Not bad IMO.
I have a 29' class C with the 460 4.10 rear end fully loaded with grey and clear water I'm just a midge over 13k on average long trips to the Rocky's I manage 9MPG doing between 65-70 MPH.

On an empty truck I'm sure those numbers can increase if you drive it like a old fart. You have to also consider that these trucks have small fuel tanks (19 gallon front and 18 rear, so you literally see the fuel needle move when you floor it, and I guess that's where some people freak out, all can be solve if you add a 38 gallon rear tank from a bronco lol.

Just remember that it will take a long time to recoupe fuel cost if you go diesel simply because diesel trucks are worth 3* more than a gasser, then like I previously stated, factor in maintenance cost, and fuel cost it will probably be years before you see any benefit in diesel ownership.

 

FOUR WHEELER Magazine's Project M.P.G.

Found that finally. Remember that is a C6 truck with the early EFI heads, update happened late 1992 I believe.

What are you needing a 3/4 ton or larger for anyway? Camper? Car hauler?

 

yeah, 3/4 ton would be adequate. I'm going to be pulling a 17 foot boat here and there and I'm going to be hauling oak firewood which is very heavy. also, i might end up needing to pull some stumps and drag tree trunks. I also want enough truck to pull a skid steer or a mini excavator if i ever need to do that. However the truck will be driven unloaded most of the time.
edit: 4x4 is necessary.

 

You MIGHT be able to get away with a 351 truck for that. If you do, put your money into heads. Any OE SBF heads are junk in terms of flow, economy, and performance. TFS are best off the shelf to me. Easy to turn bottom end into a 408W with a 4" crank and 6.2" rods.

Ask @Khan about his boss D50 he is building up.

 

What does TFS mean?

 

https://www.trickflow.com/

I would rock the 170s (aka Twisted Wedge) on a 302 or a lower RPM 351W. I had a set that were stolen which irritates me, ha! I prefer them as you can hog them out, well could for sure back in stone age, to flow enough for bigger cubes.

 

To quote Agent 47 X, I have leaking up pipes, manifolds and have replaced the E4OD already.

Given the cost of maintenance if i had to do it again I would have stuck with a 460 or built a mean stroked out 351 and would have been done already. Yet I still need to do turbo stuff, fluidampr, golden nugget, etc before I consider the engine work done.

That still leaves me with: a TTB that needs rebuilding and coilovers, a Super Duty 10.5 rear swap, and overall body work.

If you have to have a diesel by all means get one. Just be ready to surrender your check book for it.

 

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong but does the 460 have really bad mpg when unloaded? I've always heard it does. With the 460, do i trade mpg for cheaper maintenance costs? Also, would i be alright fueling the 460 with 87 octane? I hear diesels get better mpg even tho the fuel is more expensive.

 

I've seen MPG anywhere from 8-14 depending on condition of the engine, gearing, tire size, and wind conditions.

TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) will be lower with a 460 or 351 due to the cost of maintenance as far as parts, oil, fuel etc.

 

I am getting my 96 F250 4x4 ZF5 Powerstroke back on the road after sitting in my yard for five years. Probably original injectors. I did a 200 mile trip recently and set the cruise at 62, not in a hurry and diesel is spendy these days. I got 19.5 mpg. Probably closer to 15 keeping up with traffic on the interstate as I recall from five years ago.

I've done the usual maintenance plus 6637 filter, 3" downpipe, rebuilt the oil cooler, rebuilt the fuel canister, replaced all the Dana 50 and front end bushings, rebuilt the stock turbo, boost gauge, high pressure oil lines, IPR, steering wheel bearings, etc. It's got 280,000 miles on it. Doesn't leak a drop. I'm amazed at how well it runs and forgot how much fun it is to drive.

Next up Hydra chip, EGT and fuel gauges, 160/0 injectors, replace all the AC components, new glow plugs, aluminum radiator, cab lights :-) maybe 17 degree HPOP, new tailgate, new android head unit, lots of minor body work, front seat upholstery, and maybe a quick respray of the paint. It has been a ranch truck/work truck all its life and wears its scars proudly. Always in the desert so rust free. These are great trucks and I've had two inquiries to purchase it in the last month from hardware store workers.

 

I love my 7.3 and I wouldn’t trade it for a gasser. That said, for the initial cost of purchase and maintain, makes the 460 a better value. I drove my brother in law’s for a bit and it is strong and would do anything you ask of it.

I would search your area and see what kind of prices you find for each one

 

My dead now 6.4 I ordered new and took delivery in early June '09 (May build, Job 2) did 7-8 city tops, deleted fully was solid 10mpg city always. It was a CCLB 4x4 F350 Lariat with all options aside from cab lights (yes, smokers package, trac control, dual alts, aux heater, and more) Sure, it ran 12s, BUT you are missing long term cost of ownership on a Diesel truck. Unless working it always or have big cash, the thing is really pointless.

I would trade my 7.3 for a late big block without thinking twice.

If it matters, I paid $3k I think for my tub plus TT&L. Probably have $12-14k into it now. My 1992 4.9 was $1900 delivered to my house. The '97 was $2k delivered and is wrecked still and still inop.

 

For me, my Ford is not my daily.

My daily is a Ram Ecodiesel that get's 25 mpg all the time. I bought a truck for fuel mileage, and it works well enough for me to daily drive to work and do light duty hauling.

I also have other classic trucks, and we camp a lot, so a few times a year, I need a 3/4 ton truck, or could really use one. I used to daily an 8.1l gas Silverado, and the empty mileage on a CCLB was about 12.5 mpg with an overdrive. I could see rising fuel costs coming, and I simply didn't need such a large truck on average, so I sold it, bought the nicer, newer Ram, and have a nicer more efficient commute. I should have kept the SIlverado and bought a car to commute with though, lesson learned.

I bought my F-250 because I like the trucks, I've had several non-powerstoke ones and at 750 bucks, it was a great deal for me to have a 3/4 ton to build and use.

For me, personally, my F-250 is going to sit at my shop 99.5% of the time, until it's time to haul or tow something. I do process my own B100 biodiesel, so having another diesel in the fleet is a bonus to me, but hardly necessary.

Idk, long story short, to me, having a 3/4 ton truck as a daily to do normal tasks like go to work, go to the store, just isn't very practical, new, old, diesel, gas... There's no mod that will beat the MPG gain you get from buying a 05 Civic for 2500 bucks lol.

 

My truck will be worked. And I AIN'T DRIVING NO Civic. haha

 

Same lol.

I'm just saying 99% of my driving doesn't require a 3/4 ton truck.

If you literally don't leave the house unless you're hauling 10k, and doing it 20k miles a year or more, then the mpg savings might be worth it, as well as having a more comfortable tow.