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Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consumption

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Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consumption

Postby Former Member » Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:40 am

I love having and using the TN Cub Rescue Van, but lets face it, 7-8 MPG just is not going to cut it. That and it is underpowered bad if i hit any hills. So, I am looking at older diesel 3/4 ton or larger trucks (all I could afford) or any truck that could haul all my stuff and get better fuel mileage. (Anyone have one)

At 10-11 I would get 50% better, if I could get 14 pulling the trailer, heck, it would double. The mileage and power will way out way the difference in gas/diesel fuel.

So my question for the day is, does anyone have experience with this set-up? Advice?

Thanks

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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Super A » Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:46 am

Dale,

The 6.9 IH diesel was the "original" Ford Powerstroke. I have never really heard anything bad about them.

A good friend of mine delivered my 856 with his F250 single cab 4WD with a 6.9. Was pulling a big gooseneck It was not over-powered but it did well for him. IIRC it was a 4 speed manual.

if you found one you were serious about, I would check into an engine oil analysis before you bought it. It would give you an idea about what kind of shape and care the engine has had.

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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby ricky racer » Thu Apr 05, 2012 1:40 pm

I've got a '99 Ford F-350, 2wd with a V-10 and get about 10-12 mpg without a trailer, if I baby it. Pulling a trailer around 8-9 mpg. Not too impressive. However, it doesn't lack for power most of the time. A diesel will have more torque and would be better pulling a trailer. If I were to buy a truck primarily for pulling a trailer, my choice would be a manual transmission. Mine has an automatic but I'd rather determine when it shifted when towing. I think a manual tranny could get you better mileage than an automatic.

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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Dusti Snider » Thu Apr 05, 2012 4:00 pm

No experience with the diesel whatsoever. I have a '97 F350 SRW 4x4, with 7.5 (460) gas, 5spd, 3:55 gears, 117K miles. Ten miles to the gallon to and from work. Trip south in January to Georgia got me almost 11 on the interstate running 70mph, empty not towing. Came back two days later towing a 16 tandem axle trailer, 4wd Kubota with loader and box blade, and a bed full of other stuff...ran 65 or so and got about 10.5. Towing my big "M" Farmall on short 20-30 mile trips from home is just like driving to work...10. The trucks geared really high...

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I'm contemplating making an offer tomorrow on a truck similiar to Ricky's, a '99 F350 DRW 4x4 with V10 and 4:30 gears 68K. The lovely wife, daughter and myself all liked it, it's a bit more comfortable than SRW. Never seen the lie-o-meter on it show higher than 9.8 driving out to eat or to church and work. I really don't think it would make much difference mileage was compared to what I've already got.

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My wife drives an '08 F150...alot newer than you've got in mind...heck it's newer than I've got in mind for myself. It's a short bed crew cab with 5.4 V8 automatic 3:73 gears. Dale just for comparsion she gets about 14-15 around town, low 20's on a long trip south. Tows my Farmall "M" and tandem trailer very well, and gets around 10 doing it. Lighter tractors...say the Cub or the 640 or 430W, it'll do around 12 on the same trailer.

In my mind its hard to justify right now the outrageous cost of diesel for just a few more miles to the gallon...
Last edited by Dusti Snider on Thu Apr 05, 2012 6:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Jackman » Thu Apr 05, 2012 4:11 pm

I had a 86 F-250 ,4x4, 4 speed is was a good truck till it was totaled by a Dodge plow truck that lost control on the snow covered road :( ,,,,,,,,,,, anyway I commuted to work everyday with my 6.9 and I think I was getting 15-16 mpg's.

Probably not so critical in your state but check your oil pan and oil cooler for rust, a rusty pan requires engine removal to replace.

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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby ricky racer » Thu Apr 05, 2012 4:23 pm

Jackman wrote:I had a 86 F-250 ,4x4, 4 speed is was a good truck till it was totaled by a Dodge plow truck that lost control on the snow covered road :( ,,,,,,,,,,, anyway I commuted to work everyday with my 6.9 and I think I was getting 15-16 mpg's.

Probably not so critical in your state but check your oil pan and oil cooler for rust, a rusty pan requires engine removal to replace.


