theres nothing wrong with liking the old junkers. I will probably stay OBD1 or older for a long time. About the only OBD2 vehicle i'd buy would be a 32v 4.6 cobra. No OBD2 trucks for me. Its not that i have a problem with OBD2, its that i'd most likely be paying for a bunch of other crap i dont want.

Computer technology itself isnt a bad thing. Being able to optimize the A:F ratio continuously is a very good thing, actually. I just wish car companies would put all these advantages in a car or truck without the gimmicks. I absolutely hate onstar, and alot of traction control systems' off buttons dont actually defeat the TCS. Then theres lots of companies doing adjustable shocks and ride height and bla bla bla. Im just the kind of guy that would rather have an old truck for work and an old car for daily driving and on-road sportiness than some new crossover or wanna-be plastic joke of a pickup (ridgeline, anyone?) that tries to be all things to all people.

The reason new trucks get the same gas mileage old trucks do is that we figured out internal combustion engines a long time ago. Mainly what youre paying for in a newer vehicle is no rust, more comfort, quiet, and safety. And lots of gimmicks.


83mav...you should give OBD1 a try someday. the CEL in my mustang came on the other day. i popped my $30 code reader into the diagnostics port, hit "test", and bam! all i need to do is adjust the throttle position sensor. that costs $0 and a little time. If it had a 4 bbl carb on it i couldve spent quite a while tinkering with the carb tuning and checking this that and the other thing. Instead, the ecu led me right to the problem, i fixed it, and now it runs great. I feel OBD1 is a happy medium between overly computerized and dead-mechanical. theres enough brainpower in the ecu to do a great many things without optimizing every last detail for the .000001% performance gain, and without the BS. The no BS is a big seller for me...sounds like it would be for you too. Theres a difference between knowing what you like and being stubborn. I'd say youre stubborn if you stopped hearing what i have to say after reading "throttle position sensor". You dont need a degree in electrical engineering to adjust one. loosen two screws, nudge it left or right to get the voltage back to spec, and tighten the screws back down. done. the computer can be nice to have sometimes. Other times, sure, i fire up my carb'd 300 and have to admire the sheer simplicity of it. Two way street, i guess. I guess i just wanted to suggest that you give the 87-95 vehciles a try too.

 

Your right, ford trucks of our year, where intended for fleet/work use....so are the new trucks that ride like caddys.

Not all new trucks have six speed transmissions.

On a recent swap, 96 Xtended cab gmc with a 03 5.3/4l80e tranny (four speed). Two tanks of gas were put through it, one under intentional grandpaw driving conditions, average was 19mpg, second, drive post haste at ever opportunity, still net right around 19mpg. Does everyone one need 300+hp, nope, does it give you a warm fuzzy feeling inside when you hit the go pedal and know it has gitty up when you want it, ya bet your ***.



OBD I vs II, either is managable, wouldnt lose sleep over either.

 

i love my 300 for the shear fact that it holds it's own against plenty of other trucks of it's time, and w/ 2 less cylinders (note that i did not say, beats up on everone...). i also like the fact that it's not just another v8 that everyone has. it's a cheap reliable engine, which as a poor starving college student, is extremely sexy to me.

at the same i don't fear the OBD systems either. i have no problem messing around w/ electrical components, tho at times it is frustrating. if i had the financial security that i often dream about every night, the first thing i would do is go buy me a brand new truck, just the way i like 'em.

it comes down to separating wat u want from wat u need. right now, this old 81 is all i need. i don't need a pickup that doubles as a living room, but i really would like to have one. even if i do ever get one, i'm not ditching my 81, it's still a good pickup, and above all (like so many of us can relate to) it has character.

BUT the one thing i kno is that i sure as hell don't want a ridgeline, eh Torx?

 

I owned an OBD II truck I loved it. I slamed it into a ditch its gone.
The 300 is a truck motor pure and simple a truck sould be built and used as a truck.
I got a 350 hp sb chevy sitting in my shed. In a few years Ill build a 300 HP EFI 302 for my fiances mustang.

I want a car that gets 35 mpg on the hiway. Im geting a 91 escort for that.
I got a 292 F100 thatll roll the tires in third - my hotrod
Shes got an 89 mustang our fun car
my truck I use as a truck I expect noise bumpy rides and all that stuff.

You want a low maintance, efficent, low priced truck..................Buy a ford with a 300 six. It will do anything you ask it to. Cheeply, and slow.
Dont knock the 300 hard it was the base motor in f-350 through 97..........and served in f-600 medium trucks.

She'll do it slowly shurly and will proboly take more abuse than any other motor..

This is my final word. The initial point was only that I got good milage while towing........

 

F-body with the gen III engines get around 30 mpg...oh and make more HP than the truck versions.

 

im gust sticking up for my truck
5.0torx did read the hole post lol- i did buy my dads 97 4.6 about 2 months ago for a daily driver and a 4x4 for winter (want to paint and rod my 83 with the 300 for torque and turn heads just to be diffrent) it is nice to have and drive its a queit good runnig truck can be put to work on most stuff and alot better on the highway than my ol 3 speed thats why i like it the most.

for pulling and hauling and "truck" stuff i still go for my 300. but for just driving on highway defeats its purpose i like 70-80 like everyone else

what does obd1 stand for?

you guys nailed what i should have stated computer technolgy is a good thing but all the gimmics suck. i think its like trying to make a truck into a comfy car for that purpose a car!

 

what does obd1 stand for?

It stands for on board diagnostics 1 obd2 was madated in 1996 by the feds and it put an o2 sensor after the cat to monitor emissions and some other stuff but that was the major difference.

 

Obd2 requires a couple dollars worth of radio shack parts to remove the last two O2 sensors.

Its not that bad.

 

OHH YEAH...my 300 six get up and throws down Chuck Norris like round house kicks to LSX motors.

 

wait...what?

 

Chuck Norris can do wheelies on unicycles.