5.4L Engine- Do mine eyes deceive me?
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From: North of Dallas, South of Frisco
5.4L Engine- Do mine eyes deceive me?
I've never read something like this before- yet everyone swears the 5.4L is just the miracle engine- read on...
***Struggled to tow 6,800 lbs.? Got-to-be-more-careful.***
Originally posted by CHyatt
I recently traded in a 2001 F-150 with a 5.4L. I had added the FIPK and dual exhaust. Even with those mods, the truck really worked hard to tow my 26' travel trailer (6800lbs).
I towed the trailer about 250 miles on one trip earlier in the year. The 5.4L truck had to stay over 5000 RPM's the majority of the time. I know that I was crusing along at a pretty good clip... My fear was that the engine or tranny was going to go at any moment. Then there was the ridiculous crawl going up mountain passes towing the trailer.
I upgraded to the 03' F-250 with the 6L. As opposed to others, I have not had any problems. This truck was made to haul.
I would highly recommend not getting the F-250 with the 5.4, if you plan to do any towing or real work with the truck. IMHO the 5.4L should not even be offered in the 250.
I recently traded in a 2001 F-150 with a 5.4L. I had added the FIPK and dual exhaust. Even with those mods, the truck really worked hard to tow my 26' travel trailer (6800lbs).
I towed the trailer about 250 miles on one trip earlier in the year. The 5.4L truck had to stay over 5000 RPM's the majority of the time. I know that I was crusing along at a pretty good clip... My fear was that the engine or tranny was going to go at any moment. Then there was the ridiculous crawl going up mountain passes towing the trailer.
I upgraded to the 03' F-250 with the 6L. As opposed to others, I have not had any problems. This truck was made to haul.
I would highly recommend not getting the F-250 with the 5.4, if you plan to do any towing or real work with the truck. IMHO the 5.4L should not even be offered in the 250.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Arvada, CO
Bighersh,
To be more specific: I towed the trailer from Denver to Guernsey, WY on one trip and to Estes Park, CO on the another.
On the trip to Guernsey, I kept the speed from 75-80 mph on the trip. Keeping the speed was not a problem. The problem was the tremendous noise of the motor. I feared that the motor was going to blow. The RPM's (depending on the grade) moved between 5-6K. I was worried...
On the trip to Estes Park (a mountain town) I was following a coworker with the exact same trailer. He was pulling with a Chevy Tahoe with the 5.3L. Up some of the steep grades, and switching between having the tow/haul on and off, I had trouble keeping the speed to 30mph. It was at that moment I decided to get the new truck with diesel. What made me more frustrated was that my friends Tahoe was not having the same strain.
I bought the new truck 3 weeks later. The F-150 with the 5.4L did do well most of the time, but not even in the same class as the 250 with the 6L.
My quoted post, though, was in reply to the thought of whether or not someone should get the 5.4 in a 250. I wanted to let that guy know that he should spend the extra $600 for the V10 in the 250 or better the 6L. I'm not bashing the 5.4, just trying to provide him my experience. I owned a new F150 in '97, '99, and '01. All of those had the 5.4L.
To be more specific: I towed the trailer from Denver to Guernsey, WY on one trip and to Estes Park, CO on the another.
On the trip to Guernsey, I kept the speed from 75-80 mph on the trip. Keeping the speed was not a problem. The problem was the tremendous noise of the motor. I feared that the motor was going to blow. The RPM's (depending on the grade) moved between 5-6K. I was worried...
On the trip to Estes Park (a mountain town) I was following a coworker with the exact same trailer. He was pulling with a Chevy Tahoe with the 5.3L. Up some of the steep grades, and switching between having the tow/haul on and off, I had trouble keeping the speed to 30mph. It was at that moment I decided to get the new truck with diesel. What made me more frustrated was that my friends Tahoe was not having the same strain.
I bought the new truck 3 weeks later. The F-150 with the 5.4L did do well most of the time, but not even in the same class as the 250 with the 6L.
My quoted post, though, was in reply to the thought of whether or not someone should get the 5.4 in a 250. I wanted to let that guy know that he should spend the extra $600 for the V10 in the 250 or better the 6L. I'm not bashing the 5.4, just trying to provide him my experience. I owned a new F150 in '97, '99, and '01. All of those had the 5.4L.
