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Old Aug 2, 2019 | 05:37 AM
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Normal Vacuum readings

Hi all, I installed a manifold vacuum meter on my 94 E150 conversion van with a 302. First meter was a POS chinese that hit the trash can and now I have an Auto Meter that seems correct. It's plugged in at a place of multiple access points on the tuned intake manifold. At idle I see a steady 18-19". The slightest "tip in" drops it to 10" and going up a mild grade in the city at 35mph drops it to 0. Accelerating to enter the hiway keeps it at 0 until I reach the desired speed and it rises to 12-15". Does these sound normal? My gas mileage is typically 11mpg combined and I've gotten 15 on the hiway. Van weighs 6400lbs and has 3.23 rear end gears.
 
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Old Aug 3, 2019 | 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by jeffreyclay
Hi all, I installed a manifold vacuum meter on my 94 E150 conversion van with a 302. First meter was a POS chinese that hit the trash can and now I have an Auto Meter that seems correct. It's plugged in at a place of multiple access points on the tuned intake manifold. At idle I see a steady 18-19". The slightest "tip in" drops it to 10" and going up a mild grade in the city at 35mph drops it to 0. Accelerating to enter the hiway keeps it at 0 until I reach the desired speed and it rises to 12-15". Does these sound normal? My gas mileage is typically 11mpg combined and I've gotten 15 on the hiway. Van weighs 6400lbs and has 3.23 rear end gears.
That's about normal. My 96 with a 351 does about the same, idle's about 20, put your foot into it and it drops to around 5. You sure about 3.23 ? Should be either 3.08 or 3.55.
 
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Old Aug 6, 2019 | 10:25 AM
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According to the VIN decoder on this website it's loaded with 2.73 but other decoders showed 3.23. I figured for the weight involved Ford would be crazy to stick something under 3.00 in it. I wish I had 3.55 or 3.73..
 
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Old Aug 6, 2019 | 10:35 AM
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I just ran across a chart that showed road speed vs RPM for a group of gear ratios and at 60mph I'm doing around 1800 RPM. This chart says 3.55 is what I have so you were right. I have no idea why these VIN decoders have errors the way they do.
 
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Old Aug 6, 2019 | 12:30 PM
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Originally Posted by jeffreyclay
I just ran across a chart that showed road speed vs RPM for a group of gear ratios and at 60mph I'm doing around 1800 RPM. This chart says 3.55 is what I have so you were right. I have no idea why these VIN decoders have errors the way they do.
Out of all the 90's pickups and vans I've been under, all had either 3.08 or 3.55. That online info is often chock full of mistakes.
 
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Old Aug 6, 2019 | 08:11 PM
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I'm seeing about 12" Hg vacuum at around 700 rpm idle. If I bring the idle up to about 900 rpm, I see about 15".

I installed this cam, which may have too much duration:

31-442-8 - Magnum? Retro-Fit Hydraulic Roller Camshafts, For engines that DID NOT come from the factory with hydraulic roller cams, NOT FOR E.F.I.

into my 306 using Edelbrock Performer heads:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/e...view/make/ford

an Edelbrock F4B intake, Holley 600 cfm 4 bbl carb.

Don't know if this is "normal" vacuum for this combination.
 
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Old Aug 6, 2019 | 10:58 PM
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Originally Posted by xlt4wd90
I'm seeing about 12" Hg vacuum at around 700 rpm idle. If I bring the idle up to about 900 rpm, I see about 15".

I installed this cam, which may have too much duration:

31-442-8 - Magnum? Retro-Fit Hydraulic Roller Camshafts, For engines that DID NOT come from the factory with hydraulic roller cams, NOT FOR E.F.I.

into my 306 using Edelbrock Performer heads:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/e...view/make/ford

an Edelbrock F4B intake, Holley 600 cfm 4 bbl carb.

Don't know if this is "normal" vacuum for this combination.
Probably about right for that combo. I've never measured the vacuum on my 331 but just from "feel" it pulls a pretty good vacuum idling (331, 10.4 to 1 comp, Canfield heads, Z303 roller with 1.7 rockers. Intake a high rise repop Ford 3x2.)
 
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Old Aug 7, 2019 | 12:59 AM
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Z303 is a huge cam, so I'd be surprise if you had enough vacuum to operate power brakes. I'm not sure if I've ever read, how much power do you think that combo made?
 
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Old Aug 7, 2019 | 06:47 AM
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Originally Posted by xlt4wd90
Z303 is a huge cam, so I'd be surprise if you had enough vacuum to operate power brakes. I'm not sure if I've ever read, how much power do you think that combo made?
I don't have power brakes. The Z isn't anywhere close to what Ford Racing advertised it to be. It's pretty tame in the 331. Idles at 600 rpms. Not as lopey I think as the B303 was in a 5.0 Power comes on at 1500 rpms with the Z in my 331. I ran a B303 in a 5.0 with the same heads topped with a Vic Jr and the power didn't come in for at least another 1500 rpms later. The Z has a lot more lift but only 4* more duration at .050 over the B. (228 vs 224) I think they both have a 112 LSA. There are hyd rollers in other brands that are a lot more aggressive. Main reason I picked the Z was the price ( $75 NIB) I was expecting something more radical than it turned out to be.
 
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Old Aug 8, 2019 | 08:35 PM
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Baddad, do you run the plastic intake snorkle on those past cars? I do and I was wondering if something as restrictive as it looks to be, might effect the pressure drop when the throttle is opened up. I ran with it off a short about 2 years ago and the extra underhood noise bothered me so I put it back on. I didn't have the vacuum gauge then.
 
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Old Aug 8, 2019 | 08:55 PM
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Originally Posted by jeffreyclay
Baddad, do you run the plastic intake snorkle on those past cars? I do and I was wondering if something as restrictive as it looks to be, might effect the pressure drop when the throttle is opened up. I ran with it off a short about 2 years ago and the extra underhood noise bothered me so I put it back on. I didn't have the vacuum gauge then.
I removed the snorkel on both my vans. Actually it's called a silencer by Ford and they recommend it's removal for performance gain. So it does cause a restriction.
 
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