My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

[Rembrant]

My Bronco with a stockish 302 is running 33" tires with 4.10 gears behind the NV3550. That's equivalent to 3.35 gears and 27" tires. I really like the setup because, like you, I don't want it screaming on the highway. But most people tell me that I shouldn't "fear the gear" and that it would be a lot better with lower gears. I don't doubt that it would pull stronger, and probably wouldn't even get significantly lower mileage with 4.56 gears (equivalent to 3.73 with 27"). But it would be buzzier, and I'm happy enough with the performance I have.

But that gearing will make your new-found power harder to find. If it was me (and I know it isn't!) I'd want to be able to get at that power easier (even though I probably wouldn't use it a lot). And with 27" tires and a 5 speed OD trans I'd probably go about 3.73 gears.

I think you're right on the 3.08 diff gearing being too tall for the 302/5spd. It's not awful or anything, but it would certainly be better geared a little lower. I've been driving the truck a little, and it's lugging a bit below 2000 RPM. Above 2000, it lights right up. I won't be doing anything with it this year, but perhaps this winter I will make it part of my to-do list.

A lot of the driving I will be doing with this truck is at about 50MPH, and as it is now, 3rd feels too low, and 4th too high. Same thing with the highway speeds. Then the issue is between 4th being too low, and 5th, too high. The truck will do 80MPH like nothing at all, but I want to drive more like 65MPH, which feels like it's revving too much in 4th, and not enough in 5th.

My current issue(s) are the exhaust and the steering, so I haven't been able to get a 100% proper feel for the truck yet. My exhaust is still way too loud, so that aggravates the issue of the engine not being in it's sweet spot. To rev the thing in neutral or to drive it through the gears above 2000 RPM or so, it sounds fantastic, but lugging along below 2000RPM, it sounds just awful, and is way too loud. The steering on the other hand is still way too sloppy...that new reman box has to go. It's sloppy enough it is a bit unnerving to drive with the way the roads are around here. I must install one of those RedHead or BlueTop boxes, and I'm even going to add a stabilizer to it. They're cheap enough it probably wouldn't hurt.

None of it is a big issue at the moment. I don't need to drive the truck, it is just a weekend play toy, and it is going to take some time to get all the wrinkles ironed out of it.

Ok, fresh out of the exhaust shop!

They installed full duals with Magnaflows, and tail pipes exiting out each side just under the tapered in backside of the fender(s). Stainless mufflers, all welded connections, with an H-Pipe.

It sounds MUCH BETTER! It is almost too quiet now...lol, but it's all good. I did want some noise, but I had no idea how loud it was going to be in the cab on this thing.

It has a nice roar to it, and it rumbles shifting through the gears, but is still nice and drone-free in the cab.

I also just finished last night installing new Remflex header gaskets, and ARP 1" long header bolts. I think I am officially exhaust leak-free!

Now, I can get on to other tuning now that I can hear things working properly!!...lol.

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, fresh out of the exhaust shop!

They installed full duals with Magnaflows, and tail pipes exiting out each side just under the tapered in backside of the fender(s). Stainless mufflers, all welded connections, with an H-Pipe.

It sounds MUCH BETTER! It is almost too quiet now...lol, but it's all good. I did want some noise, but I had no idea how loud it was going to be in the cab on this thing.

It has a nice roar to it, and it rumbles shifting through the gears, but is still nice and drone-free in the cab.

I also just finished last night installing new Remflex header gaskets, and ARP 1" long header bolts. I think I am officially exhaust leak-free!

Now, I can get on to other tuning now that I can hear things working properly!!...lol.

Cool! I'll bet the Magnaflows will sound louder as you forget what that replaced. But, which ones did you use?

[Dyn Blin]

Ok, fresh out of the exhaust shop!

They installed full duals with Magnaflows, and tail pipes exiting out each side just under the tapered in backside of the fender(s). Stainless mufflers, all welded connections, with an H-Pipe.

It sounds MUCH BETTER! It is almost too quiet now...lol, but it's all good. I did want some noise, but I had no idea how loud it was going to be in the cab on this thing.

It has a nice roar to it, and it rumbles shifting through the gears, but is still nice and drone-free in the cab.

I also just finished last night installing new Remflex header gaskets, and ARP 1" long header bolts. I think I am officially exhaust leak-free!

Now, I can get on to other tuning now that I can hear things working properly!!...lol.

I've really enjoyed keeping up with the Blue Mule project. Thanks for sharing the progress and congratulations on conclusion.

