2008 F250 4x4 Diesel or V10?

[Builder]

Absolutely guessing on numbers, however, it is an educated guess based on numbers derived from the already available numbers given by Ford for the 5.4 blower.

Obviously, this is a purely theoretical discussion since no such blower exists for the V10, but it is interesting to think about, none the less.

Gains made in HP and Torque from the blower would meet or exceed the diesel. The costs would be cost of blower ($4-6000), plus 1-2 MPG loss, and a premium gas requirement. Since the diesel is $6000 more than the gas, and diesel is 25 cents more per gallon than premium, the costs are a wash.

When you think about the HP gains and similar torque, the Blown V10 wins. When you think about the engine weight difference, the blown V10 wins by a mile. I have read the diesel weighs 500lbs more than the gasser. 500 lbs added to the front of any vehicle is never a good thing. The blower would probably add about 40lbs or less to the V10.

Funny how most people only seem to focus on peak numbers. The torque number you're guessing at might be more or less than a diesel, but what torque does it make off idle? Or what torque at lower RPM's? What good is a peak torque of 650 ftlbs at 4500 RPM? I guess if you're building a race truck, then it might be fun, but for trailer towing, it might actually fare no better than a stock diesel.

Have you also considered all the less intrusive mods you can add to a diesel (like a chip) for ~$500 that add 100HP & 200 ftlbs to an already 360HP diesel engine with 660 tq?

How do you think a 460HP/860 ftlb diesel would fare against a 500HP/600 ftlb V-10, both costing about the same with their mods?

Something to kick around.....

 

[beefeater]

One of the other, less talked about, advantages of a Supercharger is that it supplies all that additional HP and Torque at lower RPM's than the stock engine. This would be a good thing for towing, particularly when everyone already agrees that the V10 tows most things just fine.

Now when it comes to 0-60 performance, quicker is always better, in my experience. I'm not interested in racing or stop light burn outs. A 7000lb vehicle is never going to be nimble per say, but I can guarantee it will be much more responsive and easier to drive in traffic with 500hp on tap.

The beauty with the blown V10 is that it will always be better handling than the diesel due to the 500 lb weight penalty the diesel has in the absolute wrong place.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I had one of the 2004 F-150 Lightnings. If you don't remember it was a 5.4L Supercharged, 380 HP 450 FTLB of Torque. It would kill Camaro's and Mustangs but was awful in the snow or even a light rain. I tried to tow my 5,000# boat with it and always had problems getting up the ramp. It had so much low end HP and Torque you could just let your foot off the brake and on wet pavement and it would turn over the rears. Now of course this truck was not meant for work duty and was not 4 wheel drive but as much as I loved it I traded it off just over a year later for a 4x4 Step Side F-150 XLT Standard Cab.

Chris

 

[beefeater]

Two wheel drive pick ups of any sort have very little reason to exist, in my opinion and experience. Even in warm climates, as you mentioned, a little rain and they are all over the place, supercharger or not. Snow/ice/offroad hills? Forget about it.

The reason- most often they run unloaded and thus are always way too light in the rear. Positiraction/limited slip helps, but it is never enough.

Now if you are implying that my blown V10 concept would have the same problem, well, lets just take that extra 500lbs that the diesel adds to the front(wrong place) and put it the V10 bed, at the tailgate (right place), and see what happens. Now you've got extra weight over the rear wheels for additional traction and you've improved the overall weight distribution significantly for improved hadling!

 

[Builder]

So who engages a 4x4 truck into 4x4 when it rains?

2WD drive trucks are better for towin and they get better fuel economy. Add even 1MPG over the course of 100-200K miles and you'll see the savings. They are typically rated to tow more weight and of course they're cheaper to maintain.

 

[unreconstructed]

Grew up on a farm with 2WD pickups. Pop just chunked some tractor wheel weights in the back when needed. Have now quit buying 4WD myself. Works for me.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I think the 2 wheel/4 wheel drive argument depend on where you live and what you do. I the area I live and with the load I pull I could not live without 4 wheel drive and it must have a low range. There is no way I could get up and down my road with 2 wheel drive anything when it snows. I have seen 150hp 2 wheel drive tractors stuck when my 28hp 4 wheel drive tractor has come to the rescue. I could not get quite a few of the boats I tow out of the lake without the aid of 4 wheel low gear ratios. This week alone, twice there is now way I could have gotten out of my neck of the wood to the main roads with out 4 wheel drive.

Chris

 

[Builder]

I'd say 90% of the hotshotters I see pulling the big 4 car wedge trailers are 2WD. IMO, those are the guys that are most in need of a heavy-duty, one-ton diesel pickup.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I'd say 90% of the hotshotters I see pulling the big 4 car wedge trailers are 2WD. IMO, those are the guys that are most in need of a heavy-duty, one-ton diesel pickup.

Or one of these Sterling Bullets! Kinda looks familiar doesn't it

2008 Sterling BULLET Surrey (incl. White Rock), Vancouver

 

[AlanB]

I have been watching this thread intently, we have been looking for the past year + on the next step up for our landscaping lawncare business. Currently working a F250 with 460 with 2wd AT to death (needs a new rear end as I type, and by goodness it will get Posi this go round, the kids call it the "gettin Stuck" truck............)

Anyway, we have been pretty intently looking, and the last month it has been a daily exercise, the past week has been running all over everywhere looking at "clean" (sometimes I just had to shake my head) trucks.

Gas vs Diesel, and 4wd has been hotly debated at the house. Do we need 4wd?????????

Anyway, found a 99 F350 Lariat 4X4 PS, auto last night for $13800 191000 miles.

Also found the same truck in 2wd chipped aftermarket parts etc with 151000 for $12000

Man, it is a flip a coin, and it comes down to we are going 4wd because the DW wants it, and I must admit, if it shaves a couple big wrecker bills (as it is hard to go get the tractor when you are stuck with the tractor pulling truck in someone's back yard)

About to call the dealer and let him know.

Man I hope I am making the "right" decision, but it is really only in hindsight that we will know.