Nice question...still think the K&N is the way to go...Just wanted to make sure power and torque were gonna be there thru the life of the beast...May be pulling more than my little flats cruiser...thanks for the info....
As the K&N does allow more air, and more stable air, which allows for the additional power..
It's my understanding that the computer via the MAF sensor detects this additional air and compensates with the correct amount of fuel in order to maintain the desired air/fuel mixture.
So, its not just the 'more air' thats giving the little bit of extra power, but the more air + fuel..
According to various folks at www.f150-online.com, most have not experienced any mpg increase and some their mpg's decreased..
K&N even indicated that on some older vehicles with normal carbs, (and motorcycles etc), that you may have to compensate with carb adjustments or re-jetting to allow more fuel.
Absolutely true in most cases that more air+fuel= more power. I say most cases because you do want to run the leanest mixture you can get away with without detonation.
But here's the kicker. Let's say you cruise at 60 mph at 2000 RPM and you're pulling X pounds of vacuum. Now you optimize your exhaust or intake or air filter. You still will be running 2000 RPM at 60 MPH but should be pulling less vacuum with less TPS(throttle position sensor) thereby using less fuel.
My guess is, as was the case with my Cobra, that after I removed my air silencer and added the K&N my foot was in it a lot more just to hear/feel the diff! I just can't figure how making a motor more efficient can decrease economy. Unless you're constantly using all this new found power!!LOL!!
true, I've never met anyone who has a K&N that would give it back. Folks really like them.
I didn't understand one part of your response. Although the TPS would be less, there's still more air going in that the MAF see's. So wouldn't the computer will compensate with more fuel? Sure, lean is good, but in todays engines the computer knows what it wants the mixture and timing to be and it does the measuring and distributing..
When your WOT the K&N really shows off because it allows more air than the stock filter so you'll get more power.
I sortof think of it like, although your at 25% throttle, your getting as much air/fuel as someone else with a stock air filter at 30% throttle. But when the stock person is at 100% throttle, you get the equalivalent 105%.
There are more parameters to fuel delivery than just Mass Air. There's the TPS, O2 sensors, CTS, MAP(for speed density) BAP(Mass Air) fuel pressure and a few others I can't recall right now. An EEC IV or V will not just send more fuel because there's more air.
Yep, your right, there are many sensors.. If more air is entering, it is a fact that more fuel will be needed to compensate in order to maintain the fuel/air mixture. If it didn't then the lean condition would probably cause the puter to back off timing to avoid knock.
Like you, everyone I know personally who owns a K&N claim that they get alot more power, but at very slightly lower mpgs . (Ok, I'll admit, thats only 4 people, not very scientific).
I read a test of pleated cloth (K&N), paper and open cell foam air cleaners. The measurable HP gains on a dyno (greater than 5%) came from modification of the air path (removal of obstruction like sharp bends, sound reduction baffles....). Note bad point of the K&N was improper oil application after cleaning them. One person kept his paper air cleaner around to use when he cleaned the K&N to allow it 24+ hours to drain off the excess oil. The problem with too much oil is it being deposited onto the MAF sensor causing it to loose accuracy (drop in mpg). I'd use a pleated cloth filter if I ran my 2000 cc sd V10 all day at 3000 to 4000 rpm......... Paper please.....
I am looking at buying a F250 5.4L 2WD 3.73LS. Don't do any heavy towing (ocasionally 2000 lbs. max) Do alot of HWY driving for work. What kind of gas milage do you get? Thanks. Would buy F150 4 dr. if they hadn't cut bed to short. So want crew cab with SB. Thanks.
I have over 19k miles on my truck. 00' F250 SC xlt 4x2 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS My overall mpg's is 15.5 with mostly mixed city/highway driving. Highest tank=18mpg (mostly highway, empty at 60mph), lowest was 13.
My truck is a little bit smaller than yours CC vs SC, and I have the more efficient 5sp vs auto. You'll be somewhere in the low 13's with mixed driving, with a high approaching 17 if your speed is under 65mph. Basically the same as an F150 SC 4x4..
