# V10 or V8??



## Charley and Donna (Nov 7, 2003)

If you had the opportunity to choose between a V10 or V8, which would you choose and why??


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## Gary B (Nov 7, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Hi Charley, how about a bit more of a hint, Ford 460 vs 6.8L V10, or Dodge 5.9L vs V10, or Ford / Dodge/ GM. Are thinking close to the same price, miles, same vehicles, what?   :laugh:    :bleh:  :approve:


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## C Nash (Nov 7, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Charley, i have the v10 ford in our MH and have been pleased with the performance, power and mpg so far.  In talking with some of my Ford buddies they have told me that the new version v10s are ok but, the older 99 and back gave some problems.  i think they were around 275 hp and the new 310.  The 8.1 Chevy is a great MH engine in my opinion. I never was a fan of the 460 Ford but remember I am a Chevy man. The 454 was a good engine if they had proper care.  Manifolds were bad to crack and heat on the starters gave some hot starting problems. Spark plug wires were also a problem area if cheap wires are installed. I'am with GB a little more info might help. I would try  to go with the later fuel injected engines with fuel prices what they are now and they run much better IMO


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## Charley and Donna (Nov 14, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Okay, checked with DH (Charley) and he says he wants to compare the V10 with the earlier V8 ... just the Ford for now.  How do these two motors compare?  Is the new V10 better than the V8 and if so, in what ways.

Me personally (Donna), I would like to know which has the better engine ... the diesel or the gas V10 (either Ford or Dodge).

If you had a preference, would you go with the Ford or the Dodge ... and why?

So, basically, just whatever info you have in general and then some  :approve: 

I looked at the Ford Quad cab diesel today ... compared that with the Dodge and they run about the same price (2004 models) ... the Dodge offers a better rebate and/or interest rate ... but the Ford gives me a better trade on my Mazda.

Both say we will need at least a one ton (350 or 3500) to pull a 5er (11,000-12,000 gvwr).

Any advice appreciated.


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## hertig (Nov 14, 2003)

V10 or V8??

It would probably be best to decide on the trailer before signing on the bottom line for a truck.  Certainly having an idea which truck you prefer is good, as that imposes some limit on the trailer you get.  However, it is a real annoyance when it turns out that the trailer you want is just 'that much' over what your truck can handle.

An iterative process seems the most effective, and you may already be following it.  Get a wide idea of what you want to pull, figure out which truck(s) can pull that and pick your favorite truck from that range, then look for the trailer that truck can pull.  Once you find the trailer and the truck which match each other and your style, you are all set.

I can't speak about Ford V8s, but I can speak about Chevy V8s, and in my opinion, a 'small', gas V8 is not a great choice for towing.  My 6.0L and 350 V8s; great engines though they are, struggle to get an under 7000 pound trailer up any grade.  'Big' gas engines, like the 454 have towing potential, although in some cases the gas mileage may not be very attractive.  From remarks on this and other forums, it is possible that some V10s may be better towing engines than equivalent sized V8s, but I have no experiance to verify this.  

In most cases, diesel owners seem to be quite satisfied with the towing capabilities of their engines.


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## Shadow (Nov 15, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Hi,be sure to check out the diesels before you choose. I would go with the 1 ton, that way when you look for a trailer the truck dosen't become the issue. But everyone has a budget,and the diesels run a bit more. We prefer the ford, you get the full rear seat and leg room with the crew cab.


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## C Nash (Nov 16, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Shadow, don't understand you :clown:  If you like Fords, why wont you send me that Chevelle :laugh:


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## Shadow (Nov 16, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Don,t know what happen chelse, woke up one morning told the wife I was going to buy a ford. I do prefer the ford truck over the chevy now. :laugh:  Been to the doctor, He said this might be tempoary. So I better hold on to the chevelle for now. :bleh:


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## C Nash (Nov 16, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Guess we all have to be punished once in our life   but come to think of it I have owned two fords.  Wish I had that first car I ever owned back, a 49 ford two door, lowered in back, two antennas on rear, fender skirts, dual exhaust with smitties and pennys blocking heat holes and three carbs with eledebrock intake on the bigger Mercury engine, smoke gray exterior with yellow and black interior.  Back when the cams were simple like a 3/4 race cam and didn't know about lift, duration and such.
  :bleh:  Just never could understand why the transmission and clutch went out so much :laugh:


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## Ed H. (Nov 16, 2003)

V10 or V8??

It all depends on just what the truck will be doing. If you will use it mostly for towing, the big engine might be a better choice, but if you will tow only a small percentage of the time, do you really need to spend the extra $ upfront and deal with the lower gas milage just to drive to work?
 Diesel payback takes a while (Trailer Life did a comparison a couple of years ago between a V-10 and diesel Ford. They came up with 84,000 miles if gas and diesel cost the same, 180,000 if diesel is 5 cents a galon more.) so if you won't be logging a lot of miles, that may not be economical.
I have been driving small block Chevies for 18 years and have only had maybe a dozen times when I could have used a little more power. It all goes back to what you want the truck to do . If moving the maximum load up the steepest grade at 80 MPH is your goal, then get the biggest engine they have, but if you will put on most of your miles driving to work or the supermarket, an "adquate" engine will save you some $ in the long run.


