I'm going to order a crew cab long bed 4x4 and would like some input or suggestions on my engine choices.

Thanks

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I've been doing so much for so long with so little, I can do practiclt anything with absolutly nothing.

 

The V10, PSD debate goes on forever... You need to really think about what you are going to do with your truck. A lot of heavy towing? Drive many miles per year? Are you good at maintenance? Would you rather spend an additional $4000 now or spend it along the way in lower MPG figures with the V10?

With the V10, you basicly gas up and go. Normal maintenance, 6 qts of oil every 3K etc. With the PSD it's 14 qts of special oil , test strips for the coolant, draining the water out of the fuel filter, cold weather problems. Also in AZ, diesel fuel is about 10 cents a gallon more than Unleaded. Ford rates the V10 just a tad more in towing capacity. (actually the weight difference between the V10 and PSD) In therory, there shouldn't be any difference. I'd give the nod to the PSD for heavyduty towing.

If you really want to read some good arguments.. um.. I mean.. discussions look here: ford-diesel.com It's obviously pro diesel but they do have some gassers that hang around. Good luck.

 

TwinSpar: now obviously you can tell that V10 certainly likes his truck. And it's a very good truck too. He got the engine he wanted and is quite please with it. BUT in his wording of things for the PSD he seems to be Just a Tad bias!!!! The only thing he actually got wrong was about the MPG figures. The Diesel gets way better millage than the V10, thats wheather it's towing or just cruising the interstate. Mine is getting 20-22mpg city/interstate and 14mpg towing my 30'travel trailer. Yes it does take 14+ quarts of oil but it's just diesel oil. I used to pay about $27 to have my oil changed in my old F150 and now my husband changes the diesel's oil for about the same price. So if you do it yourself, the cost isn't so bad. Right now, I've got 12k and I've not had any water in the fuel filter. Of course if you get any bad fuel w/water, you'll be very glad that you're able to drain it out yourself. You also shouldn't have any major maintenance concerns until you have some serious miles on the engine. Anyone can wind up with the short straw and find they've bought the lemon but with either of these two engines, V10 or PSD the odds are pretty low. I'd suggest that you test drive both. Take nice long drives. Try to find some below standard roads to drive on just so you get a good feel for these trucks handling ability. I don't know what you're driving now but I went from a F150 SC short bed to my Diesel Crew Cab. It didn't take me long to figure out that I had NO turning ability. The crew cab just wont make those turns. I still love the room in the cab and would never dream of going to a smaller truck now. I got the diesel because of longevity of the engine. The truck body will fall apart before the engine quits. Resale is also very good for the PSD. Do check out the diesel site V10 directed you to. And let us know how your hunt goes and if you go test driving, what you think of them. Good luck!!

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2k F250 CC SWB 6 speed 4x2 Diesel XLT Super Duty, Woodland Green
Power Mirrors, 3.73 LS, Captains Chairs, ARE tonneau top, rear privacy glass
TT Pkg, Class IV hitch, sliding rear window, running boards, mud flaps
265/75/16 AS OWL tires, am/fm/cassette/cd, rechargable MagLite
Clarion APA 5240 amp, Memphis speakers:Components front, 5x7 rear, 10"sub
SuperChip, Stepshields, Ventshields on windows, rubber bed mat
rugged liner bedliner on tailgate, quick disconnect jumper cables
unaFORDable (decal on tailgate)

 

Hey, Cyphilip....

I noticed that you are using Amsoil, 5W30....I just switched to Amsoil, but opted to go with the 10W30....what made you choose that??? I have the 5.4L also...
Also...what filter did you go with?? How do you like Amsoil so far???

I switched from Mobil 1...just wanted to try Amsoil...nothing but the best for my baby!!!

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2000 F-150,XLT,Bright Red Clearcoat, 4x4,ORP,SC,SB,4-speed automatic,overhead console,sliding rear window, 5.4L, 3.55 LS,Tow Package, Ford factory Tonneau cover, Cab Rails, Lund Interceptor Bug Shield, Mudflaps,RubberQueen floormats, Tennatoys 18" antenna, Pendaliner, K&N air filter, "Ford" hitch receiver plate, Mobil 1

 

All the above posts cover it well. I don't see where V10man even posted the mileage of the PSD, so I'm not sure how he got it wrong. Depending on many factors, the payback of the increased mpg of the PSD is somewhere between 80k and 180k depending on who's calculator your using. I'm in the same category as cphilip and I love my SuperDuty with the 5.4L..

Mooner, I went with the Amsoil 5w-30 because this is the recommended weight that Ford recommends for this truck in all conditions.. In fact, because of the synthetics lubrication properties, one could argue that you can safely go to a 0w-30 with no problems. I figured I'd play it safe and put in what the factory recommends.. I've heard of several reasons why ford recommends 5w-30, one is that the 5w gets to critical engine parts faster on cold starts..

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Y2K F250 XLT SC 4x2 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS

 

I made the decision last fall on the V-10 vs the PSD. I figured out initial cost, maintenance costs, and financial cost of both. The V-10 won hands down. I'd have to keep it, the diesel, 100,000 miles just to break even.
I've always marveled at the PSD mileage claims, especially in 4WD models. There are some awful high numbers posted for these models. Reality is much different though.
I'd love to see a PSD get an oil change, with a premium oil, all 15 qts., plus filter, for $27. The filter alone is $10 at a Wal-Mart. It costs almost that much to put Mobil 1 in my V-10, and that's only 6 qts of oil, not 15. One other thing on the diesel, if you live in an area with cold weather, plug it in.
A diesel will have lots more problems if the fuel has water, dirt, etc., in it. After all, the diesel fuel is not only used as a fuel, it is used to lubricate the injection pump and the whole fuel system. Water in the fuel, not a lot either, really causes expensive problems! I'm not against the diesel by any means, I owned one once. They have their place, no doubt about it. They are not the cat's a** in a truck for everyone though. Resale is relative to what you paid for your truck. The diesel costs more, so it SHOULD be worth more at trade in time. This also depends on where you live. In my area, the dealers won't touch a diesel, new or used, with a ten foot pole.

