peter fox
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 340
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From: Weaverville NC
peter fox
I have a 65 F-100, with a 240 cid. 6. I took off the 1/2" plate & Miller welder and am getting 17.9 to 18.3 mpg. I am wondering : would headers help so I could get even more mpg? Anyone know about this???
Last edited by peter sipp; Jan 5, 2014 at 10:57 AM. Reason: miss spelled : getting
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2013
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I'd love to get 17.9 mpg. What 1/2" plate did you remove to get that kind of mileage? Also, what trans and rear-end are you running?
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 340
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From: Weaverville NC
peter fox
I used to do portable welding, the plate was bolted down to the chassis. The welder was bolted to the plate. I run 16" rims, I have Michelin radial tires a granny low 4 speed... the rear end ratio I am not sure of. The biggest thing is to take off from dead stops real easy. I also watch the lights ahead of me and put her in neutral and coast. Soooo... do you know: would headers help me? Where are you, what do you drive?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,629
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From: Near Yosemite CA
I had headers and an Offy 4bbl intake and Holley 390cfm carb and a nice cam and best ever was a tad over 16,,, 16.5-16.8, but I also had 4.10's~,,, you have to find the balance of rpm and torque, to low rpms and your engine is working to hard, mileage sucks. On my 66 F100 I have now, I have a 240/1bbl all stock and 3.70's and a T18 and avg. 16.8-17 on the flats,,, you might notice an increase from headers, they are cheap enough to try it out.
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 340
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From: Weaverville NC
Headers for a 65 F-100, 240 cid 6.
Hi, ty for your input. True the headers are reasonably priced. Then the mufflers, 2&1/2 pipes, gskt, probably $350-400. total investment. Do you know if the starter can be changed without having to take off the headers?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,629
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From: Near Yosemite CA
On mine it couldn't, I wrapped my headers before I put them on, never had a problem with the starter,,,
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,972
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I would go with the late model 300 split exhaust manifolds. They are not very expensive when you can find them and will last forever.
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 340
Likes: 21
From: Weaverville NC
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 340
Likes: 21
From: Weaverville NC
I always find a way. My father had a 1960 VW. It got great mileage, when gas was 17.9 per gal. After the car got some age on it, a hole developed in the muffler. He always checked to see how the car was doing for mpg. With the only change to the car (the hole in muffler) the mpg went up!!! So knowing this, I want to help my engine "breathe" better. I will let you know how it works out. I will be taking my time to get everything done. It may be a coupla months or so. Happy New Year!
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 370
Likes: 0
From: Near Nashille, TN
Install headers and exhaust on because you want to, not to save mpg.
I doubt that you'll see a 1/2 mpg increase, but lets say you did. Roughly speaking.. $350 is 100 gallons of gasoline. Going from 18mpg to 18.5 mpg, it'll take 66,000 miles to save that 100 gallons.
66000/18 = 3666 gallons
66000/18.5 = 3567 gallons... 99 gallons less than 18mpg.
I doubt that you'll see a 1/2 mpg increase, but lets say you did. Roughly speaking.. $350 is 100 gallons of gasoline. Going from 18mpg to 18.5 mpg, it'll take 66,000 miles to save that 100 gallons.
66000/18 = 3666 gallons
66000/18.5 = 3567 gallons... 99 gallons less than 18mpg.
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,046
Likes: 164
From: Central Texas
Install headers and exhaust on because you want to, not to save mpg.
I doubt that you'll see a 1/2 mpg increase, but lets say you did. Roughly speaking.. $350 is 100 gallons of gasoline. Going from 18mpg to 18.5 mpg, it'll take 66,000 miles to save that 100 gallons.
66000/18 = 3666 gallons
66000/18.5 = 3567 gallons... 99 gallons less than 18mpg.
I doubt that you'll see a 1/2 mpg increase, but lets say you did. Roughly speaking.. $350 is 100 gallons of gasoline. Going from 18mpg to 18.5 mpg, it'll take 66,000 miles to save that 100 gallons.
66000/18 = 3666 gallons
66000/18.5 = 3567 gallons... 99 gallons less than 18mpg.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 340
Likes: 21
From: Weaverville NC
Great suggestions, thank you. I think the split exh.mnflds are the most practical. The whole point of changing the original restricting stock exh. mnfld is so the engine can "breathe" and then preform to its max. ability. I bet Ford came up with the split mnfld so as to reduce the back pressure/ increase the engines mpg. I was in Choteau Montana in June/ JULY 1976. Nice country you live in. Course I should be there now. Good luck On your COE.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,629
Likes: 959
From: Near Yosemite CA
And the heads are the really restrictive part, when I was rebuilding my first 300, my machine shop guy loved the 300, and hooked me up, he did a little porting, and polishing, cleaned up intake and exhaust and matched the headers to the head, (forget what it is called, brain fart) and then he had a grind he really liked for the cam, and he balanced the rotating assembly, I rolled her up to 5500 a few times to whup a rice burner or two
but then she would always poop the dipstick out... I have heard of them taking V8 heads and adapting them to the I6,,, but that is a few more bucks than I want to spend!All in all, you should be pleased with what you are getting! Yer not gonna eeeek much more out of a brick!