I HAVE A '01 F250 2WD CREW SB AUTO V10 W/3.73LS 14.5 HWY 11.5 CITY. LS WAS A MUST ,BUT THEY DIDN'T OFFER A V8 W/ A 3.73LS ONLY OFFERED IT WITH A 4.10LS. SO I WEIGHTED THE OPTIONS 5.4 W/ 4.10LS VS. 6.8 W/ 3.73LS ,FUEL MPG MAYBE CLOSE TO EQUAL. MORE POWER AND TORQUE W/V10 WHEN YOU NEED IT, PLUS $600.00 MORE ON THE STICKER TO UP TO V10.
If any is in the market,and in the Nebraska area. I have a 2000 F250 XLT s/c V-10 that is in excellent condition with only 2700 miles on it I am selling. The truck is like new, unfortunately I just don't drive it anymore. Please respond to this message if interested, or know someone who might be. Thanks.
Torino2, what chip did you buy? How much do they cost? Is there a report anywhfere on the best chip or have you already explored the subject? Is there a K&N filter for a diesal? Thank you, 2000 F250 diesal owner
This is for the people that think diesel arent quick off the line..I have a 2001 f250 4x4 crewcab lariat with a diesel.. I installed a chip for engine and tranny and exhaust. My brother has same truck but a v10 in it and he kept popping off how much faster his truck was than mine, he also has exhaust kit and a chip.. All I can say now is that I am the one popping off now.. I realize that this is not a truck to race in but If you want your truck to be quick and add 100+ horses with about an extra 150 pounds of torque, this is one avenue to explore. Better gas mileage and lets not talk about towing now......
My friends bought Chevy's and some Dodge's, but I am a ford man. I won't go into all the fords I owned in the past. When I first purchased my 5.4liter (Gas)I was happy with the power until I seen the power difference in the Chevy and all the up grades one can do. I wanted to do alot to my Ford but found out I am limited, what i mean is you can't put all the gadgets let a hypertech programmer and some other nice upgrades. I was jealous, but not now. I have done alot to my baby now, she is lifted with 35in Superswamper tires, she has dual shockes in front. Borla exhaust and K&N air charger and Rhino brush guard with Piaa lights of course. I wanted more power since putting bigger tires does make it slower. I purchased a Diablo powerchip and am happy again for now. I think this summer I will get the supercharger that adds 110 more horse power for it too.. Love her now though..
How much horsepower did you get with your chip, and who makes it? I purchased mine on www.ford-trucks.com, the chip added 25 HP and 40 Ft torque. There is another good site www.truckperformance.com
Why would you buy the 5.4 (smallest available engine) in the 250 and then spend a fortune on power upgrades. Seems to me that you should have bought the V10 to start with.
I was under the impression that i would have better gas mileage with the 5.4 over the V10. And with all the upgrades I get even better gas mileage. The exhaust add horse power and mileage,and so did the K&N air charger. And when I purchased the Chip I was told and read that I would get 1 more mile a gallon. The only thing I do still regreat doing ws getting the Factory alarm system! They suck and I will change it soon... Good thing I live in a good neighborhood or else that would have been first thing gone....
I purchased the INTIMIDATOR STAGE 4 by Street & performance electronics. Plus 50 horsepower and 100 ft/lbs. Major differance. Getting over 17 MPG currently. There phone number is 501-945-0354 I paid 499.oo for it
I bought the Intimidator stage 4 $499. It is made by Street and performance Electronics . Plus 50 horses and 100 lbs of ft/lbs Have already ate a new Z71 for lunch.
Thanks for the feed-back, I need to know all my options. The chip I purchased is not as good as the one by Street performance. I would like more power, I know some might say I should have bought a Diesel or V10. Hine sight is 20/20, so I am making the most of what I have. Air charger and exhaust, chip. I don't think i will put on a super charger, but I am changing the Diffs to 4.56..
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
You'll get plenty of argument against what I'm about to say but it's MHO and actually Ford's guide also.
A SRW truck will pull that load just fine. All Ford 250 and 350's are rated at the same GCVWR. Adding DRW's actually reduces your towing capability. If you want DRW you'll need to go to the 350.
