Looking for advice.

I have a '85 F150 long bed. Body\interior is in pretty good shape. Motor is an I6 with either 150000 or 250000, previous owner didn't know how many time the odo been rolled over. The truck gets about 12mpg.

I like the truck, but want to increase the gas mileage if possible. I believe the motor is about done, doesn't have the power it did when I first got it. I don't hot rod at all, but live in the mountians and the truck used go through the mountians with little effort, but now it struggles a bit on the steeper ones.

I'd like to put a small block V8 in it (also considering replacing transmission and rear end) and increase the gas if possible.

What do you think, is it worth the trouble. Should I just look for another one. I don't like the newer models much. I like my trucks simple, easy to work on and of course dependable.

Thanks.

 

hey,

well you can go one of two ways.....the expensive way...or the slightly less expesive way... 1)find a 302 with fuel injection....take out the computer and the enitre wiring harness and hook it up./..time consuming and slightly expensive if someone else does it...(i can do it cheap lol) seeing as how you have to buy the motor and then have it put in (a crown vic computer works pretty good until you can find someone to reprogram it to truck specs ( i can do that to..not so cheap hehe) ( 2) this is what i would do...pull the motor.. hone it out .10 over put new pistons/rings and redo the heads. (basically a total rebuild) after thati cant tell you how much better the gas milage will be but it should be slightly better even though you bored it. If you got a twobarrel...put on a one barrel. I got a single on mine and it does just fine...(bored .10 over) then throw you on some better intake stuff ( ram air, have the ports smothed..just minor stuff) and finally change the rear gear ( and the front of you have 4x4) Since you like in the mountains I would stay somewhere in the mid to lower threes (numerically) anyways... if you do decide to change over i dont know what tranny you have but mine was bolted to a 302 b4 it blew and we found a 300 6 to put in it (mainly because they dont blow lol) the transfer case and tranny bolted up fine. So thats pretty much it.....if you have anymore questions you can email me.....intimidator_8_2004(No Email Addresses In Posts!) later

james

ps get really good plugs and wires no matter waht you decide to do =)

 

If the motor you have now lasted that long, I think I would rebuild it and keep it. The only option you have for a v8 is a 351w in my opinion. The 302 is not going to have the pulling power you have now with the I6. The 351w is not noted for good fuel mileage. And it you live in the mountains, you probably will never get very good mileage anyway. People who live in the mountains also keep the new tire dealers happy too.

 

I'd also say keep the big six, if it's lasted this long, its been good to you. No need to swap a v8 in, when you can get v8 like performance for maybe a touch more money.

If this truck has cats, either hacking them out or getting a good high flow cat to go in place of it will do wonders, along with headers or EFI cast shorty headers from later model trucks with the EFI 300. Opening up exhaust flow will definetly help those MPG figures out.

As for the carb system, i'd swap it out for an Offenhouser 4bbl or 2bbl intake and matching carb. The 2bbl needs to be around 350 cfm and the 4bbl needs to be around 390-420 cfm, a typical smallblock 600cfm would be way too much for the six.

A cam would also help you, but make sure you get one that keeps your torque down low, so that you don't have to rev the engine to make power. Also a head from a 240 six would help with compression, but might make you have to run premium fuel to keep it from pinging.

With the appropriate sized gears, a healthy automatic, or a good 5 spd trans, you should see about 20 mpg if you keep your foot light on the pedal...and mid teens driving her like a hotrod.

Hope this helps ya.

 

Thanks for the replys,

I'd love to get the truck up to 18-20mpg. Desperado_18_2000, I looked at your truck. Looks a lot like mine. I call mine big red. I've got '77 f100 shortbed that I call little red.

I get attached to the trucks and would like to fix it and keep it.

Thanks again.