I had a '92 F-150 4x4 with a 351 V-8 prior to what I've got now and the oil pan rusted through. The garage I took it to was able to change it out without pulling the engine but it wasn't cheap. Other than that, I've never had a problem with a Ford truck. My F-150 got around 14 mpg back and forth to work and 15 on trips, however it was a bit light for pulling a trailer with a tractor. In order for it to pull decently, you had to really be careful where you parked the trailer. If you are going to pull a tractor, I'd get a 3/4 ton minimum.
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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Mr E » Thu Apr 05, 2012 4:49 pm

ricky racer wrote:I've got a '99 Ford F-350, 2wd with a V-10 and get about 10-12 mpg without a trailer, if I baby it. Pulling a trailer around 8-9 mpg. Not too impressive. However, it doesn't lack for power most of the time. A diesel will have more torque and would be better pulling a trailer. If I were to buy a truck primarily for pulling a trailer, my choice would be a manual transmission. Mine has an automatic but I'd rather determine when it shifted when towing. I think a manual tranny could get you better mileage than an automatic.

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Ricky is spot on, as usual. I have an '08 F-250 with the 6.4 diesel. Get 15-16 empty around town. On my trip to Barnyard's last year, I got 19 empty on the Interstate, running the speed limit.

Pulling the gooseneck with one tractor, I get about 12 -13. If you put two big tractors on the trailer, then as Ricky said-- it is 9 or 10 MPG if you take it easy. :lol:

But I will say this. That diesel knows how to pull a trailer. You can set the cruise and enjoy the scenery. Runs much better at 65-70 than at 55 or so. Too much shifting if you get too slow with the load.
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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Denny Clayton » Thu Apr 05, 2012 6:51 pm

Wow, this is like asking about oil or hydraulic fluid. Lot's of opinions and really no right or wrong answers. :lol:

Since I don't haul more than two Cubs (sometimes w/implements) but more often only one Cub plus implements, and don't even pull a trailer 99.5% of the time, I went with a good pulling 1/2 ton truck. Mine is a '07 Dodge Ram 1500, 5 speed automatic, 4X4 with a 5.7 Hemi and 3:92 gears. Depending on the season and headwinds or tailwinds, I get about 14-15 mpg around town and 17-19 mpg on the road. Pulling the trailer is mostly on the road and runs 12-13+ mpg. The size of the load on the trailer doesn't seem to make much difference. Just having the trailer on there with the ramps up is load enough to kill the mileage.

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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Barnyard » Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:06 pm

You are talking about a 25 year old truck. I agree with Al about the oil analysis. There could be any number of things wrong with a truck this old. If it has never had the injectors replaced and it is high mileage you're gonna end up spending more those than the truck cost. Also make sure it really is a 6.9. I think those were used up to 1987 and the 7.3 came out in 1988. If it is a 7.3, there were problems with cavitation damage on the exterior of the cylinder walls on the left bank. The 6.9 and 7.3 look nearly identical.
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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Mr E » Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:09 pm

Denny Clayton wrote:Wow, this is like asking about oil or hydraulic fluid. Lot's of opinions and really no right or wrong answers. :lol:

Since I don't haul more than two Cubs (sometimes w/implements) but more often only one Cub plus implements, and don't even pull a trailer 99.5% of the time, I went with a good pulling 1/2 ton truck. Mine is a '07 Dodge Ram 1500, 5 speed automatic, 4X4 with a 5.7 Hemi and 3:92 gears. Depending on the season and headwinds or tailwinds, I get about 14-15 mpg around town and 17-19 mpg on the road. Pulling the trailer is mostly on the road and runs 12-13+ mpg. The size of the load on the trailer doesn't seem to make much difference. Just having the trailer on there with the ramps up is load enough to kill the mileage.



Put two on there the equivalent of the Super M, and it does tend to make a slight difference, Denny. :{_}: :{_}:
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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby bear32055 » Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:32 pm

The utility i work for bought several 550 fords with the diesel in 04 and 05 and their service record has been very poor.Every one has had at least 1 new set of injectors (some 2) and front end work.The Dodges we use have done much better.