The argument will be that DRW's will add stability. I've towed up to a 26' boat with an 11' camper using a SRW truck with no problems using a receiver type hitch. The 5th wheel hitch obviously is more inherently stable to pull because of the weight over the axle. The DRW's main advantage is its payload capability over the SRW, there is no advantage to me in towing. On a recent trip to Mesquite NV. to watch a barrel race I counted 80 trucks pulling 5th wheel and goose neck horse trailers. The count was 49 to 51 in favor of the SRW trucks. I believe it's a matter of personal opinion and like stated above you can actually exceed your trucks GCVWR easier with a DRW truck.
If the DRW gives you a sense of security, go for it.
I like my 2000Sd F-250 4x4 power stroke, but am considering trading to the 2001 - 250 chev silverado duramax deisel. Only because of the noise levels of power stroke. The differance is substantial.
good move or bad move ( any comments or does anyone know someone that has one )
I just got my 2500HD D/A and am extremly satisfied with this truck. The diesel is quiet and powerful and the transmission is the icing on the cake. Although I cannot speak for the Ford, my friend just bought a new 350 Crew cab power stroke and is very impressed with my truck especially in the power power and quietness of the duramax.
Well I have to say I have some diffreent opinions here. I personally see no reason to buy the 250. For just a few hundred dollars more you can get the 350. Where I live the difference in licensing costs paid for that the first year. 350s are taxed by wieght and 250s like cars, by value. Then at resale you cant talk someone looking for a 350 into a 250 but the reverse is ceratinly possible. I have a '99 F350 PSD SRW regular cab. It is one month shy of two years old and has 112k miles on it. I pull a 40ft gooseneck with it, often grossing well over 20k lbs. The truck serves as my snow plow in the winter as well. After owning the diesel I can't imagine buying the other engines. It is extremely powerful, the only maint issue it has ever had was just last week when the inj control mod failed. Expensive but the only problem. Towing with SRW is the way to go. I switched from a dually to a SRW and will never go back. The SRW is actually more stable on slippery surfaces due to more psi on the road. I am really impressed with this truck.
It would be hard to argue the negatives of a diesel with someone who has over 100,000 miles on their rig in 2 years. For the average Joe(read 10-15000 miles a year) the diesel is a waste IMHO. Also, the 250-350 thing I don't necessarily agree with unless you need the payload. The ONLY diff is the GVW of the trucks as far as I've seen. The S/D may have changed this but the 250's used to have higher residuals(resale value) than the 250's. Probably due to the perception that the 350's were used more for commercial type applications.
Bess, I'm waiting for you to jump all over this guy for preferring SRW for towing!!! LOL!!!
I think it was you who informed me of the true towing capacity of SRW v. DRW. Although I think the person is mistaken that SRW is more stable. I've never driven a DRW.
I agree, if someone is putting 50K+ miles per year on a truck, then the diesel will probably be the most efficient choice. As for the choice of 250 v. 350, it should really depend on what your 'needs' are.. For my towing/hauling needs, an F150 would be more than enough, but I wanted the little extra interior room and a better looking truck (IMHO),
You have never driven a drw, yet you think I am mistaken. What are you basing your opinion on then?, the way it looks? My business put over 200,000 miles on a drw cummins dodge. I now have over 100k miles in a srw Ford. My brother in law uses a srw chevy to pull his 40ft fifth wheel race trailer, much prefers it the drw he had before. When I went to purchase the Ford the dealer, who sells only commercial trucks, mostly medium and heavy duty, told me for towing the srw was the ticket. The proper application for a drw is a tow truck or dump truck that needs the extra paylaod capacity in the bed of the truck. I have also found that the srw is much less likely to get stuck on jobsites than the drw was. I'll admit I once thought as you do, experience has taught me differently.
As for the difference between the 250 and 350 I believe it comes down to one extra leaf per side in the rear springs.
On the diesel being a waste of money, you are entitled to that opinion. However resale values on diesels are correspondingly higher as well. So you get the fuel milage advantage, better power, big rig sounds, and the extra longevity. The obvious downside is the extra $4k originally. Another secret is to buy your fuel filter from an International dealer for $15 instead of Ford for ~$70, this bring regular maint cost pretty close to the gas engines.
