The search continues

Went to look at another tandem grain truck today.
This was a Ford L-900. 534 gas engine and 13
speed. Truck was real nice and clean but can
somebody tell me if that engine should be this
gutless? First of all it started real nice but
even after it was warmed up it would cough when
you revved it up. I don't think it is in the carb
because even if you pulled the choke a little it
would still cough. Looked like the distr. cap had
been replaced not to long ago but the plugs looked
like they had been in there forever. Could that
do it? Truck has a 20 ft. box and it had about 10
inches of heavy snow on floor but it acted like I
had 500 bushels of grain in it. Out on the hyway
it took about 2 miles to get it up to 55 mph.
Engine was turning about 2500 rpms at 55. Came to
a medium hill and it pulled it right down to 30
mph. It has been 35 years since I last drove a
gas large grain truck and I just don't remember
that it had that little power. Acceleration
through the gears was a joke. Even if you revved
it at a stand still after you got past the
coughing it just did not have much snap to it. Is
that typical of that motor? Will a new set of
plugs correct that? Anyone have any experience
with a 534? Are they all that doggy?

I never drove it but a friend had one and he said you couldn't afford to keep gas in it if you were hauling any distance at all.

Sounds like the timing was off, but never having driven one???

Drove one years ago. Tri axle dump truck. A 534 has got more umpf than a 3208 cat. From what you describe, It's got problems. Whatever they are. And like what was said below, they really like gas.

My father used to have Ford F900 dump trucks with the 534 motors in them. They would dust the Cummins 350 horse power diesels on just about any type of pull. So that truck has problems.

Also when they where running correctly but pulling hard they would get 2 to 2 1/2 miles per gallon. That is correct real hard pull 2 MPG!!!! That is why NO body will buy the things other than as a collector piece.

When Dad bought his first one gas was 37 cents per gallon in 1972. So think about what they would be like with $3.90 gas???? You could hire your grain hauled for what they would cost to run.

I had a Chev C60 tandem with a 366 gas motor and a 13 speed. I sold it ten years ago because it would average 3-4 MPG when hauling grain. I could hire it hauled cheaper.

Sounds like it's tired and sick. A tuneup might help. I never drove a 534 but I've driven it's little brother... the 477. It was no great performer either... and it liked gas.
If you're working the truck... just go get an S-Liner... with a DT.

Rod

I ran a tri-axle with the 534 and had a 5 and 4 transmission,boy that was truck driving, you were always chasing one of the levers around. Gas mileage on a good day about 1 1/2 to 2 miles per gallon. It used so much gas that would wear out the carburetor just about once a year! Not a power house by no means, but was a very dependable engine.

My neighbor had one for quite a few years in a dump truck. He pulled a John Deere 690 Excavator on a shop built lowboy trailer behind it, and it always seemed to have plenty of power. He said it would get less than 2 mpg when pulling the excavator.

I agree with it possibly being a timing issue. I have never driven a 534 but it should at least hold it's own empty... I don't agree with hiring the hauling done unless you want to run your crops when it's convenient for them, after theirs is done, and the weather and grain prices have deteriorated. Just my opinion...

I drove a 534 in a Fuel truck from 79 to 90. It would pull with a 466 IHC if it was set at 210 hp. Not the later ones at 250 hp. It ran like a diesel never gave any trouble. One thing we found was most of them were geared to slow. If you geared them to run down the road at 3000 rpm they were dogs because they were done at 3200. pulled best at 2000 to 2500 just like a 466 IHC. If you just drive it a 1000 mi mileage won't make any difference. Mine would go 190 mi. on 45 gal of gas. loaded one way. single axle.

Sounds like timing issue.I time with a vacuum to get best perfomance,but I bet you can get her pretty close by ear.Scott

Buddy had one for a log truck; had the same problems & tried running it Super Premium gas. All the problems cleared right up. He got out of logging & put a 'for sale' sign on it. Hundred guys stopped to look, left as soon as they found out it was gas. Months went by; finally guy that had several of them bought it. Once you buy it, its yours for life now that nobody runs one nowadays.

I had the opportunity to drive a tandem gravel truck for a few weeks that had a 534 engine and 5&4 tranny set up. It made round for round with the rest of the line up and some of them were running 671"s. It sure did like its fuel, 2-1/2 to 3 mpg was the best it would do, but had great lugging power. Not sure what the diff gearing was but 2800 rpm was 50 mph.

Drove neighbor's Ford L; it was an outright dog compared to the 3 Chev tandems that they had. Don't know what engine it had though.

If it is coughen back thru the carb i would say that the carb has a couple problems , one with the acceloration pump and the other is power valve . Then i would also look into the dist. It has been 45 years since i use to work on the old 477-534's . and one more thing about them they were a premiume fuel engine .