 

Now one more opinion you didn't even ask for! If you are using it more for a daily driver. Not towing much and very often and only towing around 5-6K or so at that, and you can live with Supercab instead of a Crew then the V8 may be for you. 15-16 MPG around town mixed driving consistently. Towing a 5600 wet 24 footer 11 MPG's often all and unloaded trips at 18-19 MPG's all with 3.73 rear end. Remember now you get 260 HP and 350 pounds of torque in the 5.4L. No it won't beat the V10 at a stop light nor will it pull a great big fiver but it will pull and gets up and goes well within the limits I described. Drive one and see. It works for some.

But now if you are definately stuck on getting a Crew and 4X4 I would not do it unless you are not towing at all. Too much extra weight.

There, now we have done it! So you see why Ford makes so many choices now don't you? Your needs are what you should consider. Drive em all and buy what you can live with. I like all of them. But my Wife will only let me have one at a time.

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2000 F-250 Super Duty, SuperCab XLT, Oxford white with medium grey cloth captains chairs, 5.4L Triton V8 (260 HP - 345 FP Torque version!), 4R100 4 Speed Automatic Transmission, 3.73, 4 wheel ABS, Deluxe Aluminum Wheels, Trailer Towing Package, Telescoping Trailer Towing Mirrors, Class IV Hitch, Reece load distribution system, Escort Sensor II Electronic Brake controller, Sure Stop towing skirt, "Westin" black powder coated step bars, "White-White" head lamps, Herculiner bed liner, ISSPRO Tranny Temp Guage, Excursion center console, Ford moulded mud gaurds, K&N Air and Oil filter, Amsoil XL7500 5W-30, Air filter minder, Perma Cool 8" (800 CFM) Tranny Cooler Fan (manualy switched), Deflect-a-Sheild Aluminum Dimond plate Tool Box.



[This message has been edited by cphilip (edited 09-25-2000).]

 

R Bess already covered the 5W 30 thing. Use it cause its recommended. I also started with Mobil one. When Amsoil presented a same cost alternative in their XL7500 line I went for it. Mssparks hooked me up for a try. Excellent stuff. I am going onto the prefered customer program and switching the Wifes Pathfinder over to it.

I am currently using a K&N Oil filter. Very good filter with a one inch nut on the end for tightening and losening. Got em for $7.41 from DIS whne I was ordering some other stuff so the shipping ended up free that time.

 

WWBF: I wish you were closer, I'd show you my receipt for parts. Total was $25.60 Just about now, your shaking your head and saying "no way" But the reason it's so cheap is because I'm able to get all of it from CATapillar and my husband works for them and gets a discount. Over on the diesel board, there's other's that have posted cheap costs on oil changes too. It really can be done but you have to do some research to find the oil & filter for the cheapest prices.

R Bess: V10 said in his first paragraph last sentence"Would you rather spend an additional $4000 now or spend it along the way in lower MPG figures with the V10? To me that means "lower MPG" w/V10. Of course it could have been a typo on V10's part.

 

Let's do some math here.

5.4L - free
6.8L - free + $800
7.3L - free + $4600

Now replace "free" with the a nominal $2500 figure.
What did Ford do with the free 5.4L motor that was already paid for in the base truck? I doubt a PSD cost $7100 off the shelf.

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1999 F250 SD CC, LWB, 5.4L, Auto, 3.73, 4x4, Power TT mirrors w/ marker lights, White, Full Tint, PendaPro SR, Flowmaster Delta 40 series, K&N filtercharger, Superchip(MER3 for sale!!), Superlift leveling kit, Rancho RSX shocks, Lund Elite soft tonneau

www.angelfire.com/pa3/spaceace/index.html

 

No Space more like:

5.4L = Free
6.8L = $600
7.3L = $4000 but if you get a stick subtract $2000 to $3000 for the special discount like Tina got plus you get a 100K drive train warranty instead of the 36K on the Gassers.

So its not realy that bad of a choice is it?

Yes, Tina gets a special discount from her Hubby. But ask her how she works off the labor!!!

 

I just looked at one of the PSDs.

The factory option for the ego boost is $4000
Must be purchased with the PSD.



[This message has been edited by spaceace (edited 09-26-2000).]

 

Oh yes! I forgot the ego thing. well...actually...Priceless!!

Ya wanna see Ego's go over to F-D.com and mix it up with those boys. I usually lay low but every once in a while I have to jump in and mix it up with em. Talk about your Diesel ******! Man, they think the Sun rises and sets with "oil burners". Lots of good SD stuff over there though. I enjoy that site.

 

Don't get me wrong..I was not "attacking" Tina.
I was just overcome by "free air carbon"

 

I guess about now would be a good time to tell you guys that my dog is bigger than your dog. And has big teeth too. But unfortunately she's in the dog box for eating granny's birthday cake. BAD DOG!!!

The price of the diesel seems to be shooting up (just like these fuel prices). I just pulled out my order form to check what I paid for that same diesel only a few short months ago, $3910.

WWBF150: I have to be bias towards the diesel. My diesel mechanic (who is also from MI)is also my husband You would not believe how many years I held onto driving a "gasser". Then I finally found a diesel that I liked. Of course I went for it. But it was really hard to sell my F150 4x4 5speed w/the LOUD flowmaster catback. I wish I could some how make this diesel sound as good as that gasser V8 did

[This message has been edited by Tina (edited 09-26-2000).]