I think the previos gen of 250s with the pathetic swing arm front suspensions rode much better than the solid axle 350s. Probably good reason for people to prefer 250s. Thak goodness they changed that, and my 350 rides pretty darn good for such a HD beast.
The 250 and 350 have different axles, springs, and tires. I agree that if you are into serious miles the deisel is better. I also felt more stable pulling with my old dually than my current SRW, but I did not have any where near your kind of miles for experience. Besides, it could have just been a mental thing. By the way, I liked your post in the SUV conference a couple days ago.
I was the one who claimed to never have driven a DRW.. I based my opinion on a large number of others that I know personally and on the web who tow everything from car haulers, horse trailers to RV's.. All of them have indicated to me that the DRW feels much more stable..
Also, we are in complete agreement with the diesel.. (I said, with the miles you put on, the diesel is definately the way to go).. I never said the diesel was a waste of money..
Why do you keep insisting the 250/350 have different axles???? They both use the same Dana 50 front and full floater rear. The only diff is the DRW is available on the 350 and the spring rates. I'll double check but I think even the number of leafs are the same, just the 350 uses thicker leafs.
I'm not a wizard on this, but from what I've been reding on the ford-deisel site, there are some internal parts (bearings) that are higher rated on the 350. I do not know this as fact. I do believe that in the ford source book the axle ratings were different. I did look this up, but it was some time ago and am not 100% positive.
In the 2000 commercial vehicle brochure. The front axle rating @ ground was the same for F250/F350. 4850 for 4x2, and 5200 for 4x4..
However, the F250 and F350SRW rear axles have different ratings) 6084 F250 6830 F350 SRW
This is doucmented under the section labled Axle (rating @ ground).
So, I don't know if this means the actual axle is different or the axle rating is increased some other way. But it does seem feasible that the axle's are actually different..
If you took that one step further the SRW AND DRW for the 350's have differeent ratings at the ground. Do you think there is a different rear diff and axles for the 350 DRW? Different at the housing ends and backing plates I'll agree with. MHO is that Ford uses all the same housing, gears, bearings and axles(# of splines) in all the Super Duties. The Super Duties also use the same motors, trans, brakes etc. whether they are 250 or 350. As pointed out earlier, even the # of leaf springs is the same, only the thickness differs. The springs, DRW availability and a few standard things that are optional on the 250 are the only things that are different between the 250/350.
On a last note, bess, if we're looking at the same guide it also shows "Ford full floater" as the rear end of the Super Duties. No difference between 250 or 350.
I went to the ford truck sourcebook site and the descriptions were nearly identical, but depending on which configuration ordered the differential may be a 2 pinion or 3 pinion. It didn't matter if it was 250 or 350. The rating at the ground is likely due to the standard tires on the 350 are higher rated.
I still don't know what the difference is but like you said it only changes from the 5.4(2 pinion?) to the 3 pinion for the diesel or V10. All other rear diff specs are the same which is why I've always said there is no difference between the 250/350 rears.
Well the way I see it there are two reasons to buy a super duty over a new HD Chevy, one you like Fords and not GM's, two you don't want a japanese diesel. I'm a loyal GM guy, but if I ever decide to buy a Diesel truck, I would go used Chevy or new Ford.
Anybody know anything about ford's new diesels they plan for '02 I heard they are developing a 4L and 6L to replace the powerstroke and put it in the expedition and f150. let me know thanks
I am thinking about buying a F250 diesel with a 6speed manual trans. to pull a 29 ft. 5th wheel trailer. Has any one had experience with a lashup like this? Every one I know tells me the stick is a mistake. Thanks for any in put.
The difference between the 6sp and auto tranny is strictly that of personal preference. Both are excellent trannys. Why do your friends think its a mistake? For someone who prefers automatic trannys, then yes the 6sp would be a mistake. Otherwise the 6sp is an excellent choice.
