The 5.4 in a F250 chasis is a weakling and a compromise at best! And everybody around FTW knows that!

You have a massive weight in the F250 to move already with a marginal engine. Don't even think about towing any thing massive with the 5.4!!!

If you have a smaller trailer, the 5.4 might get you by! (say less than 4000 pounds.) You will appreciate the frame integrity and ridigity on the Superduty for such small loads even with the 5.4.

The V10 is the next step...but really not much of a major "leap" according to what I have driven myself and read about.

When 92f150I6 wants to come hook up to my 12,000 pound fifth wheel, then he will realize the need for a diesel in his platform.

Your 5.4 probably could'nt even move my tow from my driveway!

AND!!! The V10??? Pull the above load along side my 6.0 diesel to anywhere. I make the challenge!

I put 12,000 pounds behond me on cruise control in Tow/Haul and just walk along at 65 MPH.

Do that with a 5.4 or a V10!

There IS a reason why almost all Ford Superduties are sold with the diesel option!

And I'm one of them!

-Catfish_Man

 

You probably feel better power because you're 5K lighter in the wallet for the diesel.

The V10 pulls fine, but I'd stay away from the 5.4 in an F250 unless it's a regular cab, long bed with the 4.10s. Although the 5.4 will tow any load that the diesel will, just not as fast. 300Hp and 365ft/lb of torque is still pretty powerful. Not to mention that the gassers don't have nearly the problems that the 6.0s did. If you do the math as well, with the deepest gears of the V10 vs the 6.0PSD, you're within 900ft/lb at the wheels and the V10 still has 30 HP on the PSD.

Although if I ever bought an F250, it would probably be a diesel just so that I have the option of running homemade fuel. But it will be either a 7.3 or 6.4TT if that engine is fairly trouble free. I can't say that I've ever been a big fan of the 6.0 from experience.

Mike

 

BLK94F150:

Bring on your V10 or your 5.4.

I'll take you down the road pulling 12,000 pounds behind my 6.0 Powerstroke like you are just limping along.

You don't even know what you are talking about!!

Bring your fifth wheel camper to my door and thence we shall go from here.

You are just a want-to be tower!!!

Yup, I'm $5K lighter in the pocket for the diesel, and feel darn well satisfied about that.

Bring your V10 (IF YOU OWN ONE???) and hook up to my load!!

Gassrs dont have the problems of diesels....???? Spitin plug Ford gasser 5.4 and V10's ...????

It's pretty clear you have'nt ever been the "throttle master" on a 6.0 with 12000 pounds on a fifth wheele hitch!

Have you?

If "you ever own one" you will truely know the difference.

Hope you have the luck with your home-made fuel!!

Your savings might get you up to where us "big-dogs" roam.

Otherwise, why don't you just stay on the porch?

 

Forgot to add:

BLK94F150 said: "the 5.4 will tow any load that the diesel will, just not as fast"

I say: "Snail" or should I say "Grilled Snail"

Wasn't that what I ate last week?

 

Come on, cut it out before this thread gets locked.

The question is 5.4L vs V10.

Not 5.4L or V10 vs 6.0

Why do you think they just recently made seperate diesel forums for you guys? To try to tone down the rhetoric in the Superduty forum.

What forum are we in? Oh yeah, the gas MODULAR V8 forum.

art k.

 

ART:

I'm gone...Made my point.

No more

Catfish_Man

 

I like the way you say big dogs like I have no diesel experience. Where do I start?

3x 01 F250 PSDs
96 E350 Ambulance PSD
94 E350 Ambulance non-PSD
94 American LaFrance/LTI 12.7L Detroit 60 (80,000lbs empty)
05 Seagrave Custom pumper 14L Detroit 60
83 Suphen Custom pumper 8cyl unknown Detroit
76 Seagrave Custom pumer 8cyl unknown Detroit
88 Salsbury Custom Rescue 5.9L Cummins
00 GMC 8500 Dump 7.2L CAT
94 GMC 8500 Dump 6.6L CAT
Case 580 Super M Series 2 Backhoe- 4 cyl diesel, unknown
Sullivan/Paletec Air compressor- 4 cyl Deere diesel

Oh, and 04 E450 Ambulance 6.0 PSD.

