I have some experience with the 300 on long hauls. I took it over 800 miles each way between NW Ontario and NW Indiana a couple of years ago. One way empty, the return with a car in tow. It easily cruised at 80/85MPH on the interstates even with the car on the back. I didn't keep track of the 'official' mileage, but if I recall, it was in the 17mpg range. The 300's are a bulletproof engine and will run forever ... ALMOST forever even if not properly maintained. I'd never choose an 8 over the straight 6's. Parts are cheap and MAN are they easy to get at to work on!! Read NO BUSTED KNUCKLES! Hate workin' on my 351W in the car. :P

Chris in Canada
74 Gran Torino Brougham - 351W 2v
84 F150 2WD - 300 I6/NP435 4sp/3.08 rear

 

You like the 8's better than the 6's?

 

Here's my 2 cents. I have a stock non-rebuilt feedback carbureted '84 I6 with the 2.73 rear end and 164,000 miles on the odometer. I drive 40 mi round trip every day (mostly highway). I have the 3 spd manual with overdrive (SROD) and I get 18mpg religiously every tank. I'm considering the 3.08 rear end to get better uphill performance but I don't want to loose the relatively good milage I am getting. I usually use 89 octane at least to prevent pinging on the uphills too.

Will

'84 F150
YFA F/B
SROD
"Ex" => Bone Stock

 

properly maintained... bah! these engines require less maintanence than any other engine I know of... Mine's gotten oil changes & filters every 3K miles... thats about it. Probably has some original coolant, but the hoses have been replaced. The cap & rotor, plug wires, radiator, etc... are all original... even the Clutch on my truck is original! (thats not to say it doesnt need replacement) Anyways, the point is they really dont need any "regular maintanence". Oil changes, and fix it when it breaks. Its worked for 200 and something thousand... (speedo cable broke for X amount of miles...) So I am gonna stick with the fix it when it breaks theory.

-Chris
1980 F-250 4x2 LB
NP-435 4 sp. w/o OD
3.55 open rear end
200K Miles and going... and going... and going...

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-Mar-01 AT 12:18 PM (EST)[/font][p]I think some of my previous comments got spun around backwards. No, I DO NOT prefer an 8 over the I6 ... the sixes are almost indestructable!
>I'd never choose an 8
>over the straight 6's.
>Parts are cheap and MAN
>are they easy to get
>at to work on!! (((referring to the 6's)))
> The 300's are a
>bulletproof engine and will run
>forever
>... ALMOST forever even
>if not properly maintained.

...meaning even if you neglect these things with say, 17 year old distributor caps ... 5 year old spark plugs ... oil changes every 5 to 7K miles ... or other normally horrendous things ... these engines still run!

I have no idea when the last time anything other than oil was replaced in my truck <a bit over 5K now I think > but it's booked for a tune up on Monday to calm the developing miss, getting new Bosch Platinum plugs, new cap, new rotor, new wires, and before it's done, probably a new exhaust system, brakes and drums/rotors on all 4 corners, oil pump and pickup tube or sending unit on the pressure guage ... one or the other isn't working at operating temp, new thermostat, flush and fill with coolant, probably some front tires, front end alignment, and on and on and on. Going to pick up a shop manual today ... hoping to do most of this myself once the snow melts from the driveway in another month or so.

Chris in Canada
74 Gran Torino Brougham - 351W 2v
84 F150 2WD - 300 I6/NP435 4sp/3.08 rear

 

 

I have driven both a 300 and a 302 on the highway- honest thought is the F150 has been best selling vehicle in America for almost 50 years and a huge percentage of that had the 300 front and center. so yes the 300 can and will happily take a road trip like that, as Ford fully intended when it was made. on a long trip, mostly cruising, the 302 is much more pleasant- quieter, smoother, and more fuel efficient. That doesnt mean the 300 cant do it- absolutely can as they have for decades.

 

My 81 F100 flare side with the 300 / NP435 with Advance Adapter over drive and 2.75 rear gear does great on the highway.
Before I retired it was 40 miles to work, 35 of that was highway at 65 to 70 MPH. Coming home I took back roads at 45 to 55 MPH and a few lights it was nice to go slow and enjoy the ride.
Now I did make that trip with a T18 and no over drive and avg the same MPG of 15 but it is nice the motor is turning lower RPM so less wear on it.

Being retired it does mostly local runs here & there. Weekends I hit shows or cars & coffee and being I am a member of a car club and store the clubs 20' enclosed trailer at my house I use the truck to pull it to shows & cruises we host.
Been on the road 6+ years after I did a cab off frame rebuild and has about 30K since then.
Dave ----

 

The 300 was designed for lugging...high torque output at lower RPMs. The 302 has torque in the higher end of the RPM range (more fuel consumption). If you want to haul something at a consistent speed on the highway, the engine that will operate in the powerband at the lower-RPM is what you want. The 300 was the gold standard of engines on machines that measured in hours, not miles, for years. Generators, pumps...things that work for a LONG time with half-assed maintenance. It's the best option for you.