I see a lot of used Excursions for sale and many of them have the 5.4L V8. I read through the forum here and didn't see any comments on how that engine performs in the Excursion. I have test driven an Excursion with the 5.4L a short distance, but I am still not quite ready to purchase. I was hoping to get some insight on that engine in the Excursion. I will not be doing any towing so I know I don't want the power stroke diesel. I will be mainly driving on the highway as I commute to work on public transportation. I have a Chocolate Lab that takes up alot of space and the Excursion has plenty of that. Thanks in advance for any input. This forum has a lot of great information I have had questions about.

Jim

 

Welcome the FTE!!

I take it that you are looking at the 2 wheel drive. There are not a lot of folks here that have the 5.4L (that I have met) 1 guy, if I remember correctly.

My opinion is that the V8 isn't enough to move the 4x4. 265HP pushin' around 3 1/4+ tons all day just doesn't cut it. Don't expect a race car and I'm sure it'll work fine (in 2x4 models). Get the lower (higher numerically) gears to best use the engine.

The 5.4L has a great reputation. Although piston slap is a challenge to this reputation.

If you don't expect your X to do great things, then the 5.4L will be adequate in the 2x4 model.

Then again, the V10 option isn't that much and you'll never have to wonder if you got enough power again.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 14-Feb-02 AT 08:23 AM (EST)]I don't want 2 wheel drive. I was wondering if the 5.4L would be strong enough 4x4 (it is part-time, correct?). The price on many of those have been very enticing. I am just trying to make sure of what I want. Thanks for the response. I am going to look through the V10 board, but Monsta could you put HP numbers side by side here for the V10 and 5.4L? Thanks.

Jim

I am looking at 2000 and 2001 models.

 

V10 - 310HP & 425Lb. Ft.

V8 - 255hp & 350lb. ft.

Check out this site [link:suv.fordtraining.com/excursion/html/spcfrm.htm|Excursion specs]

I can't believe that you can actually find a 4x4 with the V8, as it is an OPTIONAL engine in the 4x4 models! Maybe an fleet truck but I really can't imagine someone speccing (a word??) one out with the V8 when the V10 is the standard engine.

My truck is no race car but it can get out of it's own way. I can't imagine a V8 with 55 LESS hp and 75 LESS lb. ft., pushing almost the same weight, could.

 

I highly suggest the V10. You will get better gas mileage with the V10 and still enjoy the extra power. The reason for this is: With that heavy of a vehicle the V8 will be straining all the time 4x2 or4x4. And when an engine strains it sucks up the fuel. The V10 however will be completly relaxed. And will get better mpg. This is from personal experience and also what the Ford rep. said. Just a suggestion. Benjamin

 

>>and also what the Ford rep. said.

Come on Ben! Most Ford reps are morons! Most have never driven the vehicles for any length of time. (if at all)

YOUR personal testimony is worth 10 times what a rep would say!

 

TRUE just thought it might help! It was actually a ford mechanic. Benjamin

 

Okay here goes some proof. My dad has a 1998 E350 Extended Club Wagon with the V10 4R100 and 3.73. And also a 1999 F-250 SD, SC, LB, with the V8 4R100 and 3.73. The weights are very close to the same. And both get driven the same way. Van gets 14.5mpg sometimes 15. The truck get 13mpg all the time. Benjamin

 

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! Real proof! Good job!

Now, that V10 is the 265hp version. What is the '99 5.4L? 235hp?



Okay back to omnimax...

Where do you live? And what are they asking for these Excursions? What trim level are they? I'm not gonna sit here and bad mouth a Ford engine but do feel that the 5.4L really shouldn't even be offered in the X. However, I'm sure that if the price difference is substantial between the two (V8 / V10), the money saved could be used for engine modifications to bring the 5.4L power up.

 

>
>Okay back to omnimax...
>
>Where do you live? And what are they asking for these
>Excursions? What trim level are they? I'm not gonna sit here
>and bad mouth a Ford engine but do feel that the 5.4L really
>shouldn't even be offered in the X. However, I'm sure that
>if the price difference is substantial between the two (V8 /
>V10), the money saved could be used for engine modifications
>to bring the 5.4L power up.

I am looking through cars.com and not really limiting the distance factor. I live in Northern Virgina, but have family in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Western North Carolina. Basically, I am finding plenty of 5.4's (a few 4X4, but most 4X2) around $23,000 with anywhere from 20-40K miles on them. I do see some V10 4X4 for $25,000 to $30,000. I am trying to get this with my trade in which is negative at this point thanks to todays market for as close to $30,000 as possible. We have a car dealership in Western North Carolina that the family has bought a lot of cars from and would probably be able to find what I want at auction. I am not in a rush now, but trying to make a good decision for the future (<6 months). I have promised the wife this would be the last purchase for quite a while.

 

Keep looking. I got my 2000 V-10 4X4 w/ 28,000 miles for under $23K here in NJ. At the time, there were 3 comparable ones at different dealers in the state that I found. All were asking in the $25-26K range.

 

I have a Y2K Excursion (3.73) with the PSD and a Y2K Expedition (3.55) with the 5.4L. They both have about 25k miles on them. Most of the miles put on by myself. I cant even imagine the X with that small engine. Maybe 2x4, no towing, not too many highway miles, and you can squeek by. I say no highway miles because you will probably have 4.30 gears just to get this rig rolling. This makes it difficult to run at high speed out on the open road. I think the 5.4L is a good motor but the Expedition is about as much at it wants to push around. The Expedition gets about 11 mpg around town and the Excursion gets 15 mpg. Out on the road they both get about 19 mpg, if not loaded. The Expedition gets maybe 15 with the family and all our gear up on top. The Excusion still gets 17. I know I am comparing two vastly different motors but they are in vastly different vehicles. I would have to agree with some of the other posts that say you would be better off with the V10. You would probably get better MPG and have the additional power as well. And power is a good thing. The reason the low resale prices on the 5.4L is probably because it is not a very desirable engine in the big rig.

 

I own a 2000 X 4 + 2 with a 5.4. The power is great, the mileage is even better. I don't tow so I don't know what it would do. But it has very close to the same power as my friend's V-10 X. I drove his and he drove mine. There is very little difference in normal around town driving. Now towing may be different.
But for me, the 5.4 has as much power as my E250 van with a 351 Cleveland in it.

 

Well, I can't understand why anyone would want to take a big, powerful, capable, tough, useful truck like an X and stick a rubber band under the hood, it just takes the special punch out of the whole picture. I have a 2001 limited 4X4, 6.8L V-10, 3.73 LS. It is in no way over powered, I get 13 - 14 mpg around town, 15 - 17 highway, and never under 11 towing an 8000 pound boat. With the V-10 this is just about the quietest, smoothest and most capable SUV on the planet, Why would anyone compromise that. If ya want a small engine, buy a small truck, If ya want the biggest and the best, get an X with a V-10 or a PSD, both engines do the truck justice. These are big trucks, they can do big things for ya and like it, they don't run for free, but they run like no other truck on earth, "There is no replacement for displacement" and no matter what anyone tries to tell ya, bigger IS better. Buy a real truck with a real engine that's capable of real work, Like consumer reports said, "This is not your moms SUV"

 

One more thing, Shame on Ford for offering that little engine in an excursion and shame on anyone who wants one. Get the real thing.