'93 chev c3500 w/ a 502 -or- 08' 5.4l 4x4 f350 superduty. work truck choice?

[DRTDEVL]

There has definitely been work on the TB, like the ultimate mods. If those are all done, get an early set of injectors, then the higher pressure regulator spring out of a 94-95 454 TBI, and flip the air cleaner lid. The big block TBI can actually move slightly more cfm than the intake tubing can support, and quite a bit more after the grinding out that has been done.

Heck, just for the hell of it, flip that lid and see if it wakes up any more above 2k rpm.

 

[tracyb]

well i got busy and haven't gotten to the truck at all since my last post.


tomorrow i'll get the better info from the injectors and hopefully get the flatbed on it. (i'm also thinking about getting it blasted and galved so it may be a week long project)


i did however use it to go dump the trailer, and i was very happy with how it pulled. trailer was only 4-5k lbs but i hardly felt a difference at all. pullinf with the psd van and the 6.2 f350 4.30gears are the others rigs i tow with and they work great, but the feel is different.

The difference in feel i think is a combo of it making power/ gearing (i still have to check into that) at a different rpm and that i have never towed with a dually truck before. i assumed it wouldn't be as good as it was, but maybe thats the light load. i dont have any big loads planned right now but i'm tempted to put some plate on a trailer to see what it feels like towing 15k lbs... maybe start at 10k and see how that feels. The biggest i tow is 16-17klbs. the ford handles the weight fine but it would be great to know i can tow big with the same truck i work from/ 2 trucks that can handle it.
i'm liking this truck more and more, thinking i'll just go ahead and order a new fuel pump for it and whatever spring to get the pressure up. I don't care to hot rod it, yet, just good reliable power.

 

[[486]]

(i'm also thinking about getting it blasted and galved so it may be a week long project)

hot dip zinc is always the best color of paint that you can choose

 

[tracyb]

There has definitely been work on the TB, like the ultimate mods. If those are all done, get an early set of injectors, then the higher pressure regulator spring out of a 94-95 454 TBI, and flip the air cleaner lid. The big block TBI can actually move slightly more cfm than the intake tubing can support, and quite a bit more after the grinding out that has been done.

Heck, just for the hell of it, flip that lid and see if it wakes up any more above 2k rpm.

i already flipped the air lid, but i flipped it back over for the pics, didnt know how that would go over

i'm hoping for a freight train, not a hot rod. if it didn't fall after 2krpm and was good to 4k... thats all i want for
besides the tbi, i'm wondering if the 3" exhaust could be holding it back? it has a flowmaster, then after that a resonator or something before it exits like stock.

 

[[486]]

i already flipped the air lid, but i flipped it back over for the pics, didnt know how that would go over

i'm hoping for a freight train, not a hot rod. if it didn't fall after 2krpm and was good to 4k... thats all i want for
besides the tbi, i'm wondering if the 3" exhaust could be holding it back? it has a flowmaster, then after that a resonator or something before it exits like stock.

3" dual or 3" single?
Those sortsa years of chevies 3/4 and 1 ton all got some really nice 3" mandrel bent 409 stainless exhaust systems
I always grab them from the junkyard when I see them.

If it is single, be real easy to get another one from the junkyard and double them up next to each other, even if they end up both on the same side.

 

[tracyb]

hot dip zinc is always the best color of paint that you can choose

I absolutely agree. especially for a flat bed. durable, conductive, just what i need. i also might try a blackening pataina over the galv. if i dont go galv i'll do ospho with a clear coat over it. i've been really happy with the clear i use on intentionally rusted steel. flat bed would really test the durability, but it would would be a good test for me to know for future projects.


i nteneded to make an aluminum bed by now, but haven't gotten around to it. this bed i made years ago and it has been really good, even though its never seen paint, i just been testing patinas and such on it.

 

[tracyb]

3" dual or 3" single?
Those sortsa years of chevies 3/4 and 1 ton all got some really nice 3" mandrel bent 409 stainless exhaust systems
I always grab them from the junkyard when I see them.

