FE Adventure Van (CARGO VAN)

[trooper Tdiesel]

in short....
fords are the most common to be converted to 4wd
GM is 2nd
dodge is very seldom swapped over.



biggest size van with lowest cost to drive with a OE gas engine and auto trans?
"its the most aro" thus an advantage in that respect.
the 90s/2000s dodge 1 ton 15 passenger with OHV 5.2L 318-V8
they can pull 20+ mpg on the open road, oddly good for there size.

a ford van with the 4.2L V-6 would be close or better mpg but no where as big as far as cargo space as there mostly in 1/2 tons the 3/4 and 1 tons got the V-8s and V-10.
unless you convert a newer gas van to manual trans. that's about as good as it will get for a gas engine.


after that its diesels,

first is this OE type swaped to a manual it would be mid 20s
there was this the 6.2L and later the 6.5L with the van model having a very rare 6.5L N\A set up in some cases.
Compare Old and New MPG Estimates

i know ford diesel vans are out there also, but being 1 tons there not listed on the mpg site...

after that there's not very many OE diesels.
putting a 80s ford 6.9L or 7.3L IDI N\A with manual trans in to a 90s dodge van.

or a cummens 4BT or isuzu 4DB1 or 4DB2 all are 3.9L, around 750lbs 100/130hp, with max rpms of about 2,800
with a manual trans that could push the number up in to the mid 20s or just in to the high 20s when empty and driven slow.
a direct drive trans with a final gear in the 2.73/3.55 range would help up the mpg. over drive trannys wast more then a direct drive trans does when in high gear. for as long as you have a final gear that makes up for not having the O\D gear.

[Shortie771]

Well, what trooper Tdiesel said was a bit confusing to me....

As far as vans go, if you want a Ford here are your options (not including the E-series or the Econoline). The vehicle links will take you to that model's Wikipedia article so that you can see the different variants of the model, the different engine/transmission combinations and also the available cargo room (if listed). The links to the mpg are from owner's trip/tank logs, just like we do here. Be sure you sort by the engine type of your preference...

Aerostar - MPG
Freestar - MPG
Freda aka Mazda Bongo - MPG Freda/Bongo
Transit - MPG. Be sure to sort by engine. There are a lot of available engines for this van listed.
Windstar - MPG

[slowmover]

biggest size van with lowest cost to drive with a OE gas engine and auto trans?
"its the most aro" thus an advantage in that respect.
the 90s/2000s dodge 1 ton 15 passenger with OHV 5.2L 318-V8
they can pull 20+ mpg on the open road, oddly good for there size.


The V8-318 dates to the mid-late 1960's. Chrysler never had the money of Ford or GM, thus car engines had to be made reliable for commercial truck work. And this motor fits the bill. Super long-lived. Not celebrated for HP, but keeps running with a minor overhaul when the Ford and GM light truck V8s are on their last miles.

While I haven't known anyone to get 20-mpg, the bulletproof motor and equally bulletproof A727 transmission would make any and all other work easier to accomplish.

Another forum for the OP to read is ExPo: Adventure and Overland Travel Enthusiasts

Don't forget that several tons of vehicle to sleep inside and carry motorcycles, etc, might be better with another vehicle (Jeep JK) that can easily get above 20-mpg (as a friend of mine has done with his 2007, man trans and low options).

Pulling a trailer optimized for layover bike storage and with a FLIP Pac tent might be a better option for a budget.

.

[pete c]

Originally Posted by slowmover

While I haven't known anyone to get 20-mpg, the bulletproof motor and equally bulletproof A727 transmission would make any and all other work easier to accomplish.

had that tranny in a '86 D150. hooked up to a slant six (last year made) what an awesome drivetrain. that tranny shifted absolutely perfectly. that truck wouldn't win any races but it ran forever. would still have the damn thing if i could get it through emissions

[Shortie771]

Hurry up and get that van. I want to see what you can get out of it

[nikolasbarrios]

Originally Posted by slowmover

biggest size van with lowest cost to drive with a OE gas engine and auto trans?
"its the most aro" thus an advantage in that respect.
the 90s/2000s dodge 1 ton 15 passenger with OHV 5.2L 318-V8
they can pull 20+ mpg on the open road, oddly good for there size.


The V8-318 dates to the mid-late 1960's. Chrysler never had the money of Ford or GM, thus car engines had to be made reliable for commercial truck work. And this motor fits the bill. Super long-lived. Not celebrated for HP, but keeps running with a minor overhaul when the Ford and GM light truck V8s are on their last miles.

While I haven't known anyone to get 20-mpg, the bulletproof motor and equally bulletproof A727 transmission would make any and all other work easier to accomplish.
.

I completely agree that a dodge 318 will outlast a ford 4.6/5.4. However, the 318 is definitely not superior to the ford SOHC engines. The 318 is simply a different design.

318 Pros:
Cast iron construction which results in less engine wear.
Viewer part means cheaper repairs.
Easy to work on.
More torque
Numerous upgrades available

318 Cons:
Less HP
Heavy
Inefficient when considering weight to power ratio.
Prone to cracked block and cylinder head due to overheating.
Radiator failure near upper hose.
Fan clutch failure.
Head gasket failure.


4.6 Pros:
More HP
Light
more efficient
Numerous upgrades available

4.6 Cons:
Less Torque
Spark plug blowout/stripping
Intake manifold gasket leak
Difficult to work on
Lots of parts
Cast aluminum construction means more engine wear

[Varn]

The last post has some inaccurate information. The Ford 4.6 in a van would be cast iron 2 valve construction. I am not positive that that engine was even offered in the E series. It would surely as anemic as the Chrysler 5.2. particularly with a load.

Also 20 mpg with a 15 passenger van is rather far fetched with an automatic transmission and a small engine. You are moving a lot of air with these things. No matter what the cd there is always the "a".

I have usually found that the middle or larger sized standard engine offers the better economy.

[Miller88]

Is it me or does a front wheel drive cargovan sound like a bad idea?

[Shortie771]

Originally Posted by Varn

No matter what the cd there is always the "a".

You confused me on that one. What do you mean by "the "a""?

Originally Posted by Miller88

Is it me or does a front wheel drive cargovan sound like a bad idea?

Yes, definitely sounds like a bad idea. Having hundreds of pounds of cargo in the back end of the thing, making it that much more difficult to gain traction with the front end.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

FWD cargo vans are not so rare in some overseas markets such as Europe, Australia and Africa. Not a bad option at all if you could get one back there for cheap.