Question...

Get the V10. It's only what? 20hp more, but the torque curve is very flat.. If memory serves, 80% of the torque is available at 2k RPM.. Add a "chip" and you get 25 more HP and 50 more Lb ft. of torque.

Mine pulls pretty hard, even with the big tires on it. (4.30 gears)

I don't have the answer, but I'm curious about this too. It seems to me the HP number for the V-8 is now pretty close to what the HP number was for the V-10 back in 99. I'd be curious to see how the torque numbers compare as well. My V-10 is the 99 version and it has plenty of grunt for most towing and hauling. (No, I don't pull any huge trailer or 5th wheel with it. If I did, then I probably would have bought a diesel.)

Matt

It isn't the hp, it is the torque. I don't know what the differences are, but you need torque to pull with, not hp. I'm sure the 5.4 is better than it was in '99, but my dad had one then that wouldn't get out of its own way and guzzled gas to boot. I'm sure the v10 is no fuel sipper, but at least you get something in return.

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 04:43:37 GMT, "David McDermott" wrote something wonderfully witty:

Don't look at the HP when considering towing, look at the torque, or more to the point the torque curve. When towing you want your torque to be available as soon as possible for as long as possible. i.e. you want a truck that you can pull stumps with. Usually, a rule of thumb is the bigger the engine, the bigger the Torque, which was the idea behind big block motors (I think).

I manage a small fleet of Fords and work in shop as a mechanic one day a week where we specialize in Fords. I buy mostly v10s. They have been an awesome motor. The torque is amazing and they just don't seem to break except for an occasional coil pack. These are terrible on gas though, you will get about 10 mpg, uphill, down, loaded, empty it doesn't seem to matter. I am a big v10 fan if you can afford the gas.

I have an F150 with the 5.4 Triton. I get about 13.5 mpg in this truck. The triton is great in the F150 and has plenty of power for pulling snowmobiles etc. But that is about it's limit. When you put it in the heavier F250 and start pulling a 25' trailer it will do the job fine, but will be a little sluggish. Also I have seen a ton of the Triton 5.4 motors lose head gaskets at about 100k. It is almost always the number four cylinder. When they go they just leak oil, more when cold, but otherwise run fine. I love the 5.4 in my F150 but I know soon (I am at 87k) that I will probably have to do a head gasket and it's a huge job with these motors tucked under the cab.

If you are concerned about gas mileage and are going to trade the truck at or just before 100k I would go with the 5.4 and know it will work fine, but be a little sluggish with the trailer loaded.

If you don't mind paying a extra for gas and want awesome pulling power and (so far) a super dependable motor I would go with the v10.

actually torque has nothing to do with that. Your torque/HP ratios are determinded by cam durations and lift. Biger inch motors will produce more power, but it is up to you how you want that power to be distributed. You think a V-8 is bad at sucking up gas, just wait till you get a V-10. I am against it because I know you're going to be paying quite a bit more for gas. Ask yourself, how much are you actually going to be towing something? Many small addons can get you more power without voiding your warrentee.

On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 07:01:30 +0000, Neoacumen rearranged some electrons to form:

How about explaining that further, so we can see if you paid attention in physics class?

I didn't mean torque has nothing to do with it. I meant you can change whether you have more torque for lower RPM use or more horsepower in higher RPM use. Bigger inches just gives you more of that if you increase the bore and stroke the same. If you increase the stroke, you get a better torque motor, if you increase the bore, you get more horsepower in the higher RPMs. Of course, you can still get a cam suited to give you more HP than Torque with a stroker, but what's the point? Torque gets you off the line and HP gets you through the finish right? tell me if I am wrong, but wouldn't extra cylinders just give you more torque and a small HP gain? It seems like a waste to get a V-10 when most engines aren't even close to their potential power. When did ford start designing the V-10s anyway? I wouldn't trust them because Ford and Chevy started out with the 8 cylinder and are still making it.