67-79 F250 with modern engine swap is 15+ mpg possible?

[doug720]

I have driven those..they are pretty loud as well, nice little engines though.

There was an extra-cab South of me that was sell with one of those stuffed in. Was for sale for a long time...

I have an Isuzu 4BD2 swapped into my 60 and have about 30 miles on it. This is an IDI and is very quiet, in fact, other than a little diesel knock at idle, it is no loader than the gasser when moving. The wind is louder than the engine by a long shot.

I was going to add sound dampener, but after the swap, it was no t needed.

Great engines, good power, easy to get parts and you can find complete trucks cheap, I only paid $1000 for mine. Over the approaching 30k miles on my swap, it has averaged right at 20.2 mpg, not bad with a roof rack bumper, 33's, and most of the time it was spent above 6000'!

Doug

 

[Clutch]

I have an Isuzu 4BD2

What are the hp/tq specs on that engine?

While I indeed prefer a manual trans for muscle cars and for " rallying" a rig through its paces, I prefer an auto for trail use, tricky tight spots, hill climbs, and getting unstuck/keeping from getting stuck. It's a lot easier to not break traction from a dead stop when needing to maneuver on hills, on rocks, mud, loose stuff etc.

And downshifting on steep loose hill climbs can be a drag...

I know, I'm in the minority, but you already knew that ( I drive an Astro van, for crying out loud) .

$0.02

I have been driving manual transmissions for so long now, I feel lost when driving an auto, when I drive my Trooper, I have to look to see what gear it is in...manual I can do by feel.

Same with varying terrain...just more comfortable with clutch and throttle control than of an auto trans.

 

[eggman918]

What are the hp/tq specs on that engine?



I have been driving manual transmissions for so long now, I feel lost when driving an auto, when I drive my Trooper, I have to look to see what gear it is in...manual I can do by feel.

Same with varying terrain...just more comfortable with clutch and throttle control than of an auto trans.

Here is a link to there specs.
http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?22203-Official-4BD1T-Power-Torque-Curves
http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?26542-4BD1T-Turbo-Sizing-and-Performance-Prediction

 

[Clutch]

Here is a link to there specs.
http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?22203-Official-4BD1T-Power-Torque-Curves
http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?26542-4BD1T-Turbo-Sizing-and-Performance-Prediction

Thank you sir.

 

[Stumpalump]

I had the rarest of that vintage truck. It was a 79 F350 king cab 4x4. Some say they did not make any 4wd F350s back then but they made a few. Single digit milage. I had a 93 with a fuel injected six and it got 1 mpg less then my coworkers that all drove Ford Rangers. 16-17 mpg. That engine would pull like a freight train from below idle. I think around 94 was the last year for them but I'd put one of them in if you want better milage. Mine came with 2:92? gears I think but once I swapped to 3:73 it was a pulling machine. I like the Ford 300 straight six way better than any Jeep straight six. The Ford would pull below idle better and rev to the moon as smooth as silk. If you go with cummins then the Power Block Spike TV show trucks put one in that truck. I think they used the Dodge frame. I'll look for a link.
Link: http://www.powerblocktv.com/episodes/TK2009-06/super-dually-part-1

Part 11 http://www.xtreme4x4tv.com/newplayer/episodes/TK2013-16

You can google all the parts in between to see the radiator mods and how they shoe horned it in. It was a great TV build.

 

[Clutch]

I had the rarest of that vintage truck. It was a 79 F350 king cab 4x4. Some say they did not make any 4wd F350s back then but they made a few. Single digit milage. I had a 93 with a fuel injected six and it got 1 mpg less then my coworkers that all drove Ford Rangers. 16-17 mpg. That engine would pull like a freight train from below idle. I think around 94 was the last year for them but I'd put one of them in if you want better milage. Mine came with 2:92? gears I think but once I swapped to 3:73 it was a pulling machine. I like the Ford 300 straight six way better than any Jeep straight six. The Ford would pull below idle better and rev to the moon as smooth as silk. If you go with cummins then the Power Block Spike TV show trucks put one in that truck. I think they used the Dodge frame. I'll look for a link.
Link: http://www.powerblocktv.com/episodes/TK2009-06/super-dually-part-1

Part 11 http://www.xtreme4x4tv.com/newplayer/episodes/TK2013-16

You can google all the parts in between to see the radiator mods and how they shoe horned it in. It was a great TV build.

Those straight sixes are great engines, saw one in crew on another forum. Buddy of mine in high school had one in his F250, I think was...he put
exhaust off a bus on it...it sounded pretty mean...though we were punk teenage kids at the time.


