tlivingstone
New member
Hi Folks:
I'm looking for a little advice from those in the know about the Ford E-350 vans out there. I live on a ranch in Elko County, Nevada and its got a lot of perks to it, but is also makes running around to test drive vans difficult.
So, I'm looking at 15 passenger vans because we had one when I was a kid and with three benches and a small bed in the back and it really made road tripping fun. I've got four kids and three dogs and I'd like to upgrade in space from a Suburban. I have a lot of great memories in that old Econoline monster that had a 460 and a C-6.
I've had lots of experience with 7.3 Powerstrokes in trucks here on the ranch and I'm not too interested in those for a few reasons: the amount of the noise involved with those, the fact that I can't seem to get them to start below 30 degrees without being plugged in (not conducive to high altitude fall camping in my opinion), and at most, I will be towing a small trailer on it with a raft or two or perhaps a couple snowmobiles.
When I was in college I had a job as a flunkie at a drug rehab place and one of my jobs was to run around and pick up the teenagers who had to come for therapy and we used a 15 passenger van with the V10 and I remember it having good power.
So, I'm leaning towards the 6.8 V10 and here's the rub as most of you know. I don't see many. Most of the newer vans are coming with the 5.4. I would love to be able to test drive a van or two with the 5.4 and see how much umph they have, but like I said, I don't see myself finding one online and hustling down to Southern CA or Portland or Denver or wherever to get there before it is sold, just to find that they are, shall we say, less than able.
When I was in college I had a job as a flunkie at a drug rehab place and one of my jobs was to run around and pick up the teenagers who had to come for therapy and we used a 15 passenger van with the V10 and I remember it having good power.
That leads me to the big question of, those of you with a 5.4 in the van, what do you think? Or even better, if anyone has had both, what is your impression on the difference in power of both? Am I wrong on the 5.4? Is it peppier than I'm thinking it is? Is the 6.8 that much better? Is there another solution that I'm not seeing?
Please, I don't want a diesel verses gas pissing match.
Also--I've tried to search this and either I don't know the right key words or this topic hasn't been bandied about much. If this has been beat to death, can someone post a link to those discussions?
Thanks for the help and if you are ever passing through Ruby Valley, NV--stop in to say "hi." We have a strict open door policy around here.
I'm looking for a little advice from those in the know about the Ford E-350 vans out there. I live on a ranch in Elko County, Nevada and its got a lot of perks to it, but is also makes running around to test drive vans difficult.
So, I'm looking at 15 passenger vans because we had one when I was a kid and with three benches and a small bed in the back and it really made road tripping fun. I've got four kids and three dogs and I'd like to upgrade in space from a Suburban. I have a lot of great memories in that old Econoline monster that had a 460 and a C-6.
I've had lots of experience with 7.3 Powerstrokes in trucks here on the ranch and I'm not too interested in those for a few reasons: the amount of the noise involved with those, the fact that I can't seem to get them to start below 30 degrees without being plugged in (not conducive to high altitude fall camping in my opinion), and at most, I will be towing a small trailer on it with a raft or two or perhaps a couple snowmobiles.
When I was in college I had a job as a flunkie at a drug rehab place and one of my jobs was to run around and pick up the teenagers who had to come for therapy and we used a 15 passenger van with the V10 and I remember it having good power.
So, I'm leaning towards the 6.8 V10 and here's the rub as most of you know. I don't see many. Most of the newer vans are coming with the 5.4. I would love to be able to test drive a van or two with the 5.4 and see how much umph they have, but like I said, I don't see myself finding one online and hustling down to Southern CA or Portland or Denver or wherever to get there before it is sold, just to find that they are, shall we say, less than able.
When I was in college I had a job as a flunkie at a drug rehab place and one of my jobs was to run around and pick up the teenagers who had to come for therapy and we used a 15 passenger van with the V10 and I remember it having good power.
That leads me to the big question of, those of you with a 5.4 in the van, what do you think? Or even better, if anyone has had both, what is your impression on the difference in power of both? Am I wrong on the 5.4? Is it peppier than I'm thinking it is? Is the 6.8 that much better? Is there another solution that I'm not seeing?
Please, I don't want a diesel verses gas pissing match.
Also--I've tried to search this and either I don't know the right key words or this topic hasn't been bandied about much. If this has been beat to death, can someone post a link to those discussions?
Thanks for the help and if you are ever passing through Ruby Valley, NV--stop in to say "hi." We have a strict open door policy around here.