Tucson to Idaho Tips
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7th Gear
Joined: Jan 2026
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
Tucson to Idaho Tips
Hey y'all,
I recently got a job up in North Idaho and am going to be driving my truck up there, but I know there are a lot of elevation changes on the way. When rejetting during the trip, would it be better to aim for ending elevations or starting elevations? For example: Flagstaff is nearly at 7,000ft, and I know I am going to pass through it (or near it), but Tucson is at 2,000ft. My current plan is to rejet aiming for somewhere in the middle (probably for 4,000ft) and then when I get up there rejetting for 6,000 and adjusting idle screws. My only concern is loosing power and struggling up hills or starting to ping when I come back down again. Do I need to be stopping mid drive to rejet? Any suggestions for this kind of roadtrip?
Thanks
-Mike
I recently got a job up in North Idaho and am going to be driving my truck up there, but I know there are a lot of elevation changes on the way. When rejetting during the trip, would it be better to aim for ending elevations or starting elevations? For example: Flagstaff is nearly at 7,000ft, and I know I am going to pass through it (or near it), but Tucson is at 2,000ft. My current plan is to rejet aiming for somewhere in the middle (probably for 4,000ft) and then when I get up there rejetting for 6,000 and adjusting idle screws. My only concern is loosing power and struggling up hills or starting to ping when I come back down again. Do I need to be stopping mid drive to rejet? Any suggestions for this kind of roadtrip?
Thanks
-Mike
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,984
Likes: 2,738
From: Virginia
Just go for it. You may notice a little more black smoke, but if your truck is stock it is jetted lean for emissions anyway. You will always be down on power at higher elevations no matter what you do, there is just not as much air going into the engine, so it will not make as much power, even if you re-jet. I would try it and see how bad it is, it might not be that bad. Once you are permanently there for a long period, you can tweak it if you need to.
If you are going to be up and down on a regular basis, I think I would buy a china knock off carb and use it for the low lands, and if you end up modifying a carb, modify your stock carb and then just unbolt the whole carb and swap them when you need to.
If you are going to be up and down on a regular basis, I think I would buy a china knock off carb and use it for the low lands, and if you end up modifying a carb, modify your stock carb and then just unbolt the whole carb and swap them when you need to.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,912
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
I am with DaveF, you are over thinking this, just go for it. Do you have an AFR gauge in the truck? If not how will you know what the motor wants or needs?
Back winter of 79 I drove from Conn. to California and back and on the way back was through Flag Staff. This was in in a 76 E350 van with a 460 / auto pulling a 1 car trailer. Full going, empty coming back.
I dont remember it loosing power or pinging, had better gas back then, and never gave it a thought on re-jetting. Both a myself and a buddy were racing jeeps off road so we knew our way around motors & power.
If the truck is running fine now then just go for it.
Dave ----
Back winter of 79 I drove from Conn. to California and back and on the way back was through Flag Staff. This was in in a 76 E350 van with a 460 / auto pulling a 1 car trailer. Full going, empty coming back.
I dont remember it loosing power or pinging, had better gas back then, and never gave it a thought on re-jetting. Both a myself and a buddy were racing jeeps off road so we knew our way around motors & power.
If the truck is running fine now then just go for it.
Dave ----
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 127
Likes: 31
From: Livermore, CO
I live at 6000 in Colorado and I would run a 300 six in a motor home from 5000 ft to 9000 ft, and down to lower altitudes. No rejetting required. You will experience a lack of power at high altitude because of air density and this lack of air density could cause over heating if your radiator is dirty, so clean it the best you can. The one other thing I found was that vapor lock is more likely at higher altitude. So go for it no problem.
I had a 5.7 diesel in a 1980 GMC half ton at one time and when at low altitude, very little smoke. I was on Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park with this truck and I was careful not to over fuel at that altitude by checking my mirrrors. So then this car was following way to close, I got tired of this and pressed down on the accelerator and the car disappeared in a cloud of smoke, yup I was rolling coal. The car did not follow close again!
I had a 5.7 diesel in a 1980 GMC half ton at one time and when at low altitude, very little smoke. I was on Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park with this truck and I was careful not to over fuel at that altitude by checking my mirrrors. So then this car was following way to close, I got tired of this and pressed down on the accelerator and the car disappeared in a cloud of smoke, yup I was rolling coal. The car did not follow close again!
Tuned
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 337
Likes: 187
If your truck is in good shape, just drive it. You don't need a more premium fuel. Higher elevations use a lower octane to avoid pinging because it's a leaner mixture. I remember an episode of "Top Gear" where they tried to drive old beater cars over the Andes in South America. One car with a turbocharger did better but eventually they gave up, but it was around 16,000 to 17,000 feet. Eventually they turned around as the drivers were having trouble breathing.
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,068
Likes: 168
From: Central Texas
If your truck is in good shape, just drive it. You don't need a more premium fuel. Higher elevations use a lower octane to avoid pinging because it's a leaner mixture. I remember an episode of "Top Gear" where they tried to drive old beater cars over the Andes in South America. One car with a turbocharger did better but eventually they gave up, but it was around 16,000 to 17,000 feet. Eventually they turned around as the drivers were having trouble breathing.
To the OP, I would just drive it as others have suggested. It's what most people did back before fuel injection. Aunt Mary from Corpus Christi didn't re-jet her '76 Buick Apollo to visit her sister Esther in Denver.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,663
Likes: 984
From: Near Yosemite CA
Just send it! I drove my 79 F250/4x/300 from CA to MO, from 3600'asl here, up over Tioga Pass (10K') through the Eisenhower Tunnel (11k) on I70 to Harrisonville MO, avg 18mpg over 1800 miles... I didn't change a thing all the way there, my BIL still has the truck and drives it all the time. You'll be fine! Safe travels!
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,066
Likes: 138
From: tucson
I also live in Tucson. I went to nuclear prototype training in Idaho falls. We would do day trips into Yellowstone, when the roads were open.
Some good friends moved from Chandler to the Boise area. Beautiful country up there.
Some good friends moved from Chandler to the Boise area. Beautiful country up there.
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