2008 F250 4x4 Diesel or V10?

[Diamondpilot]

I think this spark plug issue is blown way out of proportion. I am from a town of 25,000 with a Ford plant and I know ton's of Ford truck drivers and never seen this issue first hand or had a friend have to deal with this. I know 3 guys with the V-10 and they have good things to say about them. Most came from a F-250 with the V-8 so it was a upgrade for them.

Chris

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

I've seen where I can get some relatively low mileage 7.3 PowerStroke engines. Both the gas and diesel supposedly use the same transmission and both have 44 gallon fuel tanks. I'm assuming that all I'd need is the engine, cooling system, and electrical system from the 7.3 donor truck and possibly some different motor mounts?

After reading your post several times - based on the above quote, I'd assume that you wondered if you could replace a "gasser" with a 7.3 and that you were "assuming" it would be a relatively easy switch.

To which Builder suggested you were assuming too little - in other words it would be complicated - not simple.

To which you suggested Builder was assuming too much and that if you wanted a diesel you'd buy one in the first place.

I'm assuming this clears up any misunderstanding or completely confuses everyone.

 

[john_bud]

A buddy of mine had an early V10 SD. Loved it, but the price of fuel was eating at him. His wife sort of talked him into the next one being the 5.4 to get better "economy". Ha! The new 5.4 was worse on fuel than the V10. I sort of think he was hard on the go peddle as he was spoiled with the V10 torque. But his next truck was a V10. He never had any issue with any of those trucks, except having to pay for the gas....

jb

 

[mjncad]

The concept of swapping a gas engine for a diesel is interesting and in the days before emissions controls, computers, fancy electronics, etc, etc, etc; it may have been a practical thing to consider. But with modern vehicles having so many intertwined systems, it just makes sense to trade a gasser for a diesel if that is what one wants; unless one wants to do the swap for the sake of doing it.

 

[Dargo]

I thought you were referring to buying a V-10 and dropping a Stroke in it.

Sorry man, my bad for reading and typing in a big hurry when I rush by a computer. It's hard to convey joking sarcasm etc. on a computer screen. I realize that you don't know me or my position, so I can see where what I typed would look completely different than what I intended. I'm old enough to have been one of those fools who, in my teens, took a perfectly good automatic out of a car, cut a hole in the floorboard, and put in a Muncie 4 speed. Now I couldn't imagine putting in a standard shift over an automatic, nor taking the time or expense to change a car either way. The same goes for an engine change. Except, however, if it was in one of my collector muscle cars... that's when common sense and budgets fly out the window with me.

 

[Builder]

Sorry man, my bad for reading and typing in a big hurry when I rush by a computer. It's hard to convey joking sarcasm etc. on a computer screen. I realize that you don't know me or my position, so I can see where what I typed would look completely different than what I intended. I'm old enough to have been one of those fools who, in my teens, took a perfectly good automatic out of a car, cut a hole in the floorboard, and put in a Muncie 4 speed. Now I couldn't imagine putting in a standard shift over an automatic, nor taking the time or expense to change a car either way. The same goes for an engine change. Except, however, if it was in one of my collector muscle cars... that's when common sense and budgets fly out the window with me.

OK. I just can't figger out why you keep doing this to me.

Back on topic: I think you'd be laying out a wadfull of cash to swap a 7.3 or 6L into a gas Excursion unless you had a diesel Excursion donor in your driveway you could pull parts off of and swap directly into your gasser Ex.

You're not a kid anymore, so don't do drivetrain swaps like one.

 

[beefeater]

John Bud,

Interesting to hear about your friends V8/10 mileage comparison. Trying to move that thing with an underpowered engine is just going to make that smaller engine work harder than the bigger V10 would. The question that remains is- why isn't the V10 showing up on dealers' stock lots?

My local dealer just got a brand spanking new 2008 F250 Lariat crew cab with a V8 5.4 for his lot stock, on Saturday. The sticker on this truck is $45,000. That blows Dargo's "V8's only on the entry level Superduty's theory" out of the water.

Why didn't this loaded F250 gasser come in with the V10?

 

[Builder]

John Bud,

Interesting to hear about your friends V8/10 mileage comparison. Trying to move that thing with an underpowered engine is just going to make that smaller engine work harder than the bigger V10 would. The question that remains is- why isn't the V10 showing up on dealers' stock lots?

My local dealer just got a brand spanking new 2008 F250 Lariat crew cab with a V8 5.4 for his lot stock, on Saturday. The sticker on this truck is $45,000. That blows Dargo's "V8's only on the entry level Superduty's theory" out of the water.

Why didn't this loaded F250 gasser come in with the V10?

I think the answer is that you've been presented with 2 or 3 different reasons as to why the V-10 isn't on dealer's lots.

1. The V-10 is a "pink elephant".

2. The V-10 detracts from the dealer selling more profitable diesels.

I don't agree with the pink elephant theory because the V-10 is the best gas truck engine available. It has a good track record and from what we've read from others here, it's a desireable engine, it stacks up well to the competition.

I buy my theory because it all boils down to profit. Ford isn't as much in the business of making trucks as in the business of making money. They make more, lots more money on selling you a Powerstroke over a V-10. They know and you know, the V-10 today looks like a GREAT alternative to a diesel engine, but they make a lot less profit selling you one.

Whenever I don't understand the motives behind a business I always follow the creed "follow the money". If you follow the money, you'll understand why Ford pimps the Powerstroke and hides the V-10.

MONEY

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have to agree that it competes way too much with the diesel so they don't want to make them easy to get. Most people are impulse buyers, good for the dealer, so when they go in to the dealers on a Saturday they plan on leaving with a truck, not waiting 6-8 weeks. If someone was to test drive a V8 and a diesel that was on the dealers lot there is no comparison. Now you throw the V10 in the mix and its $6,000 cheaper people will have to think.

I have ordered most all of my trucks and they always tell me 6-8 weeks to discourage me and try to get me to take something out of dealer stock. I have gotten the ordered trucks in much shorter time, usually 3-4 weeks.

Chris

 

[Dargo]

My local dealer just got a brand spanking new 2008 F250 Lariat crew cab with a V8 5.4 for his lot stock, on Saturday. The sticker on this truck is $45,000. That blows Dargo's "V8's only on the entry level Superduty's theory" out of the water.

Um, not to argue, but it's not my "theory". It's per Ford's own zone rep at a dealer's meeting. Dealers can order just about any oddball combination they desire from the factory. Heck, I've seen customers who want a truck absolutely loaded with everything but positively without power windows. It's about selling, and selling is about filling a customer's needs and desires.

Ford makes plenty of money on V10 gas pickup sales as well as diesel sales. From the dealer prospective, which the customer chooses is irrelevant. Both dealers and the manufacturer build and, therefore, stock what is selling; plain and simple.