5.4 vs. 4.6
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 542
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From: Milpitas, CA; Tyler, TX
You know, when my Dad first bought his '05 SCrew, I was not terribly impressed with the little 281, even with 3.73's. I was set up to not like it since I had driven an '03 Mustang GT and was thoroughly unimpressed by its low end response and torque in that application as well. Even my 302 Bronco had more jump off the line than the 281 in either application, and would have given my Dad's SCrew a run for its money even with a 45hp and 20lb-ft (at the peak, anyway) handicap.
But having driven it more and more, and used it for towing, I have to say that the 281 is a decent little engine. We towed a '61 Mercedes (ca. 2800lbs + trailer, about 4200lbs total) from Fort Worth to Tyler (about 120 miles), and the 281 did a great job handling it, and it even got pretty decent gas mileage in the bargain. We have gotten a little better than 20mpg on a long highway trip with three people, overnight bags, and using the a/c the whole way. I would still rather have the 331, but the 281 is a nice little engine that does its job quietly and without drawing attention to itself - even if it takes you 5 months of living with it to realize it
.
Oh, and as a side bonus, the stock exhaust is pretty bawdy sounding...for a stock exhaust It's nice to actually be able to hear some V8 staccato in the cab.
But having driven it more and more, and used it for towing, I have to say that the 281 is a decent little engine. We towed a '61 Mercedes (ca. 2800lbs + trailer, about 4200lbs total) from Fort Worth to Tyler (about 120 miles), and the 281 did a great job handling it, and it even got pretty decent gas mileage in the bargain. We have gotten a little better than 20mpg on a long highway trip with three people, overnight bags, and using the a/c the whole way. I would still rather have the 331, but the 281 is a nice little engine that does its job quietly and without drawing attention to itself - even if it takes you 5 months of living with it to realize it
.Oh, and as a side bonus, the stock exhaust is pretty bawdy sounding...for a stock exhaust
It's nice to actually be able to hear some V8 staccato in the cab.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 144
Likes: 1
Another one...
Did he say handled towing 4K LBS well and got good fuel ecomony???
Please, someone chime in and admit their leg was sore from holding the accelerator against the radiator supports wayyyyyy out front.
Did he say handled towing 4K LBS well and got good fuel ecomony???
Please, someone chime in and admit their leg was sore from holding the accelerator against the radiator supports wayyyyyy out front.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
From: Mandeville, La
Originally Posted by veronese1
Another one...
Did he say handled towing 4K LBS well and got good fuel ecomony???
Please, someone chime in and admit their leg was sore from holding the accelerator against the radiator supports wayyyyyy out front.
Did he say handled towing 4K LBS well and got good fuel ecomony???
Please, someone chime in and admit their leg was sore from holding the accelerator against the radiator supports wayyyyyy out front.
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
I had a '97 F-150 4.6 and it was a sweet truck but alittle low on the power side with bad MPG about 13. I recently bought a '04 5.4
and it gets 15.8. I think u have to get on the 4.6 so much that i kills the MPG!?
and it gets 15.8. I think u have to get on the 4.6 so much that i kills the MPG!?
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conrad kornell
Pre-Power Stroke Diesel (7.3L IDI & 6.9L)
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Jul 21, 2003 10:28 PM
