Ford 2001 Heavy Duty F-250

bessej · February 2001

I was at an expo last weekend and they have an aftermarket pnuematic locker that you can have installed in the rear end. They quoted me $1200 installed. It looked like a slick rig but the cost had to be considered. I have the 4.10 limited slip in my 01, CC, 2WD and when I got up this morning to 5 inches of heavy wet snow on the ground, ( I live in Seattle, WA), I drove to work with no problems. I have the 5.4 with manual trans and I just motored right along without having to put a bunch of weight in the back.

I agree with heyvern, the non-carpeted floor is the only way to go. I wouldn't recommend carpet to anyone that is using their truck as a truck and not a car.

whatsachevy · February 2001

Thanks for the info fordblue. Sounds like the 3.73 with limited slip is probably the way I'll go. I pull a 17' bass boat and several times a year I pull a 16' tandem axle trailer with the truck and the trailer loaded with firewood. I'm pulling this right now with a '91 F-150 4X4 5.0 with a manual tranny. I'll probably think I've died and gone to heaven with the new truck. Thanks again.

lazej · February 2001

Glad to hear some people besides me are having fun in their SD. The snow this morning(Seattle area) was fun. I do need the 400lbs of sand as I have a hard time keeping the PSD hooked to the street. Getting ready to pull the trailer to Woodland this weekend. Have fun

Brutus · February 2001

I also have one of the earlier 1999 model Superdutys. I picked it up 10/9/98. The truck is a F-350 Lariat (including leather), Supercab, dually, V-10, 4.30 l/s axle ratio, 4x4, auto trans, AT tires. I've got 47,000 miles on it. I get 11.5-12 hwy and around 10-11 in a hwy/city mix. I have a 4000 pound truck camper. With it in the bed, I average 8.5-9 hwy.

The mpg is a little lower because of the duallys and the 4.30. Wouldn't trade either. My rig weighs 11,700 with the truck in the bed loaded for a trip with full tanks, so the duallys are essential. I didn't have much of a rear-end sag with the camper in the bed, but added the Ride-Rite airbags to keep it completely level.

My truck runs great in the snow in 4wd. I stick to the road. In 2wd, I could get stuck on a blade of grass. The truck weighs 7,100 pounds, and that weight is all in the front. If you tryu to push that weight with the rear tires on ice and snow, you'll fish tail and join the other ditch divers.

The duallys and the weight of the truck certainly don't make this an off-road vehicle. If there is a foot of new snow on the hwy, I can blaze through it, but if I try to go off the beaten path on in the snow, I'll get stuck. I have a friend with a cabin on a lake. The main road on the lake is an ice road that is paved and maintained like a hwy. When he got to his cabin, he jumped the berm in his 96 F-250 shortbed pulling a snowmobile trailer and cruised right to the cabin. I tried to follow him and bogged down about 20 yards off the main road. We did a lot of digging over the next 30 minutes or so as I would get free and then bog again. The duallys, the long wheel base, no weight in the back and the weight of the truck were all factors. I suspect a shortbed F-250 Superduty would perform as good as his truck did. Let's face it, the duallys are for hauling stuff, which is why I got them.

As far 5W30, we buy that in the grocery stores up here. I live in Alaska. It sounds like its different in the lower 48. We've got lots of trucks up here.

I have the original Generals on my truck and still have decent tread. I'm used to buying new tires for my trucks every 40,000 miles. I have to believe the longevity of these tires is related to moving back to Alaska in 1999. Prior to that, I was living in CA and then TX. The heat of the roads probably wears them down a lot quicker. I will probably replace the tires in the Spring even if they still have some life in them. I don't want to get a blow out with the camper in the bed.

bigbuck1 · February 2001

I am thinking about buying a F-250 super-cab 4x4 5.4 v-8 5sp. transmission. What I am undecided about is what gear ratio to get 3.73 or 4.10. I don't do alot of pulling, but some. I do more traveling back and forth to work. I would like to know what kind of gas mileage you get with each ratios. I would appreciate the advice.

bess · February 2001

I have the same truck, but in a 4x2 with the 4.10 ls rear.
Avg mpgs for the life of the truck. 15.5
Highest mpgs for a tank: 17.8 (on 2 occasions, mostly highway at 65mph)
Lowest mpgs for a tank: 12.5.
Average: 15.5 (mixed city/highway driving)

I am a conservative driver and rarely (if ever) go over 65mph.