If it is single, be real easy to get another one from the junkyard and double them up next to each other, even if they end up both on the same side.

yes single. for this truck i'll probably dump the exhaust down before the rear axle. i'd prefer to stay sigle and not mess with the collector. the collecter appears to be a part of what ever header set is on it, not the factory one i've read about. it would be an easy straight piece to the turn down.

two same side would be fine, but we really dont have a junkyard anywhere near where i'm at. i'd just get a new stick of 409 in whatever size

i want to let it dump under the track before the axle because the flatbed has boxes below the bed and after the axle. that rear box has melted some things in it before i started chopping the exhaust on the last 2 trucks this bed was on.





i'll likely just chop it off before the resonator and see how it does. if i like it the find the biggest cheapest muffler i can. i'm not too into loud exhaust like in hs

 

[DRTDEVL]

yes single. for this truck i'll probably dump the exhaust down before the rear axle. i'd prefer to stay sigle and not mess with the collector. the collecter appears to be a part of what ever header set is on it, not the factory one i've read about. it would be an easy straight piece to the turn down.

two same side would be fine, but we really dont have a junkyard anywhere near where i'm at. i'd just get a new stick of 409 in whatever size

i want to let it dump under the track before the axle because the flatbed has boxes below the bed and after the axle. that rear box has melted some things in it before i started chopping the exhaust on the last 2 trucks this bed was on.





i'll likely just chop it off before the resonator and see how it does. if i like it the find the biggest cheapest muffler i can. i'm not too into loud exhaust like in hs

If the stock pancake cat is still on there, keep it and go straight pipe from the cat back. Its seriously a muffler in itself and the note leaving that cat is smooth, mellow, and deep.

 

[Projectjunkie]

Circling back to the super duty axles having wide perches and moving springs....

"King dent 4x4 swap" on u tube put these in a 79 ford, not my kind of build, big wheels, pretty boy stuff, but he addressed the problem cleanly

he removes the bottom coil mount, drills and taps that little pad inboard of it, runs a strip of bar stock across it, drills and taps that in the center, now he's running 05 d60s under a narrower 70s frame

 

[tracyb]

If the stock pancake cat is still on there, keep it and go straight pipe from the cat back. Its seriously a muffler in itself and the note leaving that cat is smooth, mellow, and deep.

so this is the exhaust.

from header to single-

then there is a flowmaster at the back of the cab, and what i'm assuming is the stock cat after that. tho i dont know i've ever seen a cat after a muffler before. a little later i'll warm it up good and check the heat drop at the cat to see if its plugged, i assume its original. in any case i want it to dump before the rear axle.

 

[[486]]

some of them had dual 3" from just after the engine into the catalyst or whatever is up front (were they possibly catalyst exempt still?)

Distinctly remember scavenging a set of front pipes that had the manifold pipes immediately turning into 3" with a couple real nice straight 90 degree bends for the passenger side one, rather than the usual spaghetti noodle exhaust that everything has now.
ETA: maybe cut off the Y-pipe for an x pipe and go to the rear from there with two 3"?

 

[tracyb]

Circling back to the super duty axles having wide perches and moving springs....

"King dent 4x4 swap" on u tube put these in a 79 ford, not my kind of build, big wheels, pretty boy stuff, but he addressed the problem cleanly

he removes the bottom coil mount, drills and taps that little pad inboard of it, runs a strip of bar stock across it, drills and taps that in the center, now he's running 05 d60s under a narrower 70s frame

looks easy

before getting this truck my plan was just a truck to hold me over until i got my white SD a new motor or the rough idle fixed. now i'm thinking i'll scrap the truck. and the axles will go under this truck or my van.

i think the transfer case from the SD might work on the van too, so i'm leaning towards putting them in the van. my minds not even close to made up.

i really like my work truck flat bed deck to be at waist height. the bed on a stock SD 4x on 35's was just a little high. i'll have to figure out where the bed height is on this truck before i think too much more about suspension or 4x possibilities.
however my ideal work truck would be 4x and likely on air bags that would drop to bump stops when working.


i dont know that i said it yet, this truck will be my mobile weld rig. welder, gas air compressor. the flatbed has 4 under bed boxes and i'll be putting 2 more on the deck, so lots of tools. i only carry 2 10# co2 bottles for weld gas, no oxy fuel typically all plasma. i do allot of typical weld repair. but i also do allot of custom work at yuppie homes, allot of these homes have tight and often steep drive ways. This truck's length at 20' overall is also good for getting on ferries, over 20' i can get bumped and sit in line longer, also have to pay more. if it stays 2wd it will get a locker.

this truck has saved me $6k over my plans before i bought it. so i've set that much aside in the safe and although i want to spend as little as possible, i have no problem spending it all to make this truck 'perfect' i've changed trucks way to much in the last few years... i dont want to change trucks again for a long time.

