1994 Ford F150

[Frank Lee]

More hwy than city. Mostly 50-55 mph.

[Execut1ve]

I'm wondering just how much impact your 3.31 gears have on the difference in mpg... no doubt your gears combined with you doing less stop and go driving have a big impact

[Execut1ve]

no one has anything else to add? especially regarding aero mods or anything else?

[cleanspeed1]

Go over to the aerodynamics section and look up aerohead, he is one of the best and has modded pickups and other large vehicles. Big Dave has a F series Powerstroke that you can use as a guide.

If you want to do the ultimate mpg swap though, going diesel might be it. Put a 6.9 IDI, a 5 speed OD and 3.08 gears and you'll have a 25 - 30 mpg truck in that light chassis. And that is with an all stock engine.

Something to think about.

[Frank Lee]

Back to the emissions thing- they got a bad rap in the '70s because back then they went from high compression, no emission controls pre-emission controlled, to low compression, finicky carb controls; yes at the time emission controls killed horsepower AND economy AND reliability- no wonder they got a bad rap.

But that was then and this is now. 1994 is included in now.

[Execut1ve]

cleanspeed while I can't deny the superior fuel econ of diesels, my enthusiasm for them is dampened by how much more expensive diesel fuel is compared to gasoline not to mention that's a huge bit more modding than swapping in another engine that was a factory option on the truck. But you are right, pretty sick how much better fuel econ is for the diesels

Frank I agree that the amount of fuel econ sapped by the emissions stuff is small, but it isn't zero. I never said it decreases fuel econ by changing how the engine runs - it decreases fuel econ because the air pump doesn't turn itself. Also, I still have the EGR valve in place and functioning fine. I mention that because a lot of folks hear "remove emissions stuff" and assume the EGR is included in that

[cleanspeed1]

It's all bolt in, all the stuff from the larger F Series will bolt that engine right in; Mill Supply has the mounts to put a 3.9 Cummins in if you want.

Why did I bring diesel up? Simple. You can run those old school diesels on used oil of all types. Run for free, make your own fuel.

[Execut1ve]

motor mounts were what I was worried about mostly although I'm sure tranny mounts would be an issue as well. I did not realize that bit about running a diesel engine on motor oil, is that standard across the board? or just certain engines

[cleanspeed1]

Dude, waste motor oil, waste vegetable oil, transmission fluid, hydraulic fluid, whatever.

Look up black diesel and homemade biodiesel.

Met a trucker while I was down near Texarkana that ran his rig for a year on used transformer oil from one of the accounts he was working.

Most of the commercial chassis that used these engines were based on what you are driving now, just in 1 ton versions, so everything that they used you can use.

The old mechanical engines are great for running this kind of stuff, the only time problems come up, potentially, is with the new style diesels with the piezo style injectors, but the engines from your era including the first year Powerstroke can handle goat juice.

[Execut1ve]

I'm thinking of trying a half grill block... just the driver's side half, leaving the passenger half open for the sake of the tranny cooler. However, as I don't have a tranny temp gauge I don't have a huge idea how necessary the cooler is for my 4 mile jaunt to and from work.

Also I'm giving real thought to commuting to work by bicycle... thanks for planting that infernal seed in my mind frank