New Mbryson tow pig...”Sweaty Betty” - 2010 F350 V10

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
You guys are living dangerously. I get anxiety if I get below 1/4 tank. I learned this behavior after replacing $30 fuel pump relays in mid 90's chevy trucks once I starved the pump for 1/10 of a second.
I've found most modern fuel gauges to be pretty pessimistic. When the gauge reads 1/4 on a 20 gallon tank, you can only fit 11 or 12 gallons.
X2
Reading their comments makes me nervous.
 

haulinshine

Active Member
You guys are living dangerously. I get anxiety if I get below 1/4 tank. I learned this behavior after replacing $30 fuel pump relays in mid 90's chevy trucks once I starved the pump for 1/10 of a second.
I've found most modern fuel gauges to be pretty pessimistic. When the gauge reads 1/4 on a 20 gallon tank, you can only fit 11 or 12 gallons.
In general I fill up somewhere between 1/4 and E. I have had a couple of time where unexpected traffic or an extended offroad trip put me at E, and my worst was when I had to go grab my father-in-laws trailer from Idaho. I didn't know I had a loose turbo boot and was having high pressure boost leaking, on a 190ish mile trip with a 10k bumper pull I used 28.6gal. the last 20 or so miles I saw 0 miles to empty but didn't really have a choice on getting fuel due to location.
 

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
My favorite game is to see how far we can drive on empty, while towing a 40 foot gooseneck at 3am and watch Nate shake his head at me in disgust.

He isnt mad..... just dissapointed
We ran out of fuel about 25 miles from Truth or Consequences when hauling two rigs to a comp in LasCrusas NM, back in the day. Had to unload a rig and drive to get fuel, and then go through the hassle of priming the system. It sucked.
 

kmboren

Recovering XJ owner anonymous
Location
Southern Utah
If you did want to invest in the Titan tank, my ‘19 longbed comes with a 50 gallon factory tank, and that gives me about an 800-900 mile tank range when not towing, so I’d bet the Titan would be similar. I could get to the Farmington Grand Nationals and back without a fuel stop 😎
Will jeep be ready for Nationals?
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
Just an update on this truck. It’s been a while since I updated. I just sold it

04652D79-3B44-49CA-BEDD-9FF35152AB88.jpeg

Ha! I didn’t. It’s been a pretty impressive truck. Overall maintenance not to bad at all. I had to put a new ECM in it about 2 years ago. Exhaust about 18 months ago. Just put a new fuel gauge sender in it a couple months ago. Other than that, some spark plugs (that I let the dealership do for $300) at about 110k.

I’ve put 37k on the truck in just a few weeks under three years. Conclusions at purchase were pretty spot on. Decent performance while towing, gas stations are good friends, and an awesome towing chassis with good interior and reasonably comfortable ride for a truck that’s able to tow 22k GCVW.

The truck excels at being worked. (Surprised, yeah, me neither). It reminds me a lot of a 7.3L diesel with mild mods. With two rigs on the trailer, I’m able to top Thistle and Soldier Summit at about 55-60 mph. One rig on a car hauler, I can pull those at 70-74.

Now, the penalty for this is mpg. Commuting (3 years on this as a commuter now :0 ) I’m about 12 mpg. Two Jeeps to/from Rubicon on a 5900 lb gooseneck, 6.5. Two Jeeps to/from Moab, 6.8 down, 6.5 back. This past weekend with a single car trailer and my 5k Jeep, 8 mpg to/from Moab. My son (@ebryson ) with a 2011 F150 5.0 got 11 mpg towing similar load on same trip at same speeds (I tow at 70-72). He also has a 35ish gallon tank. I have the STUPID 25-26 gallon tank.

Since he has a trailer, I thought I’d dump my two car deckover and get into a single car hoping for 10 mpg towing. Not happening when you have to rev the 10 cylinders apparently. I couldn’t think of a good way to get a muscle car on the deckover so I sold that. After my recent Moab trip with the single car hauler, I’m contemplating getting a “car hauler” 28’ goose or going back to a 26’ bumper pull. I might as well get slightly poorer fuel mileage and tow an extra rig? I’ll stick to the single car hauler until at least mid summer this year and see what happens.

16ish years ago, my ‘99 F250 opened my eyes to Ford Super duty platforms. I tried the Dodge. It left a bad taste in my wallet. Bought a couple battered Fords and a super nice ‘98 24 valve (a crew version of that truck would be a win in a stick shift) before trying to tow with with the wife’s 3.5 Ecoboost for a while. (Whole other story on that rig—good towing but not my style at all). Settled on the V10 assuming what I’d get into and it has proven reasonably accurate. I hate that I prefer F*rd trucks but it’s undeniable that I do. My other son @cbryson, just bought a 2018ish GMC 1500 with 5.3. Hopefully that’s a good ride for him?

Verdict on the V10: I’d buy again for the same reasons I bought this one. Cheap maintenance and good capability. Comes with a mpg cost. A 2010-newer diesel pickup is going to spank Betty in the hills and laugh at her whining at the load. However, I don’t have DEF, any associated diesel maintenance or other potentially $15k check engine lights with the V10. I’d imagine a 6.2 V8 (I’m super interested in the 7.3L Ford gasser) would tow very similarly with the extra gear in the transmission?

