[cnacowboy]

i am looking to buy a diesel f250 or a f350 quad cab with a manuel trans within a year. i did own a 7.3 idi and had troubles with it so what im wanting to know is whats the best engine for power and fuel mileage as this will be my daily driver and im looking to buy a camper maybe a 5th wheel and im going to be a new dad and my soon to be wife has 2 kids already so that's what i want to know any help or ideas will help and i may want to to mention that i am wanting to build a house so will need good towing also.

 

[351fifty]

Get a 350 crew cab, I would say a 7.3 with some 3:55 gearing should get done what you need, but obviously the newer the truck the better the results when it comes to mileage and power stock.

 

[cnacowboy]

true im looking for years 1995 - 2002

 

[85_305]

Well your options are a... 7.3. Enjoy.

 

[cnacowboy]

ya i really loved my old diesel i want another 1 but i think i want a newer 1 i can make money with it and i am going to have to sence my girl freind is pregnant this will be my first kid and she has 2 already. anyway 1 last question what would be a good rearend ratio so i can at least get 20 mile a gal

 

[jesilvas]

20mpg? Doable but you gotta be easy on it and get some mods done too. 3.55s are probably you're best bet. I can get 16.5 out of my 4.10s.

 

[351fifty]

Hell I've pulled a wee bit over 17 with my 4:10's gonna swap to 3:55 tho since I bought the truck for highway

 

[ianstew]

Best i got was 18 on I95, through the flats of SC

4.10 rears DRW

 

[351fifty]

Mine was through the rockies, I hit 21 once goin down hill headed towards Oklahoma on 40

 

[Buffalo444]

You'll need a SRW and a manual to hit that number.

 

[85_305]

ya i really loved my old diesel i want another 1 but i think i want a newer 1 i can make money with it and i am going to have to sence my girl freind is pregnant this will be my first kid and she has 2 already. anyway 1 last question what would be a good rearend ratio so i can at least get 20 mile a gal

Are you talking about city mpg or highway mpg? My old f250 super duty 2x4 6spd would hit 22mpg in the city VERY consistently if I drove it sane. If I drove insane, i'd get 18-19mpg city. Cant vouch for highway mpg since it never really hit the highway for an entire tank that I can remember.

 

[ekfinn]

Mine was through the rockies, I hit 21 once goin down hill headed towards Oklahoma on 40

Hell yeah... I remember getting 22 coming out of the rockies and into the Uintah basin of Utah... Nothing like driving downhill for 150 miles.

 

[RPurdy]

You'll need a SRW and a manual to hit that number.

Im going to challenge you no that, you dont NEED a SRW, if you want a dually thats fine, just be prepared to swap it out for a lower gear end. All duallys usually came with 4.10s. You only loose like 1 mpg to the drag and fenders of the dually. The rest is just rear end gearing.

 

[ridiculously_necessary]

my 95 250 2wd auto 4:10's i could hit 19.5 empty, never going over 2k rpms on the hiway. of course it had single shots...

my 99 obviously has splits, but PO said he got 17 hiway. 4x4 with 3.73's. FWIW, i love the way my 99 tows over the 95. not that the 95 was bad, just a noticable difference.

best bet manual, 2wd, 3.55's intake and exhaust, and for fun a chip. good luck finding 3.55's though.

 

[Saabeh]

I would say a 2WD common rail cummins!

If you're looking in the years of 1995-2002 for a powerstroke, then your only engine choice is the 7.3 lol.

 

[351fifty]

The cummins would be better for that, but the Ford is the only crew cab worth it till dodge finally made one in what 01-02?

 

[ridiculously_necessary]

The cummins would be better for that, but the Ford is the only crew cab worth it till dodge finally made one in what 01-02?

03 or 04 iirc...

 

[351fifty]

Even better tho, get like an 85 f350 crew cab, drop a cummins in it and back it with an Allison and use 05+ axles, that would be awesome

 

[85_305]

The allison blows goats

 

[351fifty]

Zf6 then lmao