No Real Acceleration
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 93
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From: Medford, Oregon
No Real Acceleration
I have an 86 F150 4x4 with a 4 speed and a 300 with a few upgrades like carb, intake and exhaust, etc. My truck has no real acceleration at all especially off the line. I have 2.5 inch lift with 31 inch tires and stock gears. I am not sure, and this is where I need the help, what the problem is. I don't know much about the engine because I bought it used, so I don't know if it needs a rebuild if I just need lower gears or if it could be something else. I am looking at putting a couple more inches on it and maybe running 33 or 35's on it, but dont know if it can handle turning those tires if it is having this much trouble now. Let me know what you think and some options. Thanks
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: Medford, Oregon
That's what I am not sure about, could this be an engine problem. Like I said before, I don't know much about it except for what I have done to it. It has about 230,000 miles on it, I THINK, I have done alot of external mods to the engine nothing inside of it though.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,223
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From: Billings Montana
Your gears may be real high, like 3.08 or something like that. If you can, find the tag on either the front or rear diff or look for an axle code on the door jamb that tells you what gears you have. I think with 31" tires, 3.55 gears would be a good choice.
But just so you know, a 300-I6 isn't a high revving V-8 so you shouldn't expect a lot of off-the-line performance with it. The 300 was more of a work engine with low end grunt. If you want off the line power, get a 351 or something like that.
But just so you know, a 300-I6 isn't a high revving V-8 so you shouldn't expect a lot of off-the-line performance with it. The 300 was more of a work engine with low end grunt. If you want off the line power, get a 351 or something like that.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 93
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From: Medford, Oregon
It has 3.08's I know that. But yeah, it is more of a work truck not a street truck. I just wasn't sure if it maybe it meant that there was some lack of engine performance there, or just putting lower gears in it might help it a little bit.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 16
From: Kuna ID
Gears would help alot even with the work aspect, they will give you more leverage to get your load going. 3:55's would be good with the 31's, but if you want 33's or 35's, I would go with some 4:10's
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: Medford, Oregon
Thanks guys, that helps. I need to do a rebuild probably sometime in the next year or two, but I would rather do gears right now.
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 552
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sounds like a good plan, man. If the engine is smooth and whatnot...appears to run fine, then i'd say its just the 300's inherent lack of lungs and your airplane gears. Although i bet your highway gas mileage rocks.
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