Read an article in Good Sam today and it made sense as to the length a person will have a car, truck or whatever. If you drive a vehicle (gas motor)for 15,000 miles and take good care of it, will it last for ten years. A good diesel will last 300,000 miles but how many people keep a vehicle for 20 years, certainly not I. You say torque, well how are they getting the torque with turbochargers and intercoolers. I remember a few years ago the 7.3L Ford had less torque than the ole venerable 460CI. What if I take a 6.8L V10 and supercharger it, would it equal the torque of a new 7.3PSD. I think so but all I have proved is that I can spend extra money on engines that I will never get a value out of. If I need over 310HP and 425 lbs ft of torque to pull a trailer maybe I shouldn't go. Just wanted to start a good discussion so no one get to upset and please educate me. Happy Trucking
I agree with you. Some people that do a lot of towing or put on a serious number of miles a year have justification to get the diesel but for most it is overkill and/or a macho sound tough thing. Personally I'll take the cheaper V10 that doesn't sound as macho and be satified with a few less miles to the gallon and the knowledge that I'll blow the doors off the diesel in acceleration.
Usually you can get the torque a lot lower on the band with a diesel, the powerstroke peaks torque at like 1,600 rpm or something (well so does my truck engine, but its only a I-6)
The construction of diesels is a lot beefier than a regular gas engine, so If you are towing a lot and keep your vehicle 150,000 miles or so you will be better off cause your gas engine could be burning oil by then with a lot of heavy work.
Diesel has slightly better resale value, but not close to what it should be, thats why buying a diesel used is such a good proposition.
Yes I am one of the people that part of my choice to buy a diesel next time (unfortunately this means buying a used Chevrolet if I want a GM, I don't want a flipping japanese designed engine in my truck!) is the sound of a diesel. It just the sound of awesome power!
What I will propably end up doing is having a 94 or so Chevy diesel for around the homestead, for hauling hay etc, and a newer gas truck for hauling my bass boat (of course at this point I have neither a homestead or bass boat but its fun to pretend lol) and as a daily driver.
I would absolutely recommend getting the 6 speed manual transmission. I just bought an f250 psd 4x4 6x 158". SOme of my previous half tons have been 5 speed some autos. Remember that the Ford super duty class trucks are REAL trucks. REal clutches not fingers, the gears shift like a big truck and the pedal is hard to push. However, after a day or two you won't even think about it. Your wife might have trouble driving it though. Assuming you do get the manual transmission, you want to get the 6 speed version. The low gear is a god send. It really helps for starting on hills. If the low isn't low enough for you then you can also shift the transfer case into 4 low this puts you into "low, low". It is really slow. If you ask any one doing a lot of hauling for farm stuff cattle trailers and such they will etll you to get the manual. I believe the resale wil be better to. Another point. DO NOT GET ELECTRONIC SHIFT ON THE FLY & WHEEL DRIVE. Big trucks don't come with this as an option. I personally think that maual locking hubs is more reliable than the Pneumatic system ford sells.
A few corrections.. a. the clutch pull on the F250 w/ the 5sp tranny is a little easier than that of the 6sp.. I'm not sure why, but it was very noticable when I drove my truck (00 F250 w/ 5sp) and a buddies right afterwards with the 6sp..
b. 1st gear on the 5sp tranny is a creeper gear like L is on the 6sp .. On the 5sp it is not necessary to use 1st unless your towing/hauling heavy stuff.. 2nd gear on the 5sp is like 1'st on the 6sp.. The big difference is the 6sp has 2nd and 3rd gear which span the 5speeds 3rd gear.. 4th is the same on both trucks, and 5th (OD) is very close..
Also, we don't have much choice of which manual transmission we get when buying a Superduty.. If you get the PSD, you get a 6sp, if you get the 5.4L or V10 then its a 5sp..
I hope this helps 00 F250 XLT SC 4x2 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS
Bess, thanks for the clarification I did not realize the 5spd 1st was like the 6 low. That seems strange since my manuall says to only engauge the L when sittin still. So why the two transmissions? Gassers need to shift through gears faster???
Comments
It's my understanding that the computer via the MAF sensor detects this additional air and compensates with the correct amount of fuel in order to maintain the desired air/fuel mixture.
So, its not just the 'more air' thats giving the little bit of extra power, but the more air + fuel..