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Joined: May 2002
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From: FL
Yeah, you need to get the vehicle that will do what you need. The 5.4 isn't really meant to do HEAVY work. Since the f150 is a light duty truck it works great. I wouldn't even consider it in a SuperDuty.
CHyatt, I am surprised that you had to run that high of RPM's on that engine. My dad always insisted he "didn't need that much engine", and I've seen him tow some pretty big stuff with engines like the 300 straight 6. We never did more than 30mph up steep grades.
Out on the straight flat freeways he could do 60-65 though.
Funny thing is his current rig is the f350 with the 7.3L. It tows their 26' 5th wheel like a dream. The only reason he has that engine is it was the only deisel offered.
CHyatt, I am surprised that you had to run that high of RPM's on that engine. My dad always insisted he "didn't need that much engine", and I've seen him tow some pretty big stuff with engines like the 300 straight 6. We never did more than 30mph up steep grades.
Out on the straight flat freeways he could do 60-65 though. Funny thing is his current rig is the f350 with the 7.3L. It tows their 26' 5th wheel like a dream. The only reason he has that engine is it was the only deisel offered.
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From: North of Dallas, South of Frisco
I realize that CHyatt-
I was just so surprised to read anything less than glorious about any aspect of the 5.4L. Most people think with the proper towing attachments, the 5.4L can pull Cheyenne Mountain from Colorado to Texas.
I pulled 12 x 6 U-Haul trailer, 6,200# with my 4.6L Expedition last year, over 400 miles at 70-80 MPH. I had switched OD off and my RPM's were up in the 4-5,000 range; but when I got sick looking at my RPM's stying so high, I switched OD back on- RPM's dropped to a high, but more liveable 3,00 - 3,500 RPM's.
The tranny did a lot of hunting around for the right gear- but 15-20 miles later I guess it found what it was looking for, RPM's dropped to around 2,500 - 2,700- and it was off to the races after that. If you saw some idiot on I-20 last year, with a black Expedition, on 20" rims driving like he didn't even have a trailer behind him, that was me. Truck was loaded too with me, the wife, my sister, her best friend, two dogs, and all our luggage! I passed everything but a gas station! I normally only refuel once, (Shreveport, the half-way point) but on the way back that day I had to refuel in Rayville, LA, Shreveport, LA, Lindale, TX and topped off when I got back home. I must've been getting 10 miles to the gallon- I refuel when I get to 1/2 tank.
If I drug 6,200 w/ the 4.6L I figured something had to be up if your 5.4L had trouble with 6,800 lbs. Either that, or the 5.4L isn't as strong as people think.
I was just so surprised to read anything less than glorious about any aspect of the 5.4L. Most people think with the proper towing attachments, the 5.4L can pull Cheyenne Mountain from Colorado to Texas.
I pulled 12 x 6 U-Haul trailer, 6,200# with my 4.6L Expedition last year, over 400 miles at 70-80 MPH. I had switched OD off and my RPM's were up in the 4-5,000 range; but when I got sick looking at my RPM's stying so high, I switched OD back on- RPM's dropped to a high, but more liveable 3,00 - 3,500 RPM's.
The tranny did a lot of hunting around for the right gear- but 15-20 miles later I guess it found what it was looking for, RPM's dropped to around 2,500 - 2,700- and it was off to the races after that. If you saw some idiot on I-20 last year, with a black Expedition, on 20" rims driving like he didn't even have a trailer behind him, that was me. Truck was loaded too with me, the wife, my sister, her best friend, two dogs, and all our luggage! I passed everything but a gas station! I normally only refuel once, (Shreveport, the half-way point) but on the way back that day I had to refuel in Rayville, LA, Shreveport, LA, Lindale, TX and topped off when I got back home. I must've been getting 10 miles to the gallon- I refuel when I get to 1/2 tank.
If I drug 6,200 w/ the 4.6L I figured something had to be up if your 5.4L had trouble with 6,800 lbs. Either that, or the 5.4L isn't as strong as people think.
