ls1mike
Bremerton
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Joined: 06/26/2009
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I don't go far with most times just an hour and a half to 2 hours.
I want to try and do a three hour pull out the Hoh Rain Forest this summer.
I towed the 5th wheel home from Port Angeles, about 100 miles and it ran flawless. I just did a tune up and it runs even better.
Mike Friend
1989 GMC 1 Ton 454/TH400/4.10's "Big Poo"
Reese 18K classic Hitch
1995 Prowler 25 5G white "Harvery part II"
A bunch of other cars.
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Jarlaxle
New England
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Joined: 11/18/2006
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86 wasn't multi-point...it wasn't EFI at all, the 1986 454 had a Quadrajet. They didn't get EFI at all until 1987 (TBI), and at least some had carbs as late as 1990. None got MPI until the Vortecs showed up in 1996.
The 4L80E showed up in 1991, IIRC.
John
1984 Ford B-700 school bus conversion, Thomas body
A bunch of other vehicles
3 nutty cats (Maya, Vierna, Briza)
One lazy dog (Marmaduke)
One wife (Liz)
"A wasted youth is better by far than a wise and productive old age"
-Jim Steinman
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blt2ski
Kirkland, Wa
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Joined: 03/15/2001
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Jaraxle,
You're right, I was a bit tired, and typed an 86 instead of a 96!
Mike,
at sealevel the motor is not too bad, get it above 5-6000', and they get a bit sluggish. as the TBI unit is really a computer controlled 2 bbl carburetor. The nice thing IMHO, is that their are two injectors that are able to make the gas vapor a bit smaller in size, so a better burn occurs, usually with a bit less initial take off, and more power.
Marty
05 Chev CC D/A LS Dooley
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
00 Chev C2500, V5700, 4L80E, 4.10, base truck, no options!
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
3 Single axle utility trailers
Check RV.Net Blogs at: blog.rv.net
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lawaco12
gallatin tn
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Joined: 06/28/2007
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the big thing other than fuel mi. is they burn up converters like crazy.
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ls1mike
Bremerton
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Thanks everyone! I should be good to go for what I do with it.
I can't see ever going over 4000 feet maybe going over the I-90 Pass to Eastern Washington.
* This post was
edited 06/29/09 01:29pm by ls1mike *
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ls1mike
Bremerton
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lawaco12 wrote:the big thing other than fuel mi. is they burn up converters like crazy.
First time I have ever heard that about the TH400.
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blt2ski
Kirkland, Wa
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On the two rigs I had,I went thru convertors and trannies every 35-50K miles or so. My 89 flatbed was the worst, the 88 ext cab not so bad. That was with 8-12K tranny fluid changes, with every other one a complete drain and flush.
The problem IMHO is the gears are too tall in 1st, at 2.48 or about 4-1 with the TC and slippage included. So while rigs with that engine trans axel ratio were rated on the high side, you blew up the convertors heating them up trying to move the loads with too tall of a overall ratio for the load. You had the HP/torque, but not the gears. I stalled out my trucks on mid teen % grades at 12-15K lbs total all the time! I had a 292 I6 with a muncie 4 sp that could move 12-16K lbs up grades steeper than my 454/4.10/th400 combos.
Marty
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Fabguy
Auburn, Washigton
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Joined: 03/29/2002
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I had a 1988 TBI 454 and the only issue it had doing any pulling was heating up climbing hills. Just going from Bremerton to Hoh shouldn't be an issue for you.
Jeff
2002 GMC Sierra 2500HD 8.1/Allison/4:10/Prodigy brake controler/Dual Cam HP
Pulling a 2004 Sprinter 274 RLS
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ls1mike
Bremerton
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Fabguy wrote:I had a 1988 TBI 454 and the only issue it had doing any pulling was heating up climbing hills. Just going from Bremerton to Hoh shouldn't be an issue for you.
Thanks Jeff!
When I towed it back from Port Angeles I was coming up the long hill on 104 toward the Hood Canal bridge coming up out of Discovery bay.
Never saw over 210. It was however the first time I ever heard the fan Clutch engage in the 5 years I have owned it. Scared the carp out of me. I have never towed with it before that day or even moved anything heavy.
Jeff where is that photo taken? Looks nice!
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Trail-Mate
Frederick, MD
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Joined: 01/22/2004
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Good Sam RV Club
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My current TV see sig is not a 1 ton because its a Suburban. Has always towed well since I got it. Had a major overheating event due to bad radiator cap. Here are things I have done and all have improved the performance should extend its life.
First was replacing the old Radiator with new aluminum one and added big trans cooler with fan. Switched all fluids to synthetic, ( Royal Purple for engine )
Added cold intake kit to get rigd of the stock restricted one. Replaced the clutch fan. Truck Ran better temps dropped alot.
Performace improved but still needed some work. Would not pull hills well if slowed to 55 mph.
Then I added a Towing Chip from TBI Chips ( Thank Brian Harris ) put in 180 thermostat.
Pulled better now temps lower, but would get pinging in some of the slower hill pulls.
Did some more research and found the problem I was getting now was 3 fold. not enough fuel pressue, air and poor flowing exhaust.
Just Installed in the last 2 weeks wiith recomendations from Brian Harris ( TBI Chips )
Got new higher flow fuel pump from Brian. That made a noticable difference from the moment I started it. Then got a modified TBI from RV Morse Machine ( Thanks Vic) and decided to fix the exhaust since I had a small crack in one manifold.
So I then got a set of Doug Thorley Tri Y headers Kit with crossover pipe and then added a Flowmaster 50 serices and Hi flow cat.
What a difference. No Issues with those slow pulling problems and pinging gone , just keeps pulling.
Headers have lowered temps some more, The TBI is getting proper pressue to work under load, The free flowing exhaust with the cold air kit just complimented each other. Very Please now with how its running.
* This post was
edited 06/30/09 09:25am by Trail-Mate *
1993 GMC Suburban K2500 4X4, 454, 4:10 gears
Hensley Arrow
Jordan Ultima 2020 Controller
Montana Mountaineer Edition 32 PRD
Happy Camping !!
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