Captain,

If you're just here to start trouble then why
don't you leave? If you're really so gung-ho
for Chevy's, please take it to a Chevy truck
site because trolling isn't welcome here.

Ken Payne
Admin

 

Morning Captain, I just got started on the page and am new to this. But I want to tell you something about the 454 and Powerstroke. I've had both and now on by second Powerstroke. I pull a 35ft. 5th wheel with a Jeep behind me. Every winter I go through the mountains of VA. and WV. to Fl for the winter then back in the spring. Summers are spent in CO. The total weight comb. is 28,000# and I get 9MPG as long as I stay around 65MPH. So I guess what I'm saying is it's hard to beat the Powerstroke. I've been doing this for 5yrs., and have never had a 454 pass me on any for the mountains. Good luck. terryt

 

>I have been a chevy enthusiast
>for most of my driving
>life. My delema is that
>my wife wants a bigger
>fifth-wheel. I presently tow a
>33' fithwheel with a 89
>ext cab chev pickup 1
>ton dually 454 manual trans.
>with lots of goodies to
>make it do the job.
>It dyno'ed at 308 hp.
>w/150k for mileage and pulls
>wonderfully. I know that if
>I go bigger ( presently
>20,860 #'s combined ) pulling
>with a one ton would
>be pushing it.
>I test drove a 2000 F-550
>with truck bed,4x4, diesel automatic,
>4 door dually. It drove
>great in town but we
>have this hill with about
>a 5-6 % grade for
>about 2 miles out of
>town. I entered this hill
>off a bridge at about
>35 mph with the electric
>overdrive off ( simulating conditions
>while pulling the 5th wheel).
>I then gave it full
>throttle and waited to see
>what happened. It took the
>whole hill to hit 60
>mph @ 3000 rpm.
>In comparison my truck will peg
>the speedo just a hundred
>yards up the hill under
>the same conditions. Please keep
>in mind that my truck
>is a manual 4 speed
>with 4:10 rear end and
>the new truck had a
>4:88 rear end.
>Now, Ford expects me to pay
>around 50k for this truck
>that was a performing JOKE.
>Is there something wrong? Should
>I save some money and
>turn to Freightliner? The mechanic
>took out the truck and
>said it kicked #####, quoted
>"what a performer". Are all
>ford diesels like this, if
>so how is the hypnotist
>traveling around to so fast
>to everybody ( obviously not
>by ford diesel ). I
>am willing to try another
>one but the first one
>was ridiculous. I did notice
>a sound simular to pre-detonation
>when taking off from a
>stop light.....the mechanics told me
>that that was common for
>new ford diesels in this
>area with the fuel we
>have to burn ( S.W,
>Washington ). Maybe I should
>wait for Chevy's Isuzu diesel?

I'm curious to hear what both vehicles weigh, without trailers. The 550 probably has several extra pounds than the extended cab chevy dually.

Regardless, the new powerstrokes can be easily awakened with the use of an aftermarket air filter, down pipe, exhaust system, and most importantly a computer chip. I have a 2000 Excursion Limited with the Diesel and recently put a Western Diesel chip in it. What a difference. We are talking night and day, and the power is where you need it...down low.

These mods will help with your towing, particularly up hills, and they will also reduce exhaust temps which are an important thing to watch on a diesel.

Additionally, why don't you pull the same weight, through the same terrain, the same distance, with the same driving habits -- I'll bet the powerstroke will get better gas mileage.

Wake up the diesel with a chip at least and it'll run like a gasser does. Quick off the line (as quick as it can be for a rig that size) with reduced turbo lag. You also must admit, the whistling of the turbo is COOL. If that isn't reason enough to get a diesel, I don't know what is!

-Eric
2000 Excursion Limited

 

RonHey DH or what ever you want to call yourself. I think I will call you STUPID. Your dreams on passing anyone with you chivvie hauling a 5th wheel are just that. Perhaps you should try hooking the pin of a trailer in that 5th wheel you stow in your truck bed.
I have a great idea. Why don't you find a Bowtie forum and do your Al Gore trick on them. They will even believe you and perhaps have some toppers also.
SEE YA! Ron

 

This is just the same ol story of a modified truck vs. a standard vehicle. Do the mods include just simple stuff like blueprinted carb,modified ignition(chip or recurved advance), headers, dual flowmasters, ported and polished heads or different cam, Ccloyes true roller timing set, rancho suspension? Just a simple tune-up. Gee, I did all this stuff when I transplanted a '84 460 ford marine jet boat engine (8:1 cr)into my ol' 79 f-250 CS. Only good for 375 hp on 87 octane (more with 92 octane) and a fantastic trailer puller. Dem chevies got small fast in the rear view mirror. So, if you want to compare apples to apples that ol truck is still out back looking for old 305 Z28s and 240hp vettes to kill(without the trailer of course) Why don't you come back when you repower with a 502/502hp chevy vortec crate engine(know thy enemy)? In case you wonder why I'm here instead of the 61-79 list, I now also have a 97 PSD E-cab 4x4 that will have the full banks setup and possibly propane on board by the time the new general hits the street and we shall see what we shall see. Its all out there to use ford fans, its first on race day not found on road dead.

 

 

Oh my God Chevy vs Ford again. Oh well there is one thing that 454 won't pass and that is the Gas Station. I have to agree that some of the 7.3s came off the line and ran like sick dogs, and the auto tranies took a long time to get made right but they seam to be OK now. As for me I will take the oil burner for pure pulling power any day. However I would like to stack my old 77 F250 with its M400 and C6 against your 454 for a pull off. Just to keep it square I am making about 315 hp at the rear wheels. It also almost lifts the right frount when you hammer it under load. Not bad for an engine / truck that is 30 years old and only been gone through once.

PWRPROD

 

Huh? Should be WAY more than that, like 1500-2000 lb. ft., unless what you're talking about is calculated engine torque, based on rear-wheel measurement.

 

did u guys notice that the rest of the posts are from 2000? Just wondering!!

 

Wow what a wake from the dead. I was reading the 1st page and couldn't believe those guys didn't know the Duramax was made by Isuzu, then realized this was back in 2000 lol.

 

I've been towing the same size and weight for the past 8+ years with the same truck I bought new in Jan 99. My first tow was from Washington, DC to Mission, TX, and that was the first and last time I towed stock. Started adding mods, Banks down pipe and exhaust, chip, etc.. see my sig below. Point is it doesn't tow worth a crap stock! If that 550 you drove was stock, I'm sure it was quite a dog as it weighs several K# more than my 350 does. If you think that 550 was slow, just wait until you drive a Freightliner! Mid size trucks can haul a heaver trailer just fine, but not very fast. If you find one that does, post back here, because my wife wants a bigger trailer too.

 

I think we'll let this one stay in the year 2000, guys. Closed...