Wished I had me one of then new fangledy diesel pick ups

[redprospector]

Just talked to a 2005 Ford F-250 Diesel owner. He used to own a half-ton Ford Ranger like mine.

He said, "Well, I used to get 20 mpg with the Ranger and now I get 12 at most with the diesel--empty, loaded, or pulling a trailer. Yes, it's powerful. However, I loved that 4L V6 that pulled the Ranger. Great pickup engine."

If he would have bought a Dodge he could have got 20 mpg, and wouldn't have to bump his butt on the road riding in a ranger.

Seriously though, I've got a buddy that bought an 06 (I think), and it only got 12 mpg. Ford got it back, and he went back to driving his 2000 model.

Andy

 

[Dalmatian90]

"Well, I used to get 20 mpg with the Ranger

2wd maybe? Not sure. With my '03 4wd 18.5 is the most I've ever gotten. That was summer time fuel traveling 75 miles each way every day on most free-flowing highways. Once fall came mileage dropped back to the 16.5 that it usually averaged. 198,000 miles on a 4.0 V6 in a Ranger. Truly sucks ass. Almost the same mileage as the F-150 I had before it, and I've never seen anything that consistently contradicts my experience.

My '96 S-10 V-6, same options, configuration, and daily driving as the '03 Ranger, consistently did 18 mpg. So going 7 model years ahead and losing 1.5 mpg made my eyes roll.

 

[SWI Don]

Since you already have the NV4500 and the big radiator stuff, you should look at finding a 5 speed 12valve cummins wreck and doing a repower.

My 94 K2500 ex cab lb 4x4 has a first gen 12V (rotary pump) and a NV4500HD from a little later pickup. It's not as powerfull as the later inline pump 12V engines but seems to do anything I ask it too. If you can get it started everything is mechanical from then on including a pull cable to cut the fuel.

My truck was originally a diesel which gives me a slightly larger cooling package, guaranteed hydroboost brakes (the cummins does have a vacuum pump though), and the fuel tank has a big hole so you can fill up at the truck pumps.

Don

 

[bullittman281]

Man there is a lot 7.3 haters here! Ever consider that and Inline 6 packages a bit better than a v motor? Semi's are built around fuel economy more than anything else, NOT horsepower. This does indicate the I6 is a bit more efficient but when looking at diesel pickups the difference isn't huge. I'll still take a 7.3 over a cummins any day. To be PC I think the ford is a better truck than the dodge. Besides that, year for year the 7.3 will punk all over a 5.9 stock for stock. I couldn't care less about modding stuff. Something else to consider is an F550 will not EVER be economical. A 10,000 truck with 4.88 or lower gears (I don't know for sure how low) will not get any kind of fuel mileage. My F250 gets 17-18 commuting. Thats better than 85 4runner. I've got a manual tranny and a 3.73 rear end. You need a 7.3

Bullittmna

 

[Junkfxr]

Man there is a lot 7.3 haters here! Ever consider that and Inline 6 packages a bit better than a v motor? Semi's are built around fuel economy more than anything else, NOT horsepower. This does indicate the I6 is a bit more efficient but when looking at diesel pickups the difference isn't huge. I'll still take a 7.3 over a cummins any day. To be PC I think the ford is a better truck than the dodge. Besides that, year for year the 7.3 will punk all over a 5.9 stock for stock. I couldn't care less about modding stuff. Something else to consider is an F550 will not EVER be economical. A 10,000 truck with 4.88 or lower gears (I don't know for sure how low) will not get any kind of fuel mileage. My F250 gets 17-18 commuting. Thats better than 85 4runner. I've got a manual tranny and a 3.73 rear end. You need a 7.3

Bullittmna

Nope, semi's aren't built around fuel economy. But then again, a 15 liter engine pulling 80,000lbs getting 6-8 mpg aint too bad. But think about it, those engines are governed to 2100rpm, so most of them are are geared 3.55 or 3.73 for open road cruising. Most all of them peak torque at 1200 rpm and and are geared to cruise at 1200 rpm at 65mph. with whatever size tire that the customer specs. If you can keep your engine at the rpm that it makes peak torque, not horsepower, that's where you will get the best fuel milage, the engine isn't working hard when it's at peak torque and not calling for more fuel. That's the reason for so many gears in semi's, to be able to keep the engine in a certain rpm range. With all of the newer "heavy duty" pickups having to have 4.44 gears or lower, the cruise rpm is WAY too high. That's all because the engines don't make enough power to pull the kind of weight that the truck is rated for so you compensate with lower gears and higher rpm...sacrificing fuel economy and longevity. Just another case of where a bigger engine is always better, they don't have to work as hard as the smaller ones to do the same amount of work, but due to EPA regs, big cubic inch engines are a thing of the past. That's why most of the "heavy duty" pickups are rated to haul / tow so much, to get by the epa regs for lower weight ratings.