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## jmerritt (Nov 26, 2003)

V10 or V8??

I would think that the engine with the greater torque would be the way to go if you are looking for towing capacity or for pulling a MH up a hill. Don't know the torque ratings for the 7.5 V8 versus the 6.8 V10 but the one with the most torque would be the one I would go with unless the torque values are very close and one does better on MPG.


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## Cheyenps (Dec 14, 2003)

V10 or V8??

I don't know that I prefer one over the other, but they are definitely different.

My last three trucks (F-350 crew cabs, all) had 460's.  My current truck has the 6.8 litre V-10 - 2000 model.  I tow a 98 Wilderness 26' trailer, and the truck is always loaded to about 10,000 pounds gross (Utility body and tools).

The 460's towed the trailer with relative ease, staying in overdrive most of the time, with occasional shifts to third on grades.  Downshifts to second on Interstates were very rare - generally mountain passes.  Mileage towing was between 8 and 9 on all three trucks, 10/11 solo.  Overheating was never a problem, and the engines held up well; each to about 200K before I swapped 'em off.  Transmissions each needed to be replaced at about 90K, a remarkable statement about predictive failure engineering, IMHO.  

The V-10 is definitely different.  It shifts out of overdrive on all but the slightest grades when towing, and in hilly terrain I lock the overdrive out.  Second gear downshifts are not unusual, spinning the engine up to some 4500 RPM at 60 MPH where it seems to be most productive.  The transmission is a lot "busier" than it was with the 460's.  Mileage is better than with the 460's - 11 towing and about 13 solo.  The engine itself is a lot smoother/ quieter, which makes up for the fact it spins faster to do the same job.  The longevity of the transmission remains to be seen; I have put a huge cooler on it to try to make it last a bit longer.

Do I prefer the V-10 6.8 to the V-8 460's?  I definitely prefer it for solo use, and the increased gas mileage is a plus.  For towing, a big V-8 might be a better choice, if only because it seems odd to have a truck engine that spins that fast.  If I were towing something heavier, the higher RPM's might bother me.  I've gotten used to it though, and IMHO it's a small price to pay for an engine this smooth in regular driving.


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## buckbs (Dec 16, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Charley and Donna,

I have a F-350 PSD dually, 4.10 rear end, with camper package, full guages, auto with LS.  I pull a 12,000 fifth wheel with it, and I can tell you from experience that you need a turbodiesel with as much weight as you are talking about with that size fifth wheel.

The V-10 will do the job, but just barely, and you will not pass up any gas stations with that engine.  The torque, pulling power, reliability, and better gas mileage make the turbodiesel a better choice.  Some people argue about the higher price of going to a turbodiesel engine, but believe me, it is worth every penny.


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## airtime_262 (Dec 20, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Charley and Donna,
I bought an '02 GMC 2500hd CC with the 8.1L engine. That is the replacement motor for the 454. This one is a 496. I wanted to, and should've bought the Duramax, but couldn't afford the extra $5000. buckbs has a good point on the gas mileage, I can watch the gas gauge move a quarter tank each time it shifts, (not really, but real close). Before I bought mine I figured, in an average, it would take about 6-8 yrs to make up the price diff, but if you were to re-sell, the diesel holds it's price better. I personally like the Duramax better. It's quieter, and made by Isuzu who's been making diesels for God knows how long. Both Ford and Dodge have good diesels, I personally think they're to loud. If your'e gonna be pulling anything over 8,000lbs, do yourself a favor and get a diesel. I would have no reservations about pulling my trucks limit (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating) of 22,000lbs with my 8.1, but, I know all the local gas station attendants on a first name basis. Definitely do not get a small block if your'e gonna pull that much. You'll be severely disappointed. I have some friends that drive an '02 Chevy 3500 w/Duramax and pull around 12000lbs and get in the area of 14-18 mpg (depending on how late they are). Just my opinion, 
AT-
Oh, I like Chelse's post about getting punished, sorry Shadow, I just hope that the Chevelle gets gets the garage space! :bleh:


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## airtime_262 (Dec 20, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Charley and Donna,
You can also go to another website forum to get some info you might want, you can read for free, but It'll cost you to post. Check it out and see what you think, it's called "thedieselpage.com".
Hope this helps,
AT_


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## Jim@pocketmail (Dec 27, 2003)

V10 or V8??

Hello Charlie,

We need more info to answer this question.

How heavy are you going to tow, fulltimming or week ends and at what altitudes.

Then we can help.

Jim


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## shag01_1999 (Jan 11, 2004)

V10 or V8??

I have been pulling a 14000+ 38ft 5th wheel for two years with a 3002 Dodge 3/4 ton diesel.  It is a stick shift, which I highly recommend.  I know I am really overloading (300#) but it pulls good and the 3/4 and 1 ton are both rated at 20,000lb. so the only difference is the suspension.  And I get between 11-13mpg while towing and 20+ when touring.  So I don't recommend this setup because of the specs, but it does work for me.


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