have an easier time pulling heavy loads. I think it's overkill unless you regularly pull a loaded gooseneck trailer.

 

I have a 351 in my f150 and I only get 10-11 mpg out of it... When I upgrade to a f25 I'll definatly be looking for a 460

 

My opinion is a little different than anyone else's...I think anything less than the 460 in that generation of truck is pretty severely under powered. Even the 460 is in stock form is a little under powered in my opinion.

 

I agree, i didn't buy a full size ford to put around and struggle with anything. so that is why i chose a 460 personally. the mileage can suck at times so that's why i also have a motorcycle for commuting.

 

my 351 is a tank and will pull anything that it will hook up to.....

 

mine is the same way. Although it really comes down to gearing. A 351w with 4.11 gears will pull harder than a 460 with 3.08 gears. But even with that in consideration, with 3" exhaust behind my 351w and 3.55 gears, it'll pull anything that I put behind it. And it's a speed density non roller motor.

 

How about I muddy the waters a little. There are a lot of 96 and older 4x4s in this area with 7.3 diesels. How does fuel consumption compare between the diesel and gas. Like I said this truck will not be a daily driver.

 

Huge difference. 7.5L vs 7.3L.....10 mpg vs 16++ mpg