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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Super A » Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:47 pm

Denny Clayton wrote:Wow, this is like asking about oil or hydraulic fluid. Lot's of opinions and really no right or wrong answers. :lol:

Since I don't haul more than two Cubs (sometimes w/implements) but more often only one Cub plus implements, and don't even pull a trailer 99.5% of the time, I went with a good pulling 1/2 ton truck. Mine is a '07 Dodge Ram 1500, 5 speed automatic, 4X4 with a 5.7 Hemi and 3:92 gears. Depending on the season and headwinds or tailwinds, I get about 14-15 mpg around town and 17-19 mpg on the road. Pulling the trailer is mostly on the road and runs 12-13+ mpg. The size of the load on the trailer doesn't seem to make much difference. Just having the trailer on there with the ramps up is load enough to kill the mileage.

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Basically this is what I am doing. Mine is an 02 Chevy Z-71 with 220,000 on the clock. The biggest thing I have had to do to it is a set of wheel bearings/hub on the front driver's side last year. It has the 5.3 v8 and 3.73 rear end. My mileage runs about 15-16 empty. I am hoping it will last me a while longer. I ordered it 10 years ago and got it "just like I wanted it." Plus it is paid for.

Mostly I am hauling Cubs or Super A's so my truck and 18" car hauler trailer do just fine. I would like to have a 3/4 ton or ton truck, but no more than I pull a trailer, it would never pay for itself. My truck is my daily driver so it is hard to justify anything bigger when you figure in fuel costs and so forth.

Another thing to think about with diesels---ownership costs are higher. Oil, filters, etc. cost more. Yes they will kite on down the road but unless you are pulling a trailer really often, I believe the gasser comes out cheaper in the long run.

For a newer truck, I would make sure it had an automatic. Then put it in tow/haul and let the computer decide what gear it wants to be in! My truck is like what Mr. E described--it seems to like to run at least 65 with a trailer. Probably shouldn't admit to it but I had the rubber band stretched pretty tight bringing ol whitey (the white demo Super A) home from Boss's last summer and it would hang right in with the traffic and I could have led the pack if I wanted to. It really has to get in a pucker before it will downshift......

Also it seems like when it comes to the Powerstroke, most guys around here prefer the 7.3. They seem to just go and go.

Al
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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Former Member » Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:35 pm

Well, guys,I know I am asking a lot, but, I am looking at initial cost range not to exceed $3500, and I am more comfortable at the $2500 range, as I will not make payments nor incur debt. When looking at gassers or diesels in that range, the diesels have better longevity, and as an example...

My van gets ..................................................8 @ $3.75 gal. x 10 gal ($37.50)= 80 miles at a cost of $.47 per mile
Walt's 1 ton dodge, 5 speed with 4.11 rears gets 15 @ $4.25 gal. x 10 gal ($42.50)= 150 miles at a cost of $.28 per mile

For this reason we are taking Walts truck to the Hogwaller fest, and for the difference in fuel, we can stay in a hotel. I am taking the van to the flea market this Sat. to see if any of the local vendors wants an awesome ride.

I would love a ride like some of Y'all have, but I do haul a trailer a lot, sometimes with 2 cubs and plenty of implements and parts, so a 3/4 or 1 ton is a must. 3/4 and 1 ton gassers tend not to get the mileage the diesels do.

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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Jackman » Fri Apr 06, 2012 5:42 am

You got it Dale, gasser motor + 1 tow+ trailer= horrendous fuel mileage :!: and throw in a 4.10 gear wow look out , been thru that with a 79 F-350 , 1 ton dump body with a 351 probably got 8 mpg and really was not that good a towing a trailer not enough low end power for the heavy ones.

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Re: Ford F-350?? about 6.9 diesel with 4 speed Fuel consump

Postby Gary Dotson » Fri Apr 06, 2012 6:26 am

Several years ago, I owned a Ford truck very similar to the set-up you're looking at. Mine was an 87, F-350 roll back truck with the 6.9 and 4 spd. I don't really recall fuel economy numbers, except that it was nothing to write home about. My biggest issue with it was that it really didn't have a lot of performance, just rather lack luster, so to speak. I had the injection rebuilt, thinking that would help, but no change. In my opinion, the earlier non-turbo diesels were very lacking, I'd be looking for a turbo'd 7.3, if it were me.


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