What to do, what to do...

Those truck 366"s and 427"s are pretty much bullet proof if taken care of, and torque monsters. Do not confuse them with the passenger car and truck engines, including the 454. If you"re going gas, go "truck" block, not passenger car or truck. Big, big, big difference, don"t confuse them. And don"t under estimate the 366, it"s all about gearing.

Mark

Tim

Now I still don't really know what the problem was with that 454. But of 25 or so independant truckers all hauling 15 to 20 ton payloads, all were telling me stay away from a 454, it's not a truck engine, and will not stand up on heavy hauling. GM wouldn't even recomend it for a heavy truck back in those days. The advice I got back then was go 366 or 427.

My dad swore by the 350 with 5 bolt main for a single axle truck, and he always hauled 10 ton payload, it wasn't legal, dad just liked the round figures, and since he never started trucking until he was close to 60, I guess legal was for the faint of heart. Anyhow, dad never did get caught and he put a 100,000 miles on that truck in 5 years. Never had any engine trouble either. Oh, by the way, the boys told me until they got diesels, the old man with his little 350 was a hard act to follow. If you were planning to pass him, you best be right on the gears.

After seeing that, if I were hauling 8 ton payload or less and didn't want the capital cost of diesel, 5 bolt 350 would be my truck of choice.

Looking at the diesel option, first problem will be the rear end ratio. Most dual wheel gas trucks used a rear end ratio for engine developing it's max torque at about 2800 rpm whereas the same truck with diesel will run in the 1600 to 2000 range. If your going to turn a diesel up 2800 rpm you'll see very little saving. Diesel only gives effeieincy as it develops it's max. torque at very little over 1500 rpm.

I'd repower with a older turbo diesel. Best of both worlds, more fuel mileage when your not using maximum turbo rpm and more power when you do use maximum turbo rpm.

I have a neighbor that installed a older Ford diesel tractor engine and he says it's worn out 3 pick-ups. He keeps the engine and tranny and installs them into a newer body when it's time.

With diesel at $2.30gal, gasoline would have to drop to $1.61gal to be at the same fuel cost as diesel and we know that isn't going to happen.

T_Bone

I would be looking for a complete wrecked truck with the engine I was wanting. Then it makes the swap alot easier as you have all the componets that you need. Unless your totaly in love with your current truck, for no more weight that your pulling, I'd look at getting a mid 90's replacement that's still in fare shape VS a makeover.

As far as the diesel with the turbo, there's just no comparrision to a non-turbo diesel engine. I pulled 31kGCW last summer with my 02 F350 PSD DRW. I did 7 States at 3700 miles with 1300 miles empty @ 75mph, 680 miles @16kGCW, 600miles @ 26kGCW then 1120 miles @ 31kGCW and averaged 13.81mpg for the trip.

At 26kGCW I could use 1750rpm to maintain 60mph or the same rpm I use to pull my 16kGCW RV. However at 31kGCW I had to use turbo rpm of 2100rpm to 2400rpm to maintain 50mph to 60mph on the flatlands. I also pulled a couple 6% and 7% grades. Here I maintained 30mph at 31kGCW.

Overall I was very pleased of my trucks preformance other than 31kGCW is just too much weight for this truck and I would expect extreamly high maintance costs. At 26kGCW I felt was a good weight for this truck although maintance cost would be high but not excessive.

Without the turbo, I would had one very slow trip once I was loaded. If your wanting to run 70mph or so then Hugh has a point and you would need to regear for the diesel engine for about 2200rpm at top speed. At that I still think a diesel will be cost effective vs a gasser. 5mpg vs 9mpg diesel.

T_Bone