If you travel at 70mph+ alot, then maybe the 3.73 would be helpful as my truck's highway mpg's drops back to the 15's..
Other than that, I think the 4.10's are a great choice..

hubrex2 · February 2001

As has been the case numerous times over the past year or so, I agree with jess. We have what is essentially the same truck, which is a 250SD Super cab 2wd with the 5.4/5sp/4.10 set-up. If you have any towing to do, get the 4.10 axle. It affords a great mix of performance and mileage around town and on the highway. If you don't have much to tow and plan on spending much highway time at 75+ MPH, perhaps the 3.73 would be best. With the 4.10, the mileage goes down the bumper when I get above 70 or so. At 65 or so, I routinely average above 16MPG, and come close to 18 a couple of times. For my purposes, the 5.4 with the 4.10 has been ideal.

wsmith11 · February 2001

Earlier posts indicated that Ford was not supplying the steel wheels that are part of the xlt option package. To get delivery you had to select the aluminum wheels and pay the additional lcharge. Is Ford now delivering the F-250 with the steel wheels?

bessej · February 2001

mine came with the steel wheels, but it is the xl version. can't believe they would make you pay for the aluminum when you want steel.

sowega · February 2001

Have had my SD CC 4X4 with PSD for about 1 month.
Really a pleasure to drive. I am interested in installing color matching fender flares like those
on the F150. Does anyone have info on after market add-on? Thanks!!

lazej · February 2001

Check the Lund products, they have just about everything you could want for aftermarket. Fender flairs come unpainted so you take them to a shop and have it done. I'm looking at the Moonvisor with lights.

dcaps · February 2001

I've seen a few posts indicating the 5.4L is a good choice for a SD CC if you don't have too much to tow. I have a cab over camper that is carried easily by an F250 with an old 352. Now that we have a baby and hopefully more on the way soon, I need to be able to carry the whole "crew" when we go camping/fishing. As the camper only spends a few weekends a year on the truck would the 3.73 rear end be able to handle the load on a limited basis in order to maximize on mileage during the rest of the year? Thanks in advance for any feedback!

frankno1 · February 2001

Am looking for a F250 V10 with 3.73 rearend and automatic transmission. Have read and heard stories about failures on the 4R100 automatic. Can't really afford to buy an expensive vehicle and lose the transmission. The better half would probably say unmercifull things to me. Would I be better off with a standard shift five or six speed or whatever is available and what would it tow. Thanks ahead. Frankno1

bess · February 2001

dcaps:
The 5.4L is a good engine and pulls my F250 SC 4x2 5sp 4.10LS truck around just fine..
Are you getting 4x4 or 4x2.. I'm not sure how much that question really matters, because I think the 4.10 rear might be as good of a choice as the 3.73. The MPG's really are only about 1mpg difference. You can make up that much just by good driving style..
If you want to 'maximize' MPG's then get the 5sp..

Frankno1:
I've heard of some rare occasions where folks have had problems with the 4r100 in the 99 models.. Mostly it had to do with heat buildup when going in reverse with a big load..

As far as automatic vs 5sp, it really boils down to personal preference.. I prefer the feel and control that the 5sp gives me. Both are excellent tranny's.. Also remember its the same tranny thats able to handle the huge amount of torque the PSD puts out, so I think you get an extra safety margin with the gasser that puts out a little less torque.

frankno1 · February 2001

Bess,
On the web site www.blueovalnews.com are some very interesting stories about how Ford tried to save $4.00 per transmission and use a cheaper diode in the electronics and when the engine gets above 4600rpm and someone lets off and then shoves the accelerator to the floor the transmission blows up or at least loses second gear. I understand they recalled 50,000 4R100's to rebuild. Another article is how Ford is trying to get out of the transmission business.
That is why I am thinking about a manual transmission in any Ford I buy, its not a personal preference to me as much as a dependability factor. My wife and I are going to the Northwest Territories this year and I sure don't want to have transmission problems. Sorry for going on so long. Frankno1

dougwaugh · February 2001

I just bought a 29 ft 5th wheel (Gross Dry Weight: 7340; GVWR: 10120; Hitch: 1320)and want the right F250. From reading all the posts, I figure I need a 2001 4x4 (will use by itself in winter conditions) SD SC 4.30 V10 auto transmission, with upgrade to limited slip. Does this sound right? Decided against diesel cuz of initial cost and increased maintenance cost. Do I need duellies? Thanks for any help

dcaps · February 2001

Bess,
I'm getting the 4x4 as I live in the high desert and we get lots of snow and black ice during the winter. I've always been told that you get better mileage with an automatic transmission. I also believe that they have a higher towing capacity? Is the difference in the mileage between auto and manual significant?

