Ford 6.2 v-8 motor

[bj66]

Just tossing around an idea of upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck. I'm going to need one next spring for sure. I stopped at a Ford dealer and drove a F-250 with the 6.2 v8 gasser in it. Seemed like a good package for what little I drove it. I need the suspension etc. but I dont want a diesel. Wont use it enough as a workhorse to want to go full time diesel.

 

I thought about the mileage issues etc. with gas vs. diesel. But adding a reliable 2nd pickup is another expense of licensing and insurance. Not to mention the cost of buying a good used 3/4 ton, would probly make it worth just buying a new 3/4 ton and having one good truck.

 

So I guess I'm asking if anybody has any experience with the 6.2. My other option is going with a Dodge, havent ruled that out either.

[slowrollwv]

A friend of mine just got back from a trip to WY. in an f-250 6.2 . They were pulling an enclosed trailer. He told me the mileage was really bad, like 5.8 mpg. Had plenty of power but could not pass a gas station.

I will need another truck soon but it will not be gas.

[bj66]

Thats what I was wondering. I will be pulling a few different trailers. One will be an 8.5x26 enclosed. Might have to rethink the diesel thing after all. Just thought for the 10 percent of the time I would be pulling I wouldnt need a diesel. Might have to rethink it.

[Sylvester]

I have the 6.7 diesel in my F-350 and love it.

 

[stroker ace]

I rented the truck I thought I wanted for a week. 2000 chevy 2500hd 4x4 xtra cab gas 6.0L. It got around 14-15mpg empty until I hooked up one of the trailers with a 8500lb load. It got around 9-10mpg with the load and 12-13mpg coming back empty around 2500lb trailer. The next week rented a chevy 2500hd 4x4 xtra cab 6.6L diesel. It got around 18-20mpg empty, I did the exact same trip with it same trailer, weight etc. It got around 16-17mpg with the trailer and coming back 21mpg. It was the truck I bought and still have, it's over 500,000 miles now. One transmission, injectors and pump rebuild later.

 

I didn't want a diesel to start with either. I pull a trailer at least once a week, it cost me close to $500 renting the trucks but I've saved more than that driving a diesel.

[BradT]

Stroker every week pulling a trailer, I can see the need for a Diesel. But what about pulling a trailer 12 times a year plus/minus the rest of the time just a vehicle.

 

Is this hard on the diesel engine ?

 

Brad

[stroker ace]

Stroker every week pulling a trailer, I can see the need for a Diesel. But what about pulling a trailer 12 times a year plus/minus the rest of the time just a vehicle.

 

Is this hard on the diesel engine ?

 

Brad

 

 

The diesel don't care if pulling a trailer or not, the gas engine didn't care either. They both pulled about the same, the fuel economy is what factored my purchase. If I was just driving a truck for a daily driver and pulling a trailer/camper a few times a year, I may have went gas and a 1/2 ton. The 3/4 tons are more geared toward working in my opinion and are not as fuel efficient as the 1/2 tons. That is why I rented one of each for a week and drove them as I would before making my decision. With higher fuel and maintenance cost of a diesel it might not pay out for the few times a year person.

Working on a shipping company to haul the stuff but it's a on demand type haul if they can do what's needed I will go back to a newer 1/2 ton sometime in the future.

[Flyinfool]

FWIW

I have a GMC 1/2 ton P/U 350 gas engine that pulls a 5500-6000 lb RV once or twice a year.

I get 17-18 w/o trailer and drop to 12-13 with trailer.

Because the truck is a 4x4 it already comes with heavier axles and brakes than the 2wd. I also ordered the HD towing package which includes a bigger radiator, bigger tranny cooler, engine oil cooler, and power steering cooler, plus of course the factory receiver hitch and wiring for a 7 pin connector.

 

I now have 300K on it with no sign of slowing down.

[Eddie]

My new Harley truck has the 6.2. I just pulled a 4 place sled trailer loaded up north and was getting 12.3 to 13.1 mpg . Without the trailer it was around 15 or 16 mpg . The truck still has under a 1000 miles so I would think that it will get better when it's broke in a little. I was also looking at the diesel but it only gets a little better mpg's . I thought they were way better on gas but there not unless your pulling something. My neighbor just bought a F350 Diesel and was telling me all the extra money you spend driving one . Like 200.00 oil changes and the exhaust addative you have to have now at 30.00 every 3000 miles. Plus the extra 7000.00 for the option.

 

I got 8.5 to 7.5 mpgs going to Sturgis with my 2009 F150 pulling over 5000 lbs with the 5.4 . I hope this 6.2 will do better. It has enough power to pull anything.

