Do you guys hot-rod with your trucks? I driven lots of Ford PU's all with the 351 (5.8), the truck I drive now is a '84 F-250HD.

I've always been happy with the old 351. Looking at the HP and torque of today's 5.4, if I remember right, it is a little more than the 351. When F-150's and F-250's were built with the same frame and body, the base engine was a I-6 for a while. You moved up to a 302, then a 351, then the 460 or the International diesel. This is a while ago, but I knew no one with a bigger engine than the 351.

Anyway, I'm about to buy a 2002 250 4X4 CC off the lot. I know the CC weighs a couple hundred pounds more than a RC, but I was going to get a 5.4 3.73, which is mostly what I see. I don't tow anything heavy --- I just bring atv's or dirt bikes to ride. I go up some mountains in NE PA, but they're not the Rockys and I would not be towing anything heavier than around 2800 lbs.

That's nothing for this truck, right? I've got to keep the gas milage as good as possible for the new family budget. But all you guys with the V10's and diesels are starting to worry me a litle. You guys just like to have all the power that's available to you, right ( I know what that feels like)? Or are you really dumping on the 5.4 as a not good enough engine?

Thanks guys. Jim

 

jim, I have a 99 250 with v-10. I am happy. It definitly does have more power than the 5.4. heres the thing a 5.4 has to work harder than the v-10 because of the torque difference. therefore the mileage is comparable. I reccomend getting the v-10. I test drove the 5.4 and although it felt peppy I feel that even with a small load and a decent hill, shell be pinging,

 

oh yeah, if you are really stuck on the 5.4 heres two things to consider, one is that i have heard of 5.4 getting replaced often. also if you get a 5.4 get the steeper gears, not the 3.73. it will make life on the 5.4 easier believe it or not

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Dec-01 AT 01:22 PM (EST)]Jim59- Nothing is "wrong" with the 5.4L. I know people who have them in F150's and love them- but the SuperDuty is a different animal. Go for the V10. It's the best $600 you'll ever spend. The only advantage the V8 has going for it is a slight increase in mileage- which is lost when you tow anyway.

BTW- follow joegarf's advice and get the 4.10LS rear end if you do go with the V8

Just my $0.02.

 

The 5.4L is a great engine. I think most of us just like having the "extra" power. Obviously, Ford thinks the Super Duty is an acceptable platform for the gas V8 or they wouldn't make it the base engine.

Anyway, the 5.4L with 3.73 gears in a CC 4x4 is going to be working pretty hard. Perhaps so much so that fuel mileage will suffer when compared to the V10 with 3.73 gears. And, even though you will only be towing 2800 lbs, the truck alone will weigh close to 7000 lbs. Full of fuel and with me (very fat) and my wife (not fat) my truck weighed 7520 lbs. according to Flying J's "certified" scales.

 

It sounds like you could save even more by just going with a F150 with the 5.4. If you decide to step up to the plate with a SD, get the V10!

 

Nothing wrong with the 5.4, just get the 4.10's.
You don't want to wish you did later, some with the 5.4 and 3.73's have complained.

 

I have a 2001 SD,SC 5.4. I am happy with the truck. I have the 4.10 rear end and it performs great. Gas milage around 14 in town and 17.5 hwy. I also pull a 4500 lb load from time to time with no prob. GO WITH 4.10 gears though.

 

I am amazed that people are getting 14mpg with there super duty with the 5.4. I have the 5.4 in mine and i average 9 MPG doing mostly stop and go driving.

 

To add to the discussion most ford modular blocks share the same 3.55" bore. In fact all the engines share the same piston pin size, rod journal and crank jornal size. The only difference from the 5.4 and 4.6 is deck, stroke and rod length. the v-10 is 4.11 inches. With this said, one could if wanted to. Install the 32v heads on a 5.4 block with no major issues except the exhaust flow would need to be opened up, as well as a recal on the computer and larger mass flow meter. On another note according to the 5.4 engine specs here they are for the 2000 for f-250/sd. 235hp@4250rpm as compared to the v-10 which is 235hp@2700rpm. So a big difference. How about torque well here ya go 5.4 330@3000rpm and v10 500@1600rpm. compression is 9.0:1 on 5.4 and 4.6 and 17.5:1 on the v-10.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 19-Dec-01 AT 00:55 AM (EST)]Sorry tim87114, but the values you listed for the V10 are actually for the PSD.

Peak numbers for the 6.8L V10 are: 310HP@4250 & 425ft-lbs@3250
The bore is 3.55in. and the stroke is 4.16 inches. The compression ratio is also 9.0:1.

 

Correct me if I am wrong but in mid 1999 the HP for the 5.4 was brought up to 260 or 265 from 235.

2001 SD,SC,5.4,4:10,4x4, off rd, Lariat,Capt's chairs,Tow package,HD suspension,True blue and Gold,6 disc cd,

 

I want a V10 with 17.1 compression!!!! That and a lifetime supply of octane booster!!!


What would the advantage of a 5.4 SD be over a 150 with a 5.4?? I can see the payload diff. but what about towing and such.

IMHO if economy is the prime concern get the 150. Otherwise, when working, the 5.4 won't get that much better economy than the V10.

 

Yep you are correct I read the wrong line going across the book. The bore is 92.0mm or 3.551. The question I have is the auto tranny it uses is it also used on the 5.4 and 4.6?