we drove one today v10 - Diesel Forum

rws444psd · 10-31-2008, 05:51 PM

well we did a v10 and a 6.4 diesel, for sure the v10 leaves the diesel in the dust. but i see the 6.4 guys are making really big numbers with the programers, so i dont know which way to go now. gas is cheaper but diesel is comminn down big time, some guys over on the 6.4 site say they see 20mpgs with the spartain programer, what do you v10 guys see? thanks.

jonrjen · 10-31-2008, 08:00 PM

We see $20 oil changes, little maintance, good stout engine, dependable transportation. much smaller payments, and $1.00+ a gallon less in fuel prices.
Now to answer your question, IF you drive only highway and keep the RPMs below 2,000 you can see 18 mpg per gallong. Real world, expect 11 to 12 in town and 13 to 14 highway. As for seeing 20+ MPG with a 6.4 you would need to follow the same rules of keep it under 2,000 RPM on the highway and look for a tail wind.
The days of cheap diesel are over, they ended with high demand for diesel over seas and the reformulated USL process here stateside. Yes diesel prices have dropped, but not as deep as unleaded gas. You can also expect diesel prices to rise in the winter due to demand in the north for heating oil increases.
But bottom line is it is your choice. You know IF you need a diesel, want a diesel or if the V-10 will get the job done. The V-10 is not a Hot Rod motor by any means, don't think of it in this fashion, it is a truck motor, made to work. And properly geared will do amazing things. One last thing to keep in mind, if you thought it was powerful and fun to drive new.....you should try one with a few thousand miles on it....after it has had a chance to wake up.....WOW! it is impressive.
As for me, I have both, but then I consider myself very luck to be in this postition
And there is a reason we say the "Triton V-10 is Ford's Best Kept Secret"

jonrjen · 10-31-2008, 08:52 PM

rws444psd,
Caught you other post over in the 6.4 powertrain forum. I can understand your train of though with doing a tuner on the 6.4 PSD, however keep in mind that if Ford finds any trace of a tuner, your warranty will become history. And look they will. We are no longer back in the days of the 7.3 PSD (perfect superior diesel) where tuners were acceptable.
As for the V-10 it is pretty much a factory delivered as a "Be all you can Be" power plant. A tuner can be added, but with much less HP or TQ added. A tuner will be able to change your shift points to a more aggressive mode, again a personal preference thing.
As the old sayings go "There is no replacement for displacement" and "There is no torque like a diesel"
Again, it is a matter of what do you need vs. what do you want?

barrelhorses · 10-31-2008, 09:08 PM

I have about 700 miles on mine now. Mostly "in town" driving (lots of stop and go). The first few days, the lie-o-meter read around 11.5 MPG. But I was babying it then. I have been driving a bit more agressively with it and since I reset the meter on Tuesday this week, my average is at 10.3 MPG. I'm thinking it will improve a bit (not much though) as it breaks in. The few times that I have stomped on it, it is really impressive. I still figure I'm saving money on fuel because of the price difference between diesel and gas. I used to get around 13 MPG in the same driving conditions with my 2005.

rws444psd · 10-31-2008, 10:17 PM

thanks guys, the more i read the 6.4 fourms the more i want one, they most say the 6.4 can handle the mods. you want to do like the cummins motor, really built from the factory right . but ill keep watching for awhile, no hurry.

Pappy19 · 10-31-2008, 10:29 PM

I have 28k on my V-10 and first added the drop-in K&N filter and a Diablosport programmer in the "middle" 91 octane mode. Between the two, I think it added a 3+ SOP instant power with a 1 mpg improvement on mileage, bringing me to around an 11mpg "with a foot".

I have since added the Air Raid intake system and added another 1 mpg on mileage and about 2+ on the SOP guage. To give you an example; I live 50 miles from Boise, Idaho and to get there, one needs to go over Horseshoe Bend Hill, which is about 4 miles long. With the K&N and Diablosport Predator setup, I could top the hill at 80 mph, solo. With the Air Raid, I did 86 today; thus the difference in power. If I stay off the foot, I can get a good 12 mpg around town and would expect 14 on the highway at 60-65.

The best thing about this gasser is no worries about high exhaust temps, programmers messing with the sootbag-regen feature, high maitenance issues, fuel issues, and tranny problems with diesels/programmers.

My V-10 is REALLY impressive, both solo and towing heavy. I would not go back to a diesel, regardless of the decrease in price. Best move I ever made.

rws444psd · 11-06-2008, 06:57 PM

well i took the wife and i took her for a ride in both diesel and gas trucks, f350s just like my 02. 6.4 we drove she likes the dash better then my 02, but she thinks its a lott slower then my 02, especilly from a stop and up to say 60mph, i told her a programer would fix that problem, next was the v10, from the moment i started the motor up she looks at me and says this dont sound like a truck, more like a car, we drove it around for 30 mins. she said lets keep our old truck and we took it back to dealer, we are gonna keep ours for a while longer mabye next year see what is out there.

Parts Jimmy · 11-10-2008, 09:18 PM

I have been a PSD fan for years however since all the 6.0 and 6.4 problems have arisen I have recently became a bigger V10 fan. If I was going to buy a truck tomorrow a V10 would be higher on my list than a 6.4 powered truck. The price of fuel and the lack of issues with the V10 helps me make my opinion. I work in the parts department of a dealer so I see what is good and bad. In 2008 the V10 is the best way to go. In 2001 when I bought my truck the 7.3 was the way to go. Get the V10.

LSchicago2 · 11-11-2008, 09:05 AM

Yes, the tables have turned. I've had PSD's since buying my 94.5 F450, and have always preferred them. I have decided after owning my 05 F450 6.0, and seeing all the 6.4 problems, that the will be no more 6.0 or 6.4 in my future. I have ordered a 09 F550 V10. On this chassis, it saves me $6500 over the cost of the V10. My current fuel cost is one cent cheaper per mile with the V10. And the MUCH higher repairs and service costs on the PSD. The V10 is far more reliable too. It becomes a quadruple no brainer to get the V10. Very rarely do I pull heavy, and even rarer to pull heavy for over 10 miles. The V10 was clearly the best option for me. In three years I've owned my 03 V10 it need a coil pack replaced. ($80) in the last 3 years of my 6.0, it had over $15,000 in engine work. The V10 I can own after the warranty expires, not the PSD, it would bankrupt me.

rws444psd · 11-11-2008, 08:35 PM

yes i feel the same way, if you dont tow heavy stick v10, i tow heavy all summer long so i need the torque the 7.3 gives me, but it was fun driving both the new v10 and 6.4. the salesman sure wanted my 02 7.3 pretty bad, he says low milage 7.3s are hard to find . gonna keep mine for a few more years. if i ever decide to downsize my tt ill look at the v10s then.