Frankno1,
Do you know what model years were the subject of the transmission recall? I will probably be looking to buy a used '99 or '00 and I want to make sure that issue has been resolved on whatever vehicle I end up with. Some of the areas that I spend time in are about as remote as the Northwest Territories and I sure don't want to have to pack my way out!

bess · February 2001

Interesting stuff folks have been telling you..
First, manual tranny's will almost always give better MPG's that automatic tranny's. In the SuperDuty, its definately the case.. Reasons for this:
- no power loss through the torque converter. (yes, im aware that the 4r100 has a torqe convert lock, but it's not always engauged)
- no power loss through the various 'bands' , and pushing tranny fluid through small ports.

I've been monitoring these boards (concerning SuperDuty trucks) for a long time (well over a year), comparing various engines and trannys. It does appear the manual tranny is good for around 1mpg better, possibly 2 in some situations.. They are most equal when on the highway.

According to the SuperDuty towing spec's, the manual tranny actually has a higher tow rating by about 300 lbs (probably the difference in weight between the trannys).

Also, on the recall, many of the affected tranny's weren't even in vehicles yet, and it was an issue where Ford clearly understood the problem and when they introduced the problem..

All of that being said, I still prefer manual tranny's. I think there's just less things to go wrong.

dcaps · February 2001

Well, it doesn't surprise me too much that the info I had gotten about auto vs. manual transmissions was wrong. Getting reliable info from my knuckle head friends is pretty hard to come by. Besides, none of them own a truck newer than a '76 F250 so what would they know about anything. Thanks for setting me straight!

In addition to the benefits that you've described, I've always thought that a manual transmission is much safer in snow/ice conditions as you have a lot more control of the gear changes and downhill speed governing. It can be a bit unnerving to downshift the automatic in my wife's SUV when we are coming home from the mountains in mid winter as the first step is a big one.

Now the trick is to find a used XLT SD CC with a 5.4 and a stick. They seem to be a bit hard to come by here in diesel country.

Thanks again!

bess · February 2001

Just order one.. You'll get EXACTLY what you want in 8 to 12 weeks if your dealership as a decent allotment. You should also be able to get a decent price, any dealer should be able to give you the truck for $500 over invoice. The dealership makes the full holdback money on ordered trucks because they don't sit on the lot..

Drive a few trucks that are as close to the configuration that your wanting to get a little bit of the feel.. I had to buy my truck without ever actually driving one with the 5.4L manual tranny..
I drove:
PSD w/6sp 3.73
V10 auto (3.73)
V10 manual (I forget which rear end it had)
5.4L auto (4.10) (felt mushy with the automatic tranny, the 5sp feels more snappy)

So I was nervous ordering it.. Every time I drive my truck, I think, 'man, I chose well'.

00' F250 xlt SC 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS 4x2, oxford white, grey interior, 60/40/60 bench, cab steps, normal power mirrors (not TT power), am/fm/cd, tow package, LT265 75R16 tires.

frankno1 · February 2001

dcaps: The 1999 and 2000 automatic transmissions were ok, in fact Ford went back to the 2000 design to solve the problem. That is why I am so concerned I have a 2001 Expedition and was in the market for a 2001 F250 Auto, now I will wait a while as I know according to the web site Blueovalnews.com there were over 50,000 transmission affected. There were ones sold to the public and some did not make it out the door. According to Murphy's law guess which one I would get. I didn't try to panic someone just need to make everyone aware. What is a real surprise as Ford would risk a quality transmission to gain another $4.00 per car. I guess that is why Toyota is the number one car in the USA. Quality does count. Have a good day or whats left of it

bess · February 2001

That tranny issue you bring up is several months old though.. I remember reading about that a loooong time ago.. They found it just when they started releasing the 2001 model year trucks, which was around October 2000..
Remember that Ford has the #1 vehicle in the USA (F-150). Your right, Quality does count, and Ford quality is every bit as good as the Toyota.. (Toyota's god-like quality references are greatly exaggerated..)

dcaps · March 2001

It's amazing that any manufacturer would jeapordize the reputation of a product held in such high regard to save $4.00. Then again, some poor team of design engineers was probably sitting in a cube farm trying to work with a budget that was handed to them by a bunch of VPs that don't know the first thing about designing and building quality.

