Quick Cheap Power?
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Ballston Spa, NY
Quick Cheap Power?
Looking for ways to increase power quickly. i hvae a 75 f150 37" tires 7" lift 360, 3.50 gears. the obvious would be to change gears but i want this to be cheap little things you can do to increase power. by either cheap products or hints from over the years you have learned.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
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From: Long Island USA
Put the original tires back on it 
Seriously, with 3.50 gears and 37" tires, you're WAY undergeared....
There's not much you're going to get out of a cam or anything else that's going to overcome that gearing issue.
But that's just MY opinion
Seriously, with 3.50 gears and 37" tires, you're WAY undergeared....
There's not much you're going to get out of a cam or anything else that's going to overcome that gearing issue.
But that's just MY opinion
Senior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 273
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From: Laurel, MT
How about a high flow air filter? Headers? Exhaust? I guess thats not too cheap, but it's not that expensive either. BTW are you looking for more HP or TQ or both? Gearing would give you both 
...well at least TQ.
I'm in Laurel as well...over by the Safety complex on 3rd. I see a lifted F series over by the weigh station on the frontage road every day - is that you?
Edit - I have seen your ride - walked by it after checking out the CH-53 during aviation week!
...well at least TQ.I'm in Laurel as well...over by the Safety complex on 3rd. I see a lifted F series over by the weigh station on the frontage road every day - is that you?
Edit - I have seen your ride - walked by it after checking out the CH-53 during aviation week!
Last edited by MikeWire; May 30, 2007 at 05:02 PM.
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Mddl A MexCans
37" tires I reckon it stops as well as it goes..I'm guessing had you put the money that went into the wheels/tires into the motor.. Look at the bright side "it looks good" Save up and build it to what you want it to do.. or drive it and be happy.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Long Island USA
One thing to think about, if I didn't get the point across before
If you have 3.50's, and go to 4.10's, you get around a 17% increase in torque at the rear wheels (real torque, not dyno "torque").
Let's say your motor puts out 450ft/lbs peak. Going to 4.10's is like having the motor put out 526ft/lbs. That's analogous to a 76ft/lbs increase. But it's all across the board, not just up high.
If you went to 4.88's, that's a 40% increase, or like that same motor now putting out 630ft/lbs. That's an extra 180ft/lbs.
Without blowing anything up in the motor
Now, that's not "horsepower" or more accurately, the spin-up time of the motor.
And, you'll be spinning that motor up pretty high on the highway - which if you can keep the carb on the primaries alone, might not be so bad.
But man, 3.50's with 37" tires? Talk about an overdrive...
If you have 3.50's, and go to 4.10's, you get around a 17% increase in torque at the rear wheels (real torque, not dyno "torque").
Let's say your motor puts out 450ft/lbs peak. Going to 4.10's is like having the motor put out 526ft/lbs. That's analogous to a 76ft/lbs increase. But it's all across the board, not just up high.
If you went to 4.88's, that's a 40% increase, or like that same motor now putting out 630ft/lbs. That's an extra 180ft/lbs.
Without blowing anything up in the motor
Now, that's not "horsepower" or more accurately, the spin-up time of the motor.
And, you'll be spinning that motor up pretty high on the highway - which if you can keep the carb on the primaries alone, might not be so bad.
But man, 3.50's with 37" tires? Talk about an overdrive...
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I'd like to second the motion of Krewat's....
3.50s with 37's is just plain wrong. I'd bet that thing is a pig in any kind of mud. Ther isn't enough motor there to support that kinda ratio from gear to tire.
Mike
3.50s with 37's is just plain wrong. I'd bet that thing is a pig in any kind of mud. Ther isn't enough motor there to support that kinda ratio from gear to tire.
Mike
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,056
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From: Union, Washington
In thre stock truck motor the extra stroke is worth 40 hp, 215 to 255 . But 390 car 2 barrel motors went all the way from 250 thru 280 hp and the 4 barrel motors went from 300 thru 375 hp. Then of course there were the 3X2V motors at 340 and 401 hp. So yes the extra stroke is worth it as the torque for a 360 truck engine 327 while the 390 is 376 lbs/ft.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Topeka, Kansas
Thanks, My 73 F 100 4x4 does run strong with the 360 2v but I am running stock sized mud grippers for now. I think I'm going to talk myself into headers and changing my timiing chain to one that has the 3 keyways. (Ihave read that the factory retarded the cam 5 degrees.) I am sure when I get a good deal on some 35's that the motor will come out soon after.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,056
Likes: 8
From: Union, Washington
Why not just buy a replacement chain for a 1970 or older 360/390 engine and save yourself some bucks and get rid of the 4° emmissions retard of the cam. FYI, bigger diameter tires will hurt preformance a lot because they change the rear axle ratio the wrong way.
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From: Ballston Spa, NY
Hey mikewire ya i live in laurel, right by the post office my truck. in the green house. but hey guys thanks. ok have checked on gears because thats what i wanted to do for graduation money. out of 4wheel parts for what i want which is 4.88s it ends up being $488 4** something for the gears and like 6* something for the D44 front carrier. ok so the gears is not to bad. but god damn to install intown is a **** load. anywhere from 1200 to 600. profab motorsports the shop i have been to in about 300 per axle. i would like to do this but like we all know its the money issue. i think i could get the gears. parents tell me to wait till i go to the navy and just send money home and telll them where to take it. that sucks.
ok the issue of the 360/390 the engine was rebuilt and bored.30 so all i would have to do is find a 390 crank and then order 390 .30 pistons? then i would have to pull the engine and that a sumer project......like the gear idea. nitrous ya awesome, waiting to get this 351c fuel injected im looking at thanks guys keep the ideas coming
sorry have dual exhaust, headers, and crapy gears....lol
ok the issue of the 360/390 the engine was rebuilt and bored.30 so all i would have to do is find a 390 crank and then order 390 .30 pistons? then i would have to pull the engine and that a sumer project......like the gear idea. nitrous ya awesome, waiting to get this 351c fuel injected im looking at thanks guys keep the ideas coming
sorry have dual exhaust, headers, and crapy gears....lol