Yesterday I towed a '78 F150 a little over a 100 miles from Atlanta to my dad's place near Columbus, Ga with my '92 F150. Most of the time I forgot there was anything back there; I kept it around 60-65 on the highway without too much trouble. Granted, I did shift into 4th on some hills just so I wouldn't be putting unnecessary stress on the M5OD. The only time I really noticed the load was going up a half mile of 10% grade, the only real hill on the route. Had the truck in 2nd at about 25 mph and 2300 rpms. And I gotta tell you, the exhaust note bouncing off the guardrail was music to my ears! I love the sound of a 300 under load!

Funny thing is, today it seems like the truck runs better than it did before. It shifts smoother and seems like it has a little extra pep. Maybe its just in my head, but I'd bet theres something to it. Maybe a little built up carbon got burned out of the engine from actually working and maybe some glazing burned off the clutch from having to slip it more than usual. I don't know for sure, but I do know I get a kick out of actually using my truck for what it was meant for!

Just thought I'd share that.



P.S. The 300 in the '78 has a couple of dropped valves, so I'll be parting it out if anybody needs anything.

 

It feels that way cause you lost the weight you were towing!! You got used to pulling that now it seems to have power but it's the same as before, Hate to burst your bubble. Well it could be that if you don't drive it very fast or very much or your normal commute is not long and carbon is building up in the combustion chamber, and the transmission had water and build up in it. The heat from the cruise and strain got everything heated and burnt it out, Especially the water in the tranny, it doesn't lube
very well now you have oil between the gears instead of thin water!!

 

well, i thought you were gonna say something else about using a truck like a truck, what i can't stand is people who don't have a ding on there truck, and keep it shiny/wash it every weekend i mean honestly its a truck use it for a truck, who cares about scratches dings dents mud its a truck use it

 

No doubt its nearly all in my head. The F150 feels slow as christmas after I drive my '73 VW for a few days (don't laugh: its got roughly double the factory hp).

My commute is about eight or ten miles depending on which way I go. Not really long enough to warm everything up good. And I did change the fluid in the trans about 3 months ago when I put a clutch in it, so I'd hope there wouldn't be any water in there!


Its just nice to actually work the truck every now and then if nothing else to see if its still up to the challenge.

 

Short commutes are terrible for all components!! It heats them up but not hot enough to burn off the water that condensed out from the air that gets sucked in everytime they cool down. So if your trans is sucking in humid air and it hits the cooling case the water sticks there, runs down into the oil and the same is happening in the motor too.
Figure a 1/2 ounce a month and it adds up quick, probably not that much actually but it is alot more than you imagine. Every month get out and drive it hard and fast
get on the highway etc. It needs to get hot enough to get rid of the water, If your dipstick has scale rust on it you got pretty bad water issues. Of course the water condensing also is happening to your gas tank and thats why most of my posts I say
to run gas line dryer every oil change it is cheap insurance, Dihydrogen monoxide causes all kinds of havoc.

 

I know after I pulled a buddies Blazer out of the mud for the first time it sure felt like a truck.

 

TOM92F150, this weekend i hauled over a half cord of firewood (my 8 foot bed was filled to the top with stacked firewood) and i felt no change at all. If i didn't have a rear view mirror and my braking was the same, i wouldn't have known it was back there. and now since then, the truck has been running better! it's way more peppy now and it even idles better. i think you're on to something here. but then again, it could all be in my head too.