jim042796, what caused you to get a 6 speed and are you happy with your choice?

 

Just did a quick count - something like 17 posts where poster states good reliable engine, 2 had problems - not very scientific, but it does shove the majority way over to the "reliable" side of the train.

 

You all are getting off the point. The OP was not looking for opinions with the old 6.0 PSD and the 2003 and older 5.4L engines. He wants to know if the 2008 V-8 with 4.10 gears is a good choice.

My opinion, yes it is. It's the same drivetrain as my 2007 F-250 except for the rear gears (I have a 3.73 LS), so I speak from direct experience.

I tow up to the rated limit of the truck no problems. Heck, I moved my household (including 2 full size early 60's Pontiacs) from So. Indiana to No. Wisconsin using my F-250 and the trailer pictured. I have about 26,000 miles on the truck, probably 15,000 of that was towing (maybe more).

The truck has not given me any problems and has never been back to a Ford dealer for warranty work.

I love my truck.

 

My Super Cab Long bed 99 is not as easy to get around tight areas as your short bed is, but my Long Bed has a 38 Gallon Fuel tank. I could see how one could go through a smaller tank quickly when towing.

As you stated RedFord, I LOVE this Super Duty!!

 

I've been mulling in my mind adding an Excursion style tank where the spare tire is located and using some mid-90's OEM tank selector hardware to make it appear stock. Not sure if it is worth the hassle.

 

Thanks for that info.I currentely have an 06 F350 4X4 reg cab LB 6.8 w 430.'s.I love this motor like no other,absolutely no issues,gobs of torque,revs like a small block and the torque shift is perfectly mated.Two problems-I rarely tow,the one time i did was left to right coast n back 22ft enclosed race car trailer 8k. Wind,cross or head is the death knell for this trucks economy with an enclosed trailer.At one point it got 162 miles per tank(4.8 mi per gal?) ave around 6-7.In my normal loop unlaiden 1/2 city/fwy usually 9mpg.I am ordering an 08 in the same config but have been completely plagued with indecision on powerplant.Remember I seldom tow,and as much as some say it's a truck don't expect good mileage it does have bearing and you do have choices.If gas was still $2 a gal I could almost validate going with another 6.8..but then there's the issue with range.I did quite a bit of research on the 6.4PSD-30% better(relative) mileage but higher fuel and service cost,not to mention the extra 6k for the engine.Seems like the since the gub mint went to the USLD the big three are all struggling with matching previous engines mileage in their lineups(that's why you can't find a clean low mileage 7.3) Anyway I'm fairly certain I will order the new truck with the 5.4. Was wondered if in the quest for the best possible mileage if I got the 3:73 and 18" wheels that would eqaute the best hwy figures,or go with the 4.10 so it doesn't have to work as hard to get up to speed.Bigger diameter wheel- more rotating mass,but slightly less revs in final drive?.If I could count on 15 mpg fwy unloaded that's 4 mpg better that I'm getting now,or about a 130 miles more crusing range per tank.Here in Cali 87 is $ 3.20 a gal and it's only going up from here(diesel $3.65)

TIA for ther infomative posts-

 

Having both V8 and ten as you can see in another post. My co is getting 3 new F350-450 dually dumps

We have the V10 now and a v8 also. The v8 gets 3 MPG better than v10 !!! Empty!!! Like 10 MPG (the dump beds r heavy and the V10 get 7 empty on a good day empty and with you hauling only 1 a month or so . go for the v8 .

 

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your wife and mine should meet.

 

I agree with the gentlemen that started this post.
I don't tow alot, however when I do this motor will get it done.
We pull a 10,000 lb travel trailer with this little 5.4.
If I towed this trailer every day I would have a diesel.
I've had 4 trucks with the 5.4 and I'll buy another.

 

I'll agree the 5.4 will get it done, and occasional towing with it isn't a bad thing. I had an '05 F250 with the 5.4/3.73 rear, and I towed the new 13-14K 5er home with it. The 5.4 was adequate on the old 5er at 9-10K, but the second time I hooked onto the 14K 5er, it was with an '08 F350 with V10/4:10 rear, and never looked back.
I'll take the 1-2 MPG hit for the improved performance, even though I would call it occasional towing. As I've stated in other threads, once that loaded weight goes over 8-9K it's time for something bigger than the 5.4, be it V10 or PSD. JMHO, and YMMV.

