I just bought a F-350 W/460, 5spd. It is a dually W/ a 12ft. Omaha flatbed. The truck is bone-stock W/90k miles, 6 new tires, no rust, everything works, new stainless simulators, and new exhaust/cat (has stock manifolds).

I get 9mpg highway or city (driving like my wife is with me). And, I'm happy with it. I love the truck. I paid 3k even for it. Got it from an old farm owner. Very nice guy, I will add.

I have not done anything to it, yet. The truck needs a tune-up in a bad way. The button on the dist. cap is about gone, the plugs/filters and fluids are probably the same. The guy just didn't drive it anymore.

I am not expecting much improvement w/MPG but, expect to see 13mpg empty.

I can't really think of any questions to ask. I originally started this post to tell a couple people to get a life and stop bashing people for wanting the most efficiency out of thier 460. Normally, I wouldn't waste my time. But, I just read 213 pages of the same five questions. I think it's funny that Bear 45/70 is so quick to bash everyone for being concerned about better fuel mileage. What I think is even more funny is that he looks and reads every "how to get better MPG" post that he can find!

How many times do people have to ask what to set thier timing at? Why do they keep asking about gutting the cat? Why do you feel the need to tell them that it's not legal? It goes on over and over...Keep asking and eventually somebody will tell you what you want to hear! Right or wrong you'll get your answer.

And, real quick, if you can't determine if your 460 is actually a 460 or not...shut the hood and go inside. You did open the hood...didn't you?

I don't plan, and I repeat "plan" on doing mods to this truck. I plan on doing a tune up and fix it if it breaks. If I wanted A 10k dollar truck I would have bought a 1ton cummins diesel. Ten grand is 5k gallons of gas at $2.00 per gallon. That's 50k miles of driving at 10mpg!

 

I'm failing to see the point of this thread, unless the original poster is trying to impress us with the fact that he's independently wealthy and has no desire to increase fuel economy. That's fine, but don't tell everyone else trying to save a buck that they're wasting their time...

Pat

 

Pat

Did you even read what I wrote?
I too want to increase my MPG. I am the opposite of wealthy. And no where did I say anyone was wasting thier time trying to save a buck or two.
If I was trying to impress you I would've lied to you and said I get 15-18MPG going 70 on the highway. And, light my cigars with $50's. Did I really impress you by telling you I spent every last dollar I have to buy a 3k dollar truck that I can barely afford to drive around the block?


One point to this thread is that I am trying to maintain a vertually stock work truck. Keep it in or at least get it in great running condition and all while getting the same 10-15 MPG some people with high dollar bolt-ons are getting.


Your post/reply brings up my other point...every thread is responded to with a negative response in one way or another.

By the way, what was the point of your thread?

 

Cigars light better with two $50's, three if its a rainy day

No one encouraged you to read 200+ pages.
Its a forum. Understanding comes from reading and posting. Everyone is here for help. No one else seems to have a problem..... Thats your view on the topic.

I work hard, doesn't mean there is a problem with me choosing to spend the money on a 460 buildup to my taste. If I want to play, I'll have more power then I need. If I drive like a good little boy, the setup will deliver acceptable mpg's.

 

Thanks for the reply displaceme4ment.

I read 200 pages trying to learn what I could about the 460 and trans. My beef w/it is that it took 200 pages to find about 3 good pages worth of info. The sad thing is... this is the better of ford forums on the internet. That is my view.

As far as your truck goes or anyone's for that matter, I don't care what you do to it. Never said I did. Never said I didn't think it was cool, a bad idea, ugly, stupid, or unrelistic. All I said is I'll get the same MPG stock.

I've had a few Jeeps. CJ and YJ's. My last YJ I put a 351w efi, T-19/20t-case, 44.......I never said a word about anything anyone wants to put on their truck. Put a pink bow on
it for all I care.


Anyway, This is why I haven't post anything in two years. I don't have the patience for all the drama.

 

Speaking of gas, I drive older vehicles by choice. My current work truck is a '93 Dakota. I got it for $1500 when it had 100K miles. It now has 170K miles. Our "good" vehicle is a '94 Aerostar extended that gets about 25K miles a year. My family of five loves the extra room. Could I have bought newer vehicles that gets better gas mileage? Sure. But instead of a monthly vehicle payment, I spend just a little more money on gas than other people. I'm still saving a lot of money in the long run.
Enjoy your truck.

 

Well, since you bad mouth me to start with, it's my turn. I don't begrudge anyone wanting to improve mpg. What I do think is stupid and unrealistic is wanting an mpg that is unattainable with a 460, even an EFI 460. 20 mpg is not gonna happen for the average guy and won't really be cost effective for the wastrel who spends the money to do it. First off feeding 460 CID is gonna take a lot of fuel and is why the big CID engine have disappeared pretty much. Your rear gear in a truck tends to hurt you the most when it comes to mpg. The overdrive trans helps a lot. But the big fuel saver is just plain common sense, SLOW DOWN and stop driving 60+ mph. My F250 never sees 60 anymore and that added as many mpg as the carb, exhaust and dist upgrades did.

 

Bear 45/70

I didn't mean to bad mouth you. I did bad mouth you but, I didn't mean to. It was late and some of your replies seemed more negative than pos. I agree with you "20mpg" is unrealistic. A 460 in a Pinto will still get 15mpg!

What do you or anyone recommend for plugs, wires, distributor... Is it worth the extra money for $7-$10 each for plugs? What about heat range? 8mm wires good?



KRUSE

I feel you on the car payment. It's no fun having the repo-man tow off two new trucks! Not to mention the intresrt, insurance, depriciation, and payments...so long trucks R.I.P

But, I have to say I love my new old truck and the flatbed is icing-on-the-cake! I just want to go drive it NOW!!

 

Don't worry about it. You didn't really ruffle my feathers or I would have been real nasty about it.

As to recommendations.

The best thing you can do plug wise is run the plugs that are recommended for the car engines, which are usually one heat range warmer. On the FE engines the trucks ran standard tip plugs and the cars ran an extended tip. That change alone was good for about 3 mpg improvement. The cheap standard plugs will work as well as the expensive multi-tip or platinum plugs.

Distributor wise I see nothing wrong with the Dura-Spark system (I'm still running the Dura-Spark) for a stock to mildly built engine. I did however put a recurve kit in and shortened the advance curve. Also an adjustable vacuum canister is a good idea. Max mechanical advance 36°, in by 3500 rpm. Maximum mechanical + vacuum advance, no more than 50° and more likely 46° to 48° total to prevent pinging under load.

Any good wire set will work as long as it is in good working order. No cracks or leakage. Easy way to check the wires is on a high humidity or rainy night, run the truck and then raise the hood in a dark area, If you see any blue arcing or glow around the wires, change them.