[Rembrant]

Cool! I'll bet the Magnaflows will sound louder as you forget what that replaced. But, which ones did you use?

They're the MF Performance in SS. Straight through flow they said. They're still pretty loud...don't get me wrong, but in a nice mellow way. The Flowmaster with the dumps was LOUD at idle, forget about pushing it...lol.

[Rembrant]

I've really enjoyed keeping up with the Blue Mule project. Thanks for sharing the progress and congratulations on conclusion.

Thanks Dyn!

I've had a lot of fun working on this truck, and I am far from finished, but I'm finished this chapter as it were...lol. Mechanically, the truck is tip-top now! I have to drain and fill the rear diff, but that's a pretty easy task as old truck tasks go;).

I'm really pleased with the truck, and I'm having a blast driving it. It's not very pretty currently, but it's fun, and it works good. That was kind of the whole point. I'll make it pretty as time and money allow. That's winter project stuff. This time of year, I just want to drive it.

[Gary Lewis]

I've really enjoyed keeping up with the Blue Mule project. Thanks for sharing the progress and congratulations on conclusion.

Thanks Dyn!

I've had a lot of fun working on this truck, and I am far from finished, but I'm finished this chapter as it were...lol. Mechanically, the truck is tip-top now! I have to drain and fill the rear diff, but that's a pretty easy task as old truck tasks go;).

I'm really pleased with the truck, and I'm having a blast driving it. It's not very pretty currently, but it's fun, and it works good. That was kind of the whole point. I'll make it pretty as time and money allow. That's winter project stuff. This time of year, I just want to drive it.

"Just drive it and enjoy it" was the advice my paint/body man gave me re Big Blue when I got him. And that has been excellent advise. I've taken him places that I wouldn't have had he been "pretty".

So, enjoy!

[Rembrant]

"Just drive it and enjoy it" was the advice my paint/body man gave me re Big Blue when I got him. And that has been excellent advise. I've taken him places that I wouldn't have had he been "pretty".

So, enjoy!

Can you guys have a listen and tell me if this thing sounds like it has valvetrain rattles/ticks to you?

[PetesPonies]

Can you guys have a listen and tell me if this thing sounds like it has valvetrain rattles/ticks to you?

Everything on a recored video, has a tinie sound. So it really is difficult to hear noises accurately. But I do believe there is a valvetrain noise there. Is this an '84 engine? So we are talking bolt down rockers?

[Rembrant]

Everything on a recored video, has a tinie sound. So it really is difficult to hear noises accurately. But I do believe there is a valvetrain noise there. Is this an '84 engine? So we are talking bolt down rockers?

Yeah, I know video sound quality doesn't help matters much, but I figured I'd try. To me, it seems like it's much louder in person than in watching the video...lol.

Yes, this is the original 1984 302 with Explorer GT40 heads on it. Flat tappet cam and regular old bolt down pedestal rockers.

The guy that built the engine commented that he finds Comp Cams cause some valvetrain noise, but I didn't think much of it at the time. I couldn't hear it in the dyno room during break-in and testing, and I couldn't hear it with the loud exhaust either, but now that I have it quieted down, it's ALL I CAN hear...lol.

I think some sound insulation in my cab would go a long ways, but still, it seems noisy. I can hear valvetrain ticks up to about 2000 RPM and then it either goes away or the exhaust noise takes over.

If it's normal, then fine, I'll learn to live with it. It just seems really weird when you're not used to it.

[Oz EconolineF100]

Everything on a recored video, has a tinie sound. So it really is difficult to hear noises accurately. But I do believe there is a valvetrain noise there. Is this an '84 engine? So we are talking bolt down rockers?

Yeah, I know video sound quality doesn't help matters much, but I figured I'd try. To me, it seems like it's much louder in person than in watching the video...lol.

Yes, this is the original 1984 302 with Explorer GT40 heads on it. Flat tappet cam and regular old bolt down pedestal rockers.

The guy that built the engine commented that he finds Comp Cams cause some valvetrain noise, but I didn't think much of it at the time. I couldn't hear it in the dyno room during break-in and testing, and I couldn't hear it with the loud exhaust either, but now that I have it quieted down, it's ALL I CAN hear...lol.

I think some sound insulation in my cab would go a long ways, but still, it seems noisy. I can hear valvetrain ticks up to about 2000 RPM and then it either goes away or the exhaust noise takes over.

If it's normal, then fine, I'll learn to live with it. It just seems really weird when you're not used to it.

You also have extractors which also make that ticking exhaust sound as well