Average US fuel economy, getting better but still bad.

[Rusty Marina]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Haven't had that happen from rain or puddles. Must have been from fjording the ford?

How did you know ? There was flood water over the road. Good truck, but those FE360s are fuel pigs !

[Frank Lee]

Ahhh. I don't think fjording is a common concern... but if it is, a lil bit of riding the brakes after getting back in the dry should cure that.

I think the main reason discs replaced drums is their superior ability to dissipate heat... which, as a flatlander who is very light on the brakes (111,000 miles on my 17 year old F150 and it still has the OEM factory shoes and pads) is pretty much not an issue for the likes of me (not a Marine).

[Rusty Marina]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Ahhh. I don't think fjording is a common concern... but if it is, a lil bit of riding the brakes after getting back in the dry should cure that.

I think the main reason discs replaced drums is their superior ability to dissipate heat... which, as a flatlander who is very light on the brakes (111,000 miles on my 17 year old F150 and it still has the OEM factory shoes and pads) is pretty much not an issue for the likes of me (not a Marine).

Area near my house is notorious for water over the roads. I miss that old F250.
I'm needing a pickup again and I'm wondering how well a old 6.9 diesel Ford can do on fuel as they pop up for cheap.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

^ Yeah, those vs the typical "car" today: a ponderous SUV or PU. Don't get me wrong, my F150 rides really nice, but it ain't quick and responsive.

Yeah, as I like to say, "handles like a waterbed" - not original with me, but stolen from Donald Westlake.

Now I won't say that today's Lotus or Miata don't handle as well or better. Heck, even the Insight is pretty good. But they are not typical vehicles of today.

[Christ]

I find that handling has more to do with driver skill/confidence than anything else, at least in every day situations.

I read once a digression that "Faced with the decision between a .6g curve, or a tree, most drivers trend to chose the latter...". "Most drivers" are pretty bad at critical decision making, it appears.

Personal digression: Driven a she-tonne of cars in my life, and haven't seen too many that actually HAD to follow precautionary speeds for curves. Heck, even my 78 Volare handled "40mph" curves at 55+...

[cleanspeed1]

Originally Posted by Rusty Marina

Area near my house is notorious for water over the roads. I miss that old F250.
I'm needing a pickup again and I'm wondering how well a old 6.9 diesel Ford can do on fuel as they pop up for cheap.

The old IDI 6.9/7.3 in that chassis will do in the 14-16 mpg range all natural, will do better if turbocharged with either the factory ( nee ATS ) or a Hypermax system. The biggest problem with these engines is simply gearing.
From the factory, these engines are geared too low, and if the gearing were changed to lower the speed to 1600-1800 in top gear at cruise, the mileage goes up substantially.

I used to frequent an IDI site, and one of the founders took a stock 6.9 IDI and a 5 speed OD transmission and put it in a F150 pickup with 3.08 gears in the back. Got 30 mpg out of it.

If there was a gearset in the 2.73 to 3.08 range for the 3/4 to 1 ton rear axle that was readily available, buying an IDI truck would be an mpg dream

[pprince]

Originally Posted by mcguire

Actually, as I recall, most of the "extreme sports" are very safe. You want a dangerous sport, try horseback riding.

Try bike riding for a dandgerous sport.

I ride my bike to work and it amazes me the brain dead vehicle drivers that cannot see me even in a bright yellow rain suit. I look like a friggin huge banana.

Very seriously, riding a bike is a wake up call in danger.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Now I won't say that today's Lotus or Miata don't handle as well or better. Heck, even the Insight is pretty good. But they are not typical vehicles of today.

Depends where you live.

A decent FIAT, Ford, GM or even a Hyundai hatch will give a Miata a good run for its money cross country.

The original Mini competed against the Porsche 911 in rallies in its later days - thats 1293cc (rally engine) vs something >2 litres...

[vacationtime247]

Want to swap out the gears in my '89 F-350 dually. Has the 7.3 idi with the ZF 5spd. Didn't some of the automatic transmission utility vehicles around that year at least come with 3.42 gears? The 4.11's are really not needed. Don't haul any heavy loads. What vehicles should I scout out when 'touring' the junkyards?
VT247

Originally Posted by cleanspeed1

The old IDI 6.9/7.3 in that chassis will do in the 14-16 mpg range all natural, will do better if turbocharged with either the factory ( nee ATS ) or a Hypermax system. The biggest problem with these engines is simply gearing.
From the factory, these engines are geared too low, and if the gearing were changed to lower the speed to 1600-1800 in top gear at cruise, the mileage goes up substantially.

I used to frequent an IDI site, and one of the founders took a stock 6.9 IDI and a 5 speed OD transmission and put it in a F150 pickup with 3.08 gears in the back. Got 30 mpg out of it.

If there was a gearset in the 2.73 to 3.08 range for the 3/4 to 1 ton rear axle that was readily available, buying an IDI truck would be an mpg dream

[mcguire]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

My vehicles with drum brakes can put your head into the windshield. What more do you want?

A seat bealt?