Living in California: $3.95- No Jive Low Octane Blues

Obsa · Post by **Obsa** » March 22, 2011, 2:57 pm

A 240 I6 with a T-5 and a good rear axle ratio would be the best all round for mileage. A 300 I6 would be closer to having the torque of the 352.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » March 22, 2011, 4:49 pm

Obsa wrote:A 240 I6 with a T-5 and a good rear axle ratio would be the best all round for mileage. A 300 I6 would be closer to having the torque of the 352.

300 w clifford intake, 2v carb and headers 4 speed 4x4 3.50 gears =16 mpg.
plenty of torque too.

jacobd · Post by **jacobd** » March 22, 2011, 5:07 pm

Okay, okay now your just trying to make me think Im an idjit.

Obsa · Post by **Obsa** » March 22, 2011, 7:23 pm

Don't worry your in good company here, we all done been touched with the idjit stick here. Anyone who would spend good money and time working on these Old Junky Trucks when we could be spending even more money and working overtime to pay for a New Junky truck. Yep Idjits be we, a bunch of greasy skint knuckled happy Idjits!

Disclaimer: Everybody doesn't get my sometimes warped sense of humor. (In my best Foghorn Leghorn voice) It's a joke, I say a joke son!

Haus · Post by **Haus** » March 22, 2011, 8:07 pm

My 64 with 223 used to get 18. My 69 with a 300 and 3 speed auto got around the same 15-18 also. Had a 91 fuel injected 300 with 5 speed that used to get 18 also. Anyway the straight 6 engines have always been good to me if your looking for a slick with good mileage that may be the way to go.

Max · Post by **Max** » March 22, 2011, 8:41 pm

I'm a proud idjit!

trueblue0409 · Post by **trueblue0409** » March 22, 2011, 9:54 pm

jacobd wrote:
jamesdfo wrote:Jacob: I will probably take flack for this, but I have never been an FE fan. (OK, I do get wood when looking at pics of SOHC's:)And of the lot, the 352/360's that I have known of were the worst for mileage.
So, even if yours is in good condition, the mileage ain't going to be great.....and the oil bath air cleaner won't effect the mileage any more than an average OEM paper element, but it will sure help with engine longevity.
If it was me, I'd be looking at swapping in a more modern engine/trans....but if the 352 is just plain tired, out of tune, has a worn out carb, etc, then there is room for improvement there, and axle ratio is a big factor in mileage as well.
Do you have a tach?? What is it turning at highway speeds?

James
Tach is aftermarket. Just how aftermarket, and how instaled I do not know. It may be accurate. Idles just above 1000. I know it is supposed to be 600 to 800 but I cannot seem to get it there. At about 50 mph, which is fast as I need to move, it in the 2400 to 3000 range. I will pay better attention and give exact update tomorrow.

the key to good mpg is low rpms. if you change the rear dif and adjust your ignition timing that will help. if your tach is reading right that is a little high you could lower it with ignition timing or carb adjustment. if your carb is worn out you can rebuild it and that will refresh it alittle.

high rpms is mostly caused by off timing whether it is crank timing or ignition timing.

jacobd · Post by **jacobd** » March 25, 2011, 3:17 pm

jamesdfo wrote:Jacob: <snip>....and the oil bath air cleaner won't effect the mileage any more than an average OEM paper element, but it will sure help with engine longevity.<snip>James

Please clarify: Is the oilbath air filter better for longevity or is the paper element?

unibody madness · Post by **unibody madness** » March 25, 2011, 3:52 pm

Jacob,
Its alright to live and work in California,even though you will be told that as a unionist you are causing the recession. by the "right to work for less" states who can't make ends meet.

My son has the 223 mileage maker and gets as high as 23 mpg with a stocker that has a rebuilt carb.
I am not sure that you can get a whole lot better out of the 352 without some major dollars. Have you tried looking for another slick with a six as a commuter? There are a lot of them down at your end of the state. Try checking out Kingsberg, They are always on e-bay selling stuff, just make sure they are from there and not transplants. I paid 600. for my sons step side (Flare) in pretty good shape, up here in Northern Ca.
Then you can save your tree hugging recycling money for important things like peace signs,beads, and maryjewanna.

John

jacobd · Post by **jacobd** » March 25, 2011, 4:20 pm

unibody madness wrote:Jacob,
Its alright to live and work in California,even though you will be told that as a unionist you are causing the recession. by the "right to work for less" states who can't make ends meet. John

I'm sure Wisconsin could find some company in India to teach their children remotely using Asian made electronics.

unibody madness wrote:Have you tried looking for another slick with a six as a commuter? There are a lot of them down at your end of the state. John

I have thought of that. The old man, (85+) has one at the body shop I use. It has a little six. He asks me when I'm buying it everytime, then gets sentimental and never follows through. But... Maybe his boys will part with it soon enough.

unibody madness wrote:Then you can save your tree hugging recycling money for important things like peace signs,beads, and maryjewanna.
John

I just figured it mitigated all the oil, gas and coolant I pour into the storm drains. Dillution is the sollution to pollution, right? Also I can save up the can money for my Headwaters owl hunting trip.

trueblue0409 · Post by **trueblue0409** » March 25, 2011, 4:25 pm

wow it is getting deep in here quick. I need coveralls.

unibody madness · Post by **unibody madness** » March 25, 2011, 4:35 pm

Sure y'all ,dona get nun on ya, turn ya into a left coast libral it will!
Cant warsh it off nun neither

jamesdfo · Post by **jamesdfo** » March 25, 2011, 5:53 pm

Jacob: Sorry, the oil bath is definitely better for engine longevity than a paper element. I had a '78 dentside with a 351M that had an oilbath....it was amazing the amount of crap you would capture in the oil....

James

jacobd wrote:
jamesdfo wrote:Jacob: <snip>....and the oil bath air cleaner won't effect the mileage any more than an average OEM paper element, but it will sure help with engine longevity.<snip>James
Please clarify: Is the oilbath air filter better for longevity or is the paper element?

jacobd · Post by **jacobd** » March 30, 2011, 8:34 am

I may have found a solution.
Stay tuned.

The Big M · Post by **The Big M** » March 30, 2011, 9:32 am

trueblue0409 wrote: the key to good mpg is low rpms.

Generally yes, but you also won't get good fuel economy if the engine is lugging at low rpm either. A good start to determining the load your engine is experiencing at different rpm's is to install a vacuum gauge. It may help regulate your driving habits too because you'll have visual feedback of how the engine reacts under load. Couple that with a good tune and make sure your tire pressures are within spec.

Beyond that you're looking at switching to tires with lower rolling resistance, lowering the truck to decrease the frontal area, doing some exhaust work, and putting some machine work into the 352 (increasing compression, improving quench and increasing intake and exhaust flow with some head porting, etc). You could also switch to electronic ignition or even go with fuel injection if you're feeling really ambitious.

I don't think you'll gain all that much though, other than some modest improvements. Especially considering the investment required.

Oh, and it's the equivalent of $4.32 here right now, in case anyone's wondering. '92 Integra (fully paid for, lol) at 37 miles per Imperial gallon for the win...

trueblue0409 · Post by **trueblue0409** » March 30, 2011, 10:26 am

well i think you win and thats alot to do but it will work and help on mpgs

The Big M · Post by **The Big M** » March 30, 2011, 11:07 am

It definitely would be a lot of work. I think it'd be more of an interesting experiment than it would be an actual solution. A swap to an EFI 5.0 would probably get at least 20-25 mpg for a lot less investment.