318 D150 towing
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318 D150 towing
I’ve been using my d150 to tow. It has a bone stock 318 with 3 speed trans. I have a beefy aftermarket bumper that’s rated over 10,000 lbs, although the truck will obviously never tow that!
Ive towed a car and trailer weighing under 5,000lbs total, and it was a complete dog at elevation. No surprises! Going up steep mountain passes, I was having to keep my foot to the floor, to maintain 55 mph. I would like to tow right under 6,000 lbs occasionally, so I’m looking for a little more power that won’t hurt fuel economy while unloaded.
I was able to achieve 13 mpg while towing that load which was right under 5,000 lbs. Going up a few steep mountain passes and 65 mph (speed limit) while on flat ground. Not too bad for a stock 3 speed 318! I have to give me truck a pumps before starting, and sometimes it can take a few attempts to get it to fire. I’m sure the stock carb has seen better days, and ethanol isn’t helping anything.
Looking to swap the intake manifold, and carb for a 4 barrel. What would be the cheapest solution here, that won’t effect mpg while cruising unloaded?
Ive towed a car and trailer weighing under 5,000lbs total, and it was a complete dog at elevation. No surprises! Going up steep mountain passes, I was having to keep my foot to the floor, to maintain 55 mph. I would like to tow right under 6,000 lbs occasionally, so I’m looking for a little more power that won’t hurt fuel economy while unloaded.
I was able to achieve 13 mpg while towing that load which was right under 5,000 lbs. Going up a few steep mountain passes and 65 mph (speed limit) while on flat ground. Not too bad for a stock 3 speed 318! I have to give me truck a pumps before starting, and sometimes it can take a few attempts to get it to fire. I’m sure the stock carb has seen better days, and ethanol isn’t helping anything.
Looking to swap the intake manifold, and carb for a 4 barrel. What would be the cheapest solution here, that won’t effect mpg while cruising unloaded?
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From: Ontario Canada
Stock cam won't give anymore power for towing regardless of carb. We used a Comp XE 256 H camshaft.
I would recommend a inexpensive 360 cast iron 4 barrel manifold and a 625 Street Demon carb, maybe a cam later. Any small primary large secondary carb is what you want, I really like the multiple primary boosters in the Street Demon.
I would recommend a inexpensive 360 cast iron 4 barrel manifold and a 625 Street Demon carb, maybe a cam later. Any small primary large secondary carb is what you want, I really like the multiple primary boosters in the Street Demon.
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Dan I've used that cam or on very similar in a 77 half ton 4x4 with a 5" lift and a 360 with 3.55 gears and 33" tires, it would pull better than my new at the time 95 ram 1500 4x4 with the magnum 5.7, 3.55 gears and stock tires. The ony mod to the ram was a cat back mopar exhaust.
the 77 had a duel plane intake and a 600 Holley vacuum secondary carb. It proved to be a very responsive truck to drive and towed great for a short wheelbase truck, but the only thing it would not pass was the fuel pump, about 10 mph loaded or empty. But then it was my shop truck and most of the miles were in town.
I kept it for twenty five years, 1985 until 2010.
I would recommend that cam also and the was quite a few 318s in the 70s and 80s with four barrel carbs in rams and police cars as well as 318 cars sold in California for a 318 intake manifold.
the 77 had a duel plane intake and a 600 Holley vacuum secondary carb. It proved to be a very responsive truck to drive and towed great for a short wheelbase truck, but the only thing it would not pass was the fuel pump, about 10 mph loaded or empty. But then it was my shop truck and most of the miles were in town.
I kept it for twenty five years, 1985 until 2010.
I would recommend that cam also and the was quite a few 318s in the 70s and 80s with four barrel carbs in rams and police cars as well as 318 cars sold in California for a 318 intake manifold.
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