Max RPM
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Max RPM
I have a 1977 F100 with a 302 and 3 speed manual transmission California emissions. The question I have is does my truck have a rev limiter, or does my truck just not rev that high? When I am 1st or 2nd I can only get to approx. 4600 - 4800 rpms before I have to shift. I just always thought that these engines could wind up a little more, but maybe not, that is why I am asking. Is my engine just not set up for high revs or is there another problem?
Thanks!!!
Thanks!!!
Elder User
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The 302 has the potential to spin quite high with it's large bore / short stroke configuration. As others have mentioned, however, it was built and put in a truck so it was never designed to rev terribly high.
Honestly I couldn't tell you how high mine revs because I've never really decided to push it that hard. Mine doesn't have a tach, but if I remember correctly I think I've seen 30 MPH in first gear, which by my math puts me around 3600 RPM's. I'm thinking I might have also pushed it to 90 MPH once, which would put me in the same RPM range.
Just not worth blowing it up. Now if I had some money for new heads, cam, rockers, headers, intake, etc, I have no doubt it could be made to turn 6000 easy.
Honestly I couldn't tell you how high mine revs because I've never really decided to push it that hard. Mine doesn't have a tach, but if I remember correctly I think I've seen 30 MPH in first gear, which by my math puts me around 3600 RPM's. I'm thinking I might have also pushed it to 90 MPH once, which would put me in the same RPM range.
Just not worth blowing it up. Now if I had some money for new heads, cam, rockers, headers, intake, etc, I have no doubt it could be made to turn 6000 easy.
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From: Wingo, Ky
I don't know how fast it was turnin cause I don't have a tach but the 302 in my 79 f150 with 3.00 gears ive had up to 120mph. Didn't sound like it was gonna fly apart or nothin. Its been warmed over a bit, bottom end is stock though. Trans has a shift kit. From a dead stop if you stomp on it won't shift outta first till 60mph. My dad built the engine in the truck. I been runnin it for 5 years. My dads been runnin it over 20 years before he gave it to me.
Iv'e had my completley stock 73 F100 302 with 3.25 gears and factory 2 barrel carb to 100mph.
Iv'e had my completley stock 73 F100 302 with 3.25 gears and factory 2 barrel carb to 100mph.
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If you know your tires sizes and tranny gear ratios (although for high speed you'd probably be in 1:1) I can tell you exactly what RPM you were turning for any given road speed. It's pretty simple math, I made a spreadsheet to do it for me years ago.
If you had 235/75/15's on it, that would have been 4190 RPM.
With the same tire size as above that would be 3783 RPM.
I don't have a tach but the 302 in my 79 f150 with 3.00 gears ive had up to 120mph.
Iv'e had my completley stock 73 F100 302 with 3.25 gears and factory 2 barrel carb to 100mph..
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Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Pa
I've had the stock 302 in my 74' up to 5500rpm already. Best to keep it well below 5k rpm. In stock form the 302 doesn't have a lot of HP so it will be slow to rev even with no load on the engine. When driving normally I shift before 3k rpm but my truck is light and I have steeper gears and the 4spd.
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From: Wingo, Ky
If you know your tires sizes and tranny gear ratios (although for high speed you'd probably be in 1:1) I can tell you exactly what RPM you were turning for any given road speed. It's pretty simple math, I made a spreadsheet to do it for me years ago.
If you had 235/75/15's on it, that would have been 4190 RPM.
If you had 235/75/15's on it, that would have been 4190 RPM.
My 73 with stock engine seems to run good on almost anything.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2004
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Have you considered the possibility that maybe it's not tuned perfectly. Running a hair rich or a hair lean all the time and thus fouling the plugs just a little, then when you stomp on it and the secondaries open up it fixes your issue and it burns them off?
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From: Wingo, Ky
I feel like I have hijacked the thread from jeddi03, sorry for that. I have adjusted idle adjustments with a vac gauge. I need to adjust the float level though, it is a tad high. I started getting gas from the Shell station and the problem cleared up some. It didn't run worth a crap on the gas I had been gettin from the Walmart Marathon gas stations. My mom and dad's fuelinjected vehicles don't even run good on gas from there.
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I prefer Chevron myself. The local Key Oil Company is alright. In general I'm not too picky except I will NOT get gas from Racetrack, or Swifty. My old car pinged on Racetrack gas and it was only 8.3:1 compression!
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