 

I agree...

 

i had a 99 w/the 5.4. The only problem I encountered with it was the front cylinders would ground out if the truck sat for a while outside in the rainy seasons. the rubbers on the coil packs allowed some water to leak in and ground the cylinders. i found this out after about a $100 repair bill from my local shop. i didn't drive it a whole lot, but any time i did it would be hooked up to a loaded trailer. it towed fine on the flats but wouldn't do much in the hills. i just bought a psd to replace it- but then comes the trans issues with them. the psd gets better mileage and a lot more power, but fuel costs more and they cost more to maintain. they are also noisy. the 5.4 was really quiet. if you're not gonna tow a heavy load a lot, the 5.4 worked fine. you just have to get used to it downshifting and revving.

 

I love my truck, it's only a 2v 5.4 and it pulls great, just doesn't have a lot of passing power (the main time I wish I had the money to have gotten a diesel)! A lot of times when we go racing, we take this one lane road most of the way, so we do a lot of passing and anything over 75 - 80 mph and I can't even floor it from behind the person in front of me to try and get by them, I just kind of stay even with them and that's in drive! I have to like get a running start on 'em and go by them with mph to pass, all the other guys laugh their asses off at me cuz they're just sittin there havin no problems with their diesels and i'm like ****!!! One of the guys was waitin for me to shoot out to pass before him and I just looked at him like dude, i'm floored and i'm not gaining, just go by, granted, this was at 90 mph, the guys I hang out with are a little nutty, a couple of weeks ago about 15 of us had just passed a car and were doin almost 100mph (hit my speed limiter for the first time tryin to keep up with them which looked to be about 98 mph) and flew by a state trooper with someone pulled over, you should've seen the look on his face, he was like WTF!!!!!!

 

I weighed over the options heavily when i bought my truck, i thot about my use and cost and options ..everything..

I tow a 24' travel trailer .. prob about 6k
i tow a 14' boat.. prob 1.5k
i also have towed both at the same time (triple) .... 7.5-8k
(pretty much only in the summer months maybe a dozen times a year)

i also tow a 16' car hauler flatbed trailer, its usually full of firewood,or hay, or construction materials. the trailer is rated for 10k
(only a few times a year)

i use my truck as a daily driver, i've owned it for a little over a year now and have put 20k miles on it.... no problems. ( its great for hauling the family i like that fact that i can put 6 people in it if i had to and i have on occasion)

i fix up my truck because i like doing that and i want the most out of my vehicle i cant get.

i avg 13 mpg running around town, and i sure as hell dont "granny it"

best ive got on all hwy miles was 16mpg

when towing the above items best was 10-12mpg , worst was 7-8 mpg headwind and hills.

if i really want i can keep up with traffic on the interstate towing my camper @ 75+mph, it wont be in overdrive and it will be pushing 2500 to 3000 rpm and prob 8-9 mpg ... but it can do it...but its not like im doing that everyday either.

when I'am pulling steep mountain passes with that camper i have no issues and i dont think that 65mph is "creeping" up them even if i am at 3000-3500 rpm

If i was towing over 10k all the time i can undertstand the need for a diesel.... and then there are those that just "want it"

(i can beat most diesel's off the line anyway)

anyway just my $0.02

 

I have a 06 Screw 5.4 f-150 that I have pulled an 8K toy hauler without any problems other than up hill and on windy days. With the 150, I definitely know the trailer is there. Picked up a 08 6.4 last weekend to handle the towing in the future. I would recommend against the 5.4 based on my experience with the 150. The engine was OK for flat towing but is somewhat "punky" going up moderate to steep hills. (Don't know if that is reflective of the 5.4 or the 4 speed automatic), You add the weight of the 250 to that and I think it would struggle even more. I do like the 5.4 and plan to keep it but not for any significant towing. Just my 2cents.