I've test driven a '00 SD CC 5.4L automatic with an unknown rear end. It had a lot more power than I expected, especially after driving a similarly equipped diesel and V10. I am definitely not a diesel guy and I just don't have any need for the power of the V10. I haven't been paying too much attention to the specifics of what rear end was installed on the trucks, but I'll make a point of it now.

The only problem with the 5.4 that I drove was that it had been abused by whoever had owned it previously. I've noticed that a lot of the used trucks at dealerships in the Northwest have come from Canada and they are trashed. Most look like they have been short term leases to coastal British Columbian logging companies. Not many uses are harder on vehicles. I could see cork (spiked logging boots) marks on the accelerator and brake peddles and there was mud tucked up into every nook and cranny of the undercarriage. This one sounded like the windshield was going to blow out while I was driving it. I'm going to test drive a couple of SD ECs tomorrow that have different configurations of the 5.4 to get a feel for it. I've already spoken with a couple of dealers and two have offered to sell me one for $500 over invoice since I'm willing to wait. Do they offer the XLT without the carpeting?

lazej · March 2001

Yes they offer a carpet delete on the XLT. I'm begining to wonder if I made a mistake by leaving the carpet in my truck. I camp and hunt a lot so drag lots of mud and sometimes a little blood in.

dcaps · March 2001

Thanks for the info. I spend a lot of time tracking mud and snow into my truck so carpets tend to take a beating. You must be doing something right hunting if you are tracking blood in with you! I've had a drought for the last two seasons for both deer and elk.

The only drawback of the vinyl is that it can get kind of slick when wet, but it sure is a lot easier to clean up. I guess the only options I really want from the XLT are the power package (locks/windows) and A/C, so maybe I should price those out separately instead. What else does the XLT package include?

frankno1 · March 2001

The quality of all Toyota products is always in the top ten of JD Powers surveys, not fiction but fact. Ford makes the best HD for trailers in the world. I am going to buy one for my trailer pulling and RV'ing. My only problem is that I don't want a 5 speed transmission, but an auto. Trucks made in Oct, Nov, Dec can still be on the lots and I sure don't want one. I have already been thru the transmission problem with Dodge trucks and I sure don't want to do it again. Am going to Northwest Territories this year and don't want to be 500 miles from nowhere and have an Automatic go out. Second subject how well do you think a 5.4L F250 would pull a 6500# loaded trailer.

sbrett2 · March 2001

I am buying an F250 superduty XLT Diesel supercab LB. I want to know what kind of MPG I might expect.

PS: Thanks for the heads up on the Transmission problem.

b2ob · March 2001

Walmart has the Ford Motorcraft 5W20 oil for $1.26 a quart in Grapevine/Southlake Texas. They are real nice folks and I'm sure all the stores will order more by the case if you want.

elisew1 · March 2001

Does anyone know how good or strong of an engine the 4.6L is? We want to put a light camper on it . The trucks a 1997 so it is a 250. Any info would be appreciated.

chambeau · March 2001

I just picked up my new 250 supercab 4x4, it runs outstanding. I just noticed however when I got home that there is rust on the driveshaft, exhaust and on some of the undercarriage bolts.
The truck only had 12 miles on it and was probably on the lot for a few months. Is this normal?
Or do I need some kind of additional undercoating or is this defective rustproofing?

4jans · March 2001

Exactly what is the function of a limited slip differential? Last week I lost all traction on my F-250 while parked on snow and ice while the opposite wheel was on dry pavement. Had to get out and push. This can't be normal. If so what's the point to have one?

frankno1 · March 2001

They tell me that when this happens if you will step on the brake hold it, then the torque will transfer to the wheel that is not turning. I don't know as I have never tried this before. Someone else maybe can enlighten us some more on this subject. Hope this helps.

bess · March 2001

The emergency brake, (not normal brake, as this brakes the front wheels and will keep the truck from moving).

I saw on another board, the way Ford tests the limited slip rear end:
- put one wheel on a slippery surface (mud or ice) and the other on dry pavement. Slowly apply power. If the truck should move forward slightly.. It may be necessary to apply the emergency brake in order to energize the limited slip.

