I own a small computer shop and have been looking for cargo vans to haul computers and accessorys. I found a 94 ford e150 cargo van with a 4.9 inline 6 cylinder with the automatic tranny. Hes got it for sale dirt cheap at 1,000 dollars. It has working AC and heat, new michelin tires. My main question is the inline 6 with the automatic be good for hauling computers and sometimes a 16 foot flatbed trailer? What fuel mileage can i expect with it? It has just a little over 200,000 miles on it. Ive heard the inline 6 is a bullet proof motor, is this ture? Any help would be apprecitated

 

Ive driven an F150 with the i6 and a stick and it had power and I drove another F150 with the i6 and and an automatic and it couldnt get out of its own way. Slow.

It is fairly bullet proof and the rest of the truck usually falls apart around it.

 

I'm sure it'd be OK. It is a torquey engine but has about 6 horsepower.

My dad has a 97 E250 for his work van (construction) with a 5.4 and it has been to hell and back. Oil gets changed MAYBE once a year if it's lucky, original tranny fluid and he tows a backhoe and dump trailer (about 2300lbs empty) with it all the time. It has 150,000 miles on it, give or take and it runs great. This had got to be the most neglected vehicle I've ever seen but it always starts up and is ready to go.
Oil changed once a year if lucky
Original tranny fluid
Brakes/rotors are junk and you get a death wobble in the steering wheel
Never had plugs changed
Not sure what it was but he said some round thing was draggin on the ground with hoses goin to it. Instead of fixing it he just ripped the hoses off and threw it in the back. Happend last winter and still running good to this day.
Rear shackles rusted off on drivers side

And that's all I can think of right now.

 

10 ford vans-[04-10's]-over 1 million documented trouble free miles-KNOCK ON WOOD

 

4.9 I6 is a good motor..i know a fella that has one with over 400k miles on it with an automatic transmission.

 

One thing that I've learned from the experainces that our company has had, you get what you pay for. When we bought the cheap vans they didn't last long and it cost money to keep them going. We had one, that we only had for a year, that has to be towed six times in that year.

You never know though. We bought a newer E250 years ago from a dealership that only had 25k for 10k. It was a peice of junk. Tranny was shot. Front end was shot. It must have been used hard. We traded that one in, with it's issues, on a new E250 in '03, that is currently running perfectly at 87k. I drive an '07 E250, that should be around for ten years with us. It's still basicly new with only 39k.

If you get frustrated driving a vehicle that can't get out of it's own way like I do, I would suggest not getting a 4.9. A lot of the vans came with tall gears that don't help that I6 at all.

 

Thanks for your responses, i looked at the van yesterday and went back up there this morning to talk to the guy and drive it. From what i can tell it needs a powersteering pump and a general tune up (plugs,wires,fuel filter).It has 236,000 miles on it and ran pretty good. I dont think it has ever been worked hard as there is no trailer ball or hitch on the back and the floor doesnt show any dents etc. He was asking 1000 for it on the sign but just within the last two days he put the michelin tires on it and he said he paid 500 for them so his asking price has went up to 1275. Still debating on whether or not to get it or keep looking.

 

Won't break a speed record, but will pull forever.

Adrianspeeder

 

I dont think Id buy anything with that many miles because its like a time bomb. It not if its gonna blow, its when.

 

I wouldn't take it on any long trips. I worked for a church years ago that had a 1989 E-350 15 passenger with the 4.9 and it could not get out of it's own way, could not go over 80 MPH, and got about 8 MPG with only 5 people on the hwy. I took it on a 10 hour round trip with the kids and it ate up most of the $200 spending cash the church had given me for the trip in gas.

 

I used to have a 94 e150 with the 300 IL. When I had the van loaded with tools your probably talking about 3000lbs of stuff in the back. It would not get out of its own way. I could not make it up steep grades without putting my foot into the floor. Hell it would not even make it into parking garages.

Now I have a 2005 Dodge Sprinter that I just turned 200,000 miles on Friday. The little diesel has got some ***** and moves that big bus with no problems. I had to replace the tranny at 185,000, but I drive it hard.

Every time I bought a cheep beater, I ended up putting to much into it. Your $1000 find could soon be costing you $3500 total once you fix a bunch of stuff. I would spend more money and find something newer with lower miles. You will be better off in the long run.

 

Just purchased the van 2 days ago and am very happy with it. Just got back from a 500 mile trip with it and the first 250 miles cruising at 70 it got 15.2mpg. Coming back pulling my 16 foot trailer it dropped down to 14.0 even. Not bad at all for that inline 6. Shes got 237000 miles and drives like it has 50,000 miles. All it needs is a power steering pump. Just thought i would update yall