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It depends what you are going to use the truck for. If you are not going to be anywhere near the weight limit, you should pull the fan and clutch and use a dual fan setup or perhaps more. Consider another fan on the front of the radiator as a pusher fan. Keep the clutch in case the fans don't cool properly.
If you will not be needing such a large box, there are many people in my area that buy just the boxes for storage, you could either sell the box outright or trade them your larger box for a smaller box.
If you will not be at the weight limits you can remove the dual axle in the back and sell it and buy a single axle or bolt up regular rims to it. The front axle has dually adapters that simply need to be unbolted. You can then bolt up regular rims and tires, aluminum rims will be a large reduction in weight. If you have ever removed one of the rims and tires it's extremely heavy. I don't see many 8 lug aluminum rims used in my area. The cheapest I have ever seen were $100 each used without tires.
If you pull the rear axle you can get one with a lower axle ratio for better MPG.
Don't do any of the crap above if you are going to be driving this around loaded.
Your van should have an E40D, it may have a C6 transmission. Gear Vendors makes a overdrive/underdrive unit for your vehicle. You will need to get a new driveshaft or have the current one shortened. You can also try and convert the automatic over to a manual transmission. Ford made manual transmission vans up to 89, but they were all 4.9. You should be able to use the mounting points and clutch pedal assembly from an econoline to help your conversion process.
I had a 1988 F250 4wd 5 speed and the best I ever got was 20.2 mpg.
I have a 1994 E350 ambulance (type 2, regular van with a high roof) and I get 15 to 17 mpg. It doesn't sound that good but the 460 gas was getting 8mpg.
To use less diesel you could also convert the van to run on Waste Vegetable Oil. You will need another tank that is heated and some heated fuel lines. If you make your own kit it's much cheaper than buying one.
Also important, go to an International dealer (who made your engine) or a ford dealer ship and get the anti-cavitation additive. You will get pinholes in the cylinders and it will have to be rebuilt and all the cylinders will need to be relined.
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