This last weekend, I almost got stuck in muddy field (i have a 4x2). I got out to look at the rear wheels, and there was mud caked in the tread of both rears, although it looked like one was doing most of the spinning, but the other did some work..
I have the whimpy A/S (all season) instead of the A/T (all terrain) tires, otherwise, I bet wouldn't have had any problems at all.

BTW: to get out, I just had 2 guys sit on the tailgate and I pulled right out..

I didn't do the brake thing (I have a manual tranny which makes it a bit harder)

boland1776 · March 2001

I just bought the 250 and have and am wondering if After a fuel fill up the fuel gauge will drop to 3/4 of a tank after only 30-40 miles. I can bring the gauge to the red mark under "E", top off the tank with approx 24 gallons! It has a 29 gallon tank, that means I have about 5 gallons after what I think is empty. The computer also says "0" miles to empty!

My old '98 F-150 will reach 3/4 of a tank at about 75 miles.

Just wondering if anyone else has seen this.

jcmdie · March 2001

From what I've read, that 29 gallon tank will fill normal until about 24-25 gallons and then you have to feed the last 5 gallons in REAL slow. You are not getting filled up.

resq36 · March 2001

Does anyone have any experience with a 250 V10 or PSD with a 3-4" lift and 33" tires?
I will be ordering a 2001 SD 250SC SB 4x4 as soon as I decide which engine to get.
This will be my daily driver for about a 45 mile round trip drive to work with some
ocassional offroading. I plan to get it lifted with 33's as soon as I get it. I am leaning
towards the V10 because I like it's "off the line" power more than the PS. I know that the mileage will be less but $4000 buys alot of gas.
Will the 3.73 gears be adequate for 33 inch tires or should I get the 4.30s?
Anyone with a PSD with a similiar combo please feel free to respond with your experiences
and observations.
For those wondering, lifted trucks have always been my preference. This new one will replace
my '92 GMC 1/2ton 350/NV4500 4x4 with 33's and 194,000 miles. I have been researching
this for about 3 weeks and this forum has been very helpful! Thanks in advance to all who reply!

hmmrswngr · March 2001

I went to the ford web site and built my truck, and then sent it out to three local dealers. I stated that I was going to order this truck in the next couple of weeks and was looking for a price as close to invoice as I could get. The web site said I should get a reply in 24 hours , but it has been four days and no reply from any of them. Has anyone ever tried the "get a quote" feature on the ford web site?
Ford did send me an -email asking me if I received a reply from the dealerships. In every case I have answered their survey no.

frankno1 · March 2001

I have priced out at least twice the Ford I wanted and have received answers from the dealers of "Thank you for using the internet, but we can't do anything until you come into the dealership". What a joke you can't buy a car on the internet as everyone will not quote a real price, but they did contact me and let me know I could come in to the dealership.

bessej · March 2001

I e-mailed the fleet dealer at a local Ford dealership and told him what I wanted and he had no problem quoting me a price. When I went in to post a deposit check the quote remained the same so there was no bait and switch. The best way to buy a vehicle is to go to the fleet dealer and order it. I paid $100 over invoice for my 2001 SD CC and all the price figures matched what is put out in Edmunds. I don't think I will ever buy another rig retail.

jihi · March 2001

Can anyone give me some ideal about the difference of the V10 and the diesel as far as towing and fuel ecomony. I am considering a purchasing a new pick-up and would like the Ford F250 HD 4x2. I pull a fifth wheel trailer weighing 8700 lbs. Any help would be appreciated.

saltdog · March 2001

I've been looking at several 250HD, Lariat, CC, 4WD, PSD trucks for the past several months trying to decide exactly which options and color I want. I plan on purchasing one as soon as I find the "right" truck. In order not to make a $40k mistake, I have tried to educate myself on the pros and cons of the 250HD.

Several discussions that I have seen posted on the Internet talk about steering problems associated with the 250HD. Recently, I noticed that several (not all) trucks on dealer lots have a steering damper (stabilizer) positioned on the right side ahead of the front axle. Looking at the descriptions of 250HD option packages, I see that steering dampers are included in the heavy service suspension package and the snow plow package. None of the trucks I have seen with the stabilizers have either one of these packages listed on their stickers. There doesn't seem to be any consistency between which trucks have them and which trucks don't (based on the window sticker and listed options).

