what rear end gears 302 and c4 and tire size

[goranger]

i recently puechased a 83 ranger xls that someone swaped a 302 and c4 into they also changed the tires to 245/50/16 in the rear and slightly smaller up front. it is 2 wheel drive. it used to have a 2.3 and a manual. it has 3.73 gears in it now but it is at the shop getting 3.08 installed. just curious what you guys have and what kind of fuel economy because mine sucks on gas badly. like around 4 to 6 mpg. it also has a stock 2 bbl autolite and as far as i can tell the only mods to the engine is a mallory distributor. any input or sugestions would be great

 

[cammeddrz]

I HAVE A CHEV 350, 240PSI COMPRESSION, BIG CAM, NO OVERDRIVE, 4.56 GEARS, 35" TIRES

15MPG

i think that 3.08 gears is a bandage for your fuel economy, fuel injection helps with fuel mileage quite a bit. i would look at that

other bandages could be things like more freely flowing exhaust manifolds (headers) retarding the timing, etc.

but the old ford v8s that had a 2bbl saw fuel economy improvements by swapping a more efficiently flowing 4bbl manifold/carb onto it

 

[goranger]

thanks. it has headders on it now i guess i forgot to mention that earlier. i have been looking into fuel injection but that will have to wait until i win the lotto. the 4 bbl is a good idea i wil have to do some reasearch on that thanks again.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

i think that 3.08 gears is a bandage for your fuel economy, fuel injection helps with fuel mileage quite a bit. i would look at that

Not near as much as overdrive. Bandaid or not it makes a huge difference for EFI vehicles as well. Mine moves a lot of fuel with a 4bbl it is right up against the secondaries crusing at 3k rpm... which is a rediculous cruising RPM for only 55mph.

Something is wrong with the tuning, it should get better than single digits.

Sometime mine is getting an M5OD which should really help the milage. IMO the non-OD trans is more outdated than carburators could ever hope to be. They are either geared to be a gutless wonder so they can get decent ecomony or they are a holy terror gas sucking pig.

4bbls only help the economy if you stay out of the secondaries... which is really hard to do.

 

[goranger]

i would love to upgrade to a t5 but that is expensive too. i am thinking i might have the wrong jets in the carb. still waiting for the shop to finish the ring and pinion swap. to see where it is then. right now 1st gear is only good to about 10 mph at wot.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

i would love to upgrade to a t5 but that is expensive too.

I hear you there... it is a PITA to do after the fact.

At least you don't have a t-case and two driveshafts to deal with though.

 

[dangerranger83]

Im running a Holley carb and cant wait to get rid of it. Im only doing about 6mpg in the winter in town and 14mpg highway. Cant wait to get an Edelbrock carb.

My secondarys only open when I get on it but other then that, I can be doing 70mph and they still arent open.

I have an np435 and running 3.73 gears on 32inch MT tires. I dont use the first gear it has since it is a pulling gear good for 5mph.

 

[bearsrngr]

I'm wondering if you don't have a bad power valve in you'r carb. That is what i would check before rejetting.

 

[goranger]

Thanks for the input guys. It did have a bad accelerator pump diaphragm and a bad float bowl gasket. I just rebuilt the carb. The power valve seemed ok but it came with the power valvein the rebuild kit so i changed it too. It seemed to help some but not much.

 

[PetesPonies]

You have issues if you are really getting that poor of mileage. I have a 302 in my '84 Bronco II, carburetted, and I get 17 mpg I want as tall of gears as I can get. I've been trying to find some 3.08s for the front Dana, no luck yet but supposedly they exist. The torque of the 302, we could run 2.73s. That would be easy for you, me . . nope.

 

[dangerranger83]

You have issues if you are really getting that poor of mileage. I have a 302 in my '84 Bronco II, carburetted, and I get 17 mpg I want as tall of gears as I can get. I've been trying to find some 3.08s for the front Dana, no luck yet but supposedly they exist. The torque of the 302, we could run 2.73s. That would be easy for you, me . . nope.

What carb do you have? I know I have an np435 but I don't use first gear and I don't get on it.

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[PetesPonies]

A 2100 that I jetted and rebuilt. But also, to be fair, I built this engine for such a purpose. I started with a '68 block that I put new rings and bearings etc. I used the stock cam. I then used E7 heads that I did a clean up port on. I added 1.72 roller rockers and a rare ('82 only ) high rise 2V aluminum manifold from a GT Mustang. I'm running a Durasprak distrbutor and a GM HEI module with a Ford TFI coil. I custom made a 2 1/2" single exhaust. It runs nice

 

[goranger]

I thought about 2.73 butt i thought it might be too high. I tow a trailer a lot. I havent been able to check much out because the truck is still at the shop. The guy said 2 hours its been over a week now.

 

[dangerranger83]

So your basically running a Ford factory carb. Been thinking about getting one and rebuilding it and seeing how well it does. Any good years/vehicles to look for? Needs to be a square bore 4 barrel carb.

As for rear end gears, i have been thinking about going to 3.08s. I like my 3.73s but it's third gear it's where all my speed, acceleration, etc... comes from. My second is good for taking off and getting me to maybe 25mph. My granny low has yet to be useful to me except creeping through parking lots.

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[dangerranger83]

Just got done looking up done and i fear Ford 4 barrels were holleys. I don't want to go to a 2 barrel either.

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