Anyone here use a permanent vacuum gauge?

[PetesPonies]

I have an '89 2.3 5 speed. It has about 212K miles. I redid the top end about 7k ago. It runs every well. I hold a dead steady 20 lbs of vacuum at idle. It's cruising that has me thinking. At 55 mph on level road I only pull about 10lbs of vacuum in 5th and about 11lbs in 4th. The 2.3' is no power monster we know, so it does need a fair amount of throttle opening to hold a steady speed in a Ranger. But I feel the 10-11lbs is low. Does anyone have a vacuum gauge mounted and can give their own observations?

 

[vstar650ca]

That the same as my 2.3 liter gauge reads.I believe you want to look for bouncing needle and needle going toward 0 at idle when looking for problems.You can Google "reading a vacuum gauge" lots of sites explain how to read it.Good luck

 

[PetesPonies]

I'm a retired Auto teacher. I just want to know if anyone has actual numbers from their truck. I know how to read a gauge . . just wanted some real life numbers.

 

[Mikel89us]

That's normal, my 2.3 mustang pulls 12" at 55, obviously the truck has to push harder so 10" would be about right.

 

[turbo2256b]

I run a test vacuum gage in a couple of my built up engine vehicles. Good rule of thumb is differance between high gear and overdrive should be 1 to 2" lower in over drive.
It can varry wit hpower to weight and gearing along with engine build. Drive train loss is bad on the small Ford trucks. We did a compairson at Ford that proved it. DAont realy have an idea what a stock 2.3 should be at in cruse conditions.

Did you ever check your cranking compression if its low it would effect the vacuum readings just a though considering your mileage

 

[PetesPonies]

Thanks guys. Yes I only drop one between 4th and 5th, so that seemed OK. I, just off the top of my head, thought I could hold more than 10-11 on a level surface. When I did a top end rebuild I checked the compression and all was good then. I just recently installed the vacuum gauge and why this question has just come up.

If your Mustang is pulling 12, then I guess I'm about right. Do you get close to 30 mpg with that vacuum and highway driving?

 

[turbo2256b]

I have never installed a vacuum gage on my 2.3 aprox 160 170 HP while in the pinto carbed it got 28 to 32 MPG highway. Never finished tuning it satisfactorly. Just installed the 2.3 in my Ranger short bed 5 speed. Guessing it will idle around 15 or so at idle with the cam thats in it.

This is a pic of the engine in my 87 Grand Marquis. It idles at 16 to 15 out of gear in gear 11 to 9. Cruse at 55 in high gear 17 to 14. 55 in OD mabe 10 or below. AT 70 75 on the highway around 11 maybe 12. Best 24 MPG. It currently geared wrong for the engine build. It 3.27 gears should be about 3.90 for best all around and should increase economy.

 

[Mikel89us]

You will never pull better than that.

 

[PetesPonies]

Boy there's some bling in that engine compartment !! And thanks for the numbers. I'm a V8 guy through and through, but this Ranger has been good for sure. I know the vacuum numbers won't be the same as a V8 at 55, but if I was aksed before hand, I would have guessed in the 13 or 14 range at 55-60 mph. So the 10-11 sorta surprised me. Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

Mine read 10" at light cruise. I removed the gauge because it was either 20" or 0"

 

[scotts90ranger]

heh...

On my Ranger cruising 65-70mph I am at 0-5", don't remember what it's at at 55... a solid 20" at idle unless I'm in the hills where the baro is lower... but this is on a turbo engine with 8:1 compression, on a lifted truck...

In my Tracker it's a solid 20-22" at idle, and 5" at 70mph, but this is a little 1.6L turning mach 3 (3500rpm on the freeway in 5th gear)

Just remember that vacuum gauges that are meant to be dash mounted have an orifice to slow down the response, so it is filtered... but before I rebuilt my engine the vacuum reading was intermittent at idle and is now very solid so I do know what you mean...

 

[PetesPonies]

Thanks again for the info.