Will the 5.4L move a F250 crewcab longbed ?

[a1woodbutcher]

I know someone looking to buy a setup like that who wants to know if it is enough motor for the size of the truck. They liked the price the dealer will give them. It will not be used for towing at all. Got talked into the 460 in their last truck which ended up being a huge waste of gas.

[JVencius]

We have a few 350 CC/LWB SuperDutys with the 5.4 at work, some of which get 5-6000 miles a month, and the ones I've driven have been universally, dangerously underpowered. If you friend NEVER plans on hauling anything, does not carry any passengers on a regular basis, and is immune to the concept of acceleration then the 5.4 might be barely acceptable. Problems would arise, as I see it, when he/she needed to accelerate quickly i.e. passing a double-trailer OTR rig, standing on the go-pedal to avoid an accident, etc... In those instances where life is definitely on the line, the miserable acceleration of a 5.4 in a SuperDuty is absolutely not a good thing. The V-10 isn't a huge premium when buying, has gobs of power, and I can't help but think that it would help on resale value at work. IMHO [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/smokin.gif[/img]

[a1woodbutcher]

Thanks for the input. The acceleration issue is also there in a PSD truck with a manual trans. From a dead stop the accelerator feels like stepping in a pile of dog crap to me which is probably a good thing since stoplights look very similar to a christmas tree at the drag races to me [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

[crewzer]

I have the 5.4 in my 4X2 CC SB. It has the 4.10LS rear, and it moves right along, but that axle is ~$240 option over the standard 3.73. I test drove an Excursion with the 5.4 and 3.73 rear and I'd agree that engine and axle combo is inadequate.

My overall mileage to date has been 12 MPG, and I use 89 octane when towing at low altitude (<2,500 ft.).

My brother's almost identical truck has the V-10 and a 3.73, and that combo is also fine. The mileage penalty is ~1 mpg overall, and he technically gave up ~100 lbs in cargo capacity due to the higher engine weight.

The V-10 option is a bargain at ~$510. In addition to the bigger motor, the option includes a larger main radiator (2-row vs. 1-row), a 3-pinion rear diff in the SC and CC (vs. a 2-pinion w/ the 5.4), a tighter torque converter (2:1 vs. 2.2:1), and (I think) a 3-plate TC clutch (vs. a 2-plate w/ the 5.4). Also, the GCWR goes up to 17,000 lbs (from 13,500 w/ the 5.4 + 3.73, and 15K w/ the 5.4 and 4.10).

Don't get me wrong -- I like my truck as it is. It meets or exceeds all of my current and foreseeable needs. I got it off the lot at a great price (it sat at two dealers for 5 months), and I wasn't able to wait the ~6 months quoted to order the exact truck I wanted. However, the 4.10 axle is what clinched the deal, and I would not have bought my truck without it.

Another option to consider is upgrading to a 350. For ~$870 more it comes with 265/75R16E tires (a ~$270 option on the 250 XL and XLT), and ~1,100 lbs higher GVWR (9,900 lbs vs 8,800). The spring rates are the same (hell, the springs may be the same! [img]images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] ), so there's no discernable ride difference.

HTH,
crewzer

[skammer1]

i had a dodge 1/2 ton with a 5.2 and it was adequate unloaded, but any load dogged it. towing it was a pig..thats why I went diesel. when you need the performance it's there...If you cannot swing the oil burner get the v-10 you'll be thankful. I may start a flame war here, but check the "CHEBBYs" out too. IMHO their gas engines are far superior in performance to the dodge or ford. no offense guys with ford-gassers. the 6.0 and 8.0l very stout. [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

[RedV10]

I rarely haul any significant weight, and don't even own a trailer. I also live in Mississippi, so getting up hills isn't much of a problem either. So when I started preparing to order my new truck, I decided the 5.4 would be fine for me.
I was also pretty sure that I wanted the 3.73LS rear since the truck will spend a fair amount of time at highway speeds.

Then I started reading some of the message boards (here and at www.fordtrucks.com), and decided that I might ought to do a comparative test drive first. I made my wife go along with me so if the truck really was underpowered, she wouldn't think that I opted for the V-10 out of some vain macho thing.

So I found a CC LWB 2WD XL with the 5.4 and a 3.73LS at a nearby dealer. We got in, I pulled out onto the highway and buried the go button into the floorboard. The engine slowly spooled up to highway speed. My wife turned to me and said "God, this sucks!" (keep in mind that she drives a 1995 Mercury Mystique 4 banger, which is no speed demon itself).

We promptly returned the truck to the dealership and ordered a V-10.

[pennyjim]

Once a month, I drive an E-350 with that little V8. It's pulling a medium-sized cargo trailer full of stuff from a mobile shelter for homeless folks.

It is one sick puppy. [img]graemlins/vomit.gif[/img] I'd no more take it out on the big road than I would rise and fly.

A 4.10 rear end would be a big help, but I'm not sure it'd be enough.

jp

[V10gunner]

Thumbs down to the 5.4L for the SuperDuty. While this engine is fine in the F150, the larger Super Duty deserves the V-10 (or, god forbid me for saying, the PSD [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ). I have driven F250s with all of the available motors and for me, the V10 with the 4.30 rear-end was the cream of the crop.
Although, if I had to tow a big fiver, I might consider the stinky oiler [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] .

[Kenworth]

I never drove a newer truck with the 5.4 so I don't know what its like but even the sound of 5.4L in a 3/4 ton seems too small. I have a 460 in my F-450 and I feel its underpowered just not enough low end grunt.

I would either keep the PSD or get a V-10 powered truck and stay away from the 5.4 unless your gonna buy a F-150. I think the only people that would buy a Superduty powered by a 5.4 would be the Gov't for a municipal vehical and the low power keeps the employees from driving the s**t out of the truck.

KW

[JVencius]

I'm in the Air Force (explains the nonsensical choice of the 5.4 in an F-350) and we still do our best to thrash the trucks. When you have to bury the go-pedal to get any kind of decent acceleration and have 19 year old people driving it, that combo leads to a beat truck pretty fast. [img]graemlins/smokin.gif[/img]

[rodney0]

With the 5.4 it will not be able to get out of
it's own way.. Go with the V10 or PSD.

[Homegrown]

Nuthin' worse than an underpowered truck (the voice of experience talkin' here), or as Grandpa used to say "never ask a pony to do a draft horses' work". I didn't drive the 5.4 with the 4.10 rear end (3.73 rear with it is weak), but as the old hot-rodders say "there's no replacement for cubic displacement". V-10 [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

[Johnny XJ]

Hello all,
New to the post .Starting out with I just purchased a White 2002 crew cab F-250 short bed XLT 5.4,4x4,4.10 gears... And I tow a jeep with it with no problems on the power,and empty even better.I have also have a 1996 4x4 F-250 with the 351 and 4.10s and about the same in power ,but the 5.4 seems to be smoother.

future plans for the new Super Duty
new front FST spring hangers,3'' lift,banks kit ,255/85/16 BFG muds,16x7 alcoas,and Leer xl100 cap.

Johnny xj