tuning help
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 480
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From: Hudson,Michigan
Hey Smoke20,What have you got for exhaust?I remember that my '79 Cougar 351w had the first style converters,looked like short cherry bomb glass packs that were pregnant,if it still has anything like that,either gut it out or replace it with a pipe,they would get plugged up and restrict the exhaust.They used to make"test pipes" for them,so you could get away from them.
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 87
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From: boones mill,va
buster, the converter has been gutted. I have already been through the converter or muffler stopping up that's what started this low power problem I was going to the lake one day and the truck started running hot so I cooled her down and brought it back home. she had absolutely no power and blew out the check valve going to the thermactor. I figured the cat stopped up so I took it off and some one had already beat me to gutting it. so I have been running the truck with a straight pipe bypassing the muffler til I can get it to the muffler shop to get a new one put on. I know I need to get a muffler to get a little back pressure plus the straight pipe is very loud even though it's ran all the way out the back.
I road tested the truck today to work and back, about 50 miles round trip. I pulled the same lowboy trailer I noticed a good improvement on pulling power but it feels like it still needs some fine tuning or adjusting but I'll get it there I think I am finally going the right direction, if nothing else I've gained power and that's great up until this point every thing I did was a failed attempt. thanks again guys for all the help and suggestions
I road tested the truck today to work and back, about 50 miles round trip. I pulled the same lowboy trailer I noticed a good improvement on pulling power but it feels like it still needs some fine tuning or adjusting but I'll get it there I think I am finally going the right direction, if nothing else I've gained power and that's great up until this point every thing I did was a failed attempt. thanks again guys for all the help and suggestions
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 87
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From: boones mill,va
and murph I forgot to mention I checked the vacuum with two different gauges. a MAC tools gauge and a generic no name cheaper gauge they were with in half an inch of each other so I'm pretty sure its right. and yeah every body I talked to said 21" is dang good
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 480
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From: Hudson,Michigan
Sounds like your getting there!Maybe the finer fuel mix tuning is what's left,but don't try to dial in too much until you have the exhaust that your going to run,it may be leaning out a little with the straight pipe.In the "old days"before no-lead,you could have done a "plug chop",with motorcycles we used to run them in the range the problem was in,clutch it,kill it,pull over and yank the plugs and read them,then adjust for rich or lean.Now,with the no-lead and polution control,the color of the plugs and inside of the exhaust pipe is usually not much help,unless it's white or sooted heavy.Looks like your getting your gas engine experience the hard way,but it's all fun if you love engines (unless your short of time and money,then it can p#** you off).I'm talking my '96 300 F150 up to the upper peninsula in the morning,about 365mi. Hopefully I'll still be full of love and affection for it when I get back in 2 weeks.It's been a good ride,so I trust it.
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