How good is 4.9 L (300 CID) I6 engine?

[FordF350Superduty]

Hi guys! Have a question,how good is 4.9 L (300 CID) I6 engine? Thanks.

[dyingtolive]

It's the best. Arguably the best engine that Ford ever produced, and in the opinion of many, the toughest, most dependable, longest lasting (mine has 393,000 miles) that anyone has ever produced.

It has more low RPM torque than just about any other gas engine out there, and is probably the best gas engine available for towing, or for a work truck. To get a better towing/work truck engine, you'd probably have to go with a diesel. Now, in its stock form, it definitely won't get you anywhere fast, but it'll get you there just about every time without fail. And, with a little modification and the right gearing, the 300 will fly. Hell, there have been people that have done amazing things with these engines, building them to 300+ hp (Col Flashman), and some who have used them as drag racing engines. (The Frenchtown Flyer, look up ftf300 on youtube)

[AbandonedBronco]

Yup, what dyingtolive said.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is simply how much power they came with in stock form:

carb:
120hp @ 3000 RPMs
255tq @ 1400 RPMs

EFI

150hp @ 3400 RPMs
265tq @ 2000 RPMs


Lots of grunt down low, but people who get one and expect them to perform like a V8 are usually disappointed.


They take happily to mods though, that's for sure.... At least the carb version does.

[Harte3]

What do you mean by "good"? A bit of definition might help.

[im2tall33]

in my opinion it is the best and most reliable engine ever!! and bullet proof too! and like Ab posted dont expect it to be a v8 but if you want a workhorse there isnt a better motor

[6CylBill]

One of - the - best truck gasoline engines ever made.

Good engine for what it's built for.

If you want to get somewhere fast, however, you are - much - better off with a V8.

[Rogue_Wulff]

I bought a used truck in 97 that has a 300 in it. I figured when the engine wore out, I would swap in a 6.9L diesel. More than 13 years later, that 300 still doesn't use any oil to speak of, *maybe* 1/2 qt between changes, most of which drips from the oil pan.......

I still plan to swap in a 6.9L diesel, but only after the 300 is completely worn out. At this rate, I'll die before the 300 does...........

[im2tall33]

very true^^^ my dad has a 81 bronco with a 300 and its the original motor never rebuilt and it still runs great..although it does need other work.. i swear beefore these motors die the rest of the car will

[billt28]

The first 300 I had to rebuild, it had so many miles on it that I just tipped the block over and the pistons fell out. When you was driving down the road it sounded like a diesel. That was in 91. I still have that engine, cept now its got almost 3000 miles on it since I punched it out .060. That ought to tell you the reliability of these engines. Just a word of caution though, be careful of some that was produced in the early 80's, they have the phenolic timing gears in them and they like to shred.

[FordF350Superduty]

Thank you,guys!
Looks like 4.9 very reliable engine!

[west6772]

In general, straight six engines kick ***! Most heavy duty diesel engines are inline 6 configuration for a reason. They have fewer rotating parts, no lateral forces on the cylinder bore, and take up less space than a similarly displaced V8.

My 1995 F150 has a 300 I6 with over 240,000 miles on it and runs great.

[Rogue_Wulff]

The biggest weakness a 300 has, is the factory cam gear.
When they were made from metal, they lasted dern near forever, but people hated the noise made by them.
They switched to several varieties of plastics trying to keep the gears quiet. Worked pretty well, but people complained when they went bad.
The latest variation seems to last around 200K on average before needing replaced. Gives a pretty good excuse for pulling the cover and replacing the front seal that has likely started leaking by then anyways, then go for another 200-400K.......

I have no clue what type of cam gear is in my engine. As I said, I bought the truck used, for a rather cheap price, and figured I would run the 300 till it was finished and swap in a diesel. A couple weeks after I bought the truck, I found a work order for the engine rebuild. It cost more than I paid for the whole truck. If they really did everything listed on that work order, this engine should have another 200K (at least) life left in it. I know I have put over 100K on it, with little more than basic PM service.

After finding that reciept, I pretty much quit looking for a diesel to swap in. I still casually keep an eye out for a deal too good to pass up, just to keep up with current pricing trends......


You may wonder why I want to swap a diesel in after the 300 is wore out. It's simple really. What else will give me the same kind of low RPM torque, but in higher quantities, without reducing the MPG? I get 12-17 MPG currently, depending on load and conditions. The same load and conditions should yield 15-20 MPG with a diesel. Maybe even more with a turbo, and my rather conservative driving habits.
That's another great thing about the 300, with the ever increasing cost of fuel, it can teach a person to drive in a fuel freindly manner. Mashing the skinny pedal doesn't really do much, aside from consuming extra fuel. Learning to use a lighter throttle foot will get you there nearly as quickly, but with a lot more fuel left in the tank....... This is especially true of the older carbed 300's.

[AbandonedBronco]

Originally Posted by Rogue_Wulff

The biggest weakness a 300 has, is the factory cam gear.
When they were made from metal, they lasted dern near forever, but people hated the noise made by them.

I can attribute to that. I replaced my cam this winter with a Comp 260h. In the process, I put in a set of steel timing gears for durability. I imagine they'll last forever, but I also imagine I'll...eventually....get used to the sound.

[dyingtolive]

What do those steel timing gears sound like?

[AbandonedBronco]

I'll have to get a video recording of it, but they definitely have an audible howl to them. It's not bad, just used to my engine being a bit more quiet (which is probably why they experimented with getting rid of them in the first place.)