'84 302 underpowered
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'84 302 underpowered
i recently got a 84 F-150 with a carb'd 302...the truck seems kind of underpowered..it will barely spin the tire..that doesn't seem right to me..especially it being an open differential..it should spin one tire very easy..it was supposedly rebuilt recently...engine looks good..its got fresh paint..but looks can be decieving...any ideas?
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Cleveland, TN
well if its the factory engine here are the specs: <TABLE cols=5 width="100%" border=1><TBODY><TR><TD><CENTER>139 hp @ 3400 rpm</CENTER></TD><TD><CENTER>250 ft/lb @ 2000 rpm</CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>that aint much to brag about
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Zanesville,Ohio
Originally Posted by michaelbarry
i recently got a 84 F-150 with a carb'd 302...the truck seems kind of underpowered..it will barely spin the tire..that doesn't seem right to me..especially it being an open differential..it should spin one tire very easy..it was supposedly rebuilt recently...engine looks good..its got fresh paint..but looks can be decieving...any ideas?
Probably due to the 3.25 gears and 30" tires on my truck.
I also have a 1985 Chevy C-20 pickup (please don't hate me) 350ci 4bbl and it will "fry" the tires all day long;4.10 gears and 31" tires,however, the gas mileage is deplorable.
Jeff
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Joined: Jun 2004
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I'm not trying to start a war here, but the 302 isn't really all that great of a truck motor. It does great in smaller cars (mustangs & falcons come to mind), but I'm always cirious as to why so many people want it in a truck. I my experiance, even a decent built 302, while it may spin tires, doesn't do well with much more than a brick in the bed. The 300 I6 & 351W V8 seem to be better suited truck motors.
Edwin
Edwin
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Ditto to all above. I have had all three engines (300 I6, 302, 351W) and when I first read the title of this thread.... I was thinking "that's how it came off the assembly line!" My best DD is a 302 / AOD and it is OK, but I'd take a 300 or a 351W if I had a choice.
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well,i won't be really hauling anything in my truck...and i'm not really worried about alot of power,i just thought something might have been wrong...(even though i'd love to be able to do a big smoky burnout)...but reliability is what i'm really needing..and my family is a Ford family,and from all the 302's anyone in my family has had..i've never saw a bad one...all were very dependable..including my 68 Cougar i had..it was just about the most dependable vehicle i've owned...anyway..thanks for all the replies
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: cape may county NJ
302 underpowered
I had a 82 f250 302 2 brl carb c6 trans that we called sluggo woudnt spin the wheel even on a wet surface turning. sold it and got 86 f150 302 efi aod with a shift kit I drive it every day like it was a mustang gt 6 yrs and still kicks the *** end out when shifting to 2nd gear. the guy who got my f250 put a 4brl intake and 600 vac secondaires holley on it with a glasspack muffler and it really woke it up the rest of the truck is stock with over 250,000 miles on it. its still slower than efi but not bad compared to the way it was stock.he plans on a rebuild soon and putting a mild rv cam in it it still has all smog stuff on it also and gets good gas mileage for a 3/4 ton truck its no rocket ship but seems to have twice the power then when I owned it.
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Joined: Feb 2005
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uh one word..... "headers". Im on my second engine in my 83 4x4 f150. When I had the engine rebuilt I put in an RV cam, bored it out just a bit, and a little higher compression pistons, it helped, but it still was a little slow hauling my camper.
I put on a set of headers with dual exhausts and catalytic converters and it came alive. all kinds of torque and about 3 more mpg.
It still has the factory 2bbl.
I put on a set of headers with dual exhausts and catalytic converters and it came alive. all kinds of torque and about 3 more mpg.
It still has the factory 2bbl.
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From: Drayton, ND
Don't know for sure if the cougar's headers will fit your pickup, clearance would be the only issue, but I do whole heartedly agree with 200solomiles. My '84 f150 with aod and 302 was okay with power, but I noticed a big gain after cutting off the convertor and replacing it with a glasspack and a kickout side exhaust. Of course that same truck now has a 351W with the aod and could turn the tires while you counted days on the calendar. Honestly though if I had it to do over, after I broke the crank on the 302, I would just rebuild it with some performance mods and reinstall.
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From: Drayton, ND
In my case, the 351 was from "an educated guess" a 69 Ford car of some model, but regardless, I had issues with brackets, flywheel, and linkage that was just more headache than I wanted at the time. I'm happy now, but I'm sure that with exhaust mods, i.e. headers and straight pipes, manifold and carb changes, cam, and other mods I could be close to where I'm at now with less searching for parts.
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the 300 six is the only motor ford designed for a truck. It was never installed in any car. Before some pin head at ford desided to sell the castings to china, five were converted to diesel and were indestructable in testing. They scrapped it anyway. I guess they would have lasted too long and they could only sell you one in a life time.