Re: [ihc] Ford auto in IH truck

[Joel Furtek <jf7e@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 8:38 PM -0500 4/12/04, Ryan Moore wrote:
> Just gotta say that when we moved the big B's Todd's 7.3PS w/auto didn't
> have a problem moving those trucks... also, he used to use it to haul full
> sized fifth wheel campers and never had a problem then either.  Sure the '97
> didn't have somethign wrong with it taking power away?
> -Ryan
Ryan,
Couple things.  You're buddy's PS is a later generation with a 
significant power boost.  I'm sure it's also got fewer towing miles 
than ours, no doubt.  My boss's old '99 PS with the ZF 6-speed didn't 
have the same trouble.
But I mentioned the PS's struggles to show the load of our trailer -- 
The wind load at highway speed, into a headwind especially, is 
killer.  Picture 3 tic-tac-toe grids of 2x2 steel, each grid 8 feet 
wide by 12 feet tall, carrying 9 60-foot hulls and 6 45-footers.  I 
can back off the throttle on a 6% downgrade and _slow down_ despite a 
substantial GCVW.  A good running 345 pulling this trailer got 4 mpg 
and topped out at 60 with 3.73 gears.  A Vortec 454 with 4.10s got 
5-6 mpg.  So, it's a challenge to any motor, and when it's got one 
fewer gear, and a computer instead of trained eyes and ears 
controlling it, it suffers.  I think 4.10 gears would be a better 
match, but for a while at least  you couldn't order anything but the 
3.73 with the PS.  If the truck could run the rpms it runs at 75, it 
would be a lot stronger, but it can't produce enough power to run 
that fast in the face of any wind except a direct tail (crosswinds 
are almost as bad as headwinds with this load).
Anyway, it's all just another data point.  I have, regrettably, towed 
the same load with a tired (as in, on its way to broken crank) 6.2 NA 
in a suburban with a 700R4, so I'm not putting down the PS!  My new 
truck has the 6.5TD with a 4.10 gears and the NV4500, so it's better 
suited to towing even though it's not as strong as the '97 Ford on 
paper.
I guess I was just trying to say that if the reason you don't like 
autos is because they have fewer gears or aren't as smart as a good 
driver, this one might change your mind.  If you don't like it 
because it's got one fewer pedal, like Mac, then it's not any better.
Phew!
Back to IHs, the B184 cleaned up real nice, at least, the one fender 
I had time for.  Running better now, too.  A little carb cleaning is 
in order, maybe I'll drop a four-barrel...no, see, can't do all that. 
Leave it to the new owner.
Best to you all,
Joel

--
Joel Furtek			<http://homepage.mac.com/heelsroll>; 
jf7e@domain.elided
Boatman, Virginia Women's Rowing	434/981-6811 (cell); 
434/975-CREW (boathouse)
Follow the team daily at:  <http://homepage.mac.com/heelsroll/iblog/index.html>