[djh3]

Depending on the load maybe a 1/2 ton with a set of "air bag" helpers. For me the biggest thing with pulling a trailer with a 1/2 ton is gearing. They gear them tall to get some mpg. I had a 98 Dakota with the 318 in it and like 355 gears, pulled my 8x16 trailer with legends car no sweat. (trailer had brakes) Same trailer with replacment truck was a 98 or so 1/2 full size ram short bed. Not a happy deal. Even the small trailer seemed to make the truck move around alot. The gears in the full size truck were 323 or so. That may be a point of interest in a 4wd, they usually come with stiffer gearing. But then your going to loose around 3% milage with extra weight etc involving the transfer case and extra drive axle etc. More $hit to go wrong.

Ford diesels had a bunch of years where they broke head bolts about 50K, couple grand to fix them. suposedly its fixed from like 2010 up I think. I have an old Cummins in a Dodge and its yet to hook to something I cant move. I did swap out rearends after I got it. It had 411 gears and topped out at 72 mph.

[Flyinfool]

Now that you mention the gearing, I did get my GMC with the numerically highest gear ratio.

The choices were 3.43 or 3.73, I have the 3.73, you have to go up to a 3/4 ton to get the 4.10 gears.

I had the 3.43 gears in my last truck and it could not get out of its own way and got lousy mileage to boot. If I was towing anything bigger than a trailer that you would put behind a bike, I had forget overdrive and keep it in 3rd gear. Even empty I found that I sometimes got better mileage in third vs overdrive. If I could have ordered my 1/2 ton with 4.10 gears, I would have. I think it would have gotten even better mileage since it would be in a better spot in the power band.

 

Gearing does make a huge difference in many respects.

[Howard B]

Mileage? Who buys a vehicle just for the mileage it gets? We drive a used 1975 greyhound bus converted to a motorhome. The bus is powered by a Detroit Diesel 8v71 and an allison 740 automatic transmission. We also carry my 88 yvr on an electric lift mounted to the engine rails. Behind that we pull our Jeep Grand Cherokee. We started our journey in 1995 and have never looked back. Have I ever checked the mileage we get? Of course. It gets roughly, depending on terrain, wind, altitude, and my foot. About 9200 yards to the gallon! With a 180 gallon fuel tank and 4 dollars for a gallon of fuel we do not let it run too low because i simply hate walking out crying like a baby after paying the bill.

[stroker ace]

Mileage? Who buys a vehicle just for the mileage it gets? We drive a used 1975 greyhound bus converted to a motorhome. The bus is powered by a Detroit Diesel 8v71 and an allison 740 automatic transmission. We also carry my 88 yvr on an electric lift mounted to the engine rails. Behind that we pull our Jeep Grand Cherokee. We started our journey in 1995 and have never looked back. Have I ever checked the mileage we get? Of course. It gets roughly, depending on terrain, wind, altitude, and my foot. About 9200 yards to the gallon! With a 180 gallon fuel tank and 4 dollars for a gallon of fuel we do not let it run too low because i simply hate walking out crying like a baby after paying the bill.

 

 

Both the wife and I's daily drivers were bought for gas mileage, not a Prius or eco box. She drives 100 miles a day and I do 75 miles so it does count.

[Rich99]

In other words, if you can buy the engine by itself and install it, then we can cut the bull. It get's 24 mpg without trailer, but if you put your foot in it, it probably wouldn't do any better than the bus. It's the new Mustang GT500 with a 6.2 supercharged V-8 that produce's 662 hp. It would be kind of interesting with all that power to see what it really would get pulling something of good size like a motorhome, but anyway; just wanted to throw this in for a laugh.:rotf:

[Howard B]

I wonder what that Mustang engine would do installed in my bus. The bus weighs 33000 lbs loaded and the Jeep is about 4000 lbs. I only have 300 hp with the Detroit. I would double my horsepower. How about mileage?

[playboy]

Now that you mention the gearing, I did get my GMC with the numerically highest gear ratio.

The choices were 3.43 or 3.73, I have the 3.73, you have to go up to a 3/4 ton to get the 4.10 gears.

I had the 3.43 gears in my last truck and it could not get out of its own way and got lousy mileage to boot. If I was towing anything bigger than a trailer that you would put behind a bike, I had forget overdrive and keep it in 3rd gear. Even empty I found that I sometimes got better mileage in third vs overdrive. If I could have ordered my 1/2 ton with 4.10 gears, I would have. I think it would have gotten even better mileage since it would be in a better spot in the power band.

 

Gearing does make a huge difference in many respects.[/quote

 

Jeff makes a good point. Back in the day 4.10 - 3.73 gearing would be pretty low for a daily driver. But back in the day we had 15'' wheels and 3 speed trans. Now days everything has any where from 18'' to 20'' wheels and 4,5, and 6 speed trannys. Most new car salesmen get a dumb look on there face when asked about the gearing but will come back with but "it's equipped with a towing package" better do your research on what your buying. My 2012 4wd 1/2 ton has the 3.73 w/6speed auto I also test drove one with 3.43 gears it was pretty lame.

[bj66]

Well I ended my dilemma today. 2012 Dodge 2500 with the hemi instead. I had the Ford deal down to an acceptable offer, but something in my gut just kept telling me that the ford wasnt the truck for me......