You can buy gas or spend more for the truck? I chose to buy gas. Reasonably happy with the decision. I have just under 120k on this thing right now and was offered $19k cash, potentially more on trade, for it last time I was at the dealership for an oil change. I paid $3k (?) and my $12k G8 for this truck. Good purchase so far. Not sure if I’d say “forever” truck but it’s pretty close to that as long as I can work it enough to justify the fuel cost vs a V8 F150.

Sometimes while driving it I remember @BCGPER buying a V10 and everyone harassing him. He ran 35” tires and 4.30 gears on 2V. I run 34” tires and 4.10 gears. When towing, I’d like the 4.30 (maybe even 4.56?). For what I do with the truck, the 4.10 is a good compromise. Wisdom of BC
 
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mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
Sooo did you replace it with something?


I did not
... I just sold it


Ha! I didn’t. ...


I am still leaning towards getting a car hauler 26 bumper tow or a car hauler 28' goose and keeping the truck. It's just a baby at under 120k miles. It'd cost me at least $10-15k to get into something equivalent. I'll just keep paying for gas even with the Biden tax
 

BCGPER

Starting Another Thread
Location
Sunny Arizona
I did not



I am still leaning towards getting a car hauler 26 bumper tow or a car hauler 28' goose and keeping the truck. It's just a baby at under 120k miles. It'd cost me at least $10-15k to get into something equivalent. I'll just keep paying for gas even with the Biden tax
 

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SoopaHick

Certified Weld Judger
Moderator
D6374F7F-A4CC-4B27-9223-FECC5C7B6551.jpegJust wanted to step in here to say that since I passed up on buying @mbryson truck a couple years ago I finally came around and bought a V10 due to @Hickey influencing me and reading this thread.

Just picked up this 05 F-250 Lariat with 106k on in. Super clean truck that I'm already falling in love with!

@mbryson anything I should watch or keep track of on this since you're the V10 guy?
 

1969honda

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
Cache
Not trying to scare either of you, that v20 is a great workhorse; but of our 5 or 6 v10s on the dock in Ogden only one currently does not need all new exhaust manifold studs and manifolds. They are all idled a lot being power company rigs but only 1 has much over 100k miles, average is about 4200 hours on the engine. I started noticing broken/ missing studs while doing DOT inspections and regular oil changes in the past few months, in talking with Ed Kenley Ford and a few independent shops it is not uncommon.

Of my current rigs in the fleet the oldest is a 2015, newest are 2017s. My first oil change on the 2015 since returning from overseas this fall I found all but 3 or 4 studs on each side still intact. Since then I've found 2-4 studs total missing from each of the other trucks. Only a few where making noise from manifold leaks, but all have been a little warped and showing soot build up at one or more ports.

My theory is the thermal expansion coefficient between the cast manifold and aluminum heads is causing the studs to fail from heat cycling, but it's just a guess.
 

SoopaHick

Certified Weld Judger
Moderator
Not trying to scare either of you, that v20 is a great workhorse; but of our 5 or 6 v10s on the dock in Ogden only one currently does not need all new exhaust manifold studs and manifolds. They are all idled a lot being power company rigs but only 1 has much over 100k miles, average is about 4200 hours on the engine. I started noticing broken/ missing studs while doing DOT inspections and regular oil changes in the past few months, in talking with Ed Kenley Ford and a few independent shops it is not uncommon.

Of my current rigs in the fleet the oldest is a 2015, newest are 2017s. My first oil change on the 2015 since returning from overseas this fall I found all but 3 or 4 studs on each side still intact. Since then I've found 2-4 studs total missing from each of the other trucks. Only a few where making noise from manifold leaks, but all have been a little warped and showing soot build up at one or more ports.

My theory is the thermal expansion coefficient between the cast manifold and aluminum heads is causing the studs to fail from heat cycling, but it's just a guess.
Thanks for the info, any ideas on fixes for it? Or just periodically checking and making sure everything is where it should be?
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
I have heard the manifold studs are the issue with the V10 trucks. I had the studs done on my 2V truck quite a few years ago. I haven’t had that issue on my 2010 but I haven’t went looking for it either.


I like this truck a lot. I just keep the oil changed and keep feeding it gas. 40k miles I’ve put on mine. It just crossed 120k. Super capable truck that does everything well except get good fuel mileage. I’m about 11-12 commuting, 8 towing a single Jeep on a trailer or 6.5-7 mpg towing at 23k.

Which gears did you get? Mine has the 4.10 and 275/65 20 tires. I think I’d get maybe 1 more mpg with 3.73 but wouldn’t have the towing power. If yours has the 4.30, I’d bet it tows a bit better than mine? Going from the 35” tires I had to the 33” made a noticeable difference. I think there’s a spark plug difference between your ‘05-07 ( I think the ‘08 still have the same plug?) style but I don’t think there’s a HP difference. I’m curious to see how yours compares to a 7.3/10 speed (that’s got to be nice?). Are you planning on a 5 star or anything? That might be the only thing I’d consider doing to mine
 
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