truck seems to have no power

[tnmtn]

i have a 94 F350 with the 5 speed and natural idi engine. i have been noticing when towing relatively light weight the truck slows on any hill. I am talking about towing a toro dingo weighing around 2500 and a attachment weighing around 800. this on a trailer that weighs 3000. this puts the total weight around 6500. is this enough to really slow the idi? the air filter and fuel filter are both new and shouldn't be the problem. i tow this with a 350 gas engine sometimes and get much better performance. it gets the load there but slowly. would like to hear comments as to whether this is normal.or maybe a sign the engine is wearing down, it does have 265,000 miles. when light the truck runs great.
thanks in advance,

 

[65sixbanger]

well your truck probably weighs 7000-7500, so adding 6500 to that would be about 14,000 lbs. I know I have had a max combined weight of about 18 and thats freakin slow. My motor is practically brand new though, so I guess yours could be worn out. Turbo it and youll have a brand new truck.

 

[jwalterus]

what kind of slow down are we talking here? it's a big difference dropping from 75-65 or 55-35.......

 

[hesutton]

How old are the IP an injectors? If they have 100,000k on them, it is time for some fresh parts. A turbo would do wonders for your truck as well.

Heath

 

[tnmtn]

injectors have less than 600 miles on them. the speed drop on the interstate can be from 70 in 5th to 30-35 in third.

 

[gatorman21218]

What gears you got in your rear end? I have an 'old natural' with a ZF and 4.10s and 270,000 on the clock. ive hauled trailers weighing 3-6k and its slow accelerating but I can still get up to 55-60 mph in 5th gear. Do you have any blow-by on your engine? when its idleing pop the hood and unscrew the oil fill cap. The amount of smoke coming out gives you a ball park estimate of engine health. If theres a lot of blowby go get your compression tested. IIRC each cylinder should be 350 to 400 psi but dont quote me on that

 

[tnmtn]

thanks for the info, i'll check blowby monday when i use the truck again. i have a 4:10 rear end.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

thanks for the info, i'll check blowby monday when i use the truck again. i have a 4:10 rear end.

Honestly, your experience seems about par for the situation given.

Back when I had the 6.9-IDI in my truck, my old worn-out Chevy 350 would easily out-pull it with any size load and trailer.

That being said, I haul probably heavier than most --- big goose-neck cattle-trailers that weigh like lead when empty and every cow that steps in adding another 1400-1800 pounds.

I made my living with that old 6.9, it having taken me through 41 states with a cattle-trailer in tow, and it always brought me back home.

Although the old gas-burners would out-pull it, they were nowhere near so dependable, with heads constantly off for valve-jobs and such, oil-pumps failing out on the road, water-pumps grenading, and the raw gas fumes a constant reminder that I wasn't driving a real truck.

The diesel was and always is best in the long run.

 

[racecar]

injectors have less than 600 miles on them. the speed drop on the interstate can be from 70 in 5th to 30-35 in third.

I had the same thing happen to my international 5 ton truck. Drove us nuts..truck weighs 14,000lbs. Checked everything, fuel filters etc. finally sent the IP out and had it rebuilt...night and day difference. Sorry to say that might be it. What are your EGTs?

 

[tnmtn]

no egt gauge on the truck. blowby doesn't seem to be a problem. none was noticable. i'll probably take it by a mechanic and let them put some gauges to it and see what shape the engine is in. i have been hesitant so far to add a turbo or any upgrades due to the milage. thanks for the help.

 

[hesutton]

injectors have less than 600 miles on them.

How about the IP?

Heath

 

[Agnem]

Milage is not a factor. Many here have turbo'd well into these engines twighlight years with good results. Headgaskets can be an issue, but they are going to be weather you turbo or not. Eventually your going to need a set. What you've described is exactly what I'd expect you to say your truck does in it's current state. That's why so many of us have worked to address the deficiencies these engines do suffer from.

 

[hesutton]

Milage is not a factor. Many here have turbo'd well into these engines twighlight years with good results. Headgaskets can be an issue, but they are going to be weather you turbo or not. Eventually your going to need a set. What you've described is exactly what I'd expect you to say your truck does in it's current state. That's why so many of us have worked to address the deficiencies these engines do suffer from.

Mel's right. I'm going to turbo my '86 F350 crew cab with 321,000 on the clock. But, I'm doing the headgaskets first.

Heath

 

[lastbugle]

I just did a post on throttle cables check it out that its opening wide open.

 

[gatorman21218]

^^^^^^^^^^^
I just added 100hp with a washer thats worth 1/2 cent