Giving into my wallet

[Super-Dave]

4WDKC,

I tach around 1850 at 60-65. I am running just under 200 degrees on the temp gauge cooling all fluids. Trans fluid is bright. Shifts are firm in all gears. OD comes in around 45 unless I stand on it a tad.

 

[4WDKC]

4WDKC,

I tach around 1850 at 60-65. I am running just under 200 degrees on the temp gauge cooling all fluids. Trans fluid is bright. Shifts are firm in all gears. OD comes in around 45 unless I stand on it a tad.

60 - 1698, 65 -1839 200 trans temp all the time? My vette only get sthat hot at stop lights

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[Super-Dave]

60 - 1698, 65 -1839 200 trans temp all the time? My vette only get sthat hot at stop lights

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The RPM's right where I would expect it to be at 65. I barely sneak up on 2K at 70.

That's water temp after cooling the engine and trans. Depending on time of the year and driving (city vs. highway), it's 180 - 200. I typically don't drive more than 3,000 mile a year, especially at 8 MPG.

 

[Obwonkonobe]

I have a '74 Square C20. It had an OEM 350/350 combination and a TransGo kit when I bought it. It runs 3:73 gears. I drive mostly highway.

The OEM 350 was replaced with a pro built 355 SBC, mild cam, Heddman Headers, Edelbrock 650, and Edelbrock Air Gap manifold. The TH350 was replaced with a performance 700r4, mild stall converter (around 2000), and no lockup. Final drive is around 2:60.

The OEM wheels and tires were replaced with a new combo that was +/- 1/2" - coming in around 30.5-31 inches.

The OEM gauges were replaced with Speedhut gauges. The fuel gauge has been calibrated and verified accurate. The electronic speedometer has been calibrated with GPS and has been verified for accuracy.

In OEM form, I was getting between 12-14 MPG. With the Edelbrock 650, Air Gap and 700r4, I dropped to 7-10 MPG.

I was expecting at least 14-16 MPG, not the drastic decrease. I read where people say they are getting 16-18-20+ MPG even with BBC's. So, my experience is not anything close to expectations or claims from others.

We have reworked the timing several times, gone through the new 650 three times, there is no explanation. I have been told that the Air Gap is not allowing the fuel to atomize from the hot oil in the valley, like a non-Air Gap. . . among other interesting things.

At this point, I am debating whether an EFI kit from FiTech, or someone else, would change things for the better, but want to know what the issue is before dropping another grand.

All this to say. . . You can't always rely on the OD Transmissions to deliver the results you expect or what others say they are getting. Sometimes you find yourself chasing numbers and bleeding cash.

Im kinda hoping that i can get the reverse of your situation, crap with oem and better with od haha. I think ive decided to save for a four banger, then buy a core 2004r and make a project out of rebuilding it

 

[87scotty]

I'm for the beater here in Illinois I dont want to drive my nice sh*t in the salt! So I have my 87 bbc 7mpg,01mutang gt 20mpg and 82 honda cm450e 50mpg I bounce around in the spring summer, fall and winter 97s10 28mpg I put them all on the wife's 08 tahoe ltz plan and they cost me 5$ a piece for insurance so total insurance per yr is under 1200$

 

[Obwonkonobe]

I'm for the beater here in Illinois I dont want to drive my nice sh*t in the salt! So I have my 87 bbc 7mpg,01mutang gt 20mpg and 82 honda cm450e 50mpg I bounce around in the spring summer, fall and winter 97s10 28mpg I put them all on the wife's 08 tahoe ltz plan and they cost me 5$ a piece for insurance so total insurance per yr is under 1200$

That's a nice little collection. I don't have to worry about salt here in az so I was trying to hold out on getting a beater, but you can't beat 30 mpg

 

[4WDKC]

The RPM's right where I would expect it to be at 65. I barely sneak up on 2K at 70.

That's water temp after cooling the engine and trans. Depending on time of the year and driving (city vs. highway), it's 180 - 200. I typically don't drive more than 3,000 mile a year, especially at 8 MPG.

I thought you meant that was trans temp, nevermind then.

 

[Snoots]

Drop in a Harley 1200 with a 4:56 rear gear and cut it loose.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

That's a nice little collection. I don't have to worry about salt here in az so I was trying to hold out on getting a beater, but you can't beat 30 mpg

No amount of changes you can make are really going to add up to significant mpg gains.

Even if you go from 10 to 20 mpg, at what cost? And then you could have just bought a beater for less, and gotten more for your money.

Not to mention, for me, running my truck through the shooting gallery of life is nerve wracking. I don't give a solitary frack if my 2500 HD get's T-boned or rearended. I'll just go get another one and be happier. But my CUCV, or my C10?? Yeah, I like to cut the chances of that down lol.