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Re: [oletrucks] Mileage/Smog and oletrucks (and the future)

To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Mileage/Smog and oletrucks (and the future)
From: bob_keeland@usgs.gov
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 08:48:33 -0600
Actually I think that Jim Forbes has done a very good job of tying the
previous thread (that was straying) back to oletrucks.  The motor I am
planning to put into my 51 is a mid 60s 283, obviously not an
environmentally friendly motor as it was produced before smog control.  If
I want to put a more modern, less polluting, environmentally friendly motor
in my truck, what years should I look at for the donor vehicle?

BobK
51 3600 5-window (project)
98 RAM (hers)
99 HD Sportster
Arnaudville, LA





                                                                                
                  
                    J Forbes                                                    
                  
                    <jforbes@primenet.co        To:     Old Trucks List         
                  
                    m>                          <oletrucks@autox.team.net>      
                  
                    Sent by:                    cc:                             
                  
                    owner-oletrucks@auto        Subject:     [oletrucks] 
Mileage/Smog and         
                    x.team.net                  oletrucks (and the future)      
                  
                                                                                
                  
                                                                                
                  
                    01/24/01 05:16 PM                                           
                  
                    Please respond to J                                         
                  
                    Forbes                                                      
                  
                                                                                
                  
                                                                                
                  



Hi, all...this is sort of on topic, and the
discussion seems to be getting going...hopefully we
can keep it on topic (ole trucks).

As a point of reference, my wife bought a new 99
Silverado a couple years ago.  It has the 325 cubic
inch aluminum head fuel injected engine (a new
design, nothing like the old small block).  It has
the automatic overdrive, which is computer
controlled, and 3.73 rearend gears, with 16" tires.
We live a little ways outside of town, so most trips
are rural, not "real" city driving.  The truck gets
20 mpg on almost every tankful.  This is a big
truck, too, about half a foot wider and hundreds of
pounds heavier than my 59s.  My 59s, with big
blocks, 3 speed automatics gears in the mid 3s, and
15" tires, get about 10-12 mpg.  The tailpipe
emissions from the new truck are probably in the
range of 1/100 to 1/20 of what the old trucks put
out (hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide).  The carbon
dioxide emissions are related to gas mileage...so
the old trucks spew almost twice as much carbon
dioxide.

If you buy a late model engine, with it's computer
controlled fuel injection, and put it in an old
truck, you'll get the emissions down
considerably...if you add the catalytic
converter(s), you'll really drop them down low, just
like new vehicles.  I have an old exhaust analyzer
in my shop, and I've watched what comes out the
tailpipe--newer vehicles, when running right, really
don't put out much HC or CO emissions.  The needles
on the analyzer sit down near zero on newer
cars/trucks, while they are up around 1/2 scale with
the old engines.  The biggest effect comes from the
catalytic converter, but the engine control system
(carb/fuel injection, ignition, cam timing, etc)
need to be right or the catalytic converter will not
last long, nor be able to do it's job.

I think we're going to be driving gasoline powered
vehicles for a long time to come...there just isn't
any alternative that can compete with them.  If you
think the new hybrids and electric cars are going to
take over, just think about the mileage that the
normal gas powered cars of the same size get (such
as the Metro and little Hondas)...compared to the
mileage of cars/suvs/trucks that Americans actually
WANT to drive.  Face it, we aren't going to change
without either major gov't intervention (not likely
with the current political climate here), or else a
serious shortage of crude oil.  I would guess that
the price of gas will have to triple, or more,
before we get serious about wanting to drive more
efficient (that means "small") cars.

Enough for my soapbox...back to the oletrucks!

Jim F
59s in AZ
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959

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