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My latest money pit....

dobie

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Well, I sort of figured out the first problem. It appears I may have just not had enough "foot" when climbing up a grade. I had my uncle drive it for a day or two and he could never replicate the problem. According to him, his old Ramcharger was the same way: complete dogs from a dead stop. One thing that is hurting me too are my tires. I currently have 33"x10.5 15's. Too much tire for the little 318 with stock gears I guess.

So.... One to my next issue.......

Fuel mileage is HORRIBLE now. Before I was getting around 7-8 mpg. Now, its more like 4 mpg. I've traveled 40 miles since my last fill up, and the guage reads 1/2 tank. I doubt the gauge is wrong, as everytime I fill up, it takes quite a bit of gas, like $40.00 worth. Something isnt right, I'd say. So now what? Is there anyway to adjust the TBI stuff? I dont think Im leaking any, as there is nothing leaking from the truck when I park it. The cab itself always smells of gas, but I cant find any excess from a hole or leak in the engine compartment. It's as if the TBI is spraying too much fuel. Weird though, as the truck still feels underpowered.

Any ideas on this? Or am I pretty much screwed now?
 

Basketcase

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Steve I've owned aot of Dodges from a '77 slant 6 with three onna tree, and a bunch of Power Wagons. 4X4s don't get good milage. My first was a '79 with the full time FWD. It wasn't too bad, I'd say 12, 318 auto w/ 33s. All the others were part time, with 35s, all 318 auto. My gray '86 with lock outs was the worst. when gas hit $4 a couple years ago, I parked it and drove the road runner everyday to work. now when we drove to Michigan and hauled the car back, it didn't do bad. and none of them were power houses by any means. The '89 my daughter totalled had stock wheels and tires, 318 TBI, auto, but unfourtunatly I didn't have it long enough to remember how it was on gas.
If you're smelling gas, I'd check the fuel lines from the tank, my '89s lines from the tank all needed replaced for the same reason, I was always smelling gas.
 

dobie

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Ok. Thanks. They do need replaced, for sure. I just can't figure out why my mileage went way down. I was hoping for a little better than 7 mpg. Unreal.
 

Basketcase

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hmmm... got a vacum leak, maybe under the throttle body, intake,?
 
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