I am gonna catch a lot of crap for this but here it is: Diesels are good for pulling and hauling. If you are gonna run around and pick up the kids and get groceries a gas would be a hellova lot better to go. The wear and tear on a diesel from on\off between grocery stores and schoools is real hard. A gas engine doesnt wear as much being turned on and off so much. The 5.4 is a work horse and so is the PSD. I have a 97 5.4 and we just bought a 2002 PSD Crew Cab to pull a trailer with. We have had Ford Diesel's for 20 years and they are extremely expensive to work on, not to mention 3times the amount of oil that really should be changed at 3,000 miles where a gas could go longer and is not as expensive to maintain. The way I see it:

Diesel: automatically $5,000 more, costs more to maintain (oil and filters, feul filters, air filters etc..) It will pull better than anything around but the cheaper gas will never catch back up with what you pay extra for the oil, engine, filters etc...

5.4 GAS $5,000 Cheaper right off the bat cheaper to maintain but wont pull as well.

As a side note we traded a 96 PSD in on the 02, man does that 02 ride smooth for a big truck. Test drove a Ch*#y for kicks, and it almost fell apart on a washboard road what a piece of junk.

I just dont understand people buying diesels to run around in town with all the time but it is their choice and their money.

1 other thing I dont think a PSD would ever beat a 5.4 off the line or in a race it takes diesel's too long to wrap out and when they do they do it at low rpm's they couldnt stay with a gas engine but if the were pullin a load up a hill the gas would be dead.

I suppose I ruffled a lot of feathers but thats how I see it. Be kind in your replies

 

galaxie64, I agree with you for most of your response. Granted, I don't know about a race between a 5.4 and the PSD. The main two reasons I got rid of my PSD, 1st: my daily commute is 1.5 miles, with lots of stop signs. 2nd: I was not going to be pulling the heavy loads anymore. It takes the PSD a while to heat up all that oil, and shutting it down before it ever warms up, is not good. I miss the PSD on long road trips, and on the rare occasions that I do haul something. The PSD is extreemly nice, but I strongly feel that it is not for everyone, and many people get in over their heads when purchasing one.

 

Ill race any 5.4 L equiped just ike I am and toast it.

Oh and yes I pull a 32 foot cattle trailer every day so my diesel does work.

 

I somewhat agree with galaxie64.
I would love to have a SD equipped with the PSD but I know there is no reason for me to have one so in turn I didn't buy one. I love the sound of them and the shear fact you can hook to almost any damn thing you want and take off like you were pulling a feather. The PSD is a strong engine but I am not for sure if it would beat the 5.4 F150. It might be a good race. IMO the 5.4 seems to small to really move the big mass of an f250 or f350, then the 6.8 v10 would seem like it would suck to much gas, so that leaves the PSD. If I had the 30-45G's to spare, I would probably wind up with the PSD in the driveway. The only concern I had about one would be cold weather starting. How bad are they, what temp do you have to start plugging it in? I would find it a hassle to plug it in, whenever I stopped for more than an hour.

 

first, I just raced, a PSD today it was either an 01 or an 02 and my 97 with only a bigger exhaust and it did not beat me but it kept up better than I thought. It did have a lot more wight so it might run a hellova lot better then i first thought but I still dont see diesels out performing gas engines in any race.

second, we only plug ours in over night if it is extremely cold (say below freezing usually and definitely if it is below 0 degrees) if it is gonna be used the next day but they (PSD) start in the cold better than my 5.4 does.
Plugging it in isn't a must but it is easier on the truck.

 

If you know anything about Banks and their systems then you wouldnt say that. I have no delay time in my turbo. FInd a diesel like mine and run him youll be suprised at what happens.

 

Swofford-I know you can make your truck fast. But if you use your truck up everyday, the 5.4 is cheaper. Cheaper to buy, uses cheaper parts to repair, rides better and no stinkin' diesel on your hands at those "never clean their pump handle" fuel stops. If its just going to be carrying you and occasional 1000 lb. loads or occasional towing why would you need more? I have a K&N FIPK and 3" cat back exhaust on, but stopped short of a chip and premium fuel. It's quick enough. Doesn't hardly ever kick out of OD at 80 mph and I can't get away with anymore without a magic stealth shield. I'm pretty confidant it will outrun most near stock PSD's until it hits that pesky top end limiter about 108. When the 04's come out I'll just get another one. 150-175K on it by then, just like the 97 before it. We race a circle track car and exhaust our need for speed there. But we get to race track in this: [URL=http://www.mattfurman.com/hauler.htm] It replaced our 95 PSD last year. 240 gallon fuel capacity. Seats 10, sleeps 6, pee's 1. Governed to 93mph and could use a taller gear for those occasional moments when there is a lack of enforcement personnel on a lonely highway in the middle of the night.

 

I happen to love the smell of diesel. My old Work truck was a f250 4x4 with the 5.4. Ride was exactly the same as mine. Im glad you like your truck. But for the 11K plus pounds I pull a 5.4 isnt what I need.

 

Swofford- If I pulled 11K all the time, it would be PSD all the way. The reason my trucks rides well is the F150 front end as compared to the 250 beam axle front end. I wouldn't buy a 5.4 in a 250 or heavier chassis. That's diesel country IMHO.

 

Ah I read yer post wrong I thought you had a 250 with a 5.4 and said it rode better, my fault

 

My thoughts exactly. the 5.4 should stay in the F150 line-up. If you have a F250 SD or heavier it doesn't make since to get the 5.4. So that leaves you with the 6.8 V10 or the PSD. Some parts for the V10 will be just as high and fuel will be less for the PSD. So IMHO if you own a SD you gotta have the PSD in there. They just sound so cool too.