2013 E450 with 5.4 what MPG?
 

Hello all, Just wondering what kind of mpg I can expect from this set up. My work has finally decided to purchase new trucks we currently have a fleet of 6.0l diesels. They have decided to go gas engine now but I told them they may have made a mistake with the setup.

The trucks they are getting are as follows, 2013 E450. 5.4L v8, 4.56 rear 14,050 gvw. They will have a 156" ohmaha enclosed body, 74" inside height. Body weight is about 3500 lbs give or take. They will also have a 1500 lb capacity lift gate on the rear. I can tell you I am in the repair buisness and the truck will be stacked out to the max with tools and rigging. Most likely it will be over the GVWR from day 1 when I move y stuff into it. We also ocasionally haul a 5000 lb trailer. I suspect we will no longer be able to do this. My current truck is an 04 F450 with a similar setup, the 6.0l, and its current weight is 15,500 lbs.

our current fleet gets about 8 mpg so i am told. I expect the new trucks will get less. What can I expect for power and economy from the 5.4l in a truck that is pushing 14000 to 15000 lbs? My recomendation was to get the v10 but doesnt look like thats going to happen.


oh and the other thing that scared me was on the cutsheet i saw something about only a 40 gal fuel tank. I expect this truck will probably get less mpg than the current diesel trucks. But I checked fords specs looks like the e450 is standard with a 55 gal but optional for e350. can anyone confirm what size tank is in the 2013 e450 with a 5.4l? Not looking forward to fueling the truck daily...

Interesting. I didn't realize they still offered the 5.4L at all. I thought it was either the V10 or the 6.2L. I'm surprised they keep so many complex options around.

I had no idea either, I thought the 5.4 was completely gone. But I guess they still use it in the commercial truck world. IMO the 6.2 would be a much better option. I fear the 5.4l will be like a small ouboard on the Titanic... I guess outfitting the E series with the 6.2 and the 6.7 diesel was going to require a complete reinvention of the wheel. Rumor has it the E series is going away after 2014 as well.

They are supposed to be delived in March and since they bought 19 of them I hope I am wrong.

want some advice? STAY AWAY FROM THE 5.4! Ford might still offer it but there no way even with 4.56 gears its going to be any good in a F450 chassis with a huge box on the frame, get the V10 or 6.2 motor

I hear you loud and clear that was my advice as well but unfortunately I am not the one writting the check for 19 trucks. The 6.2 is not an option in the E series, only the 5.4 or the 6.8...

Never driven a 6.8 but I have a 6.0 PSD in my 04 and in my personal truck I have a 7.3 PSD... I imagine the lack of torque will be a HUGE difference. I see myself crusing up the NJ TPK with it in 3rd or 4th gear at 4000 rpm to maintain speed ;)

i have a 5.4 and yea its a good motor never had a problem with it, i have 4.30 gears installed so i would actually be OK to drive like many others on here have done. Ive never towed near max capacity for my truck but Ive towed my 16ft trailer loaded with fresh cut oak. (entire 16ft trailer stacked four foot tall front to back and my bed loaded and stacked also. truck moved but it seemed to really scream doing it, now having a F450 with a big air blocking box on the back with a little 5.4 i can only imagine how much that thing is gonna SCREAM. And besides the only price difference between the 5.4 and V10 is the motor, and how much more is the V10 about 500 extra? The difference in time and MPG having the v10 will pay for that within the first few months....

just went on Build and Price and Ford doesnt even offer the 5.4? only the V10 or the diesel option....

my bad i didn't fully read that they want the E -series, now back to this why on earth do they want the E-series? The E-series use that junk twin beam front end, chassis is weaker, lower payload and tow capacity. If they get the F450 you get the V10 stock, 4.88 gears stock, solid axle front end that beefy, much much stronger frame and rear axle, 1,300lbs more payload and 5k higher towing capacity all for a msrp of $33,400

quick build and price difference
E series - 450, 5.4 motor, dual tires, 4.56 gears, 176" wheelbase, 8,687 payload, 14,050 towing, msrp $30,200

F series - 450, 6.8, dual tires, 4.88 gears, 201" wheelbase, 9,492 payload, 18,300 towing, snow plow package(heavier front springs, dual alt for your lift gate), msrp $33,100

for a msrp difference of only 3 thousand, your getting a REAL truck not a beefed up van. And if your company is getting what you say 19 new trucks, the dealer will give them a GREAT discount on that many trucks...

Diesel or nothing..My bro has a big box van with 7.3l . Works for him...5.4 hell no. 6mpg.

you wont hear an argument from me on this. Those are my thoughts exactly. Unfortunately I am not the one signing the check I get what they give me. The company hasnt bought new trucks since 2008 so we are way overdue. The fleet is falling apart and we need to replace so many trucks its a staggering thought even. I gave them my opinion but I'm just the mechanic not the penny pincher so take it for what its worth.

What I told you is apparently what they bought. I was fortunate enough to have had a quick view of the quote. Its just a hair under $48k per truck from the body company to our door... 19 trucks... well yes its a $950k investment. Im fearfull we bought trucks that just wont do what we need.

The company has a bad tate for the diesels... we currently have 6.0's and they are soooo rediculiously expensive they decided to buy gas. Well if its specd out right I dont see it as a problem but we haul a ton of tooling, equipment and parts around on a daily basis I am afraid the beefed up van will be just as much of a problem. We have probably 15 F550's with Reding body and 10k lb cranes they are keeping them but moving a bunch of guys to these new E series cutaways with an Omaha body. I was ok with it until I saw the 5.4l in it. My opinion is the same as yours but its already been done. What am I in for with a 14k lb E450 with a 5.4L? Ford specs the GCWR at 14050 and the GVWR also at 14050... that tels me if the truck is loaded to the max we will not be able to pull a trailer. (again not an every day thing but we do need to do it probably 1 or 2 times a month) I assume that will be a problem. I also fear they opted for the 40 gallon fuel tank and with a 4.56 gear this thing is going to get 5 mpg. I have scouered the internet and it doesnt appear anyone really uses this combo. Minimum they get the 6.8Lv10, so they get in the 7-9 mpg range I assume the 5.4 will be worse cause it has less tq/hp to move the same weight.

I would love the diesel... for the type of work we do it should be what we get but thats not happening. The diesel is not available in the E series cutaway only 2 options... 5.4L standard or the 6.8L v10 optional. The V10 gives you a gcwr of 22,000. The 5.4L is going to be a turd in this truck. Its got 1/2 the hp and tq of my current 6.0 PSD. Im scared to load the truck and drive it. Time will tell they are suposed to be in some time in March. My guess is that 6 mpg will be all they get. Looking for some real word results here...

I would hold out. This year is the last year for the E-Series. The diesel was discontinued in 2010, and next year brings in the Ford Transit, which will be offered with a diesel engine (albeit a I5. :-X15)

again my fears are exactly what you say. $500 mistake on a 1 million dollar investment and we will be paying for it for years to come.

I have a 2005 Yukon with the 5.3l I tried to tow my 29 foot Airstream with it and it was so far out of its league it was a joke. I went out and bought my 7.3 PSD 4 weeks later. I think my company just did the same thing with 19 trucks planning to haul 14k lbs daily...

bare bones E450 cutaway weighs 5500, body is 3500+, liftgate is 2000 lbs or so. thats 11k +/- so it only leaves me 3000 lbs for tooling and parts and that is not enough. Combine that with an underpowered 5.4 and I am worried.