1986 M1028, 454 Gasser......?

[islandguydon]

I look at that truck as a tool to pull a 24' RV and have room for a snowmobile and a quad on the back and still have room for a ramp. They would have to both sit sideways. The camper is a standard frame hitch with a 2 5/8" ball with the anti sway bar. I like to go to Grand Marais and Municing in the UP in the winter. This way I can stay on the trail head without the standard no tell motel room.

 

[hndrsonj]

All CUCV's were diesels, no question about it. But, a 454 powered one would be nice....

 

[islandguydon]

The drive train is original, which means a 4" lift, 37" tires and the gas mileage should be not so bad. What would be a good cruising RPM for a 454 gasser anyway...?

 

[Cucvnut]

Here is a pic of the plate. The rivets look to new. I am iffy if this ever was a true M-1028.....? OR a civi truck green from the factory. The drive train is proper but everything about this truck says custom/changed/hacked/redone. Some times thats good sometimes not.

My rivits look just like that on my door.

 

[epartsman]

My 2 cents, Ive seen it, looks pretty but I think you will find that the 454 with no OD trans and the 4:56 gear to be a fuel hog getting 8-10 mpg and top out on power very quickly. The interior is very nice but from a custom not a CUCV. The truck was put together and painted to hide the flaws. If you read the listing they have no clue how many miles are on the 454 and with it turning that hard it may not last long. I wish my 09 was as pretty but it is your choice and taste but as for me I would stay away.

 

[hndrsonj]

Does any M1008/M1028 get better than 8-10 MPG?

 

[epartsman]

The 09 does 20-24 @ 65mph but it does have 3:08 gears.

 

[big block 88]

The drive train is original, which means a 4" lift, 37" tires and the gas mileage should be not so bad. What would be a good cruising RPM for a 454 gasser anyway...?

454 truck motors hate high rpm's my old 88 would get 8-9 mpg no matter what you could load it with 15k pounds and push it down a mountain and it would still get 8-9 mpg on the way down.

The worst I ever got was 1.3 gallons per mile pulling a CAT 426 with extending boom and rock buckets on a 40 foot tandem dual gooseneck.

 

[epartsman]

My point exactly. 454's hate high RPMS which means the 4:56 gears will put it in an early grave.

 

[Cucvnut]

any big block does...

 

[big block 88]

any big block does...

Not true... LS5, LS6, L88, L78 any 396 really all 427's

fords old side oiler 427 chrylsers old 440 and 426 wedge and hemi

none of the above cared much about high rpm's. It all depends on compression ratio and weight of internal parts.

Truck motor have a very heavy rotating assembly there for RPM's WILL kill the engine fast quick and in a hurry.

My 88 454 was bored 30 over larger injectors port and polished large port heads polished and bored throttle body alumn high rise intake and a good MSD ignition and roller tip rockers with a girddle. I would still end up floating a vlave around 5200-5500 rpm's. And I spun a main bearing more than once with high rpm's

 

[islandguydon]

My point exactly. 454's hate high RPMS which means the 4:56 gears will put it in an early grave.

I have al local trans man that can work some highway gear magic, or I can get a 6.2 - 6.5 in a can and swap it back out, that would be a good weekend project, either way the trans man will have a look at highway gears. Thanks you all for your comments and help. Don

 

[epartsman]

Just be careful with the 6.2-6.5 in a can unless you are one of the lucky ones to find a new one. They were all removed for a reason unless you are ready to do a rebuild but using a diesel engine towing the load you mentioned is the way I would go either gearing down to 3:73 or going with the 700r4 conversion as well. Good luck!

 

[ODdave]

For what its worth my dad had a '77 dually with a 454 & 4speed that came factory with 4.56 gears. Yes it only liked abut 55-60 mph but that was also on a 31-32 in tire. I would think that with 37's you would be fine. As far as MPG? Ha your going to be hard pressed to get better than 10-11 mpg as thats what they get in stock form. We have had 5 3/4 & 1 ton trucks with 454's and they all got between 10-11 mpg, carb, TBI & MPFI. Keep in mind some had OD as well. Still the same mpg's.

 

[jj]

I've got a 95 3500HD with a 454. Has 4.63 gears in the Dana 80 and a n NV4500. That is a 0.73:1 overdrive. It rides on 225/70R-19.5 tires that turn around 650 revolutions per mile. That means 2200 rpm, or so, on the engine at 60mph. It weighs 8500 lbs empty, and i consider it a good day if i get 12mpg out of a tankful. I only see that running empty on the highway, if the wind is at my back. Loaded, I don't even do the math. Just too depressing. You really don't notice, though, when fully loaded at 15,000 lbs. Just chugs along. 4.56's without overdrive? Don't want to think about it.

 

[islandguydon]

Wow, It looks like I have my work cut out for me. I will drive it to push snow this winter and get a good feel for her then do what I have to do in the spring which I think will go back to a 6.2 or 6.5 with turbo. I have a side winder still in the box I am itching to have installed in one of these green machines and I think this truck will be the one.

 

[11Echo]

Well, after messing around with a couple diesels in the 1008,(both blown up), I'm working on getting this tall deck Chevy tuned up.

It has great air/fuel flow and lots of power!

 

[rickf]

That tunnel ram will have NO power below 4000 rpm!

Rick

 

[11Echo]

That tunnel ram will have NO power below 4000 rpm!

Rick

Limited intake options for an oval port,(peanut port) tall deck.
Single plane air gap design. Not a tunnel ram.
Dart engineer told me it would start to work well at 3000 rpm. Keeping in mind the rpms a M1008 with the 4.56 rears is turning at highway speeds around 65mph.
Motor has been bored and rebuilt.
Truck has been an everyday driver.

 

[CUCVFAN]

That tunnel ram will have NO power below 4000 rpm!

Rick

A tunnel ram would be 2-4's.

Limited intake options for an oval port,(peanut port) tall deck.
Single plane air gap design.
Dart engineer told me it would start to work well at 3000 rpm.
Motor has been bored and rebuilt.

Is this a mud truck, or something else?