I have a 80 F-100 it had a 302 until it broke off the other piston skirt ( it sounded just like it had a lifter not pumping up) and it (the piston ) cocked sideways in the cylinder and split open the water jacket(cylinder) about 3" and I fogged half of my town before I got home , I was 10 minutes away but I got home "FORD TOUGH". I built a 300 because I like a six, gears not chain, room to work and reach everything, last longer, longer torque on the bottom end, I'm not usually in a hurry like everybody else, this is what I'm driving while my 85 is down.

 

If this doesn't help you decide which is better nothing will! One of my friends has a cousin who had a 78 F100 2wd with a 302 3 on the tree (originally). He blew up the 302...put a rod right through the block. After this he dropped a junkyard 300 six into the truck, the 300 had a lot of valvetrain noise but still ran strong. He rodded the hell out of this truck off roading, dry pavement donuts, racing, just all around beating the living hell out of this 300. Finally one day he was driving down the highway going about 65 mph, (engine is knocking severely now) when it locked right up on him! When they got the truck home after a close examination they discovered the number 5 rod had snapped in half and went through the oil pan. They dropped the oil pan and removed the remains of the rod, and got another pan from the junkyard. They removed the lifters, pushrods and rocker arms for the no. 5 cyl., put oil in it, cranked er over and she started right up! He ran it on 20w50 oil and drove it for another six months before he DROVE the truck to the junkyard!

 

You talk about the 400 being low on horsepower but high on torque (kinda like another engine we all know and love ). here's something pretty neat about the 400's power ratings. (i found them as 230 hp@3800, 360 ft/lbs@2200). divide these numbers by 8 (for the V-8) and multiply them by 6. notice what motor these power ratings are an almost exact match to? The 400 was another 4"x4" motor with a super conservative cam and tiny heads.


(230/8)x6=172.5 (the 300 is rated 170 at the flywheel)
(350/8)x6= 270 (the 300 is rated 265 ft/lbs)

AND the 400's peaks are only 2-300 RPM over the 300.

SO, if he 300 were an 8 it would drive just like a 400.

Super nifty.

Justin

 

Yep that is pretty neat I did already know that, but it is still an interesting fact to share with the rest of FTE. As I see it I will be able to acheive very desirable hp/ tq numbers in my M block by doing some head work, installing a bigger cam, bumping up the compression maybe too. Another neat fact I found out about the M block motors, when the govt stepped in on making vehicles more environmentally friendly and easier on fuel. Ford used a timing chain set on the M blocks that would retard the timing of these motors which reduced horsepower and torque. And the way I understand it, an aftermarket timing set will fix this problem. It is actually quite easy to get power out of these motors, if you know what to look for.

 

just thought i would corect your miss information
a 289 is a 4.000" bore and a 2.870" stroke 288.5ci
a 300 is a 4.000" bore and a 4.000" stroke 301.6ci
a 302 is a 4.002" bore and a 3.000" stroke 301.9ci
a 351 is a 4.002" bore and a 3.500" stroke 352.2ci
a 390 is a 4.050" bore and a 3.780" stroke 389.6ci
a 400 is a 4.000" bore and a 4.000" stroke 402.1ci
a 429 is a 4.362" bore and a 3.590" stroke 429.2ci
a 460 is a 4.362" bore and a 3.850" stroke 460.3ci

not trying to put ya down just corect ya a bit
Crash

 

good info....curious...what's a 400M git for mileage? probably around 7-10 highway? just wondering, cuz at the moment, that's about all i'm gettin outta my 300...but it's got carb probs, exhaust probs, oil leak probs, vacuum leak probs....yeah....it's got some problems...might put my truck in the shop this winter and find something else to drive for work...

MontanaFord

 

Just curious. Did you also put this post in the 302 and whatever forum? I wonder what those 302 owners and lovers would say. I would of put a question like this in both forums myself, it will get kind of one sided in 1 forum or the other.

Redneck-Cowboy

 

I stand corrected! Thanx Crash! Hey a 3 inch stroke...hmm sounds like even less torque from the 302!

 

my bad i put in the wrong info for the

300 is a 4.00" bore and a 3.960" stroke 298.6ci

im going to see if i can put together a list of bore/stroke/rod ratio's

Joe

 

The I-6 is the only engine used on Class 8 semis for torque 6, for go 8. I-6 is a tank the master cyl. went out on my 85' in november of 02' it still ran 187,000 miles on it. I bought this truck for $400 in 2001 and spent $350 on maintenance and repairs for the 10 months straight that I drove it. This thing started right up a year of sitting in the elements and year old gas. To make more overall power 302 (cheaper) with forging pistons nitrous supercharging.

 

Stock, the 300 will beat up on a 2bbl 302 all day, and is even with a 351M...
This is from the 1981 F-Series Brochure, the 5.8 listed is the M:

A built 300 is a match for a stock 400....
It's no wonder they dumped the 400 for the 460...
153@ 3200/296@1600 VS 245@4600/385@2800('86 460), sure, the 460 is a bit more of a revver(shorter stroke and better induction) but, 92 more horses, and 89 more ft/lbs, without redesigning anything.... We all know stock induction on the 400 sucked...

 

so my 81 has less then 122 hp?

 

I have had many cars and trucks over the years and worked in the repair industry as well. For my off-road use I choose a 302 over a 300-6. First let me clear up some myths:
1. Under equal conditions the 302 does not get worse gas milage than the 300-6. The trucks with 300 engines tend to have numerically lower gears which make them rev lower and in turn get better gas milage and less engine wear. The 302 tends to have numerically higher gears as it likes to make great midrange power. The 302 makes less torque under 1500 RPM than a 300 but makes alot more over 2500 RPM. In conclusion, under equal conditions the 302 and 300 will get simular fuel milage and engine wear.
2. The 302 V8 is slightly lighter than the 300-6 even with cast a iron intake. I have tested this.
3. All conditions being equal the 302 will win mud and drag races due to its better mid-range.
4. The 4 inch bore and 3 inch stroke of a 302 is not a design flaw, this is one reason why the 302 has a superior mid to top range power. The short stroke also extends piston ring life.
5. The 300 produces more lugging power and more torque under 1500 RPM. But if towing is your game go with a larger motor.
6. If you use a 302 gear it properly and you will love it. If you leave your stock 3.08 gears in and put on 33s, you won't like a 302. The 300 is not as gear sensitive due to its added lugging power.
For a light weight, well geared off-road truck the 302 is a great choice. It is light, powerful, cost-effective, parts are easy to find, and durable.
I like the 300-6 engine too. But the 302 is my choice.

Clayton

 

I say skip the 302 and go 351W, and if that ain't enough power, get yourself a big block... LOL

 

300 is a better engine for off roadin i think, ya can beat the crap out of that engine even with a couple hundred thousand and go home w/ no probs. You will never even get a 302 to last that long w/out probs. The 300 is the only engine that has kept up with me and let me sit in the drivers seat more intead of on the creeper. The only weak spots on this engine are those darn carter carbs and possiably the timing gears shearin off way down the road. That's all thats happened to mine so far although it tried to escape me once me shearin the moter mount bolt off muddin(what torque). I just drove 80mph flat going home on country roads tonight, got air 3 times, runs about 3 grand, I keep tryin to blow this engine up by beatin the crap out of it so I have a reason to drop in a 351 but this thing puts up quite a fight, doesn't even take oil and has 48lbs of oil pres. I always change oil and take could care of it mantience wise, but as soon as it leaves the driveway it sees 4000rpms within a minute.

I think more of a question would be 351W or 300?