1991 V3500 Project Heavy Hauler

[MTCK]

NFab steps finally showed up after 7 months of trying to order them. Instructions are for a GMT400 truck so hopefully they fit. I understand why shipping g was a challenge...

[MTCK]

Quality looks good, but no hardware included...

[COS399]

Bummer on the hardware but they look good.

[watahyahknow]

these headers usually have more room than the long tube headers , you should be ok
might need to lift the engine a little or get the startermotor out

[whitels1]

Looks like you had a fun trip, and now looks like you are going to have a fun time installing headers. Big block + headers = mo pawa!!!!

[joe231]

Maybe I missed it, but...
What kind of fuel mileage are you getting?

I just bought a 1991 with a TBI 454

[MTCK]

Thanks Dave. Headers or a lot of fun to install! Hey Joe did you buy that one for $2500 with a busted column and dented fender off CL??? I was salivating. Last trip was a little better than 11 mpg not driving gently. There is room for improvement. I'm getting it tuned the first week of August. Still sets an occasional SES light for too rich.

[joe231]

Originally Posted by MTCK

Thanks Dave. Headers or a lot of fun to install! Hey Joe did you buy that one for $2500 with a busted column and dented fender off CL??? I was salivating. Last trip was a little better than 11 mpg not driving gently. There is room for improvement. I'm getting it tuned the first week of August. Still sets an occasional SES light for too rich.

Yep,
That's the one I got. It's gonna be delivered to my house Thursday. I can't wait!

That's cool
Who is doing your tuning?

[MTCK]

Awesome, that looks like a solid rig. What are your plans for it?

Tuner is a guy named Richard Wayne. A bunch of hot rodders here are bringing him up to tune their exotic rigs. LS motors with power adders... Mine will be easy and boring, but hopefully improves the performance and stops setting SES lights for rich condition. Mine is modified enough with the cam, headers, bigger injectors that it would benefit. I compared the "hot" howell tune to the stock one and they are identical save 2 degrees more timing at upper RPM, so I think there is some room for improvement.

[joe231]

I just want to clean it up and fix all the issues to make it a nice driver, maybe see if I can up the power a bit.

Cool deal on the tuner guy!

[MTCK]

Time to see how yet another company's customer service is. These are the gaskets that came with the Thorley headers.

[joe231]

Oh nice!
I didn't know you had the big block V-10

[watahyahknow]

cut to fit prolly

[MTCK]

Ford 6.8 V10 actually by the part number on the packaging. Hopefully they express mail me the right ones... Put the headers on with the old gaskets which were in good shape.

Drivers side came up through the bottom, passenger side through the top. As tight a fit as any headers I've installed. Had to move fuel lines, trans cooler lines, batter cable and knock sensor wire but fit seems good.

[whitels1]

Hell ya man! Moving some stuff is a small price to pay for mopawa!

[MTCK]

Made the deadline, got the headers on and she is tuned. Pretty noticeable difference. Fuel map corrected, timing added, shift points adjusted, idle smoothed out and probably a few other things I'm forgetting. Guy knocked it out in a little over an hour of driving and stopping. I'll do a video once I get the exhaust fixed (flex pipe) and have some time. Even with all the weight in the back she smokes the tires from a standstill by mashing the gas.

PS Thorley came through with the right gaskets in time to only do that once. Yay customer service!

[MTCK]

Had a couple plug wires pulled off on the drivers side. Top side on drivers was a PITA, bottom side on the passengers was a PITA.

[joe231]

Awesome!

Those headers look very nice!!

[COS399]

Glad to hear that everything worked out.

[stersam]

Awesome truck. Pretty much what I am working on doing with my 73 c20. I just plan on going to a ls in the next year or two. What GPS/tracker do you use?

[1-Ton]

The amount of work you have done on your truck is amazing. I also have a 1991 V3500 myself. I have done a decent amount of work on my truck as well...things such as fuel tanks (pumps), engine, transmissions, rewiring, and steering components. My list makes it all sound easier than it is, but you have a first hand understanding of what I am talking about.

[Dieselwrencher]

Marcus, those headers are very nice! That is a pretty nice fit too.

[hardcore4life]

Dang it. This is now making me contemplate keeping my big block instead of doing a Cummins swap. What MPG do you get if your not hammer down?

[MTCK]

Thanks guys, appreciate all the compliments. Nice looking truck, 1-ton. Do you have a build thread going?

iPad app is Hema USA. I use a different one called copilot for turn by turn instructions. Both work pretty well for what they are. Hema allows you to load all kinds of different quadrangle charts, road maps or nautical charts and shows your position on them.

I haven't run any more full tanks through it since my big trip, so no more MPG reports, but will post them when I do. A few points to consider with my fuel mileage: I'm running multi point fuel injection, have an overdrive trans and a lockup torque converter. But I also ha e 4.56 gears and I'm sure would do better with 4.10's or 3.73's. My main reasons for disliking diesel is they are loud, stinky and suck in the winter when it is below zero.

Currently working on installing a new tie rod and drag link, then I need to get to the exhaust shop and get my flex pipe replaced with something permanent.

[MTCK]

Anybody have a recommendation on a steering damper? Mine is hammered. Bilstein doesn't list one for our application, which is too bad.