I have always wanted a V10 Ford truck. Last summer I was researching putting a 3valve V10 mid-engined in a 1998 Ranger I had... but I needed to have about $8,000 in a Porsche transaxle for it to work so I scrapped the project... But the love for the V10 still is around and always kina has been. I joined this forum to read up on the V10 but never actually posted.

A guy at work has a very minty 2000ish 250 or 350 truck, black, auto, single cab, 4x4. Bone stock with some basically new BFG AT's. I has almost exactly 100k on it. He'd like 10k for the truck. Apparently the plugs have been changed already, it runs good just has warped rotors in the front. Its black (my fav color) but I hate automatic transmissions and I am a manual trans diehard... Ford ones in that era never impressed me much... And I sold my Crown Vic mostly because of the awful, slow, ****ty trans. Ive driven trucks with that 4R100 trans but it was with a 7.3 with all kinds of tuning so IDK what they are really like.

Right now I have a 1997 Jeep with a 4cyl and its not really that great on gas, but, its cheap to own and still can pull trailers to do truck work if need be. I have a farm and haul wood, pallets, rock, scrap metal... You name it. I can get by with the Jeep, and love it, but... I am also 6'9" and my knees are on the dash... literally.

What are the real world gas mileage expectations from this truck? What is the potential gas mileage with mods?

Is there any "fun" in hitting the go pedal? I have driven some 7.3's that are tuned up and they are pretty quick and sound great. Is there any of this with the V10? If I didn't NEED a 4x4, I'd probably be driving some sort of sports car... In other words, part of me wants power. I've been driving 4cyl vehicles for the last 8 years. I want something with some *****!

Please hit me with any thoughts or links to helpful info!

 

Depending on what gears you have will determine your mpg's. I have 4.30 and I get about 12 to 14. Towing gets around 8. With 4.30, you tap on the gas and it takes off. Quite quick for a 4 ton vehicle.

 

First of all, I think 10 grand is way too much for a '00 truck. Second, the auto will be quicker than the manual trans, the manual trans has such a long throw it takes forever to shift. Third, with the right gears, 4:30's and a tune from 5 star it will be pretty quick for a 6000 pound truck.

 

How much would one pay for a truck like that?

Do they usually come with 4.30's or do you have to put them in?

I saw the 5 Star tune with the y-pipe and intake was around 700, if you are talking gears (although I am pretty good mechanically, not a gear expert...) we are talking $2700. Thats not too bad, if those are really the only mods that need to be done.

The reason I ask, is... You have a big motor, I guess one expects "big power" whereas its probably the same as putting a 4.0 in a Ranger...

The fuel mileage is pretty lousy, although I don't get much better with my Jeep. Its around 12-17 with the 4cyl.

 

As for price you have to look around your area. Start on Craigslist, Autotrader and places like that to get a local value. As for gears, 4:30 was a option so it may have them or not, look on the door tag for a code or the best way is to look at the axle tag on the differential housing.

 

Most of the V10 trucks i am seeing are in the 5-7,000 range. He probably owes way more than that on the truck still (he paid 11,500 last summer), so i am not going to really be able to say "look i can only pay this" without making him hurt real bad. It IS a very clean example and depending on the gears (if they are the 4.30's) and the year, I'd say 8k would be allright to pay. Apparently cruising down the highway, he said that it does 2krpm which might mean it has the more desireable gearset.

I guess my overarching question is, is the V10 an awesome engine or is it a dud that frustrates you every time you get behind the wheel?

Most of the trucks I am seeing for sale have HIGH miles, which is a good sign, for vehicles usually. One has 300k.

 

I think that the vast majority of our trucks came with 373 gears. Finding 410 or 430s or even something lower is the exception rather than the norm. I replaced the 373s in my '99 SCAB with 430s and it really was an improvement when towing, not that it was bad towing prior to the swap. My truck has stock size tires and 16" wheels and is mostly used for towing my travel trailer. The gear change (mine is 2WD) woke up the V10 and placed the RPMs in the "sweet spot" for towing my trailer. Now, when towing, it doesn't downshift near as much as it used to.

As a side note, my V10 is the 2 valve version and I have no tunes and is pretty much stock except for some wheels and a topper. The Ford V10 is a great engine in this truck, especially if the truck is used as a truck. If you are looking for a hot rod there are much better choices out there in the car market. A 5.0 Mustang GT comes to mind. It will run circles around our trucks and deliver fuel mileage twice what we have. Of course, you can't tow diddly nor haul much more than a friend when you want to go places. If you are looking for a hauler, these trucks can't be beat. My mileage runs 10-12 MPG (depending upon what blend of gas is available) mixture suburban type driving, and 8-10 MPG towing. No commuting. It has just over 105,000 on it and I have owned it for about 9 years now.

