Gears to go with a 302 and C-4

[dagoof]

My family and I put a 302 / C-4 into a Ranger and then I put 31" tires on it.

I expected it to be "an animal" with that bigger engine, but I just haven't been all that impressed. I've been tweaking the engine, and I've put a new cam in, but it's still not impressing me quite like I expected.

I'm finally starting to think that my problem may be gearing.

I'm running the stock 3.73 gears right now.

I'm running at about 3100 RPM on the freeway, which seems to be a little high. That is what has me stumped. If my RPM's are high on the freeway, that should mean that I'm geared plenty low, but the truck doesn't break the tires loose very easily, and it doesn't have "amazing" acceleration.

I didn't think I would need to gear the truck really low since I have a powerfull motor.

What gears should I be running to take advantage of the 302's added power?

 

[dagoof]

I should also mention, that eventually, I'm going to add a 6" skyjacker lift and 35" tires, but for now I just want to figure out what gears will give me the most power / fun / drive-ability.

Once I get it running the way that I want, I can adjust the gears proportionally to the tire size increase.



BTW, Look at my sig. Would that be a good setup, or should I just get 4.56's now?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You might tinker with that 302 a little more, if I catch it in the right mood with 3.73's I can spin a 235/75-15 mud tire for a little ways with a dying 2.8. Originally the '78 smog special 302 I have in the garage on waiting to go in my Ranger made almost twice the torque at half the RPM that my 2.8 had new... so it should blow the 2.8 out of the water in that department.

I don't know what the specs are for your engine, but it kind of sounds like you have a mixmatched carb/cam or something like that.

I wouldn't go any lower in gearing until you get bigger tires, running 3k+ on the highway isn't the greatest thing for your engine.

 

[dagoof]

Thanks for the reply 85'.

That is kind of what I was thinking.

If you can spin your 29's with your 2.9, then I should be able to spin my 31's with my 302.

I can spin the tires, but it's not as easy as I expected.

My truck doesn't accelerate any faster than my dad's full size Dodge with a 318. I'm thinking that I should be leaving him in the dust with a 302 in my little ranger.

 

[CopyKat]

3.55 with 31's.

3.73's with 33's

A buddy of mine was running 4.10's and 33's with his and the 3 speed C4 was a whore on the highway. 3000 RPM's is not fun.

 

[canyoncritter]

how big of a cam did you put in?..
what torque conveter did you use?
what size carb.
and ign system did you use?

sounds like you have plenty of gear

 

[dagoof]

how big of a cam did you put in?..
what torque conveter did you use?
what size carb.
and ign system did you use?

sounds like you have plenty of gear

I just put in a Lunati with a idle-5000 power band. I used to have a comp cam with a 3000-6000 power band. I thought that the cam was part of my problem, so I switched to the Luniati, but it didn't seem make much of a difference other than the smother idle.

I've got a Holley 4160 carb and a Mallory ignition.

The truck tries to stall when I stomp on it suddenly from a stop.

Help.

I want and expect this truck to be an animal on and off the road. I think I've got a good powerful engine. It's a new, fairly high compression, balanced motor. That should be tons of power for a little Ranger. The truck drives and runs pretty good, but the acceleration and power just isn't nearly as impressive as it seems like it should be with that 302 in it. That is why I keep thinking that I might need gears and/or an AOD.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The truck tries to stall when I stomp on it suddenly from a stop.

Bogging from a stop sounds like a carb problem, either way too big of a carb overall or a bad acceleration pump.

 

[dagoof]

Bogging from a stop sounds like a carb problem, either way too big of a carb overall or a bad acceleration pump.

Thanks,

Is a four barrel Holley 4160 way too big for a 302?

I think that it would be 650 CFM's.

Is that way too big for a strong running 302?

 

[dagoof]

bump

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Thanks,

Is a four barrel Holley 4160 way too big for a 302?

I think that it would be 650 CFM's.

Is that way too big for a strong running 302?

650 is probably too big for most 302's but a lot of guys run them and think they are great. 500 or 550 is probably ideal

Have you checked the accellerator pump? Could be timing too...

Might get better results in the V-8 swap forum.