Is what I'm looking at in front of the axle really a steering stabilizer? If so, has Ford started adding these to correct the steering problems? I would greatly appreciate hearing from someone who can help me with some information.

wpalkowski · March 2001

How often do you tow? I've got a F-350 XLT V10 CC, 4x4 with a 3.73 LS and tow a 7200 lb. trailer. I only tow about a dozen times a year and V10 is great for my needs. Except for a few big mountain passes, the truck rarely knows that the trailer's even back there. V10 has higher horsepower than PSD, but the diesel's got more torque and torque wins when it comes to pulling.
If you tow a lot, or are up at higher altitudes the diesel may be right for you. I usually don't put my foot into it too hard, so I usually get 12-13 mpg in mixed city/highway driving, with trailer it drops down to about 9-10 mpg. Of course my rig weighs about 8500 lbs, and I didn't buy it for good gas mileage. Friend of mine with same F-350 but with diesel, pulls a bigger rig and routinely gets 15-16 mpg, in summer 18 or 19. The extra torque helps, he can beat me up big hills while towing, and his truck stays in overdrive while mine shifts down a gear to climb the hill. Empty, I'm several seconds faster to highway speed than he is.
I looked at a diesel, but my wife vetoed it because of the fuel odor and exhaust odor The PSD is pretty quiet as diesels go, but it's still a lot louder than my V10. Of course my V10 has the exhaust flutter at around 2200 rpm, which sort makes it sound like a diesel too (but that's another story).
Also I couldn't justify the extra $3700 cost of diesel engine since I only tow 3 or 4,000 miles a year. From what I've heard, if you drive more 20K miles per year, then diesel economy will pay for itself in about 5 years. (Of course I see diesel fuel is more expensive than unleaded in my area right now.)
Well cared for, a SD will probably give well over >250,000 miles of service before needing a rebuild, I don't think my gasser will last as long, even though I baby it. Diesel has higher maintenance costs - oil changes are ~15 quarts, and I think the oil filter costs about $25. You have to put additives in your coolant to prevent cavitation, so you don't develop hot spots on the diesel's cylinder walls. Also you have be aware of where you buy your fuel from - diesel fuel needs to have a different winter formulation otherwise it starts to congeal in cold weather. If your fuel gels, you're pretty much stuck until it warms up. Also you need a block heater for easier starting in winter, and you've always got to wait about 20-30 seconds for those glow plugs to heat up before you can start in the morning. My buddy also carries a spare fuel filter for the times he gets a load of bad/stale diesel fuel. He doesn't mind the extra maintenance and does it all himself. It's all in what you get used to. I've driven his rig,, and its got a different personality than mine, slower off the line but you can feel the power waiting there. Frankly waiting for glow plugs makes me nuts, as I just want to turn the key and go.
I guess it comes down to personal preference. I love the V10, my truck is a huge beast with crew cab/long bed, but it surprises the heck out of folks when I mash the throttle on the V10 and leave them in the dust. My buddy loves his oil burner, he's always towing for his business or for fun and he says he'll never go back to a gasser. He gets off on diesel fumes I think, but he's not going to beat anybody the next traffic light.
Just a thought, I think your 8700 lb 5er may be a little heavy for an F-250, combined weight of truck and trailer may exceed the GVCWR that Ford specs. Once you load up trailer and truck it may put you over legal limit. F-250 will still be able to pull it, but panic stops could be kinda hairy. For about $500 more F-350 give you a lot more margin. Also a diesel weighs about 400 lbs more than V10, so it lowers capacity still more.

Sorry for the verbosity, I started writing and it all came out.

barry401 · March 2001

Well, my F-250 SD Lariat CC LB PSD left the factory March 3. Does anyone out there know generally how long it takes to get to the dealer? Anxiously waiting.

acmurf · March 2001

Wpalkowski referred to exhaust flutter at 2200 rpm with his V10. Can someone explain just what that is? I have been trying to figure out a droning noise in my '99 SD V10 4WD 4.30 SC auto which occurs in all gears and begins at approximately 2200 rpm. It's done it since new and no dealer so far has an explanation. Maybe Wpalkowski has my answer. I'd appreciate any info. Thanks.

wpalkowski · March 2001

Hi,

     Flutter is a resonance that occurs in the y-pipe that comes off the exhaust manifold of the V10s. It's supposedly not a "real" problem, it supposedly doesn't cause any engine damage, loss of mileage or power. It's just totally f'***'in annoying. Basically, the exhaust pulses of the 10 cyclinders sets up some sort of standing wave vibration within this y-pipe from about 2200 thru 2600 - 3000 rpms depending on the truck. Mine sounds sorta like a diesel on some days when it's in this RPM range. Evidently, all V10s have it some extent but it really varies between vehicles, or the owners don't notice or don't care. It didn't really become prevalent on my truck until I had about 6k on it. It faintly showed up at first and got louder over the next 5K miles. Now it's there almost all the time. I basically go out of my way now to move through that rpm range quick enough so I don't have to hear it for very long, and I'll change gears to avoid it. It's strictly rpm related, doesn't matter what gear I'm in, when I am at that engine speed this resonance occurs. It's not noticeable for first 10 or 15 minutes of driving until engine is good and warmed up. Then, it gets even louder if I really put my foot into and accelerate hard.

