My '87 D150 has come a long way. I actually enjoy driving it now that the parking brake isn't stuck partially on! I had a fantasy of the truck driving like a modern v6 5speed econo-pickup which is obviously not going to come true! The /6 four speed (3speed od) is obviously just a different animal.

In gear the truck is doing fine. On the highway there's a little surging in the middle of the gas pedal (high and low vac situations works fine, medium load seems to surge some even with a 64h jet in my 1945.?

Nitpicking aside, the truck still needs a slow left foot to get rolling on even a slight uphill. (Flat ground no payload is fine) If I try to just let it out it either slips a little or bogs depending on the rpm's. I end up leaving it 1/2 slipped until the truck gets rolling. This takes longer than I like, and I know I'm heating up the clutch pretty well doing it. It's worse with a load of course.

Are these fullsize slant trucks known for eating clutches? Can I get a HD clutch that will make it bite harder or last longer? Is an engine hop-up in order this spring? (I have a few extra blocks/heads)

Or should I just stop complaining because it is what it is?

Thanks

Kevin

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madam im adam

What gears do you have? My van and pickup have 3:55 gears in the back. The van has no trouble, even on hills. The truck sometimes acts as you describe when starting off on a steep hill, but not most of the time. Does your clutch chatter? If so, you may have some oil getting on the clutch face, or it overheated one time too many.

I have never had to deal with changing these clutches, but I think they are pretty robust.

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

What emission control devices have you removed, disabled, or modified, if any?
Did you ever physically check your rear axle ratio?
Nope. They're also not known for needing a whackload of clutch slip to get underway.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

mine chattered and ate disks till i resurfaced flywheel....now with 3.55 gears no problem

Disabled from 1987 stuff:
the EGR and air pump are disconnected from vacuum
the heat chimney got smooshed and I need to buy another
The leanburn is gone replaced with msd triggered by points ign and your 1945 Dan. The truck warms up well and drives great in town. Highway is a little surgey in the middle of the pedal. Gotta check the plugs.

Gears:
I didn't check the gear ratio yet. I have to bleed the brakes (got a little air) so I'll be in the air again soon. I'm thinking 3.55 based on cruising rpm vs. my demon w/ 4.11s and 28" tire (sort of like 3.73s) but I'll physically check it out.

It isn't really that bad, and I have to remember it is a 20 year old truck after all. When my ebrake was sticking I dreaded stopping on an uphill but now I'm just bitching because it's a little underpowered...

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madam im adam

Echk. Why? Put in a real electronic ignition; it will likely solve problems you didn't realise you had, and may well take a bite out of the one you do know you have.
Be interesting to learn what you find.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

If it is like my father's 1982 truck S/6 833OD 3.23 gears it was awful until we put a 8 3/4 in it with 3.91 gears.

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V8?? We don't need no stink'n V8!!

This combo lights off 25+ PSI of boost no problem! The points are only the trigger.

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11.02 @ 120.56
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAxRmoDgsdY
Chassis dyno
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd6hFGzLJMc

About the ignition-

I went through a lot of problems with the ignition. Even to the point of ridiculousness. Geez that word looks funny spelled out. Anyway, I broke down twice because of intermittent lean burn problems, replaced it with a used msd 6a triggered by points I had laying around which worked great for three weeks before giving up and smelling like burnt electronics, replaced the msd with a new one, IGN hot trigger to msd went cold (? no bad fuses never did figure out why) switched to electronic distributor triggering msd worked for one week before the pickup went bad in it, switched back to points distributor, IGN hot went cold again...

I had three actual failures- the leanburn, the first msd, and the used EI distributor. I also had intermittent power failures stemming from my use of the stock wires going to the old leanburn box for IGN hot wires to trigger the internal relay in the msd box. I think I used the purple, then green wires. They both tested cold key off hot key on and eventually just cold all the time. ?? Now my ignition is run off a rocker switch in the dash. The key just unlocks the wheel and powers up the harness the truck will run with no key (nice for no-theft unattended warmups)

Now I'm happy to have some amount of reliability in a vehicle I never wanted to work on much. This truck was supposed to be a parts getter, not a weekend soaker upper!

I do like the stock stuff Dan, but I had to work with what I had laying around or could go buy at the store.

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madam im adam

Hey Kevin
Did you lose the Cat? If not with the air pump gone it will melt down and block your exhaust. BTDT I would go with HEI for your ignition. I did on my 82 and its MUCH better than the EI on my 87.
Just my experience here. BTW if you want a EI dist PM me and Ill ship you a good one. I owe you.
Frank

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Scrapple: Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
73 Duster - Race Car
66 Dart Wagon - DD
178" FED
82 D150
All Slant powered