I stumbled upon the Super Dually build the other night while researching. Pretty dang cool.

Check this one out. Article in Diesel Power He looses me on the interior...would do something
more period looking, perhaps buckets out of an early Mustang or something. Haven't look too hard yet...

Nice color too.



Seat idea, these are in a F100

Late model would work too, these are out of an '06. Have that vintage look, but with modern side bolstering and head rest.

 

[1leglance]

If I was not alreay rocking my 70 Suburban I would build/buy that Blue Ford crew right there in a heartbeat....that is just too pretty and I love that vintage FoMoCo.

Straight 6's are better engines than most people give credit for when used off road...great low end torque and good mileage.

 

[Clutch]

If I was not alreay rocking my 70 Suburban I would build/buy that Blue Ford crew right there in a heartbeat....that is just too pretty and I love that vintage FoMoCo.

Straight 6's are better engines than most people give credit for when used off road...great low end torque and good mileage.

That thing is nice, isn't it? daaaaang!

Just something about those old Ford's...we had a bunch of them in our family business growing up. I know my dad had a '72 F250, then his '76 F250
'78 F350 Dump, '7? F600...had cab over milk truck as well, that we used as a water truck, that thing was a nightmare to drive...

Found this nice article on the history of Ford's straight six.

Did not know that Ford Australia kept on developing them.

1034 HP!

 

[thedjjack]

look at 300 six used in medium duty trucks lots of heavy duty parts from the factory in that motor...

also do not forget about 1970s 500-800 chassis that use the same cab as the pickup...

 

[eggman918]

The 300 I6 was the only gas motor choice I was left with when I took the diesel plunge after a lot of research the 300 efi with a properly sized inter cooled turbo to exploit the motors already impressive low rpm torque would make a nice light-heavy duty truck motor,starting with the industrial block,crank and rods and the efi head/induction has a lot of potential,they had a much stouter crank with bigger journals and I think IIRC they are steel and the pistons were cast around a steel insert for the wrist pins and are a low comp. design so a good match for modest boost.With a bit of research and some creative parts sourcing might be a winner..........just my two cents.


If you need info on the industrial 6 I have a set of '77 F series factory shop manuals and can copy and send you what you need.

 

[east_tn_81]

Those straight 6 engines are bullet proof. There is all kinds of mods that are available for them. The military for years put them in tugs. Like was said before torque is available at idle. I have been hunting down a early 80s model for some time now. That motor is worth a look.

 

[RMP&O]

I don't really understand your desire to not go diesel. You say because you don't want to carry two types of fuel. Man, you got plenty of room under that truck for a 40+ gallon tan. At 20mpg that is an 800 mile range. You are going to need to carry fuel when you can go 800+ miles between fuel ups!?

If you want power, torque and good mpgs, only way to go is diesel. I would drop a 6BT in that, NV4500 and never look back! Simple, easy swap, fairly affordable and defiantly going to get you the best mpg. Not to mention plenty of grunt for towing.

Any thing else is going t be to complicated and not get you the mpg you want. High teens the best you could get with a gasser and that is arguable considering the trucks weight, aerodynamics and so forth.

Cheers

 

[Clutch]

I don't really understand your desire to not go diesel. You say because you don't want to carry two types of fuel. Man, you got plenty of room under that truck for a 40+ gallon tan. At 20mpg that is an 800 mile range. You are going to need to carry fuel when you can go 800+ miles between fuel ups!?

If you want power, torque and good mpgs, only way to go is diesel. I would drop a 6BT in that, NV4500 and never look back! Simple, easy swap, fairly affordable and defiantly going to get you the best mpg. Not to mention plenty of grunt for towing.

Any thing else is going t be to complicated and not get you the mpg you want. High teens the best you could get with a gasser and that is arguable considering the trucks weight, aerodynamics and so forth.

Cheers

You're probably right Ian (and the other diesel fans)...the 6BT is arguably the best option...and I know it. Just trying to think outside the box. I have driven my buddy's Dodge...it is impressive and it is bone stock. His was the 24V...which didn't seem too loud to me.

 

[Clutch]

look at 300 six used in medium duty trucks lots of heavy duty parts from the factory in that motor...

also do not forget about 1970s 500-800 chassis that use the same cab as the pickup...
View attachment 222323

We had the single cab version of that truck...I cut my teeth on that...the truck I learned how to drive a 2 Speed rear-end.

 

[Stumpalump]

Cool drive train in this F700 that has the 429 truck version with an auxiliary 3 speed giving 25% overdrive. Can any body guess the milage it would get or why I want it so bad? http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/hvo/4418387318.html