Hello again fellow Ford fans,
Question - will a 1983 300 straight 6 cly. fit my truck, a 1982 with a 302?? will the 6cyl just take the place of my broken 302, or will i need to do anything special? I know nothing about changing out engines so please someone respond if you know the answer. thank you!! my email is jaredpared@gmail.com and my phone number is 6087905352.
and of course I am still looking for a replacement for my beat-up 302, would be nice to find a good runner locally - La Crosse WI -

 

If you get a COMPLETE 300, there are two things you need to watch out for.

You'll need to get the frame mounts for a 300, and the radiator hoses are on the opposite sides of the radiator.

Justin

 

While the 300 will provide the torque just above idle, it runs out of steam quickly over 3000 rpm. If your gearing will tolerate that, you'll be happy with the 300.

However, this engine change will involve the cooling, as per prior post. AND the exhaust, throttle linkage, and the accessory drives. Not rocket science, but lots of little things compared to swapping in another 302.

Good luck.

 

I have the 302 and it too runs out of steam at around 3000 rpm's.

I wish I had an I6 instead. Wanna trade?

 

I did the opposite several years ago; I had an 84 that had a very abused I6 that I ended up swapping for a 351W. It was a pretty easy swap, mounts and radiator were the biggest things but I don't remember any real problems. That 300 was a great low end pulling motor it was just sloooowww.

 

In addition to everything above, you'll need a zero ballance flywheel/flexplate. The V8 is externally ballanced while all I6s are internally ballanced & the wrong flywheel could mess up the engine. Many machine shops might be able to re-ballance.
Edwin

 

Gee, I had the "302 SW" in a '78 Heifer Wagon, and it would do better than 3000 rpms... (SW=super wheezer 134 hp model)

302s usually start cooking at 3000....is the exhaust squashed flat?

 

I sold Ford trucks back when the 300-I6 and the 302-V8 were both choices. My advice at that time was if you did a lot of high speed highway driving go with the 302, if not the six was the best choice.

 

THANK YOU GENTLEMEN!! All of you are very kind for taking your time to write out your opinions for me. I've decided to NOT purchase the 300 I-6cyl, I'm going to try to find either another 302 to just slip right in, or maybe something else, i don't know.
thanks again guys!!!! jared jaredpared@gmail.com

 

sparrow look at it this way...the I6 is a tractor motor,and the 302 is a racing motor

 

good explanation, thanks. I'm not buying the I6 though, STILL LOOKING FOR ANY ENGINE TO REPLACE MY 302, which is to the point of blowing up.
later all.

 

I have a friend that might take issue with that description .... he's cranking in excess of 300 hp out of the 300-6 he has in his pickup. I've had my share of 302's in pickups, T-Birds and Grand Marquis and you'd have to put as much money into an engine as he did to call a 302 a "racing motor".

I think it would be better said that their big difference is that one operates more efficiently at lower rpm, the other at a higher rpm.

 

i understand what ur saying,i was pointing out the 302 is more of a mustang motor,and the I6 is a truck motor,theres a reason no one put an I6 in a car,it would still last a long time,but that would be a boring drive

 

what are u looking for? is it another 302?

 

sry double post