 

[jbrady]

I just sold my 4.0L Ranger because I was getting 16-18 mpg with it. Why not get the old powerstroke and get close to the same mileage and you can pull twice as much.

 

[STLfirewood]

Man there is a lot 7.3 haters here! Ever consider that and Inline 6 packages a bit better than a v motor? Semi's are built around fuel economy more than anything else, NOT horsepower. This does indicate the I6 is a bit more efficient but when looking at diesel pickups the difference isn't huge. I'll still take a 7.3 over a cummins any day. To be PC I think the ford is a better truck than the dodge. Besides that, year for year the 7.3 will punk all over a 5.9 stock for stock. I couldn't care less about modding stuff. Something else to consider is an F550 will not EVER be economical. A 10,000 truck with 4.88 or lower gears (I don't know for sure how low) will not get any kind of fuel mileage. My F250 gets 17-18 commuting. Thats better than 85 4runner. I've got a manual tranny and a 3.73 rear end. You need a 7.3

Bullittmna

I know a F-550 is not going to be economical. But it should get better then it does. Those low gears should help it. I only drive the thing 55mph to try and save as much fuel as possible. My f-550 tows right with my dads 2002 Ddge 3/4 ton 6-speed. His is stock and mine has an exhaust and an air filter box. The tow about the same. His has 3.55 gears and get 13-15 towing the same weight. I get 9-10 and have 4.88 gears. With the gear difference I should be able to tow better then him. At least I think so. I actually think I tow better once up to speed. But getting up to speed there is no way I could keep up with the low end torque. I think Ishould be able to with the gear difference.. My truck does handle the weight a lot better. In fact it's night and day different. If I still have this truck when the engine dies it's getting a cummins. I have never seen anyone swap a power stroke into a dodge. I have seen a lot of cummins swapped into fords. That says a lot right there.

Scott

 

[Oldtimer]

I have a 1999 F-550 with a 6-speed and 4.88 gears. I average 10mpg. I went to NH and got a 20ft kiln. The damn truck average 7.8 on the way back. That isn't very good for a diesel. Like I said before he truck really handles the weight but lacks in power and mpg.

Scott

The truck and load combined prolly went around 18,000 pounds. With the 7.3, any RPM above 1700 just kills the mileage.
As for power, again, consider the weight it's pulling. It's only 230HP / 490FPT new. With miles comes HP loss. HP is how fast it can do the job, torque is how much it can do. So, it's doing just what the numbers say it should: A LOT of work, but slowly.
For more power, contact SPARTAN DIESEL. They can get it up to 300 or so and 575-600 fpt with matching mileage gains for under $2K.
The beauty of the 7.3 is in the life-span. Even with a mild tune and mods, it'll last forever and a day.

 

[Oldtimer]

Just for a comparison, my F550 4x4 PSD with 4:88 gears and 19.5 tires weighs 12,000 pounds empty. (Heavy dump box)
On the road, empty @ 55-60, I get 10 mpg.
On the road, loaded with a cord of green wood @ 55-60 it gets about 7-8.
On the road, empty @ 45 it gets 12.
On the road with a cord @ 45 it gets 10.
On the back roads in 4th with torque converter locked up @ 1300-1400 RPM (33-35 MPH), it gives me as much as 14 mpg empy.

As for yours not out pulling the mopar, consider the taller tires, and the extra 4-5 thousand pounds...

 

[Scorpion]

88 K1500 8' bed reg cab v-8 goes across the scales at 4700.

Bloated cityboy crew cabs with a gazillion options, bling hanging all over them, etc will weigh more, but hey we're talking work trucks here.

My '97 Dodge 2500 4x4 with 5.9L gasser weighed a smidge over 6500 pounds two weeks ago with myself and a passenger.

Almost hard to believe that there is nearly 2000 pounds difference betwixt the two vehicles. This is a fairly "no-frills" truck, in essentially stock shape at this point.

 

[Steve NW WI]

My '97 Dodge 2500 4x4 with 5.9L gasser weighed a smidge over 6500 pounds two weeks ago with myself and a passenger.

Almost hard to believe that there is nearly 2000 pounds difference betwixt the two vehicles. This is a fairly "no-frills" truck, in essentially stock shape at this point.

Mine is an empty weight, no passengers. Heavier axles, etc on the 3/4 will also add some weight.

From Chevy and Dodge sites, 2010 models base weight - Chev 1500 4x4 reg cab 8' bed - 4835lbs, Dodge 1500 4x4, reg cab 8' bed - 5100 lbs.

