New to h55 question

[greenbeast]

I enjoyed the way the 5 speed in the 1990 fj62 i recently purchased drove while in the flat lands of Kansas while driving home to Colorado but.... When I made it to the pass it was extremely anemic. I was unable to hold my speed in 4th gear while heading to Steamboat via I-70. I understand that the engine isn't the most powerful but I was surprised how slow it was while climbing up to Eisenhower tunnel.

All I need to hear is expect it not to improve and I will be happy with it. If others with same conversion have better results I would like to hear about it in case there is something I can do about it.

Thanks

Jon

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Well Loveland Pass/ Eisenhower is #3 of the top 10 in elevation in CO.. So, there will be a few more tough struggles for you, but also some that are a bit easier in CO... HA! Colorado is a great playground, ENJOY!

Here's the top ten paved passes in CO by elevation:

Trail Ridge Road passes 12180' Estes Park, Grand Lake
Independence Pass 12095' Aspen, Twin Lakes
Loveland Pass 11992' Idaho Springs, Dillon
Hoosier Pass 11541' Breckenridge, Alma
Slumgullion Pass 11361' Creede, Lake City
Fremont Pass 11318' Copper Mountain, Leadville
Berthoud Pass 11315' Empire, Winter Park
Monarch Pass 11312' Salida, Sargents
Juniper Pass 11160' Bergen Park, Idaho Springs
Red Mountain Pass 11100' Ouray, Durango

Happy Cruising!

J

 

[greenbeast]

Thanks, I kept waiting for someone to rear end me to help me along but they just kept passing me...

I'm looking forward to those passes, may take the 100 though

Jon

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

If I could hit 40-45 mph on the lower end of that list I was EXTREMELY happy. I had a 4 speed and 2F, but man I miss the mountains and higher elevations.

Going faster is fun, but I miss the slower site seeing speeds.

J

 

[greenbeast]

Just moved here 1 month ago so I'm excited to explore!! Quite the change from Oklahoma.

 

[inkpot]

What kind of rpm were you holding going up the pass? If you weren't running well over 3000, then you should of shifted down another gear. John

 

[Elbert]

don't think it has anything to do with the 5speed at all, more to do with the engine. I don't think there is a solution except to swap to a more powerful engine.

 

[greenbeast]

What kind of rpm were you holding going up the pass? If you weren't running well over 3000, then you should of shifted down another gear. John

Yeah anytime I get to 3000 rpm or little higher i shift, so you run yours over 3000 on regular basis?


I agree on the engine, I thought replacing the automatic with the 55 would allow using the limited power little more efficiently in mountains. However I've never driven my other 62 in Colorado, instead leaving it in Oklahoma to sell.

It will do fine, just takes a little getting use to. I will appreciate all that power after I drive the 40 a little more!

Thanks

Jon

 

[Lated]

Just moved here 1 month ago so I'm excited to explore!! Quite the change from Oklahoma.

Welcome to the CO. I moved here from Kansas 17 years ago and wouldn't want to live anywhere else . . . except maybe AK or WA.

 

[usmcruiser]

This is why I droped a '02 Vortec in my 60. Driving over Floyd hill and up to the tunnel ever weekend to go skiing was terrible with a tired old 2F. At the end I was in second gear rocking 30mph at best. Its scary when 18 wheelers are blowing by you on I70. lol

 

[60Works]

When I lived in CO I often found myself in 2nd gear when crossing passes. That was with a desmogged 2F in a 4 speed 60. I was unwilling to run more than 3,500 rpm so couldn't hold onto 3rd.

She runs great at sea level. Sometimes I even pass other cars.

I keep hoping someone will come up with a simple, cheap low boost turbo mod to keep sea level performance when at altitude. So far the only solution has been swapping to a different engine.

 

[Squid60]

Well I had a 1994 4runner with a four banger, the truck rusted out before the engine gave way. I would have trouble with hills, always had to hit them at 80mph to make it over, hopefully, doing 50mph on the peak. This was the Appalachian mountains. Got the 1995 4runner with a 5 speed and 6cyl and it made all the difference.
I have a fj60 now with a h55f, when I go up hills I have to downshift to 4th, never had to do that with the h42, because it only went to 4th. So going up hills it's like Im back driving the h42.
Turbos and super chargers are neither cheap nor simple. By the time you would get these components bought/installed you would be probably be about 2/3 to a new/used v8, this is based on turbo kits i have seen and a turbo a friend had installed on his gasser dodge ram. He let some guy experiment on his truck be cause he was charging him 5k for the kit and another 1k for installation, so the guy could use my friends car as a template to make his turbo aftermarket kit for the dodge ram.
There is alway nitrous.

 

[greenbeast]

When I lived in CO I often found myself in 2nd gear when crossing passes. That was with a desmogged 2F in a 4 speed 60. I was unwilling to run more than 3,500 rpm so couldn't hold onto 3rd.

She runs great at sea level. Sometimes I even pass other cars.

I keep hoping someone will come up with a simple, cheap low boost turbo mod to keep sea level performance when at altitude. So far the only solution has been swapping to a different engine.

You have to love a cruiser to put up with being passed by a prius. It's still a rush though!!

 

[american psycho]

3rd is normal for that drive - wait until there's a brisk headwind after Silver Plume.

Put an intercooled turbo-diesel in ot and bedone with it.

 

[greenbeast]

3rd is normal for that drive - wait until there's a brisk headwind after Silver Plume.

Put an intercooled turbo-diesel in ot and bedone with it.

Funny you say that, wind was howling yesterday!

I'm sure that little upgrade is cheap.