Hey guys,
I've come to see how you guys with 4 barrels on your 300s do towing.

It's coming to the point in my restobuild where I need to figure out my motor. I originally and still kind of do want a v8 but I've got the 300 that came in the truck and It's rebuild able.

My plan / details are:
Rebuild the 300 with a mild cam, offy dp, undecided 4bbl (thinking of a quadrajet for the hell of it). Little polishing and gasket matching on the head and of course efi exhaust manifolds.

The truck is gonna have a 4" lift with either 33's or 35's and 3:50 gears.
I know 3:50 gears aren't optimal for this but that's a future project when money is more available.

Transmission is a np435 btw.

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To cut this short with the details listed how will this do pulling a f150 trail rig on a trailer (6000lbs total?) around upstate ny (no giant mountains really on the highway).

I've towed 4500lbs trailer included with my 95 with 3.08s and 5 speed but didn't have any steep hills and it was almost bearable.


Sorry for the long post

Thanks
-Justin

 

Sounds like you're on the right track. The only thing I've heard against your build is gasket matching. Seems that's not a desirable thing to do on the 300.

Other than that, do you know how to properly tune a quadrajet? From what I've heard, those are not easy to tune, unless you know them.


I'd also recommend looking into heating the underside of the intake.



Since you'll be removing the stock setup for the heat riser, you'll need to resupply heat to help with fuel atomization. It eliminates bogs and stumbles off the line.

 

Alright I'll avoid the gasket matching. I was thinking about the quadrajet because I've heard them mentioned as being good with mileage and power. I'll probably rebuild one of the holley's in the garage for temporarily once I find out their cfm but how does a 500cfm edelbrock that I've seen some people using do?

I know about heating the underside of the intake but I'm curious if the coolant actually goes through the intake? Is there a gasket between the adapter and the intake? and what does the otherside of that plate look like?

Thanks
-Justin

 

All the QuadraJet Information I have found on the Internet

Qjet tuning is probably no more or less difficult than a Holley.

FORDSIX PERFORMANCE • View topic - Will it pull?

You might reconsider the use of the tall tires. They will be counterproductive to towing unless compensated for with short gears.

 

I have 3.25's and stock 235 tires, and it does real well. I only got into the full 4bbl a couple times just to see what it would do. For all practical purposes, I didnt need 4bbl, just 2. I hauled about 2000 pounds in the bed, which is quite a chore when it's time to stop with 4 wheel manual drum brakes. It does seem a lot better at speed, vs the stock 300 setup. Stick with 33's with those gears. Overall impression of the add on goodies? it helps.

 

The manifold has a cast-in space above the heat plate. Maybe 1/4" deep, there's not a lot of water circulation going on other than coolant passing through on the way to the heater core.

I've got 32" tires on my Bronco + 3.55:1 gears and it tows an 8,000lb trailer with no worries. Well, other than the usual Bronco squirrelliness and lack of braking.

Be sure to get the bottom end balanced piece-by-piece. To take advantage of a new cam and ported head she'll need to be able to stand on her tail.

 

The Big Valley

Sounds like quite a feat anywhere in Modesto (inc the hwy) less things have changed since '77 when I left there. They got a track now?
Have fun, B safe (contradiction?).

 

Re-gear your truck for the tires or don't run big tires at all.

 

HiYa Bill!
2X on what he said. Towing is about 'final drive ratio' - motor, transm, tire, no?
I have no theory, am not a mechanic - but heard the 1V is always more torquier (aint 4V for HP n revin the P*^s outta it?).
Understand the 300 to have a power band at 1500 to 2800 or so...
The more knowledgeable will enlighten -

 

Hi Chad! Good to see you're active again. I thought you got snowed straight to the hot place or something.

Chad, normally you would be right but when it comes to something like this it really depends on the size of the carb and how it's tuned in.

 

Happy V Day, luv. Not sure I'm "active" but sure like the straight 6 site can't stay away too long. (in this crunchy granola, yuppie place V means the Vagina Monologues, capish?).

So if 1 had a HUGE 1V it would be the torquiest? Why would a 4V have "it"?
(sorry will read later, bedie bye X).

BTW: 'sno' n 'hot place' don't go 2 get her. 8^)

 

I'm still not quite sure where this notion comes from.
As lacking as the stock head is in the flow department, you should be wanting to do everything you can to improve the flow.
A full port and polish job will most definitely include matching the manifold ports to the head ports (or "gasket matching").
So why not at least port match while you have the manifolds off (I did) but aren't quite ready to tear down the head completely?
An eighth of an inch of port sticking up into the path of flow between your intake manifold and intake valve isn't going to help your power whatsoever (and this was consistent for each port when I did my swap).

Just my 2cents.

 

AB: You should PM the moderator and ask them to put that post in the 'T's & Tricks' sticky. Unless you'd like to post another thousand times.

 

Different operational definitions of the same wrd (ie agreement)?

 

Well, I will shed light based on the 2 trucks with 300s I have had. First, I hated my 4bbl. The first truck had a modded engine with a cam, headers, offy C, and a 2150 with a motorcraft heated spacer. It pulled good, and I ran 4.10s with 36s. It seemed ok, but somewhat topped out on the highway.

My second truck is a stock crewcab with a stock 300. I feel that this engine is more driveable and has more low end torque. I also upgraded to 33s with the stock 3.55 gearing and really like this combo. With a granny 4 spd, towing is fine, but it still cruises down the interstate well.

In my experience, it is possible to OVERgear the 300. They don't like to rev. My vote is a 2bbl and 33s.