Well i have a 1961 ford f-500 with a 223ci I-6.

why would they use this as it barly had enough power to pull the Half ton's??
i mean a 1961 F-500 with a 223-6,4spd,and 5.45 gear's,with 7.50-20's.

I swear there is no difference between 1/4 throttle and wide open other than it just rev's up.... you don't feel any pull at all empty. It just bog's with a load on it. 1,500LB's-8,000LB's
you would think with them low gear's and them short tire's you'd feel it pull. but it don't.

I'd like to swap in a 5.9L turbo diesel ,5spd OD trans,with 9.00-20.

any sugestion's??? maybe a 300-I6,with 5spd od trans???

 

Ford61F500

Considering Detroit used to build semi tractors and power them with flathead 6 cyl engines, or FoMoCo with their flathead V8 before the advent of big cube displacement OHV engines that 223 probably works pretty good. Ford was probably thinking they needed to give their customer just what they ordered, the way they ordered it too.

Often some of the wierd combinations we see in older vehicles were the result of customer preference & specification. Many people think a 6cyl is more economical than a V8 although I disagree with that philosophy myself.

I have an 88 F150 with a 4.9L [300 CID] I-6 & 5 gear Manual OD. It's not going to win any contests, except maybe the 1st 10 or 15 feet. It also get ugly MPG and can't get out of it's own way when it's in OD. I get better MPG with my 460 in my slick than with the 4.9L/300 I-6 in that 88 F150.

No matter what powertrain you opt for you will need to fabricate engine mounts so in view of that, get the one that gives you the best bang for your bucks. If I was going to repower a 61 F5 I'd power it according to what I was planning to use it for. I don't know enough about your variable or sepcifics to make reasonable suggestions. I did want to defend FoMoCo by saying htey sell what people want to buy, or did back then to a great extent.

FBp

 

ok well I just think who ever ordered it that way wasn't going for a pulling truck.........

the diesel would altimatly be the best choice in the 61 F-500 as it's just a single speed rear end..........
but right now the 300-I6ho would be the best power plant for now.....
with the 5 spd manual OD tran's........

I would like to eventually get rid of all the gasoline engine's on the summer fleet.........

i'd build up the 300-I6 of course......

300ci-I6:
bord 030 over.
10.2:-1 C/R.
268*duration 525lift cam.
4bbl intake manifold.
500CFM 2bbl holey carb.
ported and polished head with over sized valve's.
balenced.
over sized oil filter and oil pan.
high volume oil pump.
High flow 4 core radiator.
160*F t-stat.

5speed manual OD tran's.
leaving the stock 5.45 gear's.

swapping the 7.50-20's for 9.00-20's.

that should haul a good bit of wieght shouldn't it??

 

The 88 F150 I mentioned above is an XLT Lariat "sport truck". It's not pulled anything much. It has trouble pulling itself over 60 mph unless I get out of OD, then it screams. I fear turning to many RPM with any I-6 in OEM trim & spec.

5 Spd OD is a Mazda Version. Alloy Case is integral with bellhousing & clutch release system, a hydraulic throw out bearing deal. I'm on my 2nd slave & now 2nd master cyl. I'm just at 170K miles on that truck. 5 Spd eats mainshaft bearings too @ 60K-70K miles, unloaded. I installed 2nd set about 35K mi ago. They're getting noisy again. It will not be too long before I won't be able to get it in 2nd or 3rd gear & will have to R&R the bearings again. Ugh

Slave & MAster cyls run around $100 -$120 each or last set did. I spent around $400 for parts to do transmission main shaft bearings 2-1/2 years ago. I wouldn't pull a load with my tranny, it's just not built to work. If that's the type tranny you're thinking of, I suggest you keep looking for something stronger.

I suppose 4.9L will pull more than 223 Cid I-6, but It's still not a powerhouse. As I said lack of high end performance seems to drive fuel efficiency down. I get as good or better mpg around town than on 70 mph Interstate. It runs a 3.93 :1 Gear on 30.5" tires (OEM Spec.)

Do you know how much the 9.00 X 20" will drop the rear gear?
I'm sure you know distance a tire rolls per 1 revolution is actual Diameter X Pi (3.147) right? do you have a tire+wheel diameter for thr proposed 9.00 X 20s?

FBp.

 

smaller aint always better..
when my Gf bought her jeep, i told her "4 cyl isnt gonna be enough".
she insisted smaller engine, less gas.
(I sillently compared that thinking to "use narrow gas lines=better fuel economy")

her 4 cyl fuel injected jeep gets...
9 MPG
it wont climb steep hills or roads.
in 4wd, better hope there is a jeep or someting with 6 or 8 cyl in front of you with a chain.

stay In town level roads, start stop, hey its a neat zippy engine.
as FBP said, made to fit the customers need.

I had her test drive an OLD jeep with a big V8 and a stick shift... I dunno if the moaning was pleasure or fright.
but she gets a dissapointed look on her face when she drives her 4cyl now.

someday she will listen to me... nah not likely.

I had, and foolishly sold, a B600 ford, an old school bus, 1954. it had a 302 in it (original I cant say). it was atiny engine for a big bus.
it pulled it fine... slow, but hey, school busses aint suppose to be fast.

It was an RV... I have a photo of it I weep over sometimes.

anyhow, people special order odd combinations sometimes.

 

the stock 7.50-20's are 36" tall the new 9.00-20's are 38" tall.
so basicly it would have been like swapping the 5.45 gear's for like 5.21's...

The 5spd OD i was going to use was one they put in Latter F-600's with 361's, and 390's in front of them..

They have bellhousing that'll fit the 300-I6.

Pluse i wasn't going to use a stock 300-I6 was going to get some upgraded part's for it.

1.10.2:1 C/R.
2. the 268*dur. 525lift cam.
3. high flow intake with 500CFM 2bbl holley.
4. the new head PAW offer's for it.
5. MSD blaster ignition,brass cap and rotor 8.5MM plug wires busch plugs.
6. bore it 040 over.
7. 4 core high volume radiator.
8. 2QT oil filter + oil cooler.

i'm guessing it'll make about 260hp and 380FTLB torque...