I posted this in towing and hauling, but thought I would toss it up here for everyone in this section to chew on. Any thoughts apprecated.

I'm looking to buy a used F-150 in the next couple months but am having trouble deciding on what I need. I know I want an ext. cab, preferably Flare side. I want to be able to safely tow a 3000lb boat while carrying 4 adults. Most towing would be short range (20 miles or less) with possible excursions of 3-500 miles (possibly further). Auto tranny sounds like a necessity to get the tow rating I need. 90% of driving will be without boat so mpg i important. I'm looking for suggestions on whether I would have enough power with the V6 (with air and exhaust mods) or should I go with the 4.6 and eat the mpg's? I've driven an ext cab v6 auto and a std cab v6 5spd (neither towing) and it seemed to have all the power I care to have for regular driving but I'm concerned about the extra weight while towing. I'm currently used to towing 1800lbs with a 3.0 ranger 5spd.

 

I do not tow, but I have seen in past posts that the 5.4 is a necessity when doing any marginal towing. I have the 5.4, and it is strong, mileage is bad, but hey, you cannot have everything. I have heard the V6 is pretty weak in the torque category, but purely heresay.

 

This is a repost, but it fits here. I don't tow often, but this is a good example of the mileage.

I had the 4.6 in my 98. Loved it. It did everything I could ask for. I got about 15-16 mpg (w/tow pkg) before the K&N filter. 16-17 after the K&N filter. about 70%/30% highway/city driving.
I now have a 2001 w/ a 5.4. I like it even more! The power difference is very noticable. The gas mileage is about 15.5. Little less than with the 4.6, but well worth it. The sticker price difference is about $1500, and that will probably be the deciding factor for you. But I'm glad I got it.



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2001 F150 XLT Supercab Flareside "Sport"
Black
5.4
Smittybilt step bars

 

i have the 4.6 with a 5 speed.

last year i towed a 20 ft deepv hulled aluminum boat with a 90 horse motor through the rolling hills of new york state. other than miserable gas mileage it was fine. i am usually lead footed so that may have affected my mileage as well (if i remember right i got 10 mpg towing).

i would not win any races with the boat on the back, but it did the job just fine. (am curious to see how it does this year with the changes i made to the truck)



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mr k
_ _ _ ____________ _ _ _
1999 f150 xlt ex-cab 4x4
4.6 triton v8
5 speed manual
3:55 rear
towing package
k&n f.i.p.k.
gibson ss swept side with custom ss y-pipe
AR OutlawII's/Michelin LTX M/S 265/70/16

 

My last truck was the 4.2 V6. It hauled *** and them some!! Not as well as my 5.4 V8 but it was a great hauler!

I loaded the bed so it was over flowing with wet wood chips and then hooked up a trailer with over 1 cubic yard of top soil and the only problem I had was brakeing!! (i forgot how much weight I was pulling and loaded with.)

If I had to do it over again, I would grab the 8 cylinder though. Just because the 4.2 has to work a lot harder to just pull around the truck which means that I am now getting the same gas milage with the 5.4 as I was with the 4.2!!

But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong!



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bIGGINS
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
My New Ride->>
2001 F-150XLT 4X4 Sport SuperCab
Styleside, Short Bed, Black on Black, 4R70W, 5.4L, 3.55reg, 17in Rubber, OEM Snapless Tonneau Cover, Harley Bedliner

Add On's
Sony CDX-M770 Head Unit, (2) JLAudio 8W6's, RF Punch 150 amp, HL Blackouts, DashMiser Plus II Strobe Light (fireman)

My Last Ride->>
1999 F-150XLT 4X4 Reg Cab
Styleside, Long Bed, Amazon Green, 4R70W, 4.2L V6, 3.55reg, 16in Bridgestone Duelers, OEM Snapless Tonneau Cover

 

You are a textbook case for the 4.6L V-8 !!

 

As far as gas mileage, the difference between the 4.2 and the 4.6 isn't noticable. I went from the V-6 to the V-8, with the same options, and I get about the same mileage. However, I don't tow, so I don't know how much difference there will be.

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2000 F-150 XLT, Silver, R/C, Flareside, Sport Package, 4.6L V8, 5-Speed w/ 3.55 Gears, Flowmaster, A.R.E. "Lowrider" Fiberglass Tonneau, Superchip, 2" Drop Shackles, Lightning Front Bumper,Street Scene Speed Grilles,APC Speed-Glo Gauge Face, AiRaid FIPK

 

Why buy a 6 when you could've had a V-8???

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2000 F150 Lariat Supercab, Oxford White/parchment,157"WB, 5.4, 4R70W,single fact. CD premium sound, remote keyless entry, full leather, 3.55 LS,SRW, Class 3


Mobil 1 5w30 oil with Motorcraft FL-820s
K&N Filtercharger
Penda Bedliner
Solo Radar Detector

 

Get the 4.6. It will be all you need for what you want to do. The MPG between the 4.2 and the 4.6 cannot be that much. The 4.2 will have to work much harder to pull the same load as the 4.6. In your case I see no need to go all out with the 5.4. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

 

See sig for my truck.
I pulled about 3500 lbs from Boulder to Durango (Colorado), mostly above 8000 feet, several passes over 10,000 and 11,000 feet. Twice the trucked kicked out of cruise control because it could not hold the speed, but this was on pretty steep sections where I was trying to stay at 65mph. I got about 12.5 mpg on the way over, and 18 mpg on the way back, I had dropped the load in Durango.
I was very happy with the power and mileage, considering my truck starts out at 5600 lbs.
You can draw your own conclusions.

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Craig Brossman
2001 SCrew 5.4L 4WD Lariat
Az Beige/Wedgewood Blue
Cpts. chairs, Moon roof, Tow package, CD changer
3.55 lim. slip, Rear slider, Skid plates
Mods:Ford Bedliner, Ford BugGaurd, Westin Step Bar, WeatherBoot Floor Mats

 

Go with the 4.6! Last year I moved from VA to GA and pulled all my worldly belongings behind me in an old U-Haul trailer. I averaged 15 mpg throughout the trip. I have a buddy here with a 99 standard cab F-150 with the 4.2 engine. He averages 15 mpg back and forth to work, hauling only himself! I average 17 mpg making that same trip. He's never hauled a trailer with his truck, so he couldn't give me any insight into what his mileage would be with a trailer, but common sense dictates it would be less than what he gets going to and from work. Hope this helps a little...


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Paul...
99 White F-150 XLT SC Sport, 4.6L, Auto, Captain Chairs, Class III Towing Package, 3.55 LS, Sliding Rear Window, 4X2, CD, Soft Factory Tonneau Cover, K&N Filter, WMS Velocity Tube, Line-X Spray on Bed Liner, Gibson Side Swept Cat Back System, Superchips Flip Chip, and the Original F150online Decal...

What more is there!

ptarnuzzer@home.com

 

I drove a 4.2 SC 4x2 auto for 45,000+ miles and overall gas mileage was 17 to 18, 4 months ago I traded for a SCrew 4.6. First tank mpg was 17.2 last tank mpg was 18.3. I do not haul anything worth talking about and only tow a small trailer with a lawn tractor.
The low end performance is so much better with the 4.6 and my mpg is going to be about the same. I liked the 4.2 but really enjoy the 4.6.