The 370 also came with a four speed trans too. Most of the 370's were used in farm trucks. I have driven about four of these beasts, very, very torque-e and can haul very heavy loads on them. Most of these medium duty trucks also used a two-speed rear. From my experience you cannot kill a 385 engine.

 

The 370 was used in F-600/F-700 & B-600/B-700(bus chassis) trucks.The 6.1L has a 4.05" bore x 3.59" stroke. I'm looking in a 1990 Medium Duty/Heavy Duty Truck Spec Book, and it lists both a 370-2v & 370 4-V being available.Interestingly,as of 1990 the 429 still wore a 4-V.Later in the 90's it got EFI,and was referred to as "7.0L EFI".I don't think Ford ever gave the 370 EFI.I think it was dropped in favor of three different versions of the EFI7.0L (429) offered.The EFI 429 was offered in 218hp,231hp,and 236hp.The 1990 versions of the 370 & 429 truck engines were rated at : (370) 180bhp@3,600rpm/286 lb.-ft. of torque @ 2,800rpm(163hp/270 lb.-ft. net ratings), and (429) 213bhp@3,600rpm/334 lb.-ft. of torque @3,000rpm (193hp/320 lb.ft.@2,600 net ratings).Even though Ford lists both a 2-V &4-V 370,they only list the one horsepower/torque rating for both versions.

 

i thought these were supposed to be big torque enegines....under 300 ftlbs doesnt sound like a lot. imho

1977 F250 460
C6 Hedman Headers
Dual 40 series
edelbrock performer
holley 4160
msd 6a and blaster coil

 

>(370) 180bhp@3,600rpm/286
>lb.-ft. of torque @ 2,800rpm(163hp/270 lb.-ft. net ratings),

Given that, I'll just keep on trucking with my 300 cid inline six at 245 hp (3400rpm) and 265 lb-ft (2000 rpm). The horsepower you give on the 370 is believable, but I just have to think torque would have been closer to 325 or so. Even the automotive 351 gets 305 lb-ft.

 

Well,that's the ratings Ford gave the 370...at least in 1990.You have to remember something about medium/heavy duty trucks-Ford offered super steep axle ratios with both the 370&429 engines.Examples : 5.86:1,6.43:1,6.83:1,7.17:1. Some of the two-speed rear axle ratios : 5.86/8.17,6.14/8.57,6.50/9.07,6.83/9.53,and 7.17/10.0(!).With that much gear....heck,you could pull houses down with a truck so-equipped.My favorite combination listed for the FT-800(tandem axle) truck tractor was the 429/Allison automatic/7.17:1 axle ratios.I don't have the book in front of me,but the automatic tranny had a low first gear in it,too.It isn't always about horsepower & torque figures.The 429's torque rating really surprised me.I thought it would be closer to 375 lb.-ft.,instead of 334. I'm not surprised to see the 370's ratings. These engines were never intended to be in the same performance league as their 429 & 460 siblings.

 

DeGideo. What book do you have? I might like to get a copy. I have a couple books on big Ford trucks, but they don't give a lot of engine or gear ratio information. When I think about the torque rating on the 370, maybe Ford rates more conservatively on the big trucks and maybe it was not all that high because durability was the main objective. After all, the 370 already is downsized from the displacement for automotive use. With that setup, the 370 probably would last forever and where it has it over the 300 I6 is in the extra horsepower.

 

It's the Ford Service Specifications Book(book #3)for 1990 Medium/Heavy Trucks.It includes F-600 thru F-800,B-600 thru B-800, C-8000, CT-8000, FT-800& FT-900,CF-6000 thru CF-8000,L-Series,and CL-9000 Series.I bought this book on ebay about a week ago.I've seen a few others offered on ebay over the last few months.Helm Inc. offers past model years Specifications Books for Fords.I know they are out of 1990 books 1&2.These include specs for Aerostar,Bronco II,Ranger,F-150-F-Superduty(450),Bronco,and Econoline models.I'm not sure if they still offer book #3.You might try contacting them. Their website is www.helminc.com You'll probably have to find one on ebay,or you might try a few of the auto/truck literature dealers that are on the web.Hope this helps.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 13-Sep-02 AT 09:35 AM (EST)]Wanna hear some info. that will make you appreciate your EFI4.9L I-6 even more?!In 1989, Ford put out a dealership comparision booklet on the fullsize Bronco vs. other brands' fullsize SUVs.The Bronco's base six was rated at 145 net horsepower@3,600rpm &265 lb.-ft. of torque @2,000rpm.They showed the torque for a Dodge Ramcharger fitted with a EFI5.2L (318cid) V-8.Guess what? The Dodge's 5.2L V-8 was rated at 260 lb.-ft.@2,000rpm! Ford's I-6 made more torque.Jeep Grand Wagoneer,fitted with a 5.9L(360cid)V-8,fed by a 2bbl. carb(?!)was rated at 144 net horsepower@3,200rpm.Granted,it was only 1 horsepower less,but it also had 60 more cubes(and two more cylinders....) than Ford's 300cid I-6.Heck,the 5.9L-2V was only putting out 15 more lb.-ft. of torque than the 300 I-6.This gave me a whole new appreciation for our 300cid engine.We had a EFI300 I-6 in our new '89 Bronco Custom.We traded it in with about 61,000 miles on it.Last time I checked,it was out in Colorado with over 160,000 on it! That engine will probably last past 250,000 miles before it needs a rebuild.

