5.4 with 6-speed?
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 201
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From: Idaho
i am thinking about getting the 5.4 with the 6-speed in either a 4X4 Super Cab, or a 2X4 Crew Cab. Do you think it would have adequate power after adding 4X4 or a Crew Cab?It sounds like the 6-speed is a good choice.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Allen, Tx
I can tell you that my truck is great with the 5.4L/S6-650/3.73 and I know that people here with the extended cab 4x4 like them. For weight comparison, here are some dry-weights for different models of F250's 5.4L 6-speed: (in pounds, of course.)
4x2 reg cab long bed 5420
4x4 reg cab long bed 5837
4x2 ext cab short bed 5601
4x4 ext cab short bed 6010
4x2 ext cab long bed 5763
4x4 ext cab long bed 6174
4x2 crew cab short bed 5841
4x4 crew cab short bed 6271
4x2 crew cab long bed 5986
4x4 crew cab long bed 6410
The 6-speed IS more fun to drive than the 4-speed auto, that's a given. Especially off-road on steep slopes, it's great for that. The 6-speed doesn't shift as well as the 5-speed but I guess it's like saying that Heidi Klum has ugly toes, right? I think everyone with the large 5.4L F250's have been saying that as long that you don't expect super high gas mileage or expect to tow a 20,000lbs trailer all the time that it should be a good choice. Anybody second that?
4x2 reg cab long bed 5420
4x4 reg cab long bed 5837
4x2 ext cab short bed 5601
4x4 ext cab short bed 6010
4x2 ext cab long bed 5763
4x4 ext cab long bed 6174
4x2 crew cab short bed 5841
4x4 crew cab short bed 6271
4x2 crew cab long bed 5986
4x4 crew cab long bed 6410
The 6-speed IS more fun to drive than the 4-speed auto, that's a given. Especially off-road on steep slopes, it's great for that. The 6-speed doesn't shift as well as the 5-speed but I guess it's like saying that Heidi Klum has ugly toes, right? I think everyone with the large 5.4L F250's have been saying that as long that you don't expect super high gas mileage or expect to tow a 20,000lbs trailer all the time that it should be a good choice. Anybody second that?
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 353
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From: South Dakota
As for the V10 milage, I don't think it is to bad. I get 12-13 normally with short trips into town about 7 miles, of course it is down around 10 now with the cold weather. On some longer trips of about 70 miles I've gotten 15-16, I think the one trip was even 16.5. The longest trip I took was about 500 miles and only made about 14 but that was running interstate at 75 mph most of the time. Keep in mind I have 4.30 gears so the 3.73 would probably fair better at higher speeds, but I was looking at towing ability when I got mine. What ever you get you won't be dissappointed, as long as it is a FORD 
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Allen, Tx
In a heavier config, the bigger engine might have to work less but you'll have to ask someone with a V10, CC 4wd etc... My coworker brought his F150 to the dealer for maintenance last week and they gave him a loaner F250 CrewCab short bed 4WD with the V10 and 4-speed auto to use for the weekend. He's also driven my truck and he said that the V10 had a lot more power but that he could watch the gas gauge going down. From what I have read on this board and others, there is about a 2 mpg difference between the V10 and the V8. I guess if you don't plan on towing super heavy stuff, the V8 and 6-speed will be a very cost effective truck. So far in 5600 miles, I get 13.5 mpg city driving and 19 mpg on the highway at about 65 mph, 16.5 mpg combined. I've gotten as much as 21mpg but I have the smallest F250 that you can get. You can probably expect an average of 14 to 15 mpg combined with an EC-SB 4x4. That's actually pretty good for something that weighs 6000 lbs dry! The V10 I think only gets about 12 or 13, but has a hell of a lot more power. I sure that if gas mileage was your priority, you'd be buying a Ranger though, right?
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 544
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From: West Virginia
trucksforever,
You will be fine with the 5.4 4x4 sc and the 6 speed. I kinda look at having a 4x4 like this, It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it? Good luck!
Fitter
You will be fine with the 5.4 4x4 sc and the 6 speed. I kinda look at having a 4x4 like this, It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it? Good luck!
Fitter
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 521
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From: Alexandria, Ohio
I think the old NP435 was the perfect tranny it just needed an O/D. How does the 6 speed compare? Are the shifters still a straight stick? I did not like the 5 speeds that replaced the 4 in the 80's. The gears did not seem spaced right and the straight shifter felt strange. The old contoured ones just felt perfect.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,931
Likes: 5
From: Allen, Tx
I drove a 1978 F350 dually (company truck) for a while and it had a 400 in it and a either a 3 or 4 speed. Would a 78 have the old NP435 in it you think? It did have an s-curved shifter on it. The truck I drove had over 500,000 miles on it so I'm sure that gearbox was well broken in and was pretty smooth compared to my new 6-speed but still a slow shifter. Since putting synthetic ATF and more miles on it, it's gotten a lot smoother. It still shifts pretty hard in freezing temps, but is getting very smooth in warm weather. (Normal I think) The 6-speed has a straight shifter, same one used on the 1987's to current ZF's. The gears seem to be spaced fairly well. At 1500 rpm's, you can stay at 10 mph in 1st, 20 mph in 2nd, 30mph in 3rd, 40 mph in 4th and 50 mph in 5th. At 1750 rpms, you'll get 45 in 4th and 60 mph in 5th(OD), and this with the 3.73's so I think the gear interval is pretty well chosen. In L you can let the clutch out and coast at about 800 rpm in a traffic jam without hitting the brakes so that's better than an automatic!
The pattern on it is:
R 1 3 OD
L 2 4
The pattern on it is:
R 1 3 OD
L 2 4
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