I have been reading hundreds of postings in all the topics on the v10 and it's performance. I have a question that does not seem to have been asked or answered, if that is possible. I just returned from a trip from NYS to SC, Myrtle Beach. I was towing a 8000# travel trailer. If I kept it at 60 it would generally pull in overdrive at around 2k rpm and would get about 9.2 mpg. If I tried to keep it at 65 it would only tow in drive at about 3k rpm except when going downhill. It got around 8 mpg. If I pushed it up to 70 to 75 it would only run in drive except on steep downhills and the mileage dropped to around 6.5 to 7 mpg. Now this was all done using the trip computer although I did verify two tankloads by old fashioned math.
If I were to open the intake, exhaust and chip it, will the horsepower/torque gains at allow me to pull at the higher speeds and still stay in overdrive? I know I am looking at small numbers here but on a 2000 mile trip I could save $130.oo at the 9 mpg versus the 7 mpg at $2.00 per gallon. Any thoughts?
As a side note I have 3.73 gears, if I had 4.10's it would allow me to pull in overdrive at the higher speeds but would increase my rpm somehwhat which would negate the gains in mileage.

 

$200+ for intake
$400-$900 exhaust
$250-$410 for chip
$650-1200 for gears
Best gain possibe and reported here is about 2mpg. Most folks actually loose mpg and gain a lot of higher rpm power.

I liked the preformance from the fatory for my 85% usage of around town and short trips unloaded.

To get better power and milage for the four or five times a year I hauled a lot of wieght a far distance were not worth the time trouble and $$$$, for me.

 

Since you have answered all my questions you know what I am searching for. I take four to six towing trips per year one or two long ones. So I probably put up to 3000 for towing and the rest normal around town drving up to a total of 10k to 12 k. The issue is if these types of modes get me 2 mpg across that range I calculated 3000k at 7 vs 9 and the remaining 9k at 12 to 14 @ $2.00 per gal would save me approx $400.00 per year. Plus it may provide some intangibles like more peace of mind driving and longevity of the truck, trans and such. Which I realize are personal feelings and probably can never be quantified.

I would not do the gears and since I do a lot of ebay stuff for the intake and chip I can get to the lower range in cost it would take approx two years for my return on invetsment using your cost factors. I usually keep my vehicles for a minimum of 5 to 7 years so this now adds up long term. If gas continues to increase the savings are bigger if not then smaller. I appreciate all theinfo you have provided very helpful.

 

Your right, all I ever see is big gains at high RPM, why can the diesel get more low power from these types of mods but the gas v10 only higher rpm? What would need to be done to move the power lower in the band? The v10 sure produces enough power if it could just be moved lower. Is it a compression thing or bore/stroke?

 

Sorry for this repost of same info but in case someone is not following the other thread:

This is because Ford, Chevy, and Dodge are required to make the gasoline engines lighter, quieter, and more efficient. Not so of the Diesel motor family. By design the V8/V10 family is already near it’s best potential. The Diesel has much more potential. The manufactures deliberately detuned them so they would not have to add the expense of other drive components that can handle the increased torque loads. They don’t talk about it much, but a lot of the diesel guys that went on steroids had to spend big bucks to get their trannies bullet proofed. You send 800ftlbs of torque through a drive train rated for 600ftlbs and stuff is going to break

V10 Has lots of grunt down low and really comes alive around 3600RPM! This is NOT too high an RPM to cruise at. If you had a 500Cubic Inch Gas motor with another 100ftlb of torque then at 1900-2300rpm you would have plenty of power at OD cruise but it would cost in reduced MPG.

 

I get the picture. Well, I looked at a 1 ton+ lighter trailer today. That should help.

 

Hey cetmanhd just for reference,
My 2001 V10 4x4 4dr 3.73:1 LS, Harley super glide in bed, 9000lb TT loaded, three adults, and Pete the Boston terrier all combine to put my truck over the max tow able. I do some very steep long grades getting from central Texas up to the mountains of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and parts west. I punch off OD and sometimes down shift and run the motor up to 3600-4800Rpm to keep above 60 and frequently get long runs at 67-73mph. My MPG sucks on these trips but is still much better than I ever got with my “old school” carbureted 460CI F250.

You getting 6-8 MPG is pretty good, and the only real way to get much better is the PSD. They shine at hauling a load, as that is what they are built for. For us occasional haulers the V10 is the best compromise.

I ordered a new 05 F350 with 4.30:1 gears and the new V10 and 5speed auto combination. She will be perfect for what I want to do. And quite frankly at this level of comfort, speed, coolness, I don't really give a rat’s *** about the fuel costs. I am not taking a shot at you, just giving another perspective. If you NEED more power to haul the hills go for it, but accept that there is little you can do to gain significant MPG increases in the SuperDuty, but haul lighter and slower... hell that isn’t any fun, and you will drive yourself nutz chasing a couple of hundred dollars a YEAR fuel savings... not worth all the pain. Get out there and drive that rig like you stole it! And have a ball camping at the beach!

 

I get pretty good in my 04 rc v10 6 speed 4:30 gears 12 pulling 7150# tt and 14 empty so far with less than 2000 miles

 

The F350 sounds nice. Good luck with it. I need the X. There are four in the family plus I cart around relatives and an aging Mom and Uncle to see distant relatives on occasion.

Sold the 01 dyna sport, used the proceeds to buy the trailer. Owned H-D's since 1984. Planning for the purchase of the next one. My boys are 9 and 10 and I figure I've got 3 to 5 more good camping years. Hopefully if I save enough on motel rooms and gas and the trailer holds a decent value I can scratch enough together to buy a new one at that time.