Which engine 4me....
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 77
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From: dousman, wisconsin
Which engine 4me....
I currently have a f150ext. cab 4x4 cat back duel exhaust flowmaster muffler and k&n filter. I am looking to up grade to a crew cab super duty. Now the most I will ever pull will be 4 snowmobiles or 4 atv's. maybe 5000#s with trailer. I don't need the diesel or the $$$$ that comes with it but does the 5.4 really turn the truck into a dog. Would the milage be about the same as a v-10. If I superchip a 5.4 with exhaust and k&n filter what kind of gains in power and milage am I looking at??? I know the o'l saying "don't buy a truck for milage" but I am getting no worse than 16 with my little 4.6.. Does the v-10 really only get 11 or 12?? What does it get when you tow...8 or 9..?? Does the 5.4 in the super duty get a little better milage than the v-10?? I really value everyone's opinions here..this site has helped me alot in the past. Thanks.. and looking forward to hearing from you guys...
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,931
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From: Allen, Tx
The 5.4L is great in a reg cab 4x2/4x4 and an extended cab short bed 4x2. It's also good with the extended cab short bed 4x4's. A 4.10 ratio makes it even better. The 3.73 is acceptable but not very impressive. Anything bigger than those configurations and the 5.4L may be a little marginal. There's a big weight difference between a reg cab and a crew cab. My reg cab 5.4L 4x2 weighs 5800 lbs. and one of my friend's crew cab short bed PSD 4x4 weighs 7800 lbs. Even with the PSD weighing 440 lbs more than the 5.4L engine, that still 1560 lbs of extra weight. A V10 and PSD might make your drive (not to mention towing or hauling) more enjoyable on any truck bigger than an extended cab short bed 4x4.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 616
Likes: 1
From: Florida Parishes, LA
My 5.4 gets 13.5 city and 15 highway. I have a Superchip, Flowmaster, and K&N. It has good power. I pull about the same that you do. I'm happy with the 5.4. You will find a lot of opinions on here. Listen to them all and make your decision.
New User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 18
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From: Queens, New York City
My 02 Excursion XLT 4x4 V-10 gets 14mpg hwy empty, 11mpg around town and 9mpg towing my loaded 24' enclosed car trailer (8500 lbs). That is however on the flat. Hill's will knock it down to 7 mpg. Either way I don't mind because I always have enough power whether it be pulling up a hill or running up to one. I prefer to have more than enough engine than not enough. I've done the exhaust, intake & chip and while I might have gained some power the mpg's don't get any better, just more expensive. I love the V-10 but when I buy my new F-250 Crew Cab I think I might go PSD if my pockets are deep enough. The more power the better in my book and 16mpg towing ain't bad either.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 502
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From: Harker Heights, TX
My PSD 6.0L gets around 16 mpg mixed and upwards of 22 mpg highway. I do not know about towing since I have yet to tow anything but the most I tow is a 6x8 trailer.
I also really like the sound of the diesel.
As for having deep pockets I think the costs about average out in the long run. Your oil change intervals are around 5k and diesel is usually cheaper than unleaded. Definitely cheaper than premium unleaded (which you would need for the chip). Theoretically the PSD should last longer than the V10 but now days regular engines are lasting a long time.
I also really like the sound of the diesel.
As for having deep pockets I think the costs about average out in the long run. Your oil change intervals are around 5k and diesel is usually cheaper than unleaded. Definitely cheaper than premium unleaded (which you would need for the chip). Theoretically the PSD should last longer than the V10 but now days regular engines are lasting a long time.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 367
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From: New Haven, MO
If I had to say, in your situation, I'd definitely go V-10. The mileage issue is about the same as the 5.4 (as I've been learning from reading this site), but the power is lot more. My neighbor is the head of the Street Department. I think it was about 2 years ago they bought an F-350 RC DRW 5.4 and put a dump bed on it. They can't tow a trailer b/c of the lack of power. Maybe they didn't have the rest of the powertrain configured correctly, but they wished they had gone with either of the two optional engines. Of course, I'm still buying an older 7.3. Just my .02
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 280
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From: San Diego, CA.
I looked & looked all around San Diego for a F250 Fx4 CC w/ a 5.4 and there wasn't any to be found. By the time you have the trailer on, your gear in the bed and 5-6 people in there, that's going to be a strain on that engine.. It'll do it, but it'll be working really hard.. Go with the V-10 or better yet, the diesel if you're planning on keeping the truck for awhile..
Good Luck,
Russ
Good Luck,
Russ
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 48
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From: Northeastern OH
I have the V10 with a 3.73 rear axle and tow 7400# trailer. Only mods so far are K&N. It should be enough for your 4 ATVs or Snow toys. I get 12-13 higway no-trailer and 9 avg with the trailer. I would go 6.8 vs 5.4 on that big of a truck. I'm sure the 5.4 can pull that, but the 6.8 will give you the extra power when getting on the highway and on hills. Besided, once you go 3/4 ton you'll use it, then you'll wish you had 6.8. You want to get the 3.73 rear-end. I don't think you want the 6.0 Turbo-D unless your pulling 9000# or better. That monster will tow up tp 12500 with the 3.73 rear axle. And maybe 14000+ with the 4.34 read axle.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 904
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From: PHOENIX
Originally Posted by mattsf250
PSD if you want/need 16mpg or BETTER....otherwise, fuhgetaboutit.
Maybe you can test drive one for a full tank to see what kind of mileage it gets before buying, otherwise it's a crapshoot. 
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
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From: NE Texas
5.4 light work, but good all-round
6.8 medium work, fair all-round
6.0 heavy work, good all-round
If I didn't a need medium duty work truck (under 16K towing) I would not have got the V10. The 5.4 is a good workhorse, but you have to limit the loads - the engines seem to last forever. The 6.0 (after all the kinks are worked out) can work hard and get fairly good fuel mileage. I have seen these SD's with new PSD tow around 20K with hardly a bobble. It's amazing how that thing can work...but it's an engine made for that.
6.8 medium work, fair all-round
6.0 heavy work, good all-round
If I didn't a need medium duty work truck (under 16K towing) I would not have got the V10. The 5.4 is a good workhorse, but you have to limit the loads - the engines seem to last forever. The 6.0 (after all the kinks are worked out) can work hard and get fairly good fuel mileage. I have seen these SD's with new PSD tow around 20K with hardly a bobble. It's amazing how that thing can work...but it's an engine made for that.