Thoughts on an '99 F350 V10

[Terrain]

Hi everyone,

Been on the forum for a bit while searching for a proper vehicle to build my expedition rig. I found an extended '99 F350 4x4 with a V10, 5 speed, & dual rear wheels axle that has a flatbed w-dump . Has the vinyl bench seat & manual windows for simplicity.

It's priced at $2500 with a bad motor that is @ 180k miles & was used as a tree service truck.

After my researching it seems that this truck should have the dana 60 over the dana 50 that came in the earlier Superduty's. For the cost of installing a new engine I think I should have a decent rig that'll last a long while.

Anyone here have thoughts on this? The price seems pretty good for my needs & future goals.

 

[tatanka48]

when visiting w/ folks driving and pulling w/ the V-10 i remember the direction of the conversation usually going along the lines of...

they would pull a house off it's foundation and pass everything on the road EXCEPT a gas station

mind you this is all hear say as my F-350 has the 7.3 powerstroke in it and has for the last 360k miles

T

 

[RPhil]

DRW of that year should have the D60. Verify the casting on the case.

Check for rust (rockers, windshield), that should be your biggest issue.

Ford still makes the V10. The engine is very reliable, but thirsty. Don’t be scared to wind it up for the power, which will be required for heavier loading (camper or towing) over hills on the highway. If you want to put larger tires on, you may want to regear.

If you are putting a junkyard motor in, service the exhaust manifold studs before it goes back in. Replace the spark plugs and COPs as well while it’s out. Google which plugs and COPs to use, apparently it can be hit or miss with aftermarket choices. The stud job is not fun with the engine in a vehicle and the studs will rust and eventually snap. The furthest back plugs on each side are difficult while in the truck, but not too bad.

 

[BritKLR]

I had a Ford V-10, CC, 4wd, DRW, auto. One of the first "4wd off-road" models. It hauled a Lance 1130 while towing a Jeep all over the US. Very reliable and got a solid 16 mph whether towing or not. Never had a problem with it. Good truck. Good luck!

 

[Terrain]

Thanks for the reply's everyone!

I'll most likely get a chance to check it out next week when I get back home from vacation. Been researching on crate engines & rebuilds for preparation of what the cost might be to fix the engine. I don't have the skill or space to take on a project like that so I wanted to be sure before I make a decision.

For $2500 i'm guessing it's a good deal for a long term build. I had thought about a diesel, but with my plans to move to Montana I figure it'd be a hassle with the fuel gelling up on me in the winter.

 

[Buliwyf]

Brand new long block is about $7500. Reman'd long block is about $4000. Install is $2000.

If the truck is rust free, I'd go new. Maybe I'd rebuild the auto trans at the same time.

 

[Terrain]

Brand new long block is about $7500. Reman'd long block is about $4000. Install is $2000.

If the truck is rust free, I'd go new. Maybe I'd rebuild the auto trans at the same time.

Thankfully it's not an auto, I probably wouldn't touch it if it was. Not that I have anything against them, but my experience is that manuals are more reliable & easier to keep the mpg up. I also stray away from anything that has rust even if it's cheap.

So why would you choose a new engine over a reman'd from a reputable company or have the current engine rebuilt?

 

[Buliwyf]

Yeah, but my reman was a 3v 5.4L. They did not replace the cam phasers. Who knows how many miles were on them. Very loud. Reman'd engines just get reman'd as needed. They don't get fully rebuilt.

The V10 doesn't have that issue. But if I could afford a factory new engine, and a fresh clutch, that's what I'd do. As long as the truck's a keeper. My 2008 wasn't, so I went the reman route. The 2 valve per cylinder modulars are 300,000 mile engines easy, so It's not money wasted. I think they were better than the faster 3 valve engines.

 

[Terrain]

Well I decided that the search for a decent 4x4 pickup wasn't going to pan out so I decided to go a different route. I decided to buy an E-150 Club Wagon w-81k miles for $1,250. I figured for the time being the van would work as a family hauler & still have the capacity to haul gear.

I've seen some nice looking expedition van builds, so I think it might be fun to work on this to make it a occasional camping rig.

Here's a pic off the ad that was listed. I plan to take some pic's & document the progress. Next steps are to change out the tire's & maybe wheels, tint, and either replace the carpet or use a roll on bedliner.

 

[Ari3sgr3gg0]

Get a front and rear hitch for a portable winch mount and you could off road quite a few places with a little more effort. Plus just keep the winch inside the van for secure storage and away from prying eyes

 

[Terrain]

Thanks, but I don't plan to take this thing offroad, it's only in my driveway because I didn't want a mini van & couldn't afford the stupid prices that used 4x4's are going for in my area.

My plans so far are to gut it and pick up some ford transit seats and install them for the kids to sit in. I gutted all the rear interior plastic, carpet & seats a few days ago & plan to redo the floor in a Durabak roll on bedliner in the rear for cargo & carpet for the passenger areas. I'm picking up a pair of front vinyl seats with arm rest to replace the worn cloth seats in the front this week. Just waiting now for the rain to let off this week to get started on cleaning up the interior.

My idea for the build is to keep it close to what a company would want to use for a small business & sell it when I'm ready to buy what I really want. After all the research I did on this van, I'd rather have an E250 or E350 for a camper/expedition vehicle. The gearing is 3.08 which makes it a pig going down the road with the 5.0.