Engine has unknown miles. Truck had a very hard life from previous owner (ruined suspension, every bushing needed replacement, murky oil in pan from plugged PCV, questionable oil change schedule).

Over the years, weeded out most issues. No blue smoke. Daily driver. No sign of water or foam in oil. Compression test on warm engine last time I pulled spark plugs was 170 - 180 psi on all cylinders. No sign of oil fouling on plugs. Gaskets are pretty rotten and I have an intermittent knock that sounds like a lifter (usually happens on cold start, can happen when warm, coming from upper cylinder area, cam side). Doesn't happen every day. I think the intermittent knock is a sticking lifter. Distributor and fuel pump have been changed, no effect on knocking sound.

Have plan to pull engine in a couple months and give it the "usual" upgrade (mild cam - Comp 260 or rough equivalent / lifters / valve springs, small carb upgrade, FI exhaust, head port cleanup, new gaskets, new oil pump). Nothing ground breaking. Truck not going above 4000 rpm.

If my cylinders / rings are in good shape, any reason a mild refresh has to include crank, main bearings, machine shop, balance, etc?

Can't have truck out of service for more than a few days. Not interested in a 7000 rpm twin turbo setup. From what I can tell, sending engine and head for machine work and extensive upgrades is a great hobby but also expensive and risky.

 

The more machine work the longer it should last. I'd really find a reputable machinist and have him look it over. Parts list seems pretty good. For a mild to fair build like that, that won't see high rpms I'd reuse stock rod bolts, mains, and head bolts. Mines been going for about 50k km and sees over 5000rpm many times a day on stock fasteners and slightly bigger build than you have planned above.

 

I suspect with 250K miles the engine will need new rod and main bearings and the crank will need to be turned.
You will need more than a few days to do this job.

 

Buddy, I feel your pain. If you had told us the engine was relatively low miles and well cared for in its previous life I'd be tempted to say continue driving it without further work planned. But since it has led a hard (and long?) life you are taking your chances by buttoning it up without checking the bottom end bearings and piston skirts and oil pump pickup. Maybe you'll get lucky. [insert the Clint Eastwood line here].

 

Appreciate the feedback. Sounds like consensus is get an engine from junkyard (not exactly what you guys said - what I'll need to do), build it from ground up, drop it complete in truck when finished. That will push my plans back another year, but likely wise choice. I'm honestly shocked this engine still runs. Seen engines in the junk yard that looked better. Not a Ford fan, but I am a 300 fan after owning this truck for a few years.

I'll see if I can weed out that last knock and rock on with stock engine for now.

It does, however, cause me to take back statement on twin turbo. If building from ground up, full machine work, got a year to do it, yes, will have twin turbo and megsquirt fuel injection. Lots of 2.0 and 2.5 liter 4 cylinder cars out running turbos can be had for few hundred $ that line up nicely with a moderate 300 build on turbo map. Stock crank should be good for 14 PSI? Remember seeing much advice from you guys on pistons / rods in previous posts.

Soooooo......Anyone have a TKO600 laying around they don't need? that can be had cheap?

 

https://fordsix.com/viewforum.php?f=22 Turbo Forum

https://fordsix.com/viewforum.php?f=51 Mega Squirt Forum

As part of your planning you might give those Forums a read.

 

Harte3 has given you the best place to find the information you need for turbocharging the 300 six.
The first question is always What rpm range do you want to make power at?