08 F250 almost failed me!
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08 F250 almost failed me!
Hope I'm in the right place to start.
My 08 F250 with 5.4L gas 3.73 - automatic, almost failed me two days ago while towing my new 4000lb tool trailer. Climbing a short (1/2 mile) very steep hill, I almost came to a complete stop and that would be before I made it to the top! I had the truck in tow haul and started out slow at the bottom and once my trailer started up with my truck I just lost power. After reading your forums Specifically for towing with the 5.4 in the F250s the news just isn't good. Would I get the performance I need with the new 6.2L still keeping the 3.73? I planned on keeping my 08 Lariat for the long haul, until this happened.
Thanks for any help. Ken
My 08 F250 with 5.4L gas 3.73 - automatic, almost failed me two days ago while towing my new 4000lb tool trailer. Climbing a short (1/2 mile) very steep hill, I almost came to a complete stop and that would be before I made it to the top! I had the truck in tow haul and started out slow at the bottom and once my trailer started up with my truck I just lost power. After reading your forums Specifically for towing with the 5.4 in the F250s the news just isn't good. Would I get the performance I need with the new 6.2L still keeping the 3.73? I planned on keeping my 08 Lariat for the long haul, until this happened.
Thanks for any help. Ken
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Burnsville, MN
Sorry, wish I could help some, but I can't understand your post because of the inconsistencies.
Suffice it to say, an '08 F250 is not designed to overload towing a 4000 pound trailer up a hill.
Suffice it to say, an '08 F250 is not designed to overload towing a 4000 pound trailer up a hill.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: WV
4k should be no problem for a 3V 5.4L. I've towed more than that with my 2V and didn't have anywhere close to the trouble you describe. Don't know how steep your hill was but we have some good ones here in WV and my truck does a fine job.
Was this your first time towing with this truck? These gas engine SD's love the RPMs. Don't be afraid to let her sing in a situation like this, that's where the power's at. Hopefully you weren't trying to pull that hill at 2k RPMs.
If you had sufficient RPMs and it still almost came to a complete stop, I'd get the truck checked out for problems. Seriously, 4k should be a breeze for your truck.
Was this your first time towing with this truck? These gas engine SD's love the RPMs. Don't be afraid to let her sing in a situation like this, that's where the power's at. Hopefully you weren't trying to pull that hill at 2k RPMs.
If you had sufficient RPMs and it still almost came to a complete stop, I'd get the truck checked out for problems. Seriously, 4k should be a breeze for your truck.
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From: Isanti, MN
I don't buy it
I normally don't accuse people of misrepresenting the truth, but this simply can't be true.
I've seen a 5.4L F150 with 3.55s accelerate a 10,000 lb trailer up a 15% grade from a standing start, topping the hill at 25 MPH. I pulled the same trailer up the same grade with my dad's 3V 4.6L F150 at 30 MPH.
Either something's very seriously wrong with the OP's truck or he's simply trolling.
I've seen a 5.4L F150 with 3.55s accelerate a 10,000 lb trailer up a 15% grade from a standing start, topping the hill at 25 MPH. I pulled the same trailer up the same grade with my dad's 3V 4.6L F150 at 30 MPH.
Either something's very seriously wrong with the OP's truck or he's simply trolling.
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Thanks for your responses. This isn't my first time towing, I do it quit often. This is however the first time I took on a hill this steep. I couldn't say the exact grade but it's much steeper than 15%. What I was experiencing was a bogging down of the engine, just felt like it had no power. I did a smaller hill after this in the same day probably closer to a 15% grade and had no problem. I just had a maintenance check done 3 weeks ago at 12,000 miles and everything is perfect. After reading a lot on FTE forum is 365lbs of torque enough with this size truck at 300 hp. Most of you on this forum have a ton of knowledge compared to me, so please excuse my ignorance - what is trolling? Also, while climbing a hill this steep what's the best way to control rpms (downshift even when it's in tow haul). Thanks again guys.
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From: Stephensville WI
The best thing to do is put the transmission in T/H mode and leave it in drive. let it shift all it wants to. You cannot over rev the engine. Take your right foot and depress the accelerator to the floor and hold it there. Do not let up. It hurts nothing to crest the hill in second gear at 4500 RPM. Your engine will love you for it.
What did you do on the hill? Where is this 1/2 mile very very steep hill, anyway? City, state and road name, please.
4000 pounds is half of my usual load. I've never had issues like that.
Also, trolling is the practice of putting up inflammatory posts in order to start a heated debate among the forum members. People who do this are known as trolls.
