V-10 mileage update

[unreconstructed]

For those of you still pondering on buying a V10 in an F series, here's the latest on my experience:

My truck is 2008 XL F350, 4.10 gears, 6 speed manual, extended cab, long box, 2WD.

Have about 3500 miles on it now--the following does not address towing mileage:

On my last trip of 173 miles (one way) I averaged 14.6 MPG unloaded, no trailer. Was a windless day, mostly flat (West Texas) with the last 50 miles in the edge of the Texas Hill Country with some hilly roads, no traffic, went through one town with several stop lights, three others with only one stop, had the cruise set on 72 (little over 2250 rpm) and with no traffic did not have to reset the cruise.

I suspect that's about optimal conditions and will be about the best mileage I will see. It is just a little less than my old 5.4 F250 which was configured about the same as my 08 F350. So I have picked up a lot more performance with little extra expense in fuel.

 

[john_bud]

Actually get back on the freeway and find the cruise speed that matches 1950 rpm. Run there and I'll bet you are at 16.5 mpg. Running at 1700 rpm may get you to 17.5 mpg. If you can stand running at 55 mph. Make sure the tires are pumped up to the max.



jb

 

[Z-Michigan]

Given the power level for a gasser, that doesn't sound too terribly bad. Much better than the 1996 Chevy 454 1-ton dually my BIL used to have, which never (almost never?) broke 10mpg.

 

[Kahuna]

I had a 2004 F250 5.4 gas crew cab 4x4 and the best I ever got on flat ground, interstate driving 65 with no wind was 14 mpg. It usually got in the 10-12 range, I no longer have that truck. It was also gutless, it seemed like it would barely pull itself. I have the same engine in a Ford conversion van and it runs like a wild rabbit getting about 16. Maybe it was the weight of the truck and the 4x4. I only kept it about a year because it was such a disappointment. If it had the diesel or V10 I probably would still have it because I really liked the truck. I traded it in on a Tundra and really like it.

 

[chh]

Pretty good for something with that much hp. My wife's 2003 F-150 with the little V-6 will only get 16 .

 

[RonMar]

Your pushing lots of air out of the way at 70+ MPH. If I recall correctly, Drag is the square of the airspeed, so doubling the airspeed, quadruples the drag on a given structure. You will get better MPG at a slower speed and as suggested adjusted around the engines peak torque RPM.

That is probably not much help for the real world/realaties of the situation, but There is an old saying:

"Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?"

 

[unreconstructed]

You are all correct, of course, about the speed. If the feds impose the 55 mph rule on us again, I think I will just stay home. Course, that's the idea anyhow.

 

[john_bud]

If Hilly or Ob are elected that may just happen again. Big news show things on the 10,000's of "needless" deaths caused by excess speed. Carbon production is 1/4 less at 55 mph compared to 80 mph. All the fringe player are lining up.

I still think that a huge truck like a 350 getting 14-15 is decent.

jb

 

[RobS]

In a way, I'm relieved to see this. I have a '97 F250HD 4X4 460 5spd 4.10 and my best tank ever was just under 14. I guess buying new, at least of a similar configuration, won't get me much at the pump. I'm still kicking myself for not getting a diesel way back then.

 

[RobJ]

I'm still driving a 99 F250 SD that's a 4x4 CC LB with 315's and a small lift. It has a 373 rear end(I did have the speedo reset for the tires). Strictly freeway I can get 13-14. My normal run is from Spring to East Texas so there are some hills and downshifts. Around town combo I get about 11. Pulling my tractor OUT of OD at 60-65 I manage about 9. I keep it out of OD because it'll downshift a lot in the hills. It has about 125,000 miles on it now.

I think the new 6.4 gets about the same as you with the smog motor.

Rob

 

[Shemp]

I've got a new 6.4. Love it! F350, CrewCab, Long Wheel Base, 4X4 King Ranch. The milage isn't as good as my 02 F250 with the 7.3 but what can you expect from a bigger truck. At 70mph on a nice clear day I can get anywhere from 17.5-18.5 mpg. Stop and go I get around 13. I just read to day that some companies have come out with new products to get around all of the emission BS on the truck. Milage on the highway has been getting up to 21-22 mpg.

 

[unreconstructed]

This F 350 with the V-10 is the 7th F series I have owned in 36 years . It is the first one I have had that would really do what all I wanted it to. The mileage on all of them has been about the same. My '77 though had a 460 and was really just a hot rod for me so I guess I put it up there with my 08. Speaking of gutless the 97 f150 I had was a small V8 with 5 speed and was the most worthless vehicle I ever owned. So anyhow I am happy with performance and even the mileage with my 2008 as the f350 is a pretty sizeable piece of equipment.

