Re: [ihc] ...engine question

[David Bongo <dbongo@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 7 Dec 2004 09:44:01 -0700, ken.dunnington
<ken.dunnington@domain.elided> wrote:
> David Bongo wrote:
> 
> DB> Also, (to refresh memories) my current postal rig has a 258 with a
> DB> 727.  I think I found a fuel leak, so when I get the truck back from
> DB> the transmission shop I've got to clamp that off.  Anyways, the engine
> DB> is currently leaking oil out of the rear main seal.  And is noisy as
> DB> heck.  Since I will be retiring this rig from daily postal use soon,
> DB> some changes will need to be made for "normal" driving.  For example,
> DB> it strains to get up to 55-60.  Limits down here are usually at least
> DB> 65, if not 75.  I'm thinking fuel injection and (possibly) headers
> DB> might help.
> 
> Hello Dave
> 
> At sea level and in a smaller rig than mine, a decent 258 should have
> no problem getting up to 70-75 mph(provided correct gearing).  I'm at
> 5000 feet with a stock 258 in a Travelall and it will now get up to 65
> mph.  I KNOW that I could get more power out if pretty handily.  The
> exhaust system is tiny compared to the system behind my BD264.  The
> intake is rather small as well when compared to the BD264.  The HEI
> ignition is a common ignition upgrade that is often spoken highly of.
> I feel that addressing just these three things, all external engine
> components, would make a rather noticeable difference in usable power.
> 

I've already got an MSD ignition upgrade.  I haven't checked if it's
an HEI or not, but I've always assumed it was.  My current exhaust is,
shall we say, "free flowing" but the exhaust manifold can't be as good
as headers, which is why I contemplated that.

My tranny is being rebuilt as we speak, so it's also possible, I
suppose, that something in there was contributing to the reduced
performance.

> But, as we discussed your noisy 258 previously, I'd not be so
> comfortable spending money on these things when the engine itself
> seems to need attention internally.  Assuming ignition and carburetion
> are operating correctly your engine is either very tired or was poorly
> rebuilt(I can't remember the specifics) to be struggling to 55-60 at
> low altitude.
> 

I will take it somewhere to get it looked at, but the engine was
rebuilt shortly before I bought the rig.  (But so was the tranny, and
you can see how that turned out....)  The engine diesels so I plan on
hitting it (again) with Sea Foam, but I'm at a loss as to what else I
can do.  The carb might be an issue, too, which is another reason I
considered fuel injection.  The choke, for one thing, probably still
isn't right.

> I'd stick with the 258(rebuild or swap) or do the 4.0.  These are both
> good engines and are sized well for the vehicle so I would not be
> anxious to swap to some other engine type(v6,v8).   258s seem to be
> cheap engine to get with low miles on them as lots of folks swap them
> out in favor of v8(which I am considering for my TA but the hills
> around here and the weight of the TA are a bit too much for the 258 as
> is).
> 
I always thought the 258 was the best option for the Scout and the
manner in which I use it.  I guess I'm better off having my brain
verified as working properly and the truck needing work, rather than
the engine being undersized and my brain needing work.  The truck has
got to be cheaper to work on.

Dave