I have been doing a little hauling with my 92 w350, auto 410 rearend flatbed and I am a little disappointed . It just does not seem to be pulling like I thought these diesels were supposed to. Pulling about 10 k it just does not seem to get up and go like it should. I do not think the trans is slipping , and i just had the valves adjusted, it cranks very easily, runs great. Maybe i just was expecting too much , I do not know. The cruise and ac work and I really like the old truck. I have got to work on the odometer so i can get a good idea of mileage. What should I expect? by the way I have a stra exhaust, no muffler , I think it is 2.5 or 3 inch, need to measure.

 

It oughtta pull like a SOB with the 4.10s, sounds like something's wrong. What's it doing or not doing, as 'twere? Got gauges? Prolly a tranny issue, would be my guess, but just a WAG without any further clues.

 

I'm guessing that part of the problem is unrealistic expectations due in large part to all the "don't even know the trailer is back there" stories. A stock 160hp/400 ft.lb truck is gonna lose speed on hills with 10k behind you and the acceleration is going to be underwhelming.

The bigger problem though is the auto trans. It's just not very efficient at putting the power down. It doesn't have a lockup clutch so it IS actually slipping at all times. The '93 that I just recently got takes alot of the skinny pedal even unloaded when climbing grades.

 

well if you want an idea of how "great" the auto is, i was pulling 13000 lbs combined, and i was just trying to hold speed and i was doing about 55-60 and my tach read about 2000-2100 when it should be 1550-1600 at that speed so i bumbed it out of OD and it came up about 50 RPMS. so yes the stock TC stinks

 

Hey, dont feel bad, gomerpile- Mom's does the same thing empty. I keep telling her she doesnt need OD empty at 50-55......

bamaredneck- sounds like a stock auto CTD. I owned my mom's before she bought it from me, and it towed well for what I needed (8-10K). You knew it was back there, but I could maintain 75mph on I25 in Colorado.

Get a pyrometer, boost, and tach on there, and see what it is doing. My money is on the tranny. It isnt slipping in the usual sense, but the stock torque convertor is a piece of junk at best.

Ace- I've had em all in terms of trannies and gearing, and pump tuning makes a lot more difference than 3.54 vs 4.10s. My current truck with 3.54s will outrun, outpull, and out accelerate my last truck, which had 4.10s (but the last one got a hair better MPGs, mainly due to the ton extra weight the current one has). All 4.10s are good for is going slow, IMO. Wish I could find a 3.07 C&C axle...... Or maybe 3.31s for what I have now.

Daniel

 

Get the gauges and start to work on the fuel pump. When I first started towing with mine I decided if I didn't bomb it I was goin to get killed. Don't know much about autos but I have plenty of power now all I need to do is get the egt's under control.

 

I would make sure your air filter is good, your fuel filter is good. These are low cost and maintenance items which sometimes get overlooked. The BHAF will help an over the road CTD, the airflo elbow's and 4" pipes also help.

Get your gauges and check your boost pressure.

My CTD was the family farm truck when it was stock, we sold a 30' fith wheel load of straw and had to deliever it about 100 miles way. The bails were piled about six or seven rows high. On the big hills into the wind we would slow down to 45MPH. This was a manual transmission truck and 4WD. We would pull our John Deere 70 excavator which weighs about 16,000 on our dual tandem redi-haul which weighs about 6,000 and so we grossed about 22,000. The CTD could pull this at 55 on the highway very well.