i am looking at 86 F250's to buy and i want to plow with it. should i get one with a 6.9 deisel or the windsor 5.8?. I originally wanted the 5.8 but i have been looking for about 3 months and have not found one i like. today i came across a ad for one with the deisel in the next town over should i get this truck or keep looking?. which engine is better for plowing? what mpg would these get? I know i have alot of questions but i dont want to make the wrong decision so i would appreciate any input you guys have.
Phil

 

Try www.ford-diesel.com They have a lot of people over there w/diesels and could really help with this. Check out forums and then find the right topic to put this under. My husband has the 5.8 engine in his F350. Its a real good running engine especially since he tends to forget maintence on it. He's a diesel mechanic and the last thing he wants to do when he comes home is work on something here. He uses his truck for towing. Plus he's got tool boxes, tools and an air compressor in the back, lots of weight. Engine does fine but uses a LOT of gas!! I've got a 7.3 diesel. I get great fuel milage but I rarely tow (yet) Neither of us have any experience w/a plow. Go over to the diesel board, they can help

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2000 F250 Crew Cab 4x2 6 speed Diesel XLT Super Duty, Woodland Green
Power Mirrors, 3.73 LS, Captains Chairs, ARE tonneau top, mud flaps
Trailer tow Pkg, Class IV hitch, sliding rear window, running boards
rear privacy glass, 265/75/16 AS OWL tires, am/fm/cassette/cd
Clarion APA 5240 amp, Memphis speakers:Components front, 5x7 rear, 10"sub
SuperChip, Stepshields, Ventshields on windows, rubber bed mat
rugged liner bedliner on tailgate
unaFORDable (decal on tailgate)

 

I would recommend the diesel. More power to do it, and they're kinda make for that type of work. Tina is right, the 5.8l gets terrible gas mileage.

 

The Ho is a real Gas hogg. My dad had a 1986 F-50 regcab longbed 2wd with the 351ho and a c-6. I still see the truck runnin around, over 200k, neither the tranny nor the engine has been touched. My dad bought it new, and it got 10mpg's best, it could pull with the best, including these new engines. 195hp and 345ft/lbs was a assumption rating. The windsor's proved themselves over and over, and I know a guy who had a 87 6.9L (last year of the 6.9l). Put 200k in 4 years, ran great when he sold it. Basically they're both great engines, but the diesel will cost you a bit more in maintence. Not sure of the exact 6.9 specs, but I think it had 185hp and maybe 300ft/lbs.

Got this info from the 1985 navistar book

This is for the 6.9L
170hp
307 ft/lb

So as you can see the 351HO does have more hp than the 6.9L had. Dad says 6.9L with a c-6(non-od) gets about 15-20mpg. Thats great I think.

[This message has been edited by Pastmaster (edited 03-09-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Pastmaster (edited 03-09-2000).]

 

Pastmaster is 100% right about the 5.8L HO engine. Had one in my '87. If that truck got 10 mpg, I would go out and celebrate. Super reliable engine. Did NOT want to run on regular gas. In fact, it pinged on super unless I regularly treated it with Techron during the last couple of years. Never serviced the tranny either. Turned it in with about 80K on it.

My only concern with the diesel is the added maintenance costs and that I hear diesels can be bears to start in cold weather if everything isn't just right with the engine.

 

Don't be afraid with a 6.9. They are good motors. They aren't the quite the race horse the Powerstrokes are, but they have good longevity with regular maintenance. They don't really have a lot more upkeep, they just have different things you need to do.

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1999 F-250LD 4X4 XLT Supercab, Short Bed, 5.4L, AT, 3.73LS, 33"Wrangler ATS, Custom Dual Exhaust, Custom Air Intake, Superchip, Factory Step Bars, Tinted Windows, Vent Visors, Diamond Tool Box & Bed Rails, Color: Harvest Gold cc "Ready to Farm"