Guess which diesel has been to the shop the most? Yep, the 6.0. Smokes like a structure fire, at load and idle.

My buddy's 05 F250 6.0- Blown turbo
My buddy's 04 F250 6.0- Been to the dealer for numerous reflashes.

Everyone I know with Modular gassers? Never had a problem.

Perhaps you have heard of biodiesel? Well when you have a big farm, access to all kinds of pipe and tanks, and a constant supply of used cooking oil, you get biodiesel. Have fun paying .10 more per gallon than gas while I dump .70 dollar into my diesel, if I ever feel like bending over to buy one.

As to V10 vs 5.4, go with the V10. You might get 1 MPG more with the 5.4.

Mike

Edit: Where the real "big dogs" roam, you have to have a special license.

 

I hate my 5.4. It gets horrible milage and has no power. It is an f250 and it tows horribly. What year are you talking about, it makes a huge differance for instance the 05 one guy was refering to is much different than say a 00 5.4. And I have not just had experiance with one 5.4. My dad has one that have spent plenty of time in and one of our company trucks I drive often has the 5.4 also. Right now I am saving up a few bucks for the powerstroke. I hope I never have to own anouther truck with a gas motor ever again.

 

What gear ratio?

Mike

 

And what years are YOU talking about having driven?

What gear ratio? What cab? Bed? Tranny? 4x4? Etc?

It's one thing to bad mouth a motor, but an entire 'nother thing to bad mouth an entire truck without given particulars

 

Y'all can badmouth a 5.4 all you want, but I ordered mine that way. I know, I'm an idiot, but I had a F150 s-crew and everything about it, including the 5.4, was perfect except for the teeny weeny bed in the back. I'm a forever ford man but I needed a crewcab 4X with an 8' bed. I don't tow trailers when I go camping but have a boat, 3 labs and occasionally some kids & their crap to drag along. Even with the wrong rearend gear (3.73) that thing will pull me & all my stuff up I-80 outta Reno @ 65-70 mph no problem.

At 55 mph it gets 18 mpg...but who drives 55?

You don't have to load a Super Duty up to it's axles to make good use of them.

b62

 

So many posts here single out the 5.4 and omit all the other variables - transmission, axle ratio, 4x4, tire size, etc.

I was shopping for a V10 or powerstroke. For grins I drove a 5.4 automatic Excursion, and it was not real impressive. However, I drove a 6-spd manual F350 single cab, 5.4L, 3.73, 2-wheel drive and loved it so much I bought that very truck. Unloaded, I get 15 mpg City and 18 Highway. It does not seem to matter if I drive like an old man or tach it out before shifting. No kidding. Pulling a 2-ton car on a car hauling trailer knocks me down to 14 highway.

The limited slip diff makes it hard to smoke the tires (but it will do it), and wide open throttle racing between red lights is not great. However, I pull car haulers on the weekends and the truck tows as well as my 95 powerstroke dually - Power-wise, anyway.

I'm sure with the same setup and a bigger motor, the truck would be a faster machine. However, add 2,000 pounds of 4x4, double cab, and sound deadner then stack the deck against it with an automatic and big oversized aftermarket wheels/tires, nearly anything is a dog in comparison. If I was going with big tires and a heavy machine, I would not get a 5.4.

However in a light XL manual trans machine I don't see how anyone could ever need more power.

 

I guess I have to change my tune a little. I was quick to dog the 5.4, but it did decent yesterday towing our travel trailer 50 miles. The truck is said to be good for 7100# and the trailer empty weighted 6950. But we have a LOT of stuff in it. I would say it weighed close to 8000#. The roads were relatively flat. There were a couple good long steep hills which I was able to keep at 50 while slowly accelerating. The truck was purring around 3000K. The truck is Ext Cab Short Bed 4x4. The only problem I had was sway and that was my fault for just using a standard ball mount.

So I guess I can give props to the 5.4 for a while at least.