     My dealer and Ford know all about it. They could hear it and confirmed something wasn't right, and talked to Ford Regional Rep before they found out it was in the exhaust. Ford is trying various solution to alleviate the problem. They came out with a new y-pipe of on the 2001's that's evidently quieter than my 2000. They also came out with a retrofit part for older trucks, but it doesn't work well: it quiets it to a certain extent but doesn't totally alleviate it Supposedly in a few months, they'll have another y-pipe to try.

   Only way to totally kill it, is to do what a friend of mine did - Headers. He put on a set of Borla Headers, and totally changed his exhaust system (with exception of the catalyst, I think). Different exhaust pipe construction, diameter evidently damps the resonance out and you don't hear it any more. His truck was much noisier than mine, and he was ready to start a Lemon Law suit, but decided to try his own fix instead, and now you don't hear any flutter at all.

   FOr a lot more info go over to the Gasoline Engine forum on http://www.ford-diesel.com. Look at the posts for the past 90 days or so, there were several threads there on Flutter.

I love my F-350, and the V-10, but this one flaw makes me nuts. Unfortunately, I don't want to have to spend another grand on headers to replace a design shortcoming on a $35,000 Truck and I'm fervently hoping that Ford comes out with a viable fix soon. Hope this helps.

acmurf · March 2001

Wpalkowski,
Thanks for the exhaust flutter info. It's good to know the engine isn't coming apart at least. Did your friend gain a significant amount of power with his Borla conversion? I pull a 12,000# 5th wheel with mine and it does a fine job, but I guess you can't have too much torque. Thanks again. Acmurf

bess · March 2001

One thing I've heard about many aftermarket exhaust systems is although they increase HP, often it is at the sacrifice of low-end torque. I bet this is a contributing factor of why Ford is being deliberate about what kind of modification to make with the exhaust so that the low end torque still remains..

Also, there have been several 5.4L trucks also diag'd with 'flutter' as well which is noticable at almost all RPM ranges when accelerating..

jihi · March 2001

Thanks for the reply, I now have a 95 Dodge 2500 with the Cummings diesel and have no problems pulling the trailer. I have been looking at the new Fords and sure like the looks at them. I only pull 6 to 8 times per year and normally one of those trips are around 3000 miles round trip others are usally shorter. I really think that I will stick with the diesel, nothing against you gasses, but I sure like my diesel. I do quite a bit of pulling up in the mountains, although not this year. Anyway thanks for the info, but I believe I will stick with the diesel, now the questions is do I stay with my Dodge a few more years or do I take the plunge to the new Ford. Only my wife knows for sure!!!

wpalkowski · March 2001

As far as I remember, my friend John was ecstatic that the Flutter problem had finally been defeated, but he was disappointed in the other results from the headers. He seems to have gotten more top-end power and the engine revs easier. What upset him, is that the truck apparently has lost some of its low end torque, the free-er flowing exhaust evidently detracts from the low end. It actually feels slower off the line, but then as revs increase it really gets its act together and makes up for lost time at the start. This is fine for knocking around town, but he bought the tuck to pull a big fiver and is a bit chagrined at the trade off he had to make in order to get rid of the flutter. His highway mpgs went up a mile or two, but in city driving it got worse. Evidently changing the headers on F-350 V10 is a full day's job for a shade tree mechanic, and removing original exhaust was a real knuckle buster.

bessej · March 2001

Hey all you super duty dudes. Check your air filter when you get your new truck. On a whim last night I just happened to check the air filter on my 2001 and one of the pleats on the filter had about a one inch tear in it letting un-filtered air into the intake. It came this way from the factory. I'm glad that I only had 2400 miles on the vehicle and that it was during the winter when dust levels are low around here. I just hope that I havn't done any damage to the engine.

Ford 2001 Heavy Duty F-250

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