 

[tracyb]

some of them had dual 3" from just after the engine into the catalyst or whatever is up front (were they possibly catalyst exempt still?)

Distinctly remember scavenging a set of front pipes that had the manifold pipes immediately turning into 3" with a couple real nice straight 90 degree bends for the passenger side one, rather than the usual spaghetti noodle exhaust that everything has now.

to my knowledge thet all had cats, i believe the 454ss truck had dual 3".

there is no o2 sensor after the cat so the truck doesn't care if its there or not. and also i have no smog check, so i dont care if it has a cat or not. i have always just removed them on these truck as one less possible problem of a clogged cat.

 

[Yotota]

If it's after the muffler, I bet it's not a cat and it's just a resonator.

 

[[486]]

i really like my work truck flat bed deck to be at waist height. the bed on a stock SD 4x on 35's was just a little high. i'll have to figure out where the bed height is on this truck before i think too much more about suspension or 4x possibilities.
however my ideal work truck would be 4x and likely on air bags that would drop to bump stops when working.

werd, lower is almost always better for working
I'm thinking about putting some 235/65/16s from those euro-vans on my trucks, they're good for 3k lbs apiece...

Do the front control arms and shit swap over on those to the 4wd parts? I know you'd have to add a crossmember to the frame in order to run the torsion bars, but...
Be the way to go for a relatively low 4wd swap.

i have always just removed them on these truck as one less possible problem of a clogged cat.

you also get the payout, instead of inviting meth heads to operate a sawzall under your vehicle

 

[tracyb]

werd, lower is almost always better for working
I'm thinking about putting some 235/65/16s from those euro-vans on my trucks, they're good for 3k lbs apiece...

Do the front control arms and shit swap over on those to the 4wd parts? I know you'd have to add a crossmember to the frame in order to run the torsion bars, but...
Be the way to go for a relatively low 4wd swap.


you also get the payout, instead of inviting meth heads to operate a sawzall under your vehicle

that would be the way to keep low. but if i go 4x it will be SD axles, otherwise i'll just keep it 2wd. and do a locker. 4wd is a want, i have never truly needed it, but it would make some obs easier.

i dont even know what this cat is worth? i've got 3 or for sitting in the scrap pile. we dont have thft here, i dont even have a key to my house, and all the vehicle keys are in the ignition. i know some are big bucks.

the scrap yard is a little over an hour drive and i do all i can to get someone else to take all my scrap in. once i figure in the loading, downtime, costs/ profit etc i do way better working a job at hourly, bid job even more so. plus i really prefer to stay in the shop

 

[tracyb]

If it's after the muffler, I bet it's not a cat and it's just a resonator.

i'm positive its a cat now, its exactly the same as the one i took out of my c1500. just in a weird spot


i just checked exhaust temp before and after the cat.

at idle 80-100* hotter on the upstream side. little over 200 on the hot side
after driving like a jack ass, pulling over its 60-80 hotter upstream. just under 600* on the hot side.

quick internet search says the cats should be hotter on the out let side. seems this one is clogged/ bad

going to let it cool while i take the boards off the flat bed, then thinking i'll cut it off and see how it goes, can always weld it back in.

 

[tracyb]

 

[Yotota]

i'm positive its a cat now, its exactly the same as the one i took out of my c1500. just in a weird spot


i just checked exhaust temp before and after the cat.

at idle 80-100* hotter on the upstream side. little over 200 on the hot side
after driving like a jack ass, pulling over its 60-80 hotter upstream. just under 600* on the hot side.

quick internet search says the cats should be hotter on the out let side. seems this one is clogged/ bad

going to let it cool while i take the boards off the flat bed, then thinking i'll cut it off and see how it goes, can always weld it back in.

That's..... Weird.

Chop that MF out, clamp on a 45° turndown at the cut, and take the truck for a rip. And please get us some video.

