6.4L Power Stroke Engine and DrivetrainDiscussion of the 6.4L Power Stroke diesel engine and drivetrain in the 2008 Super-Duty trucks. No gas engine discussion allowed except on transmissions and drivetrain that pertain to all models. Please confine discussion of topics in this forum to those items that are specific to the 6.4L Power Stroke engine.
It certainly is a lot more truck than I need. My last tow vehicle was a 3/4ton Suburban. Perhaps because of the trailer length, I had a terrible time with the tale wagging the dog. After a lot of discussion, I decided to go with a dually. In addition, I've also blown several (E rated) tires and lost the trailer brakes many times. All of these issues go away with the F450. However at the end of the day, the plain truth is I just love the truck. What a secure, comfortable, and pleasant vehicle for travelling over the road. For the first time since buying the trailer, I actually don't have to worry about trucks moving around me or whether I can stop at the toll booth ahead.
It certainly is a lot more truck than I need. My last tow vehicle was a 3/4ton Suburban. Perhaps because of the trailer length, I had a terrible time with the tale wagging the dog. After a lot of discussion, I decided to go with a dually. In addition, I've also blown several (E rated) tires and lost the trailer brakes many times. All of these issues go away with the F450. However at the end of the day, the plain truth is I just love the truck. What a secure, comfortable, and pleasant vehicle for travelling over the road. For the first time since buying the trailer, I actually don't have to worry about trucks moving around me or whether I can stop at the toll booth ahead.
You couldn't of been more accurate about the solid feel and incredible brakes you get from the F-450. I love the brakes on the 450 and 550's they feel like they can stop almost any trailer without the trailer brakes even working. Good choice.
I recently averaged 7.6 mpg on a 3200 mile run from Utah to Alabama and back. 550 truck 4.88 gears with standard tranny, weighs in at 12,600 empty. threw a 2500 pound piece of machinery on the bed for the return trip. Mosty interstate with the truck riding the speed limiter at 82 mph.
I've got 4:30 final drive ratio , I forgot to list that. I am hoping to see a little bit more fuel economy . I really can't complain , cause I've got one HELL OF A TRUCK , and I absolutely LOVE IT. That I reckon is the bottom line.
8/17/08 Now getting 12 .1 mpg . Just keeps getting better .Hope it continues .
8-17-08
Filled up with liquid gold last night I calculated 12.95 mpg. My dash-o-meter said 13.1 mpg mostly hwy. I can live with it for the ride and the power. I get lots of jaw dropping looks at my cool ride!
__________________ 2008 F450 DRW CC LWB 4x4 Off Road, Lariat, Oxford White, 4.30 LS rear end, Navigation, audiophile stereo, Memory package seats, heated seats, heated mirrors, warmup heat option power back window, traction control system, backup alarm, rear DVD with wireless headphones.
I average 7.5-8mpg towing the Raptor and I don't know what I get empty because it's used 99% of time towing. I do have to take the truck this weekend to pick some stuff up 250 miles from home so I should be able to see what the mileage is empty.
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2008 F-450 "Lariat" Fully Loaded (Picked Up 01/26/08)
2008 Ford "Focus" (To Help Out With My Diesel Guzzling F-450) "Did I Say I Love My F-450 Though"
2007 Raptor Toyhauler 3612DS http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...Picture221.jpg
My truck is a Job #3 F450 4x4 King Ranch 4 door, long bed dually with the 4.30 rear end. It is all stock, except for a full metal Pace Edwards Jackrabbit bedcover. I add Motorcraft cetane booster/multipurpose additive to every fill up, and have 6000+ miles on it so far.
I manually calculate my mpg at every fillup and get an average of 12.5 -13.0 mpg, driving VERY carefully, and not exceeding 55-60 mph on the open highway. My driving includes a combination of open level highway (it's 20 miles to town where we are in MT for the summer), some mountains, and towing and launching my 400# drift boat at least 3-4 times per week, on 20-50 mile trips.
When I towed my 20,000# 5th wheel early this past summer for approx. 2500 miles I got approx. 7.5 mpg.
Last week, I made a 250 mile trip along the Yellowstone River (relatively flat for about 90 of these miles) and then into Yellowstone Nat'l Park where it was relatively hilly and mountainous for the rest of these miles, and where the speed limit in the park was 45 mph max., I got an amazing 16.1 mpg overall, with 4 adults in the truck. That is the most miles I've driven in any one day all summer, and although we stopped at least a half dozen times during the day, the engine never really cooled off. I wonder whether the slower driving was the primary reason for the significant increase in my mpg??
Incidentally, my trip computer always shows at least 0.5 mpg higher mileage than I actually get, and I reset it at every fillup.
My truck is a Job #3 F450 4x4 King Ranch 4 door, long bed dually with the 4.30 rear end. It is all stock, except for a full metal Pace Edwards Jackrabbit bedcover. I add Motorcraft cetane booster/multipurpose additive to every fill up, and have 6000+ miles on it so far.
I manually calculate my mpg at every fillup and get an average of 12.5 -13.0 mpg, driving VERY carefully, and not exceeding 55-60 mph on the open highway. My driving includes a combination of open level highway (it's 20 miles to town where we are in MT for the summer), some mountains, and towing and launching my 400# drift boat at least 3-4 times per week, on 20-50 mile trips.
When I towed my 20,000# 5th wheel early this past summer for approx. 2500 miles I got approx. 7.5 mpg.
Last week, I made a 250 mile trip along the Yellowstone River (relatively flat for about 90 of these miles) and then into Yellowstone Nat'l Park where it was relatively hilly and mountainous for the rest of these miles, and where the speed limit in the park was 45 mph max., I got an amazing 16.1 mpg overall, with 4 adults in the truck. That is the most miles I've driven in any one day all summer, and although we stopped at least a half dozen times during the day, the engine never really cooled off. I wonder whether the slower driving was the primary reason for the significant increase in my mpg??
Incidentally, my trip computer always shows at least 0.5 mpg higher mileage than I actually get, and I reset it at every fillup.
John
From what I've read in this newsgroup and others, driving around 60 MPH vice 70 MPG make a big difference with these heavy trucks in terms of increased fuel economy.
Just got back from our weekend getaway and I averaged 12.5mpg averaging 70mph through the mountains of Colorado. This was empty except for the 900lbs of beef in the box we got from the better half's relatives. My truck is 4x4 and has the 4.30 rear. Now I didn't think this is to bad considering I didn't use the cruise control because of two-lane hwy and lots of mtn passes and because of lot's of slow moving vehicles.
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2008 F-450 "Lariat" Fully Loaded (Picked Up 01/26/08)
2008 Ford "Focus" (To Help Out With My Diesel Guzzling F-450) "Did I Say I Love My F-450 Though"
2007 Raptor Toyhauler 3612DS http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...Picture221.jpg
8/17/08 Now getting 12 .1 mpg . Just keeps getting better .Hope it continues .
I had to evacuate for Hurricane Ike , I now have had my first oil change and have gone over 10,000 miles . During the evacuation I left Beaumont , Texas and went up U.S. HGY 96 to Longview . Going up I got 13.9 MPG. Coming back I got 14.7 MPG . I account for the difference because going to Longview it was almost all uphill , and coming back it was all downhill , and this truck is still bone stock . I THINK IT HAS FINALLY BROKEN IN .
2008 F450 DRW CC LWB 4x4 Off Road, Lariat, Oxford White, 4.30 LS rear end, Navigation, audiophile stereo, Memory package seats, heated seats, heated mirrors, warmup heat option power back window, traction control system, backup alarm, rear DVD with wireless headphones. 
Linear Mode
