rob85546
Hot arizona
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Joined: 03/14/2006
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Of coarse its the best of the 3... I wouldnt expect more from you..LOL.....
I would keep the diesel......them f450's are nice.......But on the other hand Im sure you could still get a good amount for the f450 and get a f350 at a good price..
Capt Skup wrote:Yup, a diesel loving truck nut is actually giving it much thought. Nope, nothing wrong with my truck, other than it is a whole lot more truck than I need these days. It has been everything Ford promised it would be. Guess what got me thinking was that I took a 2009 F-350SRW V-10 out for a test drive and I think I may have fallen for the truck. I have very recently driven a new Dodge Cummins, a Chevy Duramax and of course my F-450 and I think I like the F-350 with the V-10 the best. It has more than enough grunt to pull my camper, the boat I am shopping for is too big for trailering, so do I really need a diesel?? Plus the price is so good. The V-10 with dual flowmasters sounds real nice, I can return to cruising on the sands without fear of burying the frontend due to weight, and the mileage ain't too shabby. I could buy this dealer stocked truck or weight for a 2011 with the 6.2(maybe equipped with Ecoboost twin turbochargers?) What is a guy to do?
2007 GMC DURAMAX,LBZ,4 by Crew, Allison
Magnaflow Turbo Back Exhaust
Predator Tuner
17 by 9 mottos on 295 grapplers
6 year old boy, Kyle
4 year old baby girl, Kaylin
Sea ray boat
Corvette
SandRail
HD WideGlide
FORD Expediton
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rob85546
Hot arizona
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I can see how going a 135mph might be useful... It was fun in the 300zx I was in years ago, but a van??
carringb wrote:Almost 260,000 miles on my V10. So far had to replace the starter relay, 2 oxygen sensor, 2 serpentine belts, and 2 sets of spark pugs and 1 set of plug boots. Since I'm running an aggressive tune, the platinum spark plugs don't last as long (~65,000 miles) so I've switched to iridium plugs and those should last longer.
As for performance, my van does 0-60 in 7 seconds flat on 87-octane. And it's no lightweight. It will also hit 135MPH so sweat. Haven't tried to fully max it out yet.
I have towed up to 18,000 pounds with it although 10,000 is more typical. Over the last year, approx. 95% of my miles have been towing.
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Golden_HVAC
Fulltime, CA, USA
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Joined: 08/19/2003
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carringb wrote:No need to tell me about aerodynamics. Thanks though. I'm probably one of the few on this forum with the ability to perform CFD modeling, (and then verify those models at North America's only full-scale truck wind tunnel).
BTW - due to the shape of the front end on the Ford vans, front end downforce increases with speed. This is true of many minivans as well, and most modern semi-tractors with aero. Actually most cars will not see lift on the front axle, due to design elements that improve cooling and improve fuel economy.
Speaking of semi-trucks... Most modern semi trucks are capable of doing triple digit speeds (wind tunnel studies are only performed at 55 however, as that speed provides sufficient data). A truck with full aero treatment pulling a dry van trailer will have less aerodynamic drag than a typical pickup/pickup combo.
I think some of you are under-estimating the capabilities of modern vehicles. (Now the modern driver.... that's another story).
So have you tested the van in the salt flats?
I would guess that it might take a couple of miles to get up to 120, a little farther to go 135. I took my F-350 and camper out on El Mirage dry lakebed once and took it up to about 50. I did not want to push it with that heavy and tall camper on the back. It is not far from Edwards Air Force Base, in Southern California. Dry, (most of the year) flat and about 10 miles across. Used to be free, but I hear they charge for it now.
I think my Edge might go over 120 there. I wonder if they give speeding tickets on the salt flats? At least I have tires rated for over 100 MPH, while the LT truck tires typically are only rated at 85 MPH maximum.
I might consider paying for a tank of fuel to see it, but would not want to ride in the van at 135, no offense. I would just feel safer in the Edge, with all around air bags and tires rated closer to 125 MPH. And a gust of wind might ruin the best of plans.
Good Luck,
Fred.
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camping man
Central Fla.
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Joined: 09/01/2001
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Reminds me of when I changed from a 35004x4 dually to 2500 4x2SRW truck, everyone though I was crazy. Five years now ,and I'm still happy I did it, but I wont give up my 20mpg, and go back to 11mpg.. I don't think it's the diesel thing, as much as it is just too much truck.
05 Dodge 2500 2WD Quadcab,6cyl. Diesel
Me
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Hannibal
Gas Station
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I haven't seen 11mpg empty out of a gasser since my '75 1-ton Dodge van with it's 360cid, 3spd auto and 4.10 ratio. I wouldn't go back to that either. But 14~city, 17hwy and 8.5~ towing ain't too bad with the 5.7L Hemi in a 3/4 ton pickup.
Rob, your post ran chills up my spine. I watched a high school friend crash his 240Z into a concrete subdivision entrance gate way back in the '70s while racing outside a new neighborhood development on a little used two lane. He was trapped in his car and bled out at the scene. That ended our street racing and after the shock wore off, we took it to the track for a measily $10 to run all we wanted with tree and traps and safety equipment and no worries about tickets.
