Sad about good MPG

[cosmick]

[dirtydave]

My brother had that same truck before. His best tank was 39MPG but was normally 31-32MPG

Its looking good! Keep up the good work!

[cosmick]

Only if he had the 5-speed.
I'm having issues with the matching center caps on the front. And problems with the parking bake cables. Gotta trash the Ford under-spring plates, they damaged the shocks. The S-10 versions should work when I get the lowering blocks reinstalled, but it may need new u-bolts. New shocks will wait until I can afford air shocks. New RR parking brake cable will be the RR for a '73-'75 Ford, NAPA part number UP93599. $ 24, but should solve that problem once lowered. LR TBD, but possibly UP93896 for $ 27. Seems like something is dragging, or not rolling freely, and it's leaking gear lube past the new diff cover gasket. Gotta figure out attaching the sway bar to the frame.
But it drives very well.
No regrets.

[spdfrk]

Those are some pretty good numbers to start.

I'd look at synthetics that are low viscosity but still to spec, some bolt ons to make better low end torque (headers, intake, ecm reprogram w/ higher octane and NO ETHANOL). Then I'd make a belly pan and close up the wheel openings and connect them to the belly pan or make wheel well liners. Get rid of the pulley driven radiator fan and go electric and get an msd. A cowl deflector is a nice add-on to push the air over the wipers which you should be able to find for your s10.

Then you can put ws2 in your rear diff, power steering, and engine oil.

I've got my full size Silverado from 1990 doing almost 30 us mpg (silverado30mpg).

[cosmick]

Thanks!
My old, ( then new ) '94 C1500 W/T RCLB managed as much as 26 MPG, when not trying for MPG, even with the optional 3.73:1 axle. And it wasn't lowered, either. So I can believe 30 for a 'burb'. Mine was 4.3 / 4L60E with A/C.
This is as far as I'm pursuing MPG. I have no realistic hope of a 6L80E for my 4.8L swap, so I won't be trying a 2.73:1 or 2.47:1 gearset in the axle, so now I just need to confirm it can average 40 MPG 3 tanks in a row, then I'm out until I get the 4.8L swap done. After that I'll probably go to 17" x 9" wheels for big brakes to go with the turbo, then I'll have the ultimate S-10 for towing. 600 HP with 30 MPG, 1g cornering, and ULEV! Not even a 1000-horse turbodiesel dually will be able to accelerate with me.
Next post will be pics now that the back end is back down.

[cosmick]

Really is a happy coincidence that all 4 wheels ended up being flush with the body. No regrets about that.

[cosmick]

As this is where I link people about this, rather than making more build threads, I'm adding this info:
The stock S-10 parking brake cables barely worked, but even so rubbed the wheels all the time. I needed some longer. But as I've researched what wheels and tires for the V8 and big brakes, I realized I need even longer cables so they won't rub with even wider wheels. So after hours on Napa's website, I've just now ordered their Ultra Premium 93895 and 93896, at a cost of $ 61 delivered. I'll post the results.

[Miller88]

Have you adjusted the speedo gear for the different gear ratio? How is the gas mileage going?

For some reason I didn't realize you were swapping to a V8

[cosmick]

I measured the unloaded circumference of the old tires, then the "new". Next I calculated my cruise RPM before and after. Since the error is 11%, this makes it easy to figure my speed in my head as I drive, and correct my MPG after I fill up. I see no need for buying one of those little corrector gearboxes for $62 plus shipping when the 4L60E will mandate converting to an electronic speedometer. Maybe I can get lucky at the salvage yard and find the gauge panel from a '93 Olds Bravada. That should bolt right in and be adaptable.
The 4-popper is dying, I pulled the valve cover and found nothing there.
As for MPG I haven't topped 40.

[COcyclist]

Subscribed. I had an S-10. Good little truck but the V-6 leaked oil like a sieve. It had a ton of miles on it when I got it though.