Hard to find this stuff on their sites, they'd rather show off interior colors and gadgets than stuff a guy that uses a truck cares about.

 

[banshee67]

I just sold my 4.0L Ranger because I was getting 16-18 mpg with it. Why not get the old powerstroke and get close to the same mileage and you can pull twice as much.

TWICE as much!?
a 4.6 short wheelbase f150 would be better suited for the phrase "twice as much as a ranger"... the 7.3 powerstrokes are in another dimension!

 

[redprospector]

Man there is a lot 7.3 haters here! Ever consider that and Inline 6 packages a bit better than a v motor? Semi's are built around fuel economy more than anything else, NOT horsepower. This does indicate the I6 is a bit more efficient but when looking at diesel pickups the difference isn't huge. I'll still take a 7.3 over a cummins any day. To be PC I think the ford is a better truck than the dodge. Besides that, year for year the 7.3 will punk all over a 5.9 stock for stock. I couldn't care less about modding stuff. Something else to consider is an F550 will not EVER be economical. A 10,000 truck with 4.88 or lower gears (I don't know for sure how low) will not get any kind of fuel mileage. My F250 gets 17-18 commuting. Thats better than 85 4runner. I've got a manual tranny and a 3.73 rear end. You need a 7.3

Bullittmna

I'm not a 7.3 hater. Like I said they are ok, but just ok in my book. Most people, and I say most, not all, that like a Powerstroke over a Cummins aren't towing enough weight to let the Cummins shine. Running down the highway empty it's 6 for one, & half dozen for the other. But start grossing 25 to 30,000 lbs. and the cummins will walk away from the Powerstroke.
I will give it to you that the Ford is a better truck than the Dodge, but the Cummins is a better engine than the Powerstroke.
Of course all this is just my (and a lot of other folks) opinion.

Andy

 

[mdavlee]

If you want good power for a 7.3 call dp tuner. They can get you some good power for less than $500. The 6.4 seems to be a good engine. I actually have one now.

I've had 10 dodges with cummins and they are good trucks with a great engine. My friends were all die hard ford people. We would haul hay together and I would end up with the biggest trailer usually with 2-4 more 4.5 x 5 rounds bails and the cummins would pull right with them or pass them on some hills. This was an 01 with 235hp and 460 ft lbs vs the 7.3 with the 250 hp powerstroke. I owned a 2000 powerstroke with the 7.3 that had 330k when I sold it to a guy that has got right at 400k on it now.

They all will last a long time with good maintenance. The ford truck seems to need front end work the least or the longest interval. Dodges seem to need it from 70-120k. The fords seem to go 150k plus.

 

[bullittman281]

Just be careful with tuners. The factory ford program is marginally safe as it is.

 

[Scorpion]

Mine is an empty weight, no passengers. Heavier axles, etc on the 3/4 will also add some weight.

From Chevy and Dodge sites, 2010 models base weight - Chev 1500 4x4 reg cab 8' bed - 4835lbs, Dodge 1500 4x4, reg cab 8' bed - 5100 lbs.

Hard to find this stuff on their sites, they'd rather show off interior colors and gadgets than stuff a guy that uses a truck cares about.

In that case, I guess they're pretty close, for at least the newer ones.

My jaw dropped the other day when my buddy told me how much his '08 F-350 weighed. It's got the Powerstroke, crew cab, and an 8' bed and he said it weighed like 9100lbs a couple weeks ago. Unreal.

 

[Valkyrie Rider]

The Ford trucks are heavier then Dodges are in general. A ford with a Cummins swap can get REAL heavy!

The 5.9 Cummins with accessories weighs about 1100 lbs itself! If you add a NV5600 trans, that is close to 400lbs.... so 1500lbs just motor and trans

 

[Circle B MN]

The Ford trucks are heavier then Dodges are in general. A ford with a Cummins swap can get REAL heavy!

The 5.9 Cummins with accessories weighs about 1100 lbs itself! If you add a NV5600 trans, that is close to 400lbs.... so 1500lbs just motor and trans

Don't forget to add another 100lbs or better worth of transfer case...

 

[stihl sawing]

Well the injector pump took a dump on my dodge today. Beggining to wish mine was a gasser.

 

[bullittman281]

The only problem with a Gasser is its inability to get out of its own way. There's nothing like the effortless power of diesel. I'm gonna roll the dice that the pump is the vp44 electronic wonder found on the 24V? Make sure your lift pump is up to snuff. I don't mess with dodge but I've heard horror stories about their lift pumps. My buddy has one and Its yet to make the trip from NM to Colorado because last time he tried the lift pump blew its guts out half way up Raton pass. Its worth a look and good luck.

Bullittman