Ford V10 mileage/power upgrades.
 

My tow setup is a 1999 Ford F350 Super Duty Super Cab Dually 2WD, with a 6.8L V10 and ZF 5 speed, with a Dana 80 with 3.73 gears. The truck & trailer combo normally weighs 15,100-15,500 lbs total. The truck is bone stock, other than the factory size tires (215/85R16) were replaced with taller 235/85R16s, and are due for replacement next year. I rarely drive the truck without the trailer attatched, and loaded. When on level ground, it pulls just fine, but it could use some added pulling power while climbing some fairly steep grades, and the gas mileage towing is not that great either. (Imagine that!) I know not many guys tow with gas engine PUs, but the V10 Ford to be rather common on motorhomes. Wondering if anybody has had any positive results with a computer "tune", or bolt on upgrade, like headers, exhaust etc. Or should I just accept the power & fuel economy(?) as it is. I normally only put about 3000 miles a year on it, so spending thousands of dollars to save a few gallons doesn`t seem very cost effective. Also, with the 3.73 gears, I normally tow in 4th gear, except at freeway speed on level ground, don`t know if changing to 4.10 or 4.30s would be worth the expense, but since I will be buying new tires for the truck soon, would going back to the shorter 215/85R16s help much?

Re: Ford V10 mileage/power upgrades.
 

Rory,
Many are using Mike's-5Star tuner, http://5startuning.com/product/1-itsx-devices-2/

Also, putting a set of 4.10 or 4.30 gears will help the truck to accelerate, along with a set of headers, exhaust and intake from Gale Banks.

http://shop.bankspower.com/ag-398.32...-350-6-8l.html

Re: Ford V10 mileage/power upgrades.
 

Rory--- something very important to look at here--- That larger tire is about 4-5% larger in circumference ---if you change to that larger diameter you will be reducing your effective gear ratio from 3:73 down to about a 3:55---YES Your vehicle will probably ride smoother ---might not wander and sway as much-- you "might" get better fuel milage due to reduced engine rpm at cruising speeds--you might get increased tire life by not being overloaded----BUT if this thing was a "slug" performance wise before with a 3:73 just think how much worse it's going to be with a 3:55 !!! you need a taller rear in there to counteract the change in tire dimensions--My observation FED 387

Re: Ford V10 mileage/power upgrades.
 

SSDiv6 is right on about the 5 star tuning....see all those gas motorhomes running around with Ford V10 engines? You'd be amazed how many have installed it and based on comments on the RV forums they're very pleased. Not too expensive either...

Re: Ford V10 mileage/power upgrades.
 

FED, the truck already had the taller 235s on it when I bought it, but when new, it came with the shorter 215s. (The spare is still a 215.)
My thought was when I buy new tires next year, maybe I should consider going back to the shorter OE size tires.The shorter tires would also make it a bit easier for getting in & out of the truck, my wife would appreciate that!

Re: Ford V10 mileage/power upgrades.
 

I can't speak for the v10, but I have used tuners on diesel pick ups that I have owned and currently own. When it comes to towing, I found it easy to put simple things like a k and n filter and a tuner with a very moderate tune and pick up power and a couple mpg for towing our 24 ft trailer. If it was me, I would try the tuner first if you can and add others as needed. I would expect that between a tuner and gear swap, you would be much happier on hills.

We used to pull with gasser Chevy 350 stickshifts like late 90s model vortec engines with 3.73s and would pull in fourth of below 65mph and fifth if above. Mostly fourth gear. We would shift at 3000 rpm and it liked to be over 2500 at speed. The diesels (stick and auto) both seemed to like shifting at 2000 and to hang around 2000 rpm at speed.

Re: Ford V10 mileage/power upgrades.
 

James, I have thought about changing the rear axle ratio, but as it is now, the engine revs about 2600 RPM at 65 MPH, in 4th gear, if I regeared it to allow me to tow in 5th (OD), at similar RPM, what have I really accomplished? I don`t know what manual transmission your old gas powered trucks used, my F350 has an aluminum ZF 5 speed, if its like many other transmissions, OD gears look a fair bit thinner than the main gears, not sure how durable my ZF would be with constant towing in OD. I will give the 5 Star Tuning guys a call, but as I mentioned earlier,for the 3000 or so miles I tow in a year, spending thousand of $$$$$s to pick up 1 or 2 MPG doesn`t seem like a great deal when looking at cost per mile. Despite its age, my factory 1999 Ford single exhaust system still looks very good,so not sure I want to replace a still good factory exhaust. (Plus the few loud exhaust V10s that I have heard, mostly Dofgr Vipers, sound like crap, IMO.)