'05 2500HD Dodge SLT RB1 5.7L Hemi 5spd auto/4.56. 119k miles
ex '95 Cummins,'98 12v Cummins,'01.5 Cummins,'03 Cummins
'07 KZ Jag 28JFSS.
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8.1 Van
Millstone NJ
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My 2002 8.1 big block 3500 van has 340HP@4200rpm 460tq@3200rpm vs the 6.8 E350 that only has
305HP@4250rpm 420TQ@3250rpm . And there are a million times more performance parts for the big block chevy that dominates NHRA and IHRA drag racing with power ratings from "700HP DESIGNED TO RUN ON 93 OCTANE PUMP GAS, 9.5 TO 1 COMPRESSION CROSS COUNTRY ENDURANCE" or "820HP DESIGNED TO RUN ON 93 OCTANE PUMP GAS, 10.5 TO 1 COMPRESSION CROSS COUNTRY ENDURANCE" up to 2550HP + for IHRA Pro Stock .
* This post was
edited 10/24/09 08:03am by 8.1 Van *
2002 Chevy Express LS 3500 8.1 155" WB passenger van 3.73 posi (GT4/G80)
2003 Thor Citation 41-ZBSR 41ft TT
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DaCarmack
Murrieta ca
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Joined: 06/09/2005
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I think he pushing more them 305hp sense he has the bank kit on it and more.
http://www.bankspower.com/products/show/126/38
Me and my old man but that same banks kit on his 26.5ft Lazy Daze,
that kit turned it in to a monster. Really it was scary fast now.
The 8.1L is bad a$$, but in the van there are no header's the will fit it that I know of, and maybe not even a intake for it. So with that said I say there are no bolt on performance part for a 8.1L van, except for a computer re-flash. If I'm wrong, I have no problem saying so.
So let's see some smog legal bolt on's that fit the Van.
DaCarmack
Rv'less for now 
2005 Honda TRX 400 ATV
1983 Honda 185s ATC
2004 Saturn Ion Redline (can you say sleeper)
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8.1 Van
Millstone NJ
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For the price of the Banks Powerpack system you could add a K&N filter with custom headers and exhaust with 8.1 re-flashing chip to do the same thing.
Custom Headers performance exhaust system
K&N 8.1 Van air filter
Bully Dog Power Pup Downloader For 98-06 GM with 4.3L V6, 5.3/5.7/6.0/8.1L V8
BTW my 8.1 van stays in OD on all grades fully loaded (9,500 lbs non towing) with cruise control set to the 70mph speed limit that I take on my trips to Myrtle Beach SC, Florida etc and have no desire to spend $3,000 for more power. The performance headers and exhaust only have an advantage with wide open throttle and don't do anything with cruise set to the speed limit.
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DaCarmack
Murrieta ca
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Custom made header are nice, but were I am, if there's no CARB sticker, it aint happen. The K&N is just a drop in. I'm talking about also having a bigger opening for it to suck down more air. Now I have know Idea how big a 8.1 van's opening is. I hope its noting like a Astro van, that was way to small. The PUP looks to me like a hypertec so I know what that is. Now as for the power of the 8.1 your preaching to the converted. The only one I have driven was a U-haul. The 26ft model full to the top, towing a car hauler with a Hyundai Accent on it, also full of stuff. 65+MPH on I10 out to Phoenix got 7MPG, and that was with a heavy foot. I thought that was pretty good for that big box. After driving that I will not buy a diesel.
8.1 Van, on the hypertec it never got rid of the torque management, and I did not see that on the PUP. Do you still have torque management on the Van? At lest on the 6.0L GM had to send the whole computer off to get rid of it, but man what a different's
carringb, get that video so we can put this to rest.
DaCarmack
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willald
NC
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Joined: 07/15/2002
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8.1 Van wrote:BTW my 8.1 van stays in OD on all grades fully loaded (9,500 lbs non towing) with cruise control set to the 70mph speed limit that I take on my trips to Myrtle Beach SC, Florida etc and have no desire to spend $3,000 for more power.
Of course, just about ANY vehicle could do that in complete stock form, when its drivetrain is only required to put out a small fraction of the power its rated for, like in your case. 
Like I keep saying, Joe, hitch a serious traiiler behind that van (like maybe that 41'er of yours that hasn't moved in years), tow it across a few mountain passes, then come back and tell us how great it is. Until then...Your use of that van really doesn't carry much weight (pun intended, LOL).
Quote:The performance headers and exhaust only have an advantage with wide open throttle and don't do anything with cruise set to the speed limit.
Maybe I missed something in your link there, but I think the last poster's point still stands - I don't see any headers or exhaust upgrades listed there that will fit in the van. Am I missing something?
Will & Angela
2 children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4 ("No Taxpayers were harmed by the makers of this truck")
2003 Thor Citation 33M, Hensley Arrow hitch, Brakesmart Brake Control
Our Rig
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