RFAgrasshopper please.
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RFAgrasshopper please.
I was reading a thread and saw this " I built a 302 with a 600Holley for my 1969 Ford E300 and with the 2stage power valve and the Vac. Sec black spring I was able to get 18MPG with a C-4 trans. If you run an AOD or a T-5 you should be able to get an easy 20+ mile per gal!!! That's if you can keep your foot out of it. One last thing,use a vac gauge and use it to shift keeping it the green."
Would you mind telling me more about your 302?
Thanks Joe
Would you mind telling me more about your 302?
Thanks Joe
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
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From: south louisiana
I've got serious doubts as to that mileage claim. I had a 69 Ford Club Wagon (E330) for ten years and the only time it ever got more than 11-12 mpg was going downhill from Cimmaron N.Mex to Dalhart Tx. And the C-4 in that application ? Time between rebuilds was 2 years max. Just not made to lug that kind of weight around. An FMX or a small block C-6 would be the ticket.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
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From: south louisiana
You might pickup a few mpgs by using a 94-97 5.0 from a pickup or van, these have the better roller cams later used in the Explorer 5.0. Take a diegrinder and carbide bit (or a drill) and remove the Thermactor bumps from the exhaust ports and open the roof and walls to match the gasket. Add Crane 1.7 Energizer rockers, headers and a free flowing dual exhaust. All this adds up to a smoother running 302 with far more power and torque than the 69 motor. Top it with a 4 bbl intake and 570 Holley and convert the ignition to electronic. You'll get EFI like performance without the wiring nightmare. A 347 stroker with GT40 heads and a 9 to 1 comp ratio would also be a definate improvement too, if you can afford it. You'll get the 351's torque in a package that fits in the engine tunnel.
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I have an AOD and 3.25 gears with standard 235 75 15 tires. Is there a better combo for fuel economy ?
By the way its an 82 F150 single cab long wheel base with a 2bb motorcraft 2150 on top a 302.
By the way its an 82 F150 single cab long wheel base with a 2bb motorcraft 2150 on top a 302.
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From: DeKalb,Il--moving to Ariz
It was a 1969 E-300. I called Crower and gave them my gear ratio and tire size and they gave me which of there cams to use(sorry this was 25+years ago so I don't remember which one). I built the engine 30 over with flattop pistons and stock heads. The heads were rebuilt by me in Auto shop(went back to College to get my auto degree). I installed new bronze gides and did a full three angle valve job with new valves. I hand lapped them in and used new rockers with aftermarket rocker *****. The intake was a Ford cast Iron four barrel intake with the PVC alum spacer. I ran a 190 degree therm. for best fuel mileage. The carb was an 1850 that I redid to take the Ford kickdown linkage and the double jet plate kit. I then called holley tec and got the 2 stage power valve and ran the jet size they told me to run in the carb. I also had the Mustang 289HP cast factory exhaust manifolds into a 2" dual exhaust system that had Turbo mufflers. I ran this Van from Parker, Arizona to Lake Havasue every day going to college and kept very good records. My average mileage was 18MPG at 55mph. I always shifted the C-4 transmission using the Vac. gauge to get the best mileage as I was using my student loan money for gas.
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From: DeKalb,Il--moving to Ariz
Your right about the C-4 lugging that one ton the first rebuilt lasted 6 months the second one we used B and M parts and it lasted a lot longer. The Band did brake again but by then with c-4 racing trans using the Cevlar bands I installed one of those. As for your mileage being 11-12 with a stock engine single exhaust and a 2barrel carb that's about right. My doing the 4 barrel carb was to run the BLACK spring in the Holley Vac. Sec. kit. It only allows 3/4 not full open. I ran almost all the time on the small barrels and almost never got into the front barrels. and even when I did I was only at 3/4 open because of the Black spring in the Vac. sec...
The mileage was written down and was checked by my shop teacher who was very impressed with the detail of the build up and how I drove the van.
My word is my bond and I do not lie. If you were to build this engine today and add custom long tube headers and Fuel injection along with an AOD transmission you could see 25MPG with out a problem. Try it!!
The mileage was written down and was checked by my shop teacher who was very impressed with the detail of the build up and how I drove the van.
My word is my bond and I do not lie. If you were to build this engine today and add custom long tube headers and Fuel injection along with an AOD transmission you could see 25MPG with out a problem. Try it!!
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Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
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From: south louisiana
You can do all the mods you want, but one thing's gonna stay the same: the 68-74 vans had the aerodynamics of a brick. The 302 in mine was rebuilt, topped with a 4 bbl 600 same as yours, also had dual exhaust. Rear was the Dana 60 with 3.73's and 10.50 tires. Tire changes also come into play, like swapping to shorter tires increases the miles recorded on the odometer, thus falsely increasing the mpg. Parker to Lake Havasu, that's along the river. Virtually no elevation change and driving 55. Yea, it's possible t0 get that kind of mileage, but not once you get out on the open road and deal with crosswinds, elevation changes (like Dallas Tx to Amarillo, that's 350 miles and 3000 ft uphill) As for your claim of 25 mpg ? Keep dreaming. I also had a 95 E150 with a roller 351/E4OD, 3.55 gears. Best mileage ever for it was 16 in the ten years I owned it. Had a friend that had a 93 with a 302/AODE and 3.08's, his got worse mileage.
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From: DeKalb,Il--moving to Ariz
Loaded down towing a trailer(open single axle trailer with my dragster/slingshot) from Parker back to Illinois I got a low of 14mpg and a high of 19! I wish I still had my log book as I recorded the mileage every time i filled up. The key to the mileage was the Cam and the 2 stage power valve!! That and driving with the vac. gauge keeping it in the high/green area. I once covered up the vac. gauge and drove with out it (for a week)and the mileage dropped to 14!! A vac gauge can save you a lot of gas if you use it all the time. It means relearning how to drive but it pays off. Last yes the 69 E-300 was a barn door going down the road but it did get 18MPG because the engine ran at 220 degrees with the 190Ther. so that the fuel adamised the best.
