L31 Extreme Budget Build

[L31MaxExpress]

Consider the shareholder value maximized.

Yep for a brief period.

I temporarily, permenantely snagged an idler off the 8.1L accessory setup, same piece and it did not have a ton of miles. Quiet now, loudest thing you hear is the injectors ticking.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I put some more miles on it today. Then topped it off. Wish I could report some stellar fuel mileage, but running with 1,000-1,500 lbs of stuff I was moving, DFW traffic, all the stop lights, running 75-80+ at times spinning the engine 3,400+ rpm in 3rd gear with some mixed 15-20 mph headwinds and crosswinds ate a good bit of fuel. I was also not taking my time getting rolling, put my foot down to ~1/2 throttle and went. Calculated the MPGs and it was 13.4 on the dot. With the highway speeds we run the 3spd (I always feel like it should shift atleast one more time) is a bit annoying but it is not too bad.

 

[Scooterwrench]

I put some more miles on it today. Then topped it off. Wish I could report some stellar fuel mileage, but running with 1,000-1,500 lbs of stuff I was moving, DFW traffic, all the stop lights, running 75-80+ at times spinning the engine 3,400+ rpm in 3rd gear with some mixed 15-20 mph headwinds and crosswinds ate a good bit of fuel. I was also not taking my time getting rolling, put my foot down to ~1/2 throttle and went. Calculated the MPGs and it was 13.4 on the dot. With the highway speeds we run the 3spd (I always feel like it should shift atleast one more time) is a bit annoying but it is not too bad.

Time for a four speed auto? Didn't you say that van has a 3.08 gear?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Time for a four speed auto? Didn't you say that van has a 3.08 gear?

TH400, stock torque converter from the 305 and a 3.08 gear with a ~29" tall rear tire.

Probably going to just drive it as is until the TH400 pukes and pickup that LS standalone harness. Swap to a P59, LS coils and a 4L80E all in one swap.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

A guy in a NNBS did make me laugh today though. He was lagging along inconsistently 5-10 mph under the speed limit. Hit my dyno hill, stayed in the fast lane, sped up 10-15 mph thinking I was not going to pass him. Even without a functioning kickdown the old budget L31 350 passed him on steepest uphill portion in 3rd gear. You have already been climbing about 1/2 mile going into the steepest portion and then continue climbing another mile after it flattens out a bit. I was about 85 mph when I let out of it.

Going into the steepest portion, my mom's 2019 Titan has already dropped from 7th to 6th, then drops to 4th when it really bites hard. The 97s 383 usually unlocks the converter climbing this, sometimes it is in 3rd, depends on how much I am hauling inside of it, the speed I am going, wind, etc.

But the budget L31 was working hard, WOT at one point passing the joker and it was not pinging on 93 octane despite 10.25:1 compression, iron heads and full timing advance.

Dyno Hill in the Titan

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Proflow 4 Screen Capture on Dyno Hill

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[L31MaxExpress]

Todays project just arrived and already have the passenger front door done. Taking a quick break but about to dig into the driver door.

Out with the old, literally crumbled removing it thanks to years of Texas sun UVs and heat.

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In with the new....

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I also have a Fairchild front glass run and felt seal combination on the way. Metro also offers one but it was about 4x the cost. The Fairchild kit was well reviewed on the newer vans like this 1987 that do not use a rivited window runs.

I have sound deadner, heat insulation aluminum backed butyl material from Siless on the way to do the front flooring and an ACC moulded Vinyl Passenger area flooring kit in medium blue on the way and should be here in a few days.