 

[Projectjunkie]

that would be the way to keep low. but if i go 4x it will be SD axles, otherwise i'll just keep it 2wd. and do a locker. 4wd is a want, i have never truly needed it, but it would make some obs easier.

i dont even know what this cat is worth? i've got 3 or for sitting in the scrap pile. we dont have thft here, i dont even have a key to my house, and all the vehicle keys are in the ignition. i know some are big bucks.

the scrap yard is a little over an hour drive and i do all i can to get someone else to take all my scrap in. once i figure in the loading, downtime, costs/ profit etc i do way better working a job at hourly, bid job even more so. plus i really prefer to stay in the shop

The average cat is probably $90 to a local cat buyer, if you research the numbers and ebay them, you will get top dollar for each of them. You can also sell them to a mail in place back east.

Personally I think they are an inflation hedge, and the price will go up, and I don't need the money right now, so I'm sitting on mine. At some point I'll check the palladium/ rhodium/ platinum price, see its up, notice I have a $2500 expense on deck, and sell them off to clear that shelf, you seem to be a busy guy, and 3 cats/ $270 in the rafters probably isn't worth the 3 hours to deal with it.

I also have a Rubbermaid tote of "silverware" to ID, assay, weigh, etc. At $19oz spot price, not worth it. If it hits $50oz and I happen to be short on work, I'm gonna deal with it

 

[tracyb]

That's..... Weird.

Chop that MF out, clamp on a 45° turndown at the cut, and take the truck for a rip. And please get us some video.

so i just cut it. and it drove all better.

it builds rpm quicker but power drops, and it pops at around 3k when i'm on it. i think it needs more fuel, its really good off the line. but its way too loud! i'll do something about that but wont be using the cat.

it also is starting to feel better in general driving, i think it has been sitting a long time, and needed to be driven.

and i'm emailing the tbichips guy to see what he says about getting it more fuel.

 

[Grendel]

I did SD axles under your frame type. Not hard and leave the springs where they are on the axle... oh and SD F450 and F550's have them on the same frame spacing, they're just wider.
I have both:

War Pig Version 12

Something funny... the original War Pig was a bastard - a 1978 Ford F350 4x4 with rot, too much bondo, a shitty drive train and a Chevy square body, LWB bed on it... it got what I had at the time, as I was poor as fawk. It leaked oil, ate starters but was my daily driver in 2000 while I tried to...

irate4x4.com

 

[Yotota]

so i just cut it. and it drove all better.

it builds rpm quicker but power drops, and it pops at around 3k when i'm on it. i think it needs more fuel, its really good off the line. but its way too loud! i'll do something about that but wont be using the cat.

it also is starting to feel better in general driving, i think it has been sitting a long time, and needed to be driven.

and i'm emailing the tbichips guy to see what he says about getting it more fuel.

So was it a normal cat core inside? What did it look like?

 

[Yotota]

Also...

WHERE THE FAWK IS THE VIDEO???

 

[tracyb]

Also...

WHERE THE FAWK IS THE VIDEO???

i dont even know how to post a video. might be able to figure it out.

and video what... of driving? and not getting enough fuel? idle walk around?

vid while driving would be hard shifting and trying to hold the phone. i dont have any way to mount a phone. tell me what video and i'll see if i can get one put up.

 

[tracyb]

So was it a normal cat core inside? What did it look like?

didn't even look, but went to see. its the same as whatever i took out of my c1500 truck.

i thought cats had a honeycomb inside? this is different, maybe an older style?. whatever the case, there is no doubt it was causing a big restriction. think i should leave it in?

 

[[486]]

yeah that's a pebble bed one they're total absolute shit for flow

 

[M92PV4U]

If it's after the muffler, I bet it's not a cat and it's just a resonator.

Those years of big blocks had the cat after the muffler.

 

[Yotota]

Those years of big blocks had the cat after the muffler.

Well that's just weird. Maybe that style didn't need a much heat?

 

[Yotota]

i dont even know how to post a video. might be able to figure it out.

and video what... of driving? and not getting enough fuel? idle walk around?

vid while driving would be hard shifting and trying to hold the phone. i dont have any way to mount a phone. tell me what video and i'll see if i can get one put up.

I dunno, rev it with the cat cut out so we can hear the 502?

Or a decent driving clip on would be to leave it in second gear and let off the gas until the revs get down to 1k or so, then lay into it until fuel cuts out. Should stay within legal speeds and not require any shifting.