4.9 vs 5.0
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4.9 vs 5.0
Im looking for a used F150, nothing fancy, just affordable. Im looking at a '94 right now, and am looking for some advice on some specifics. I wont be using this baby for anything heavy-duty, just your average handyman hauler. My question is whether to go with a 4.9L or the 5.0L engine. I understand the cost difference, and I would like the extra muscle, but unless im towing and overloading, is there a big jump from the 4 to th 5L?
Thanks
-Nate
Thanks
-Nate
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4.9 vs 5.0
in my opinion go with the 4.9 you cant beat the tourque and you will save a little gas money, just a little, mine has well over 100,000 miles and runs like the day i bought her. you cant go wrong just my opinion though.
chad
chad
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From: South East Alabama
4.9 vs 5.0
I ask the very same question a few years ago. When I got back from overseas I bought the first one I found. A 96, 4.9L, EXT CAB, 4x4, 5SPD. I have no regrets. The 4.9 is a little easier to maintain if you do your own maintenance. Torque is similar between the two but each feels different to drive. H.P. for the 4.9 is only 145. H.P. for a 95 5.0 is 205 (i think). The six revs slow, kinda like a diesel, with a power band to match. The v-8 revs fast and free, (zippy) much like a sports car (compared to the 6). If you drive in traffic where you are always jockying for position or blasting down the highway the v-8 would make you smile. The six is good for low range 4 wheel drive idling along the trail or putting around town. Don't know if the still use em but UPS trucks for years had the 300/6. Start, Stop, shut it off. Start, Stop, shut it off.
Which one gets better gas mileage? Just flip a coin. The six was never good at MPG. I thought it would get better milage than a 5.0L and it might in a short wheel base 2 wd standard cab but I wouldn't let MPG affect your decision. With proper care both engines will last a looooong time. Either way you will get the most snap with a manual transmission. I am sure others will give you their opinions. Good Luck with your choice. Welcome to the Web Site.
Chris
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Which one gets better gas mileage? Just flip a coin. The six was never good at MPG. I thought it would get better milage than a 5.0L and it might in a short wheel base 2 wd standard cab but I wouldn't let MPG affect your decision. With proper care both engines will last a looooong time. Either way you will get the most snap with a manual transmission. I am sure others will give you their opinions. Good Luck with your choice. Welcome to the Web Site.
Chris
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Texas
4.9 vs 5.0
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 08-May-01 AT 04:39 AM (EST)[/font][p]The 4.9 I had in my truck got crappy mileage! I spent over $1,000 in one year trying to make it run right, & still never got over 14 mpg out of it. And it has the M5OD 5 speed transmission w/ 3.08 gears. I should be able to light this thing up for two or three city blocks with the 302, but the only time they'll even break loose is on gravel or wet pavement.
I'm about ready to junk the 5 speed and go with an automatic.
Unless I can figure out what's holding my truck back!
Might be the clutch needs to be replaced. After ll it's been in there since I bought the truck & before then. I've had it exactly 5 years, so that might account for something.
1988 F-150, SWB, 5.0 EFI (formerly 4.9 EFI), M5OD 5 speed, 3.08 gears, Summit shorty truck headers, Custom built Flowmaster exhaust system. Force 4 LP6000 lightbar, Federal signal PA-300 100 watt siren, Icom IC-V100 50 watt mobile radio.
=======================================
1965 F-100 (just purchased 1/18/01), SWB, 390, C-6 auto. Dual exhaust, Not much else to do to it.
Can see both below.
[link:www.geocities.com/hotrodford_88/|Hotrodford_88's Webpage]
I'm about ready to junk the 5 speed and go with an automatic.
Unless I can figure out what's holding my truck back!
Might be the clutch needs to be replaced. After ll it's been in there since I bought the truck & before then. I've had it exactly 5 years, so that might account for something.
1988 F-150, SWB, 5.0 EFI (formerly 4.9 EFI), M5OD 5 speed, 3.08 gears, Summit shorty truck headers, Custom built Flowmaster exhaust system. Force 4 LP6000 lightbar, Federal signal PA-300 100 watt siren, Icom IC-V100 50 watt mobile radio.
=======================================
1965 F-100 (just purchased 1/18/01), SWB, 390, C-6 auto. Dual exhaust, Not much else to do to it.
Can see both below.
[link:www.geocities.com/hotrodford_88/|Hotrodford_88's Webpage]
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From: Lee's Summit MO
4.9 vs 5.0
IT depends, the 4.9L I6 is a damn reliable motor, and easy to work on, but it doesn't get as good mileage as the 5.0L. Also the 302's have great hp but not as good torque. You have to rap it up to get to that.
I perfer the 302 because I wanted a v8 and didn't want to have the poor mpg of the 351.
I perfer the 302 because I wanted a v8 and didn't want to have the poor mpg of the 351.
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From: Linwood, N.J. USA!
