Considering buying an E350 Diesel

[metromizer]

After my Gal's Toyota Sienna had a mild altercation with a San Fransisco Muni bus, $7k worth of superficial body damage, the insurance company totaled it.

Rather than buy the 100% paid for 2004 mini-van back and drive it as is, with 150k on the odometer, we took the cash. I look at this as an opportunity to get something that more suites out 'today' needs.

With our kids driving themselves and mostly out of the house now, we don't really have a need for a mini-van as a people mover. However, our recreation revolves around camping out of the mini-van, using it to tow bar our Samurai to the desert, and towing my smaller single axle open trailer to the racetrack.

My open trailer was very towable behind the mini-van, but would not tow the much more comfortable 32 foot, 3-axle, 8,000gross enclosed race trailer of mine. My gas-guzzling 1988 F350 crewcab needs a ton of work to be roadworthy again, and frankly, at 6mpg towing the large trailer, needs to be retired to someone's ranch. In fact, I haven't used it in several years for anything but moving the big trailer in and out of our side yard.

I'm thinking about replacing the mini-van AND the F350 with a 7-10 year old full size Diesel van. Diesel for the FE and towing torque, 1 ton for the braking and tongue weight capacity. I think that platform would be capable of all the chores I need from such a vehicle. It could tow either trailer, flat tow the Samurai, we could camp out of it if I do a partial conversion (platform bed, water tank maybe). I could even use it to haul stuff like moving kids in and out of college dorms and other living situations.

I understand 20mpg is possible from a Ford turbo Diesel 6.0 Van. but I'm not sure what FE to expect towing a 3-axle 8,000gross trailer. Not much of a fan of Chryslers, but I do wish they made a 3500 Ram van with that Cummins in-line Diesel 6cylinder in it. A 5 or 6 cylinder Dodge Sprinter or MBZ would be great, but is out of our price range.

Anything I'm missing? Any other ideas to meet my needs?

[pete c]

Do not buy the 6.0. It is a POS. Do yourself a favor and find a slightly older 7.3. You can still get near 20 mpg. Another thing to consider is a 7.3 shuttle bus. They are always for sale on feebay or CL. They generally have some miles on them, but, can be made into really cool RVs. And they all come on 1 ton chassis.

[oil pan 4]

The 6.0L is a good engine.
All the crap ford put on that engine to make it emmissions legal caused most of the problems.
You will have to do at least 2 things to make them dependable and get better milage.
1 run an aftermarket ECU program to control the engine.
2 Delete the EGR (it leaks coolant into your intake).
You should strongly consider a 3rd item since you want to tow that 8k trailer...
3 Replace the OEM's oil cooler thermostat assembly.

Or get an older duramax.

[pete c]

I have heard that about ford's newer diesels. Unfortunately, that crappy emissions system is part of the motor. Also, he is in Cali. He can't fool with that emissions system without incurring the wrath of the state smog nazis.

Get the 7.3 and live happily ever after or a duramax or maybe 6.5 gm diesel. They had their issues, but, I believe they were pretty well sorted near the end of it's run.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by pete c

or maybe 6.5 gm diesel. They had their issues, but, I believe they were pretty well sorted near the end of it's run.

Any 6.5L GM diesel with electronic controled fuel injectior pump is a ticking time bomb.
So get a 93 or earlier with the mechanical pump or get a newer one and convert it to a mechanical pump.
I really like my old 6.5L, but I hate that 1993 and up electronic injector pump with a passion.
Oh and the factory GMx serries turbos are garbage (turbo is ok, just not sized correctly for that engine).

[pete c]

I was under the impression it was the earlier 6.5s that had IP issues.

[oil pan 4]

The early 6.5L had the mechanical injector pump, the best most sought after injector pump are the ones used on the pre 1993 motors.
The first generation of late 70s and early 80s DB2 injector pumps sucked and they are all gone so no worries.

[slowmover]

To the OP: Yes, a 1T van is a good choice by your description over a pickup. I do agree that a vehicle better spec'd to your intended and potential uses is a good one based on what you report above.

But the 6.0 motor is notorious for bad service. It was the lawsuit brought by ambulance companies that forced the issue between Ford and Navistar as to who was to blame on this and the successor 6.4 diesel. The 7.3 Powerstroke isn't as great as Ford fans make it out to be, it was simply the single pickup truck diesel in thirty years that Ford got right.

The 1T designation means more than the particular motor as to usefulness. But what I see as "specifications" are all single use purposes where rentals are the better alternative, except the requirement to pull a particular trailer, " . . comfortable 32' tridem 8k-GVWR enclosed race trailer".

I think that a "solution" for this piece of equipment is the way to proceed.And I'd start by how often and how far in use. For TT's it is the nights aboard calculation that from which all other decisions (money) flow. The imaginativeness on trailers is expanding, and I recommend reading over on Pirate4x4.Com - The largest off roading website in the world. in their Towing subforum for ideas (and great DIY if you enjoy that).

The other specs aren't worth the 1T van as a family vehicle, in main. IOW, this would be a rarely well-used vehicle where alternatives exist is a genuine question. That it is a family vehicle is understood, and for recreational purposes. But, at what cost per use (needs to be answered to your satisfaction).

It would help the thread to know what annual miles are expected (as well as the type of miles and distances of trips), and over what period of time of ownership. This approach can bring a potential cpm calc into focus (and whether FE improvements are meaningful).

I'd recommend Orbywan's threads on his Class C motorhome. I might even start there and see if the other "requirements" can be made to work from that platform.

.

[metromizer]

Thanks for all the advice. I've been looking around, and located a 1995 7.3 E350. I'm going to look at it tomorrow. It's a little 'long in the tooth' as they say, but we'll see how it feels.

[metromizer]

I did purchase the Diesel E350. It's an older Sportsmobile conversion, if you are familiar with those, a fixed 'highroof' that the PO had done a 4x4 conversion to. The 4x4 and 33" all-terrain tires were not on my list, not good for FE, but will come in handy for getting further off the beaten path during some of our desert adventures. This one has few bells and whistles, but the Powerstroke 7.3 , E4od both feel solid, but it won't go into 4wheel low. I have receipts for a new transfer pump and fuel lines, to replace the ones that were leaking a few months before the seller put it up for sale. New alternator as well.

I'm going to look for a different set of highway tread tire/wheels for towing, to reduce some rolling resistance when not planning to get off the pavement.

There are plenty of Diesel tuner accessories out there for guy who hot-rod the lifted trucks, but what about tuning the older 7.3 powerstroke for fuel economy?

Scangauge (which I love on my Geo Metro) doesn't make anything for the older pre-OBDII Diesels, so am I stuck buying individual gauges and calculating FE by the tankful?