 

[yankeerider]

Apologies to those of you who have have had to read my post on the subject over on the FTE forum-

I don't drive my truck anywhere near enough miles per year to justify a diesel.

My '76 360 F-100 got 12 mpg
My '88 351 F-250 (2WD) got 14 mpg and occasionally, stuck.
My '93 351 F-250 4x4 got 11 mpg
My '08 V-10 F-250 4x4 gets about 13 mpg at 3000 miles on the odo

I'm happy.

 

[mjncad]

I average 13.5 MPG with my '99 F-250 4x4, V-10, 5-speed, 4.11 limited slip, long bed, super cab. I'm also at 5,200 feet in elevation for most of my travels with it.

 

[390GT]

My 2000 F250 super cab, 4x4, long bed, 5.4, 4.10 limited slip gets 12 mpg.
Wife's 2004 Excursion, V10, 4x4, 3.73 limited slip gets 13 mpg. Both are auto trans. Greg

 

[RobJ]

I don't drive my truck anywhere near enough miles per year to justify a diesel.

I think many forget this. At todays prices I think the difference in the 6.4 and the v10 is $6000. Steep to pay in my case since I might pull the tractor home twice a year (less if my wife says so...she loses her garage). Other than that it's lumber, furniture I make, and the occasional ATV makes a trip home for a tune up. 40-45 cents more for diesel around here now and the new motor gets the same mileage as my wifes 99 Surburban gasser. My daily commute is 12 miles to the park in ride. With a 38 gallon tank and no trips to the weekend place I can go a month without a fillup(including weekends trips around the house). If we go to the weekend place and I don't haul anything messy we'll take the Chevy, about 18-19 on the highway. So I can't justify the extra price, plus my truck has been paid for for 5 years now!!

I did catch some of "Some Assmebly Required" last night. Goot bit on the new BMW smog diesel. Huge DP filter and a special exhaust, CARB legal.

Rob

 

[Dargo]

If you like the V-10 engine you can get a pretty good buy on a couple year old used one. I was at the huge Manheim Auto auction in Nashville just this last Wednesday and there was about 6k to 7k difference in what the nearly exact same F350's were bringing when comparing the gas to the diesel. In the no longer made Excursions, the difference was nearly 10k!

I don't know how much more the diesel costs new over the V-10 gas and have never driven one. I'm just making a comment on the facts as they are right now at the major auto auctions. I noticed the exact same trend at the large Adesa auction as well a few weeks ago. These auctions are the ones that typically sell anywhere from 2000 to 5000 vehicles on their auction day. So, if a gasser would work for you, a couple year old one should be able to be had for a pretty decent bargain.

 

[RalphVa]

Our E-350 church van with V-10 gets 10 mpg doing our pickups around town. It gets about 12 mpg on the highway.

Ford needs to get busy making a plug-in hybrid for this, maybe with solar panels on the roof. Who knows how high the mileage for short trips would be then. We might do our pickups mostly on solar electric power.

Haven't heard much about Ford being very innovative.

Asked a Ford sales person about a small diesel pickup. He said, "What's the point?" Guess no one wants to be green. What we need is a small diesel pickup with front wheel drive. Or, they should at least anchor the rear differential and use swing shafts. Would allow all the pickups to be reduced in height by 3 or 4 inches. To my mind, the big pickups aren't practical: too tall to be loaded from the side; too tall to easily get in from the rear even.

Ralph

 

[YanmarFever]

Our E-350 church van with V-10 gets 10 mpg doing our pickups around town. It gets about 12 mpg on the highway.

Ford needs to get busy making a plug-in hybrid for this, maybe with solar panels on the roof. Who knows how high the mileage for short trips would be then. We might do our pickups mostly on solar electric power.

Haven't heard much about Ford being very innovative.

Asked a Ford sales person about a small diesel pickup. He said, "What's the point?" Guess no one wants to be green. What we need is a small diesel pickup with front wheel drive. Or, they should at least anchor the rear differential and use swing shafts. Would allow all the pickups to be reduced in height by 3 or 4 inches. To my mind, the big pickups aren't practical: too tall to be loaded from the side; too tall to easily get in from the rear even.

Ralph

Ralph, Mahindra will introduce small diesel pickups and suv's here in the US later this year.