Converting a F250 into a 1/2 ton

[cbaker65]

I do not think the taller gears helped the gas mileage around town but its way more highway friendly now, I am thinking a 351-W will be in the future since I have a smallblock C-6 but I do like the torque of the 460 so I have some tuning to do before I decide on another motor.

I dont think that I can deal with that type of fuel consumption.
I would definitly be lookin for a small block if its going to be a daily..

My 360 does enough guzzling...

 

[junkyardjeff]

I wonder if I can get a 351-C 2 bbl motor to get reasonable gas mileage as I do have one.

 

[cbaker65]

I wonder if I can get a 351-C 2 bbl motor to get reasonable gas mileage as I do have one.

To me,a 460 would be something that you would use for pulling weight,
like in a 1 ton service truck,a camper trailer,an or a muscle car that you
would drag race or take out on a cruise on the w-end.But for a daily
driver I would think a 351 2bb would be cheaper on gas.
I really dont know,as I never had a big block....

My 360 is a 2bb,but I herd that a 4 bb distributes the fuel more evenly.

 

[junkyardjeff]

I am tinkering with the trans right now trying to get it to shift better,it was shiftiing into third way too quickly so I think one more turn on the modulator valve should do it. I am going to do some tuning on the 460 to see how it does and if I can not improve the mileage then will look into a smaller motor.

 

[cbaker65]

I am tinkering with the trans right now trying to get it to shift better,it was shiftiing into third way too quickly so I think one more turn on the modulator valve should do it. I am going to do some tuning on the 460 to see how it does and if I can not improve the mileage then will look into a smaller motor.

Lol...I think they use to call that a poor mans shift kit...

 

[junkyardjeff]

I used up half of the 35 dollars worth of gas I put in it yesterday so over the winter I am going to look for a 351-w to install in spring or see what I can do with the 351-C,the condition of the Cleveland is unknown so if a Windor comes up I can hear run then that might be the best way to go. I should wait until spring since we have the winter grade gas here which is known not to get the best mileage from.

 

[cbaker65]

I used up half of the 35 dollars worth of gas I put in it yesterday so over the winter I am going to look for a 351-w to install in spring or see what I can do with the 351-C,the condition of the Cleveland is unknown so if a Windor comes up I can hear run then that might be the best way to go. I should wait until spring since we have the winter grade gas here which is known not to get the best mileage from.

I use to have a 351 c1 in a 74 pickup,it wasnt the original,the previous
owner before the owner that I bought the truck from put it in.
It had a dead cylinder due to a sunkin valve.I pulled the head off an took
it to a head shop an had it fixed,at the time,it had to past smog.
After that,the truck ran pretty good,But didnt really use the truck,so
I sold it to my B-law.
6 yrs later,my boss took me out to his freinds house out in the country
to have something welded.There was a nice lookin 68 or 70's ranchero
out there an he told me that someone had came out there one night
an stoled the engine out of it,so I got to thinkin that that ranchero came
stock with a 351 c1,an that was what was in my truck.
I knew the person that sold that truck to the guy I bought it from,an he was
a shady person...

 

[junkyardjeff]

I am not sure I want to pull the 460 since it runs real good and is the quickest vehicle I own,I think I am going to wait until next spring when we get the better crappy gas and do some tuning before giving up and going to a smaller motor. Its been a long time since I had a vehicle that will smoke the tires and kind of do not want to give it up.

 

[junkyardjeff]

Need to get the front down some,going to try some 302 springs and if that wont work thinking about some dropped beams.

 

[junkyardjeff]

Adjusted the 2nd gear band and no wimpy shift into that gear,it was real loose so I am wondering how long this trans is going to last,it is a Jasper reman with less the 30,000 on it and probably driven the whole time like this. I have only put about 1000 miles on it since putting it in the truck and had to shift it manually to run good,I also had to screw in the modulator valve 5 turns too but its working good now but for how long and might have to see if there are any other bands I can adjust too.

 

[junkyardjeff]

Cut a coil off each front spring and lowered it about a 1 1/2 inches and when I get back from Florida will get it aligned.

 

[junkyardjeff]

Can not find anyone who can bend the beam to get the camber right,it does great on the highway now.

 

[junkyardjeff]

Now I am in the process of removing the lokar shifter and 4 speed steering column and replacing them with a 69 automatic column,the column is in and need to replace the shift arm on the trans and add a factory deep trans pan.

 

[DNFXDLI]

Auto....smart move

 

[junkyardjeff]

If I had a 460 bellhousing and clutch parts I would have put in my toploader 4 speed but since its a daily driver I am going to keep the C-6 now that I got it shifting better,this project is starting to snowball as I want to do more like adding back up lights from a 67 to 72 and the newer neutral safety switch that bolts to the trans and then the 4x4 deep trans pan and who knows what else.

 

[junkyardjeff]

Picked up a neutral safety switch and ordered new 67 to 72 tail light lenses so its going to get reverse lights when it warms up a little.

 

[junkyardjeff]

Tail lights with the reverse lights are in and now I am thinking about going to a 351-w and toploader 4 speed,the 460 just uses too much gas to drive as much as I would want to.

 

[junkyardjeff]

Tuning the 460 to see if I can tame the 460s thirst for fuel just a little before going to a 351,went to a smaller carb and doing a little better but I need to get the speed correct before going any further.

 

[junkyardjeff]

I gave up on trying to get the 460 to use less gas and put it back the way it was,got the heater to work better and found the source for most of the rattles which ended up being loose bolts in the front sheetmetal.

 

[junkyardjeff]

It does not get that much worse gas mileage then my 95 F150 with a 5.8 and E4OD.