V10 longevity expectation

Hello all,

Does anyone have a high mileage V10 out there. I am looking at a V10 excursion and I am curious if I can expect to drive the vehicle to 100K plus mileage without any internal repairs/replacement. I am very timely with

3,000 -3,500 mile oil changes and will switch it to mobil one as soon as I buy it. So if I use it as a daily driver and tow weekends (@ 6,000 pound camper) will the V10 in an Excursion with the 4.30 axle make it to 100K plus ???

Also, will the trans go as long ??? And does anyone tow in overdrive on the flats at 65-70 mph, the trans would not be backshifting to third so I am wondering if this is okay in the ford. I use OD on the flats in my suburban currently and have not had any trans problems.

Thanks

I can't give you a number, but the long term longevity of the engine looks good

You are likely to have more trouble with the tranny then the engine. As to towing, see your owners manual, some years they recommend it, other they don't. I suspect they will recommend it. I do, and so far (it's a 99) I have had no problems

I have a neighbor that has a motorhome with a 1997 V-10 with over 150,000 miles with no problems. That's the reason I bought a 2000 V-10 PU that now has 60,000 miles with no problems. I tow a 35 foot Avion trailer and the total rig going down the road is usually around 14,000 pounds. I run around 65 and in overdrive UNLESS in hilly country where it's down shifting more than every

5 minutes or so. I run Motorcraft oil because it's just as cheap as any good oil and mine has a 100,000 mile extended warranty on the drive train from Ford. Tom J

Just turned over 100K on my 2000 F250SD V-10, auto, 4.30LS. No problems. New tires, oil changes, brake pads and one rotor turn. Taking it in for its first tune-up this weekend. 11-12 mpg loaded or not.

By the way, a guy I work with was rear ended by an F250SD. The truck totaled his Tempo, pushed his car and the car in front of it into the car in front of it, and the truck sustained a bent license plate. When they say Ford tough, I guess they mean it!

My 99 is similar, but the milage (towing) is lower, while the "empty" is usually rock stable at 12

Ya, I was in my Subaru and was hit by an F250SD nearly identical to mine, the Subaru had $2500 in damages, the F250SD had a dent the size of my thumb-print in the front bumper.

Unless you're the poor little Ford-not-so-tough Tempo!!

My '99 V10 only has 79000 miles on it. But, I do tow a 14,000 lb 5th wheel in OD all the time. I take it out of Cruise when going up a grade to minimize the downshift. Just returned last night from a trip up the California Central Valley. It is very flat and got 8.5 mpg at 62-65mph with a 4.3 ratio. Mileage goes all to hell when climbing some of the 8% grades such as the one on SR 299 between Redding and Arcata. I even had to put it into 1st at one location. A good 'rule of thumb' would be to get the Diesel if towing over

10,000 lbs. I'll get the Diesel next time. I do have the Banks Power Pac installed.

As to your question, the V10 Excursion with the 4.3 axle and only towing

6,000 lb should be no problem. Don't know about the tranny. The model years after my '99 use some radiator cooling for the tranny fluid. I don't know the details. Other will contribute their knowledge.

I have a 2003 30' class A MH on the V10 18K chassis that weighs out around

15.5K. Now I average ~8.4 mpg overall on a trip and can pull a 8% grade at ~40 mph in 2nd, no tow vehicle. If I tow a ~ 4K vehicle what would you expect I would see if I added the Banks Power Pac? Even if it's just an opinion. Thanks! Ron

I should have added a little more information about the 8% grade. It was a very windy (sp?) road and I was trying to get up to speed after slowing to about 10mph. I just could not gain any speed to get up on the torque curve. I just put it into 1st to ease the load on the truck. I have a F350 CC 4x4 w/8' bed. My total GCW was about 22,000 lbs. Also, my 8.5 mpg included SR

299. On the Central Valley flats I got about 9.2 mpg at 62-65. But, that number is not realistic with normal driving conditions. SR 99 is long and flat for hundreds of miles.

I'm not sure if you will see any improvement in mpgs with the Banks. What you will see is more responsiveness in the throttle. There is clearly more torque available and that shows up with fewer downshifts on overpasses and small up grades. I think your 8.4 mpg is a good number and probably the best that you can expect.

FYI, last summer I averaged 8.1 mpg on an 8,000 mile trip from California to Montreal. Traveled about the same speed, 62-65 mph.

: > My '99 V10 only has 79000 miles on it. But, I do tow a 14,000 lb 5th : wheel : > in OD all : > the time. I take it out of Cruise when going up a grade to minimize the : > downshift. Just returned last night from a trip up the California Central : > Valley. It is very flat and got 8.5 mpg at 62-65mph with a 4.3 ratio. : > Mileage goes all to hell when climbing some of the 8% grades such as the : one : > on SR 299 between Redding and Arcata. I even had to put it into 1st at : one : > location. A good 'rule of thumb' would be to get the Diesel if towing : over : > 10,000 lbs. I'll get the Diesel next time. I do have the Banks Power : Pac : > installed. : >

: I have a 2003 30' class A MH on the V10 18K chassis that weighs out around : 15.5K. Now I average ~8.4 mpg overall on a trip and can pull a 8% grade at : ~40 mph in 2nd, no tow vehicle. If I tow a ~ 4K vehicle what would you : expect I would see if I added the Banks Power Pac? Even if it's just an : opinion. Thanks! : Ron : :

Thanks for the info. I usually drive in to 58-62 range and throw out the -7 & 9+ mpg extremes to get my mid 8's avg. I will probably take a ~1.5 mpg hit if I tow a 4K toad. I guess 7 won't too bad for a shoe box on wheels with a tow. Ron

One more thought Ron. If your 8.4 mpg is basically in FL, then I would expect a MPG increase with the Banks. FL is also flat like the CA Central Valley.

: >

: > FYI, last summer I averaged 8.1 mpg on an 8,000 mile trip from California : to : > Montreal. Traveled about the same speed, 62-65 mph. : >

: >

: >

: > : > My '99 V10 only has 79000 miles on it. But, I do tow a 14,000 lb

5th : > : wheel : > : > in OD all : > : > the time. I take it out of Cruise when going up a grade to minimize : the : > : > downshift. Just returned last night from a trip up the California : > Central : > : > Valley. It is very flat and got 8.5 mpg at 62-65mph with a 4.3 ratio. : > : > Mileage goes all to hell when climbing some of the 8% grades such as : the : > : one : > : > on SR 299 between Redding and Arcata. I even had to put it into 1st : at : > : one : > : > location. A good 'rule of thumb' would be to get the Diesel if towing : > : over : > : > 10,000 lbs. I'll get the Diesel next time. I do have the Banks : Power : > : Pac : > : > installed. : > : >

: > : I have a 2003 30' class A MH on the V10 18K chassis that weighs out : around : > : 15.5K. Now I average ~8.4 mpg overall on a trip and can pull a 8% grade : > at : > : ~40 mph in 2nd, no tow vehicle. If I tow a ~ 4K vehicle what would you : > : expect I would see if I added the Banks Power Pac? Even if it's just an : > : opinion. Thanks! : > : Ron : :

No, we took a 2 1/2 month trip from Fl nw to BC, then back over the Canadian Rockies to Calgary, south into the US, then to NJ. Than back to the Chicago area and south back to Fl. A little over 9K miles. Ron

Great trip!! Therefore, unless you want a little more torque, save your money.

: > One more thought Ron. If your 8.4 mpg is basically in FL, then I would : > expect a MPG increase with the Banks. FL is also flat like the CA Central : > Valley. : >