According to various folks at www.f150-online.com, most have not experienced any mpg increase and some their mpg's decreased..
K&N even indicated that on some older vehicles with normal carbs, (and motorcycles etc), that you may have to compensate with carb adjustments or re-jetting to allow more fuel.
But here's the kicker. Let's say you cruise at 60 mph at 2000 RPM and you're pulling X pounds of vacuum. Now you optimize your exhaust or intake or air filter. You still will be running 2000 RPM at 60 MPH but should be pulling less vacuum with less TPS(throttle position sensor) thereby using less fuel.
My guess is, as was the case with my Cobra, that after I removed my air silencer and added the K&N my foot was in it a lot more just to hear/feel the diff! I just can't figure how making a motor more efficient can decrease economy. Unless you're constantly using all this new found power!!LOL!!
I didn't understand one part of your response. Although the TPS would be less, there's still more air going in that the MAF see's. So wouldn't the computer will compensate with more fuel? Sure, lean is good, but in todays engines the computer knows what it wants the mixture and timing to be and it does the measuring and distributing..
When your WOT the K&N really shows off because it allows more air than the stock filter so you'll get more power.
I sortof think of it like, although your at 25% throttle, your getting as much air/fuel as someone else with a stock air filter at 30% throttle. But when the stock person is at 100% throttle, you get the equalivalent 105%.
Does that make any sense?
An EEC IV or V will not just send more fuel because there's more air.
If more air is entering, it is a fact that more fuel will be needed to compensate in order to maintain the fuel/air mixture. If it didn't then the lean condition would probably cause the puter to back off timing to avoid knock.
Like you, everyone I know personally who owns a K&N claim that they get alot more power, but at very slightly lower mpgs . (Ok, I'll admit, thats only 4 people, not very scientific).
Note bad point of the K&N was improper oil application after cleaning them. One person kept his paper air cleaner around to use when he cleaned the K&N to allow it 24+ hours to drain off the excess oil. The problem with too much oil is it being deposited onto the MAF sensor causing it to loose accuracy (drop in mpg). I'd use a pleated cloth filter if I ran my 2000 cc sd V10 all day at 3000 to 4000 rpm......... Paper please.....
EEE
00' F250 SC xlt 4x2 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS
My overall mpg's is 15.5 with mostly mixed city/highway driving. Highest tank=18mpg (mostly highway, empty at 60mph), lowest was 13.
My truck is a little bit smaller than yours CC vs SC, and I have the more efficient 5sp vs auto.
You'll be somewhere in the low 13's with mixed driving, with a high approaching 17 if your speed is under 65mph. Basically the same as an F150 SC 4x4..
Thank you, 2000 F250 diesal owner
currently. There phone number is 501-945-0354
I paid 499.oo for it
$499. It is made by Street and performance Electronics . Plus 50 horses and 100 lbs of ft/lbs
Have already ate a new Z71 for lunch.
A SRW truck will pull that load just fine. All Ford 250 and 350's are rated at the same GCVWR. Adding DRW's actually reduces your towing capability. If you want DRW you'll need to go to the 350.
The argument will be that DRW's will add stability. I've towed up to a 26' boat with an 11' camper using a SRW truck with no problems using a receiver type hitch. The 5th wheel hitch obviously is more inherently stable to pull because of the weight over the axle. The DRW's main advantage is its payload capability over the SRW, there is no advantage to me in towing. On a recent trip to Mesquite NV. to watch a barrel race I counted 80 trucks pulling 5th wheel and goose neck horse trailers. The count was 49 to 51 in favor of the SRW trucks. I believe it's a matter of personal opinion and like stated above you can actually exceed your trucks GCVWR easier with a DRW truck.
If the DRW gives you a sense of security, go for it.
BTW, I agree with you on your diesel decision.
duramax deisel. Only because of the noise levels of power stroke. The differance is substantial.
good move or bad move ( any comments or does anyone know someone that has one )
The S/D may have changed this but the 250's used to have higher residuals(resale value) than the 250's. Probably due to the perception that the 350's were used more for commercial type applications.