By the way my best friend is a Paster with racers for Christ and he has seen the mileage that I got. The speedomoter was right on!!!
By the way my best friend is a Paster with racers for Christ and he has seen the mileage that I got. The speedomoter was right on!!!
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
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From: south louisiana
OK, Parker to Illinois, the "high" mileage was mor'n likely downhill with a tailwind. The "key" to getting good mileage has more to do with your driving habits (how many times were you nearly run down poking along I-40 ? at 55 ? ) And the use of the vacuum gauge. Adamised ? It's ATOMIZED. The cam, temperature and the powervalve had very little to do with it. I've been driving for nearly 40 years now with about 4 million miles under my butt, I know what it takes to get better mileage and to get that kind of mileage in a 69 E300 van, you're creating a traffic hazard.
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From: DeKalb,Il--moving to Ariz
This was 25+years ago and the speed limit was 55mph!! I moved right along with traffic I wasn't creating a traffic hazard on I-40. Today yes at 55mph that would be a problem,but this was 25+ years ago.
The two step power valve was good for 3mpg by it's self. The lady I was with in Illinois at the time didn't wait for the engine to warm up on a cold day and blew the power valve. Being on a tight budget (aka a student) I put a reg. power valve in and my mileage dropped 3mpg and stayed around 14-15mpg. I have been driving sense 1968 and have driven my share of miles in many different kinds of cars and trucks. But at 4million miles you have me beat. It is how you drive that makes the difference,as the lady driving my van never used the vac gauge and just drove. Mileage when she drove was around 10mpg. As she was paying for the fuel we soon switched and she drove her van(chevy astro) and I drove mine picking up the repairs. mileage went back up to 12 to 14 around town.
The two step power valve was good for 3mpg by it's self. The lady I was with in Illinois at the time didn't wait for the engine to warm up on a cold day and blew the power valve. Being on a tight budget (aka a student) I put a reg. power valve in and my mileage dropped 3mpg and stayed around 14-15mpg. I have been driving sense 1968 and have driven my share of miles in many different kinds of cars and trucks. But at 4million miles you have me beat. It is how you drive that makes the difference,as the lady driving my van never used the vac gauge and just drove. Mileage when she drove was around 10mpg. As she was paying for the fuel we soon switched and she drove her van(chevy astro) and I drove mine picking up the repairs. mileage went back up to 12 to 14 around town.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
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From: south louisiana
Yep. And even though the speed limit then was 55, you were still impeding traffic, especially on I-40. Back then, I had an 85 Pete, it's top speed was 105 and that was a "slow" truck. There were "rooster cruisers" and "cow trucks" roaming out there back then that would pull a loaded trailer at 120+ And there were more than a few who had the cahoneys to do it (myself included) Thrucks and drivers have changed since then, but the mileage has largely stayed the same. A fully loaded 18 wheeler will get anywhere from 5 to 7 mpg. It was the same then. My Pete averaged around 6-6.5 with a turned up 400 Cummins (NT855 big cam) 15sp overdrive transmission and 4.11 rears on tall 11-24.5 tires. I drive locally now hauling fuel in an 08 Pete 340 tandem bobtail with an 8 liter Cummins (POS) and it too gets around 6 mpg, and that's running empty half the time. Loaded it weighs in around 47,000.
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From: DeKalb,Il--moving to Ariz
Joe,
If you build up a nice 302 30 over with the good Speed-Pro or Keith Black (Hypertec) cast pistons(same as Ford did in the GT Mustang). Use a newer Explore engine for your rebuild. The last years of the Explorer had the best heads for street use both performance and mileage. This will be a roller lifter block so you can reuse the lifters with no problem as long as they are ok, you can also reuse the cam if it's ok. Spend a little time and have the block decked and squared and the heads decked when you have them rebuilt. This engine in your older truck with a T-5 or AOD will get great mileage and be just what your looking for for a low buck build. Remember to get the stock factory shorty headers as the Explore heads are a straight plug head. For good parts and a great low price checkout Northern Auto parts. I have used them in the past and there prices are some of the best out there. Save yourself the cost of rebuilding the rods and just buy new Ford motor sport rods,they are only $90.00 for a set of 8 new one. Most shops will charge more for rebuilding and adding new rod bolts than that. A vac. gauge will work with Fuel injection and to install it into your truck Ford and the aftermarket make special wiring harnesses to make it an easy swap.
hope this helps you.
If you build up a nice 302 30 over with the good Speed-Pro or Keith Black (Hypertec) cast pistons(same as Ford did in the GT Mustang). Use a newer Explore engine for your rebuild. The last years of the Explorer had the best heads for street use both performance and mileage. This will be a roller lifter block so you can reuse the lifters with no problem as long as they are ok, you can also reuse the cam if it's ok. Spend a little time and have the block decked and squared and the heads decked when you have them rebuilt. This engine in your older truck with a T-5 or AOD will get great mileage and be just what your looking for for a low buck build. Remember to get the stock factory shorty headers as the Explore heads are a straight plug head. For good parts and a great low price checkout Northern Auto parts. I have used them in the past and there prices are some of the best out there. Save yourself the cost of rebuilding the rods and just buy new Ford motor sport rods,they are only $90.00 for a set of 8 new one. Most shops will charge more for rebuilding and adding new rod bolts than that. A vac. gauge will work with Fuel injection and to install it into your truck Ford and the aftermarket make special wiring harnesses to make it an easy swap.
hope this helps you.