Thinking about picking up a 250. found one for a 2009 for a pretty reduced rate at a local dealer.. How do you like the 5.4 leiter in the 250. Does it feel under powered or anemic in such a large truck?

I will be using this rig as a light Duty Explorer rig probably setting it on some 35's

and it will be used to Tow my 1999 Jeep Wrangler. I will only tow 5-8 times a year which is why im not looking at the Diesel motor.


Thanks

JIM

 

Most 250s and 350s are diesels because they really need them to justify the frame that supports the load ratings. My grandmother just got rid of her 2005 F-150 Lariat with the 5.4 for a 2008 F-250 with the 5.4 I told her he was silly to not get the diesel but after driving it and for what she needs, the gasser will suit her just fine. She got the F-250 to have the long bed and extended cab wit decent payload for her slide-in bed camper. I will not the 5.4 in the 250 is fast or slow but it will pull the load within the factory specs. I may not have been too much help as I still personally thin if you need a truck that big the gas is not the way to go but if you know darn well you re not hauling trailers a bunch and can deal with the so-so mileage but the relatively cheaper fuel then it will do you just fine. I dunno what the diesels are getting for mileage normally (16mpg?) but the gas will be closer to 11-12mpg in town. Hope that helps some, sorry for the rambling.

 

I can probably shed a little light on this. While I was home over the holidays I got my dad talked into trading his old 91 F150 for a 00 F250 ext cab short box 4x4 with a 5.4L. It only has 3.73 gears, but is suprisingly peppy and has good power just driving around. My dad is going to put a plow on it and use it to plow the farm and other odd jobs. For the amount the truck will be driven a diesel wasn't needed and he'd have alot of problems with it because it would sit so long. The new 3V 5.4L is alot better than the older 2V that my dad has got.


Now Firezapper on here used to have a similar truck to what you're looking at. His was an 01 ext cab long box 5.4L with a 4" lift, 35s, and the stock 4.10 gears. He could get around well with it, but he used alot of skinny pedal. When the 2 of us would tow our rigs up to Rausch Creek is about the only time you could see a benefit to the diesel. Ed had to keep it wound up to almost 80mph in the mountains to keep the truck in its power band. Because of this he was getting around 10mpg towing. With my 250 pulling a similar load I could cruise along at 70 and you couldn't feel the load. If Ed had upgraded to 4.56 gears he wouldn't have had to work it so hard. For towing so little you're going to have a hard time justifying the diesel. $2.56/gal vs $1.69/gal is a big difference in fuel cost.

You may want to think about a V10 instead. It'll help the resale value of the truck. It only used to be a $600 option and it'll pull your trailer alot better.

 

What he said!

 

I work at Kentucky Truck Plant, and you would be surprised how many 5.4's we make. Of course we run more diesels then anything but we actually run more 5.4's then the 6.8's.

I agree with gearing the truck lower to make up for the 5.4 when towing.

 

i just got myself an 03 f150 fx4 with a 5.4L. i dont plan on using mine for hauling any kind of large trailers or anything. i had previously owned 2 f150's and i was looking for something bigger with more room so the f250 with 5.4L worked great for me. and dont be fooled it can still get up and go

 

We have a new 09 F350 with the 5.4 for the family construction business. The new tranny really helps. We have been plowing with it and it is fine. When you do the math with the new diesels poor MPG and +cost of diesel fuel, the ROI for the diesel just isn't there. Unless you are pernamently attached to a trailer.

 

00 f250 4x4 5.4 here. I've got a leveling kit and 33's and tow more than what its rated at and have no complaints really. I would rather have the diesel but for what I bought this one for I cant complain, It does the job fine just slower.

 

My old work truck was a 2003 F250 with 5.4 I found it quite underpowered along with terrible mileage. The 5.4 was nice in the F150 I owned but I gotta side with the diesel for a Superduty. I cant say enough about the 6.4, I love it

 

From prior experience driving E350 Super Dutys, the 5.4l is kind of lack luster in performance, but it gets the job done. Kind of like the 4.2l v6 in the F150 with the automatic transmission -- It gets the job done. But I've driven a V10 E350, and it's so much better, it was awesome. Plus the sound of it was totally different, and it had everything going for it. I've never driven a 6.4l TTD, but I plan on in the near future, I'm sure.

The 5.4l gets the job done with no complaints, in my book in a F250/F350...

 

I have the 5.4 in mine and I'd never do it again. V-10 or diesel should be the only options in the 250. You will regret the 5.4 if you are going to tow your jeep

 

you never drove a tuned van with a 5.4 my friend, my tuned one runs circles around the other 7 vans i own,even weighing in @ 9k lbs,the pcm codes in the vans are by far the worst for putting power out!

 

the 5.4 2v has no bussiness being in a superduty. i have a 01 5.4 and its just to underpowered...great as far as reliability though ive not had one major problem with it. my buddy has a 08 f150 with the 3v and thats nice.

 

tend to agree with that to a point, stock-my van put out 187 rwhp and a shade under 290 ft lbs of torque, on the last dyno run w/o ud pullies laid down 228 rwhp and 350 ft lbs of tq, -2.25" stainless true dual exhaust with x -pipe, 93 troyer tuned xcal 2, and intake-my van weighs 9k lbs-i'm thinking a 4 door 4wd f 350 can't weigh more than that, and with 3.73 gears, my van moves and has no problem maitaining speed pulling my mx race trailer,like i said the pcm codes in the superduty line is horrible...

 

On that note imagine what a V10 could do....actually the motor in stock form is perfect for me, but I always imagined if I gave it a tune up and supercharger. The turbo and twin-turbo is huge for the diesel. They would be slugs without 'em.