What did you do on the hill? Where is this 1/2 mile very very steep hill, anyway? City, state and road name, please.
4000 pounds is half of my usual load. I've never had issues like that.
Also, trolling is the practice of putting up inflammatory posts in order to start a heated debate among the forum members. People who do this are known as trolls.
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Thanks Redford, one thing I do remember is working the gas pedal and not flooring it and leaving it there. Also, the engine wasn't at high rpms it felt like I was in too high of a gear, though I'm not sure how. The city is Charleroi, PA 15022 about 25 miles South of Pittsburgh and the street is 10th street. I am a self employed contractor and this was the shortest distance from point A to B to a customer's house. The area I live in has many hills, this one in particular fire trucks and garbage trucks will not climb only go down. So I am talking about a ridiculous grade to begin with. I need to trust my truck and understand how to drive it better in extreme conditions. We just had the worst snow storm in 18 years back in February and I pushed through 20 to 25 inches of snow on hills with very little problem, this truck was great. Pulling a 16' trailer up steep hills shouldn't be anymore difficult. Thanks for your input and the lesson in language - I thought trolling was something I was doing wrong with the transmission. You can tell I'm not a forum person.
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More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Shiner, TX
Either you have a drivetrain problem with your truck, or you need justification to buy a new truck.
That just doesn't sound right.
That just doesn't sound right.
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: None of your business
If you had that much of a problem, there should be something obviously wrong with the truck. If I'm not mistaken you have a 5year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty, so if you're under 60K take it to the dealer.
My 2000 F150 5.4 with 3.55s and 4 speed that only has 260/350 wouldn't have a problem with 4K.
Mike
My 2000 F150 5.4 with 3.55s and 4 speed that only has 260/350 wouldn't have a problem with 4K.
Mike
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Pa
I have been up marked 18% grades over a mile with my truck (6.8l) without issues. Your truck is heavy, doesn't have the most powerful engine offered and has highway gears but you still should not have had a problem getting up that hill at a reasonable speed with your truck and trailer.
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Not looking for a new truck - the 2011 is nice but my 08 Lariat is almost paid off an it is in show room condition with only 12000 miles. I work it hard and baby it clean, often. If my MAC would let me I'd post a pic. After all the feed back, the problem may be with me overacting when I was climbing the hill. It's a steep hill and a little scary. I'm feeling better that it's not my truck, so I'm going to climb it again this week and get the answer to all this. Thanks guys.
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I could see it not making it up a hill towing 4K, there are a lot of variables that could affect things such as incline grade, traction, weight in the vehicle/bed, trailer brake conditions (such as dragging brakes), improper trailer loading, low transmission fluid causing slippage, truck brakes hanging, and possible engine/transmission problems- but with a 4,000# haul properly loaded on a vehicle that is running correctly, the mod motor should have no problems at all towing this load. Just curious, but when you said you had a 4K# trailer were you referring to the GVRW of the trailer, estimated weight of the trailer, or weight of the trailer loaded? A trailer that weighs 4K unloaded can easily double that weight and more with tools.
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The trailer empty is 2200 lbs, when I last got it inspected the guy put it on a scale for me and it weighed in at a little over 4100. This hill aside from being very steep, it curves as it climbs and has one point where it flattens out for about 15 feet and climbs again. There is no way to gain momentum and you have to slow way down to get over the flat spot. This would be a great test hill for any truck. One thing I hadn't realized until this happened is that the 5.4L is small for this truck. That's what got me looking at the 2011 which I knew very little about before this happened. I climb some pretty steep hills a couple times a week, they are long straight stretches probably around 12 to 15% grade and I have no problem. Gaining momentum makes a huge difference. Thanks
Cargo Master
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Hey Right At Home - I am seriously considering the same truck/engine you have. Everything I have heard from people here says you can't be affraid to turn some RPM's. This is part of my problem in the truck I have now, besides the fact it is a money pit waiting to open up further (repairs). I used to drive a 6.0L F350 hauling cars at 20,000+ lbs (03 chev 1500 is my daily driver, 5.3L gas). Gasoline engines need RPM's to generate their power - a diesel will pull hard and slow. I just don't feel right pushing a truck to spin 4000+rpms with a load. Gotta get over it I suppose.
Let your engine down shift, a couple times even, and get those RPM's up. Then post back. I am VERY curious how it does
Let your engine down shift, a couple times even, and get those RPM's up. Then post back. I am VERY curious how it does
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I've learned a wealth of knowledge in just a couple days from this forum, everyone enjoys helping and sharing their knowledge. I plan on tackling this hill again later this week. Thanks for the rpm advise and I'll keep you posted.