4.9 vs 5.0
Both are good engines in a 94' application. I know that if the truck was 10 years older, many would say go with the six. I agree with the above posts. The six is a dependable and strong engine but they never did get spectacular mileage. The mid 90's 5.0 engines are strong and have plenty of zip. Nothin' like a v-8. I have trucks with both type engines. Both have been very dependable. My brother uses his 94' to tow his boat everywhere. 94' f-150 standard cab with 5.0/302 engine with auto trans. It has been great. No problems. When given the choice, I would go with the v-8. Good luck. Jake.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
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4.9 vs 5.0
I have never owned an F-150 with the 4.9 Liter ( my last truck was a 1987 2.0 L ranger..talk about a hot rod 
), but my friend has a 1985 F-150 4.9 L 4x4. The truck has over 200,000 miles on it, and it still runs like a champ. The truck has had been re-painted, the bed replaced, and the stock steel wheels replaced with American Racing Rims. Nothing has been done to the straight six except for routine maintenence. It's not the fastest truck around, but the body will probably rust away before the motor dies. I bought my 95 F-150 with the 5.0L V8 and 5-speed about a year ago. I have had no problems with it since I bought it. They are both good engines, but I personally prefer the extra horse power that the 5.0 L V8 has. It also seems like there are more aftermarket performance parts for the 5.0 L engine.
), but my friend has a 1985 F-150 4.9 L 4x4. The truck has over 200,000 miles on it, and it still runs like a champ. The truck has had been re-painted, the bed replaced, and the stock steel wheels replaced with American Racing Rims. Nothing has been done to the straight six except for routine maintenence. It's not the fastest truck around, but the body will probably rust away before the motor dies. I bought my 95 F-150 with the 5.0L V8 and 5-speed about a year ago. I have had no problems with it since I bought it. They are both good engines, but I personally prefer the extra horse power that the 5.0 L V8 has. It also seems like there are more aftermarket performance parts for the 5.0 L engine. Trending Topics
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4.9 vs 5.0
Thanks for the opinions
I do like the added muscle of the V8 and since I have to drive 3 hours to school I can use the added gas mileage.
It will be a tough call.
Nate
I do like the added muscle of the V8 and since I have to drive 3 hours to school I can use the added gas mileage.
It will be a tough call.
Nate
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4.9 vs 5.0
I've had 3 of these trucks, 88,92 and currently a 96. All the trucks I had I got the 4.9L 5speed. I drove a 5.0L just for comparision once and it seemed to get alot better gas mileage. The 4.9L is not totally out of the question with a couple simple mods. I put a K&N airfilter,splitfire sparkplugs and an Accel Supercoil in all of them. These mods bump up the horsepower and torque and makes it alot more enjoyable to drive. I average between 16 and 20 with my 96. I have the economy gears in it 2:73 and it does better than the 3:08 gears that the other two trucks had. I only got between 15 and 18mpg in the trucks with the 3:08 gears. The 3:08 gears can tow more weight if you need to. I drive the 96 50 miles each way to work on the turnpike and it cruises just fine at 75mph. Just thought maybe this can help you decide. By the way, I ran the 88 and the 92 over 150,000miles with no problems. The 96 is still a baby with 52,000 miles on it.
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4.9 vs 5.0
Im kind of a rookie when it comes to engine types, so why is it that a bigger engine gets better gas mileage? My pops has a Full size van with a V8 in her and that thing guzzles gas. I cant imagine a smaller engine taking more fuel, but like I said, Im a rookie.
-Nate
-Nate
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From: Linwood, N.J. USA!
4.9 vs 5.0
Nate, It all depends on what type and size v-8 you have in the van. It may not be a 5.0 engine.
The 4.9 is a 300 ci engine. The 5.0 is a 302. Basically the 4.9/300 engine is a big 6-cylinder engine. On the other hand, the 5.0/302 is considered smaller size on the v-8 range of engines. Also, the make-up of the engine and how it runs plays a roll.
A small engine pulling a certain size truck will work harder and use more fuel to make it go. A larger engine will work easier on the same size truck. This is just one type of example on MPG. It is a little different when comparing a 4.9 to a 5.0 engine but should explain a little on fuel consumption with certain size engines.
As for an automatic vs. a manual trans, it all depends on how you drive. Most will say that a manual gets better mileage. If you wind out every gear and are hard on the gas pedal, then your mileage will drop. Hope this helps. Jake.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
The 4.9 is a 300 ci engine. The 5.0 is a 302. Basically the 4.9/300 engine is a big 6-cylinder engine. On the other hand, the 5.0/302 is considered smaller size on the v-8 range of engines. Also, the make-up of the engine and how it runs plays a roll.
A small engine pulling a certain size truck will work harder and use more fuel to make it go. A larger engine will work easier on the same size truck. This is just one type of example on MPG. It is a little different when comparing a 4.9 to a 5.0 engine but should explain a little on fuel consumption with certain size engines.
As for an automatic vs. a manual trans, it all depends on how you drive. Most will say that a manual gets better mileage. If you wind out every gear and are hard on the gas pedal, then your mileage will drop. Hope this helps. Jake.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
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4.9 vs 5.0
my 87 f250 w/a 4.9 gets 10 mpg no matter what i do,of course the 4.10 rear with a low gear 4 speed probably doesn't help but it will pull any thing. " if you are going to have a bear it might as well be a grizzly"
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From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
4.9 vs 5.0
The 300 I6 has a much longer stroke than the 302 V8 and that may account for the poor gas mileage of the 300. The long stroke is probably the fuel mileage problem with the 351 V8 also, since it is basically a stroked 302 (but, of course, with beefer rod and main journals). My 84 300 I6 got around 13 to 15 mpg but my fuel injected 95 300 gets close to 17.