I have been looking into pontoon boats lately and was wondering if my 4.2 van could tow a pontoon boat ..... could it make it up the ramp ? The trip is not even 5min. down to the ramp I am more worried that it might not have enough tourqe to make it up the ramp. Just for kicks and giggles would it do okay to 2-3 hour trips highway?
I know not to tow with overdrive, so is the overdrive button to disengage it?

 

The base towing capacity of a 4.2L Cargo E150 is 5200lbs. Your GCWR is 10,000lbs. Weigh your van as you would load it for a trip, then subtract your vans weight from your GCWR. The lower number (GCWR - Actual Weight or Towing Capacity) is what you can LEGALLY tow, provided you do not exceed your axle ratings, and you are not carrying anything in the van.

For a base 4.2L Cargo E250, the towing limit is 5700, and your GCWR is 11,000. If you have a Club Wagon/Passenger 4.2L E150, then your towing limit is 4700 and GCWR is 10,000. If your van was a strip chassis (it has a utlity box or such) then your capacity is 2400lbs.

Unless your vehicle has a towing option package, I would not tow anything until I added at least an auxiliary cooler to the transmission. Would your van have the power to pull a boat out of the water? Probably, I have seen four banger Toyotas do it. I have also seen 7.3L v8 Turbodiesel duallys fail and slide in up to their tailgates. Its a matter of skill, ramp, tires, conditions, and load.

Pontoon boats are light, but put up a LOT of wind resistance. Ford specs you may have up to 60 square feet of frontal area, and most boats would fall within that. That said, i really dont think a 4.2L equipped econoline would be my go-to vehicle for towing. They CAN tow, but I question how much power they have to spare for passing, accelerating, and in general doing 70mph into a 15mph wind.