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i would have to say other that the 300-6 being the best running engine next to that would be the ford 6.9 litre diesel its in a 1984 f250 extended cab long box and the truck itself has 416,000 miles on it and the 4 speed transmission has never been replaced and for the engine it was overhauled at 320,000 just for good measures and has been a pulling work truck all its life for a construction company, and i have a 1975 f150 with a 360 in it with 200,295 miles on it and ive put a set of plugs and plug wires on it and one valve is startin to get worn and run on 7 cylinders and still has plenty of power for another couple hundered thousand
Originally posted by Pkupman82 That 300 will do the same and sometimes more than a V8. It's got 4 inch bore and 4 inch stroke, big bore+big stroke= lots o torque. Sure it doesn't sound as good as a V8, but it builds torque at much quicker at lower RPMs. I can't count how many times I personally have had to take over with my 300 six for a V8 that couldn't pull the load. When you have big bore and big stroke, it doesn't matter how many cylinders you have.
It really isn't as simple as all that, IMHO. I seriously doubt a six-banger bone stock can outperform a V-8, all things being equal.
True, the Ford 4.9 is a damn tough piece of machinery, but anecdotal stories don't reveal all the facts or prove anything one way or the other.
Case in point: I stalled my pick-up truck and trailer on a steep grade in the High Sierras. The load and grade out-matched my rig's abilities. I could neither go forward nor reverse because I had jack-knifed the rig trying to back down the curved dirt road.
I un-hitched the trailer, drove to the top of the mountain where I hired the lodge's owner to pull me up to the lodge.
He hooked on to my trailer and whisked it up to the top as if it were a feather. To my embarrassment, he was using his Chevy 350 V-8 with 3.50 gears.
6 mos later I dropped the 2.75 axle out (DUH!!!) and installed 3.50 gears, and replaced the stock tranny with a Warner T-18A with super-grannie gears.
The point is: If it ain't equipped right, no matter what size piston bore is, it ain't gonna get you out of trouble.
Now, I don't doubt you had to rescue a few boneheads like myself a time ot two, but I see you got gears, too!
Gearing is indeed important. "82 - those are V8's that are very similar in size for your 300 - so it could be the fact that your gearing is far superior. And indeed, a 300 with low gears could beat out a small-block V8 with higher gears. I have a 79 F350 460/C6 3:73 and I know a 4.9 ain't even gonna touch it. Don't get me wrong, the 300 is a good tough engine, I agree. I just don't feel it has the power I like to have in a truck. 'Nuff said, back to truckin'
When I was truck shopping I came across an 80 F250 4wd 300I6 4speed. An old guy ordered it brand new to use as a farm truck, talk about a tank! The truck was equipped with front and rear traclocks with 4.56 gears, heck the dogone thing was geared so low you couldn't get much over 60 mph with it. I knew the guy who bought it, he pulled some mammoth loads with that old truck. Find me a stock small block powered truck will out pull that rig! Gearing is everything, even with V8s.
I guess its all a trade off- funny thing- guy in an old suburban asked me how I could tow #6000 with a 300 six, 35" tires and 3.54 gears- he was having trouble with his 350, smaller tires and 3.73 gears- He got pissed when I told him I get 18-20mpg too!
Slow as hell, but drives like a dream and has some serious grunt- with the new 240 head and SBC valves (breathing is the 300's downfall), should be 325-350hp and 450-500tq - 300 is a great engine.
300I6 best small block for pulling out there.
302,351,390,460 all good too, but diesel is a different ball game, lots of torque and a lillte easier on the wallat as far a s gas.
Ford rules in the torque department especially low end torque
Diesel's are in no way easier on the wallet when you put gas in them. Go put gas in one and run it and say goodbye to your engine. Easier on the wallet as far as fuel. Put in Diesel fuel or heating oil. I know you meant diesel fuel. Just couldn't resist.
Tyler
94 F-250 PSD
95 F-150 302
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Actually, Derek83 made a good point. If you go back through the history of truck engines, you will find that Ford indeed did build some of the most torquey engines on the market. Sure Chevys may have made more horsepower, but that doesn't get er done when it comes to grunt pushing and pulling. Mopar had a few good truck engines too.
For pulling: six cylinder
Ford- 300 six
Chevy- 292 six
Mopar- Slant six was great but it wouldn't tow much, none that I can think of
For pulling: V8
Ford- 351M, 351C, 400, FE motors, 460
Chevy- 350, 454
Mopar- 318, 340, 360, 383
Diesels:
Ford 6.0 PSD (Best)
Dodge 24v HO Cummins (Middle)
Chevy Duramax (Isuzu) hehe (Sorry but it's true!...just look at the numbers)
the other thing ive noticed is that ford kinda had the smaller motors. the 302 is smaller then the 305 and the 318, the 351 is smaller then the 360, the new modular motors are bout the smallest, the 330 and the 281, even comparing v-10s 6.8 litre to 8.1. my 4.0 litre v-6 is smaller then the 4.3 and i could woop up on them. if ya look at comparison test in magazines fords have been slower unloaded but put some weight in em and see who wins
Did anyone read the Diesel shootout in Car and Driver ( i think it was car and driver, I flipped through it at wal-mart)
But it had the Chevy out accelerating the ford with a load.
This is contrary to what Ford Claims, Has Chevy spruced up their Diesel a little? Curious.. Anyway, this is about best torque/pulling engine, so I thought it fit.
not trying to start a WAR here, just seeking info.. all 3 manufacturers make absolutely incredible diesel motors now.
(p.s though) Maybe the new 4.0's are better , but in the late 90's the 4.0 in the explorers were HORRIBLE compared to the 4.3 blazers, in the mountains anyway, never drove them much on flat ground.
Actually i have a magazine 4 wheeler i think, that tested them, the new 6.0 psd, the new ho cummins, and the duramax. The ford was quicker in all test. Unloaded was just a hair faster but loaded with a 7000 pound trailer the 6.0 psd was over a second faster then the dodge and the chevy in the 1/4 mile. Actually I wouldnt be suprised if the duramax was faster then the old 7.3 but 6.6 against 6.0 no comparision. Again smaller motor wins, all though the ford is the newest so. ya i wouldnt be surprised if the 4.3 took the 4.0 in the hills, i have to really let the 4.0 to rev some on hils but the ranger is lighter and the 5 speed helps. get it on a flat road and it will haul. i have seen a maxima having problems keeping up with me going up a highway on ramp. I still think the motor in my tuck feels way to strong considering it has the 31's and only the 3.73 l/s. I also get better gas milage then alot of other ranger owners. The only performance mod is a k&n and the lead in my foot. Maybe im just imagining things lol.
well the motors i am about to mention are not in pickups but whatever. The cummins n14 and nt400 and the cat 3406 and 3408. A bit big for a pickup, but maybe thats why they are not in pickups.
No, the shootout I read, definitley had the duramax ahead while loaded, but again, I cant REMEmBER where I read it, I was at wal-mart flipping through mags while My wife was looking for something, Only been about 2-3 weeks ago. ANYWHO.. was just curious.. I do think its an exiting time, all 3 manufactures are putting out incredible motors.
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