Decisions, Decisions
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From: East Tennessee
Decisions, Decisions
Have an opportunity to decide between used 2005 SD250 CC with V10-4.10 Lariat FX4, truck looks quite clean with roughly 44,000 miles.
Alternate choice is 2002 FX4 F350 7.3L-3.73 rear CC Lariat at 47,000 miles.
Truck looks very clean as well.
The V10 is offered at less money than the 7.3. The V10 has a 5ver hitch in bed so I know its been doing some towing. I think I could get the 7.3 down in money as well.
I will be towing in the 6-12,000 lbs range (construction equipment and enclosed trailers.) Typical mileage for me is 25k-30K a year. Towing is probably 20-30% of that mileage range.
What do you guys think?
Please be aware I am entirely comfortable with either engine choice.
Alternate choice is 2002 FX4 F350 7.3L-3.73 rear CC Lariat at 47,000 miles.
Truck looks very clean as well.
The V10 is offered at less money than the 7.3. The V10 has a 5ver hitch in bed so I know its been doing some towing. I think I could get the 7.3 down in money as well.
I will be towing in the 6-12,000 lbs range (construction equipment and enclosed trailers.) Typical mileage for me is 25k-30K a year. Towing is probably 20-30% of that mileage range.
What do you guys think?
Please be aware I am entirely comfortable with either engine choice.
Last edited by jefftb; Mar 25, 2008 at 09:54 AM. Reason: grammar
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Posting Guru
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From: AK
That 7.3 is just a baby with those miles.
I really like the V10 but @ 25-30k miles a year I would go diesel for sure.
I really like the V10 but @ 25-30k miles a year I would go diesel for sure.
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For towing that load for that many miles, the 7.3, no doubt. You will recoup the extra money in no time because the 7.3 will get about twice the mileage of the V10 (maybe a bit less, depending how you drive it). But if you get it, do yourself a big favor and plan to spend about $1-$1.5k on mods. Do that, and you'll have a hell of a machine. You can see the mods I have below -- it's like a whole new truck and will hold its own with any of the new gen stuff, and probably last longer doing it.
EDIT: One last thing -- for keeping the 4R100 together, definitelty do the shift-kit or after market accumulator valve body, get a 6.0/after market TC and, and 6.0/after market cooler. Your tranny will last much longer that way.
EDIT: One last thing -- for keeping the 4R100 together, definitelty do the shift-kit or after market accumulator valve body, get a 6.0/after market TC and, and 6.0/after market cooler. Your tranny will last much longer that way.
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From: East Tennessee
Sounds as if the 4R100 is the proverbial weak link in the chain on the 7.3.
Anyone care to relate typical life out of the 4R100 before re-build, assuming previous owner did his stuff. But then its only got 46,000 miles on it. Surely it can go longer w/o much work.
On the mods indicated for the 4R, how much does something like that work cost?
Anyone care to relate typical life out of the 4R100 before re-build, assuming previous owner did his stuff. But then its only got 46,000 miles on it. Surely it can go longer w/o much work.
On the mods indicated for the 4R, how much does something like that work cost?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Northern CA
Originally Posted by jefftb
Sounds as if the 4R100 is the proverbial weak link in the chain on the 7.3.
Anyone care to relate typical life out of the 4R100 before re-build, assuming previous owner did his stuff. But then its only got 46,000 miles on it. Surely it can go longer w/o much work.
On the mods indicated for the 4R, how much does something like that work cost?
Anyone care to relate typical life out of the 4R100 before re-build, assuming previous owner did his stuff. But then its only got 46,000 miles on it. Surely it can go longer w/o much work.
On the mods indicated for the 4R, how much does something like that work cost?
Unless I'm mistaken the V-10 has the better tranny (5r110). The 7.3 is barely broke in.
Post Fiend
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From: Dallas-Ft. Worth
The TC will be the most expensive part. You can get a valve body & cooler for a couple hundred. Or do what I did and put in the TransGo kit for $100, and DieselSite.com sells a big auxiliary cooler for about $120. Really, the TC is optional -- it will just generate a lot of heat, so if you do the other stuff, it should be okay. The good news is that you're looking at the '02. The '01s had a diode problem that made them puke much sooner. I have 82k on mine, and it's fine so far. Others have had twice that or more on them with no problems. Not trying to scare you off by any means. You just need to be aware of it so you can take the steps now to make it last as long as you can. I think that's better than not knowing and having it strand you, then you'd really be pissed at the thing... 
None of the mods I have done are that hard -- but they will really make that truck wake up. I wish I could show you. Check out the 7.3 forum for more (LOTS more!!):
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum31/
Definitely check out the sticky at the top. It will give you lots of good tips.
None of the mods I have done are that hard -- but they will really make that truck wake up. I wish I could show you. Check out the 7.3 forum for more (LOTS more!!):
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum31/
Definitely check out the sticky at the top. It will give you lots of good tips.
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For the amount of miles you'll be driving the 7.3 makes more sense. The v10 makes a bunch more hp (112 hp 
) and I'm sure will tow faster in most situations, and also will be more refined (quieter, superior trans, new chassis exc.) but, if you're towing 12,000 lbs on a steady basis you can not beat a turbo-diesel. As others have said the 7.3 will really wake up with some mods as well but then you run into the tranny issue again. Either truck sounds like a great choice and with diesel prices $0.70 higher per gallon the differences in mileage have been negated somewhat. Good luck.
) and I'm sure will tow faster in most situations, and also will be more refined (quieter, superior trans, new chassis exc.) but, if you're towing 12,000 lbs on a steady basis you can not beat a turbo-diesel. As others have said the 7.3 will really wake up with some mods as well but then you run into the tranny issue again. Either truck sounds like a great choice and with diesel prices $0.70 higher per gallon the differences in mileage have been negated somewhat. Good luck.
Posting Guru
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From: Sonoita Hills, AZ
My original trans went 147k, torque convertor and diode are the weak links. Once a 4r100 is rebuilt correctly it is almost bullet proof. A multi-disc TC is money well spent-less slippage-less heat. Heat kills a trans.
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From: East Tennessee
FTE specification section lists the 02 V10 as having the 4R100 as well. I've read generally good past thread/posts on the 4R behind the V10.
Seems like the 7.3 is just a tad more than the 4R likes but not too much b/c some are getting better than 100K on the tranny with the 7.3. I think a tranny should at least go 120K+ miles before needing much.
I'm really not much worried about the truck performance and most of my mods are oriented towards longevity and not performance. This truck will be daily driver for my business so I do not need the potential downtime from performance based mods. Now if it makes perform longer, those I look at it.
I'm really leaning toward the funny diesel smell......
Seems like the 7.3 is just a tad more than the 4R likes but not too much b/c some are getting better than 100K on the tranny with the 7.3. I think a tranny should at least go 120K+ miles before needing much.
I'm really not much worried about the truck performance and most of my mods are oriented towards longevity and not performance. This truck will be daily driver for my business so I do not need the potential downtime from performance based mods. Now if it makes perform longer, those I look at it.
I'm really leaning toward the funny diesel smell......
Last edited by jefftb; Mar 25, 2008 at 01:56 PM. Reason: grammar