 

THanks DeGideo. The spec manual is a bit too narrow for me to purchase. I am thinking something broader to cover the whole history. I have "Ford Trucks Since 1905" and another book of big Ford trucks that Ken sells at the FTE store. The 300 I6 info is great. I'd like to post in in the inline six forum here, unless you would rather to it. What I really like about the 300 is that it, like the 370, is a truck only engine, never put in a production car. Like the big truck engines the 300 is not much on horsepower, but makes up for it in torque. My wife's Aerostar 3.0 makes (factory spec) 145 hp (4800 rpm), but only 165 lb-ft torque (3600 rpm). The difference is so apparent in that the 3.0L is downshifting a lot, even for small hills (and with its 3.73 rear), but the 300 (4.9L) can pull all day in OD (on its 3.08 rear). I can pull OD (gently and unloaded) from 1000 rpm (225 lb-ft) at about 35 mph. When I floor the 300 I6 you can really feel the torque--not so the Aerostar. Ah, if only Ford had put the 300 or even its 240 cube little brother in the Aerostar. Hey, I just heard International (hey, I know it's not a Ford, but this is worthwhile) once had a gasoline powered 501 cube inline six--wow, that'd pull my motorhome!


INLINE SIX POWER! '95 F150 XL
300 Cubic Inches of Low RPM Truck Torque! And twin-I-beams too!
"Drive a stick young man! There'll be time for automatics when you're old and unable."

See my gallery, just created 9-02.

 

>Given that, I'll just keep on trucking with my 300 cid
>inline six at 245 hp (3400rpm) and 265 lb-ft (2000 rpm).
>The horsepower you give on the 370 is believable, but I just
>have to think torque would have been closer to 325 or so.
>Even the automotive 351 gets 305 lb-ft.

Sorry folks. I wish I had 245 hp on that 300 I6. Really Ford rates it at 145 hp.

 

I have that Ford Trucks Since 1905 book,too. I must have an early printing of it,as it only covers up to the 1978 model year.There is another Ford truck book that has been out for almost a year.I forget the exact title, but supposedly it covers every type of truck Ford built from 1948-1998.I'm going to buy a copy of it soon.If it is anything like that other book,it should have a lot of information(i.e. specifications).

 

>I have that Ford Trucks Since 1905 book,too. I must have an
>early printing of it,as it only covers up to the 1978 model
>year.

Mine is the same. (There is a similar book on International trucks that I am toying with buying at a huge discount.)

>There is another Ford truck book that has been out for
>almost a year.I forget the exact title, but supposedly it
>covers every type of truck Ford built from 1948-1998.I'm
>going to buy a copy of it soon.If it is anything like that
>other book,it should have a lot of information(i.e.
>specifications).

I believe you are referring to "Ford Heavy-Duty Trucks 1948 - 1998 Photo History." It is here at the FTE storehttp://motorhaven.autoanything.com/cgi-bin/Web_store/webshop.cgi?yearmodel=&product=historical&cart_id= 7325025_9361 fourth item down. As I recall it does not have a lot of technical data, and only a passing reference to the 370 V8, but is still a great book to have in your collection.

Did you know you can get some nice ERTL Ford HD trucks in model railroad scales at your local hobby shops? My favorite is the cab over by Budd company which is totally a Ford design, but was used also by other companies (apparently by license).

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 13-Sep-02 AT 04:03 PM (EST)]i still love my 300-i6. althought that 501ci internation i6 sounds nice as hell. also the 385 series engine is named that for the bore, only the stroke was increased. there was no 385ci engine, but the 370 is interesting, i never heard of it, but i would love to find out more about these and other HD engines. what books do u recommend. also are those books about the f-1502 any good. id want to learn as much as i can about ford trucks....also what is a harrison?

 

I know that you want a book that covers many different years,but I just checked Helm's website,and the have almost every year specifications book for the medium/heavy duty trucks.They range in price from $16-$24.I plan on buying two,or three more.I want to get a mid-90's book,so I can get exact specs on the EFI7.0L.I think it was '91,or'92 that Ford gave the 429 EFI.It looks like Helm still offers these spec books for every year of the '80s big trucks,and a few years of '70s trucks.I like the C-series tilt cabs,too. Did you know that the first year for these trucks was 1957?!I know Ford had Budd manufacture the cabs(to Ford's specs...),but did you know Mack also built a tilt cab for a few years in the late 50's to 1960,or 1961 based on Ford/Budd tilt cab?I think I heard somewhere that Mack changed a few things,so they wouldn't get in trouble for using the Ford cab.The C-Series tilt cab was still available in 1990!Talk about a proven design.... Engines for the '90 C-8000 were three versions of the CAT3208T diesel : 175hp@2,200rpm,215hp@2,200rpm,and 250hp@2,600rpm.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 15-Sep-02 AT 12:28 PM (EST)]You guys have to check out the 1987 F-600 PICKUP(!) that is offered on ebay! It says it has 91,000 original miles & runs good,but has a carb problem.Guess what engine is in this thing? A 370.Now that's what I call a pickup!A 3-ton job!I saw in a 1995 issue of Ford Truckin' Magazine there was a guy from Illinois that converted F-600/F-700s into big pickups.His personal truck was a F-700 powered by a 231 horsepower EFI7.0L(429).This '91 F-600 that is on ebay looks to have the pickup bed of a '80-'86 model year F-series on it.