Ford E350 Question

[tlivingstone]

Last summer I got a permit to raft the Rogue river. 8 hours each way from where I live. I took a 2016 Ram 3500 with Cummins and a small trailer with raft on it and 4 people. My brother brought his Subaru Forester with a trailer and a raft on it. We both got 15-16 mpg. I was just loafing and he had that little car wrapped out just to keep it moving. I think he was only in overdrive on downhill runs. It seems to me that a motor has a sweet spot where it is designed to run. My 2016 truck seems to be about 1700-2000 rpm and I could stay there most all the time. I like the idea of using a motor in its sweet spot for my own sanity and because, right or wrong, I feel like that will add to the longevity of the motor. I will do more research on the 5.4, but I'm not convinced yet that it is the right motor for me.

 

[FDM2012]

If you find a van with a 5.4 that you like, I wouldn't shy away from it. My 1998 conversion has a
newer model 5.4 (2003 or 04, if I remember right) and it has plenty of power for sensibly pulling up to about to 5k.
*Probably going to sell it later this summer.*

 

[Eaglefreek]

I'm more than happy with my extended high roof with a 5.4l. It has enough power for me. I've towed a few vehicles on a flatbed trailer with it and had felt it did the job just fine. I don't know how much power it will lose at higher elevation, though.

 

[Navi]

I guess I'm the oddball. I thought even the 6.0 diesel in the vans was pathetic in stock form.
I have the 5.4 in my 2001 F150 Supercrew and had it in my 99 f150 supercab. It was fine in those but i still didn't like towing with it much.

 

[derjack]

....
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?

...QUOTE]

I cannot remember how many times I ve read questions AND answers about 5.4 vs 6.8 or in addition diesel. Ask 5 People you get 5 different answers, ask 10, you get 10.
Asking how strong something "feels" is totally useless! As you are not driving faster than 70mph- anyway.
If you want to make a 5.4 faster get a shorter diff, also discussed a hundred times here and in sportsmobile forum etcetc

 

[Eaglefreek]

I guess I'm the oddball. I thought even the 6.0 diesel in the vans was pathetic in stock form.
I have the 5.4 in my 2001 F150 Supercrew and had it in my 99 f150 supercab. It was fine in those but i still didn't like towing with it much.

The company I work for has a 06 F250 4x4 5.4L SRW with a flatbed and it's a real dog. Not sure why my van feels much quicker.

 

[migx333]

Reviving this old thread

I have a 2013 E350 5.4V8 with a high roof and interior build out.

Thinking of making this my all around overlanding rig also. Do you think it’s worth it to 4x4 this rig? Or just keep it as a 2WD pavement camper if you don’t think it’ll do well off pavement ?

 

[Bikersmurf]

Reviving this old thread

I have a 2013 E350 5.4V8 with a high roof and interior build out.

Thinking of making this my all around overlanding rig also. Do you think it’s worth it to 4x4 this rig? Or just keep it as a 2WD pavement camper if you don’t think it’ll do well off pavement ?

Every 4x4 van will have it's limitations off road. A lot depends on where you plan to drive it. For logging roads in these parts 2wd will go anywhere a 4x4 would go. For off-road, full sized rigs are way to massive to go on the trails.

For these reasons, I've chosen to stay 2WD for the Ambo, and keep my 40 for wheeling. With a mild lift, 33" tires, skid plates, trimmed rockers, and rock sliders, it'll go further than almost any long wheelbase raised top van... probably even in 2wd. There's no comparison... so I have a base camp rig, and a trail runner.

 

[deserteagle56]

Every 4x4 van will have it's limitations off road. A lot depends on where you plan to drive it. For logging roads in these parts 2wd will go anywhere a 4x4 would go. For off-road, full sized rigs are way to massive to go on the trails.

You are correct except for the part about 2wd will go anywhere a 4x4 will go. There I beg to disagree. I lived with a 2wd van for several years before going to the 4wd version. No comparison as far as off-road capabilities. There is not enough weight in the back of a 2wd van for good traction. Good luck with backing up a very steep hill where the road surface is covered with loose rocks - but you can't continue forward because the road has become impassable. I bet I loaded a half-ton of rocks in the back of my 2wd van before I got out of that situation. Or a road that has been covered with blow sand - the rear tires just can't push the heavy front end of the van through that stuff. Don't have any experience with logging roads...not many of them out here in the high desert...but out here 4wd is a big advantage over 2wd.

Just having a transfer case with low range makes a big difference so you can ease over obstacles without burning up the transmission.

 

[Deshet]

old post but
the 5.4, 6.8, and 7.3 are all good engines
van 6.0 we're also decent but can be made to be great.
They can all tow and all have been in step vans, F350s, dump trucks, and buses.
Rear end gears and tuning will make the same engine perform different
I have owned a lot of Econoline vans
if you have a problem starting a 7.3 at/around 30f then you have glow plug issues. ((uvch usually) try to cycle glow plugs three times wait 60 seconds each time)
I owned several worn out 460s and prefer the new 5.4 over it. (newer motors preform better with high mileage)
they are all good new but, the 5.4 is simple and is easy to work on they are also known to take extreme abuse.
The modular motors can be tuned to increase power and the transmissions are much better.
a 7.3 van sells for double that of a 5.4.
research the problem years around 1998-2004 for the 5.4 and 6.8
same with the 6.0 2003-2004
Space is tight in the Econoline engine bay .
If you pay some one to repair your van go with the 5.4, larbor on the bigger motors sometimes is 2 to 3 times the standard cost.
Basically none of them are sluggish and they perform well for the size and shape.

 

[Bikersmurf]

You are correct except for the part about 2wd will go anywhere a 4x4 will go. There I beg to disagree. I lived with a 2wd van for several years before going to the 4wd version. No comparison as far as off-road capabilities. There is not enough weight in the back of a 2wd van for good traction. Good luck with backing up a very steep hill where the road surface is covered with loose rocks - but you can't continue forward because the road has become impassable. I bet I loaded a half-ton of rocks in the back of my 2wd van before I got out of that situation. Or a road that has been covered with blow sand - the rear tires just can't push the heavy front end of the van through that stuff. Don't have any experience with logging roads...not many of them out here in the high desert...but out here 4wd is a big advantage over 2wd.

Just having a transfer case with low range makes a big difference so you can ease over obstacles without burning up the transmission.

One thing I didn’t factor in is that the only van I’ve had experience with is a dually 2WD Ambo. Empty it has 6k+ over the rear axle and 3k+ on the front. Therefore it’ll go anywhere a 12’ wide logging truck will go (and likely many they won’t).
On road snow isn’t usually a concern, but I wouldn’t want to go through more than a foot of snow with it. We only see a week of snow here a year (if at all) so it’s not a big concern. Which brings me back to my original point… it all depends on where and how you plan to use it. Although the extra weight over my rear axle certainly changes what a “2WD” can do.

 

[iggi]

@Bikersmurf do you have a limited slip in the rear on your ambo? Mine does and when it works it's pretty amazing where the rig can go. Without it I've been equally surprised on how easily it gets stuck.

 

[Bikersmurf]

@Bikersmurf do you have a limited slip in the rear on your ambo? Mine does and when it works it's pretty amazing where the rig can go. Without it I've been equally surprised on how easily it gets stuck.

I do.

 

[Deshet]

A locker and a winch with some common sense should allow a person to take on most real world situations.

This was posted a while back 2wd van with ox locker

2wd Van with Ox locker