$10,000 is a lot for the truck you are looking at. What the current owner owes on the truck has no effect on the value of the truck. If he is upside down, it is the price he pays for having poor negotiating skills in the first place. Especially in this market, with gas prices being what they are, you should be able to do $2-3,000 better on a V10 F250/350 that is 12 years old and has the mileage you are seeing. A single cab is less desirable especially if it has the short bed. It is also more rare but that doesn't mean worth more.

 

~2k rpm at 70 mph in OD would make it have 3.73 gears, same as my Excursion.

I would not call my V10 "awesome" but it is far from a "dud". It is pleasant to drive, "zippy" enough running empty, but load it with people or a trailer and it slows down. Coming from a 7.3 in my last truck, and still having a bunch of 7.3 diesel-head camping buddies, the V10 is just adequate. There is no substitute for forced induction.

I'm not bashing. I like my V10 and would buy it all over again. My V10 tows my 30' travel trailer and my 9950 GWV equipment trailer adequately. But a V10 Superduty is not going to pull down 13 second quarter miles unless you force feed it (blower). I think my X does 0-60 in around 10 seconds.

You sound like you are looking for a hot rod truck. The V10 is a great truck engine but I wouldn't call it "fast". But is is fun enough to drive for me. Just my $.02

As far as cab space, IMO the Super Duty has the most leg room and the best seats of any of the trucks.

Flame suit on

 

69oiler, 4:30 gears would change your towing experience and bring a smile to your face.

 

I have heard that. I have a 4x4 so that would be expensive..and I can get by with my 3.73s. No big mountains around here, and I'm cheap

 

Partying with the big boys tends to get exspensive. Wink. Did you mean froogle?

 

Yep, I'm frugal. And yep trucks are spendy especially when ya start modding them. BDTD, got the t-shirt...several shirts actually from my diesel days. Got the bills to prove it.

OP, if you are getting by with a Jeep, why can't you get by with any number of hot half tons that will blow the doors off most gas Superduties? Granted there is no other truck I'd rather drive than Ford SD, just trying to gain perspective.

 

Thats a darn good question.

As I said, I always wanted a V10 truck, if not for just a week... The V10 has always fascinated me but the only taste I've ever gotten was a short test drive with a salesperson in heavy traffic. I like the sound of them whereas most people don't.

I've gone through three or four years of automotive hell. Most people would have probably jumped a cliff. I want something rock solid that is going to last a long time and stand up to anything, and isn't going to be a constant basket case. Lets put it this way... The Jeep is all that is left of 5 other vehicles that I fixed until I couldn't stand to look at them anymore, and the tailshaft bearing on the Jeeps transfer case is on its way out, now.

I like half tons too, and liked some of them, but I know I fit really well in a Superduty. Most half tons, my knees are still on the dash.

Maybe its stupid that I want one, but I've bought vehicles for dumber reasons.

 

Definitely not a stupid reason. My 36" inseam is what keeps me in full size trucks as well. Well, that and my work. SD trucks have great legroom, and every other kind of room. Tons bigger inside than my friend's GM. If you get the power seat, you are good to go for any seating position. I don't have my driver's seat maxed out in any direction.. plenty of room.

As far as being rock solid and dependable, my V10 (and auto trans) has 185k miles on it and works like new. (knock on wood) Part of my reasoning for going to V10 from diesel is the longevity of the Triton engines. Despite their issues (spark plugs) there seem to be an awful lot with 200k+ miles and some with 3 and 4 hundred k. The lack of zerks on the ball joints is the most annoying thing to me about the design of Ford trucks. I have my Moogs in the garage ready to go in as soon as I get time. But the interiors, in my experience, hold up great. And I still like the solid front axle despite the lack of serviceability. Silly vacuum hubs have been replaced with Mile Markers.

I did have a miss issue that prompted me to replace all 10 coil packs along with plugs. Some say it's overkill to do all of them, but coming from diesel, even all 10 COPs seemed like a cheap repair to me.

Anyway, I do love my 10. Oh yeah I do get around 11 mixed driving, 8-9 towing, and up to 15 but usually 13-14 highway. MPG would steer me toward a 1/2 ton if I did not tow as much as I do.

 

Thanks for the great advice. No, i probably won't tow much, if at all... If I have a pickup bed. With the Jeep, if I am hauling anything more than a few groceries, I need the trailer. The point that a 1/2 ton is going to get better fuel mileage is a really good one, and one thats really going to hit home if/when i am using the truck to commute.

Truthfully, what I am going to try to do is see if he will let me use the truck for a week or so for some cash, see if I like it. Best case scenario, it'll whet my appetite for the V10. If I want more, I'll buy his truck or another one like it.