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Eisboch[_8_]

"BAR" wrote in message
...

In article ,
says...

wrote in message
...

On Friday, December 28, 2012 8:23:51 AM UTC-5, BAR wrote:

Ford's V10 is a gas sucking pig.

Yeah, but it's a very good hauling machine. With 360 HP and 460
ft/lb
of torque, it'll move stuff. You just don't get that for free if
you
have to go gas instead of diesel.

-----------------------------------------

Ford's V10 is one of the few gasoline engines that has the torque
ratings of some similar sized diesels. It's too bad it developed a
reputation for spitting out spark plugs.

I didn't know that.

The question then becomes does the increased gasoline cost and spark
plug remediation cost more or less than the cost of the vehicle with a
diesel engine?

---------------------------------------------

I don't know. I am sure Ford has fixed the problem, but it was a
major failure mode from the late 90's to about 2006.
The affected V10's were basically 5.4L V-8's with two more
cylinders. There was something about the number of threads that
actually engaged in the the rear cylinder heads (which are aluminum).
The steel threads of the spark plug were stronger than the threads of
the head and after so many heat cycles, the cylinder threads would
give and the spark plug would fly out of the engine. Apparently it
has happened in the past on some of the 5.4 V-8's also, but not to the
degree of the V-10's.

For heavy hauling duty, I am a firm believer in diesels. I think my
first diesel boat convinced me of that. The Pace Arrow Class A
motorhome we had for a while had a huge, GM built gasoline engine. It
was powerful, but there was something about an engine roaring away at
4,000 RPM to climb a steep grade that bugged the heck out of me.
These big gas engines can develop a lot of torque, but it's at high
RPM. A diesel develops the same high torque (or more) at much lower
RPM's and last much longer. Same deal with boats.

I think for normal driving in a car or small pickup, a gas engine is
fine. But if you are going to do some serious hauling with it, you
can't beat a diesel.