Bess, I'm waiting for you to jump all over this guy for preferring SRW for towing!!! LOL!!!
Although I think the person is mistaken that SRW is more stable. I've never driven a DRW.
I agree, if someone is putting 50K+ miles per year on a truck, then the diesel will probably be the most efficient choice. As for the choice of 250 v. 350, it should really depend on what your 'needs' are.. For my towing/hauling needs, an F150 would be more than enough, but I wanted the little extra interior room and a better looking truck (IMHO),
As for the difference between the 250 and 350 I believe it comes down to one extra leaf per side in the rear springs.
On the diesel being a waste of money, you are entitled to that opinion. However resale values on diesels are correspondingly higher as well. So you get the fuel milage advantage, better power, big rig sounds, and the extra longevity. The obvious downside is the extra $4k originally. Another secret is to buy your fuel filter from an International dealer for $15 instead of Ford for ~$70, this bring regular maint cost pretty close to the gas engines.
I think the previos gen of 250s with the pathetic swing arm front suspensions rode much better than the solid axle 350s. Probably good reason for people to prefer 250s. Thak goodness they changed that, and my 350 rides pretty darn good for such a HD beast.
Also, we are in complete agreement with the diesel.. (I said, with the miles you put on, the diesel is definately the way to go).. I never said the diesel was a waste of money..
However, the F250 and F350SRW rear axles have different ratings)
6084 F250
6830 F350 SRW
This is doucmented under the section labled Axle (rating @ ground).
So, I don't know if this means the actual axle is different or the axle rating is increased some other way. But it does seem feasible that the axle's are actually different..
The springs, DRW availability and a few standard things that are optional on the 250 are the only things that are different between the 250/350.
On a last note, bess, if we're looking at the same guide it also shows "Ford full floater" as the rear end of the Super Duties. No difference between 250 or 350.
let me know
thanks
The construction of diesels is a lot beefier than a regular gas engine, so If you are towing a lot and keep your vehicle 150,000 miles or so you will be better off cause your gas engine could be burning oil by then with a lot of heavy work.
Diesel has slightly better resale value, but not close to what it should be, thats why buying a diesel used is such a good proposition.
Yes I am one of the people that part of my choice to buy a diesel next time (unfortunately this means buying a used Chevrolet if I want a GM, I don't want a flipping japanese designed engine in my truck!) is the sound of a diesel. It just the sound of awesome power!
What I will propably end up doing is having a 94 or so Chevy diesel for around the homestead, for hauling hay etc, and a newer gas truck for hauling my bass boat (of course at this point I have neither a homestead or bass boat but its fun to pretend lol) and as a daily driver.
Assuming you do get the manual transmission, you want to get the 6 speed version. The low gear is a god send. It really helps for starting on hills. If the low isn't low enough for you then you can also shift the transfer case into 4 low this puts you into "low, low". It is really slow.
If you ask any one doing a lot of hauling for farm stuff cattle trailers and such they will etll you to get the manual.
I believe the resale wil be better to.
Another point. DO NOT GET ELECTRONIC SHIFT ON THE FLY & WHEEL DRIVE. Big trucks don't come with this as an option. I personally think that maual locking hubs is more reliable than the Pneumatic system ford sells.
a. the clutch pull on the F250 w/ the 5sp tranny is a little easier than that of the 6sp.. I'm not sure why, but it was very noticable when I drove my truck (00 F250 w/ 5sp) and a buddies right afterwards with the 6sp..
b. 1st gear on the 5sp tranny is a creeper gear like L is on the 6sp .. On the 5sp it is not necessary to use 1st unless your towing/hauling heavy stuff.. 2nd gear on the 5sp is like 1'st on the 6sp.. The big difference is the 6sp has 2nd and 3rd gear which span the 5speeds 3rd gear.. 4th is the same on both trucks, and 5th (OD) is very close..
Also, we don't have much choice of which manual transmission we get when buying a Superduty.. If you get the PSD, you get a 6sp, if you get the 5.4L or V10 then its a 5sp..
I hope this helps
00 F250 XLT SC 4x2 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS
So why the two transmissions? Gassers need to shift through gears faster???