First Impressions/ Comments?
Super Moderator
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Maine, Virginia
Originally Posted by tjthegreat
i guess a lot of this talk about which motor is more durable is probably biased on what we have. i have a 300,302 and a 350,my dad has a 5.4 and he doesnt really like it because the gas mileage is ridiculous.no one can convince me the modular motors are more reliable than the 300,but theres some people out there that i couldnt convince the 300 is more durable than their 5.4.so there isnt really any point of debating it cuz it will get no where.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Hewitt, Minnesota
Originally Posted by dascro
The 300 is no more reliable than the mod motors are.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 1997
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From: Enjoying the real world.
Originally Posted by Old Rust Bucket
I disaggree. The 300 IS more reliable then the 5.4 (or any "modern" engine) Anyone who can look me in the face and tell me a more complicated engine is also more reliable needs to see a shrink. The 300-6 was built in a time when simplicity truely was beautiful and selling replacement parts was not a consideration when designing a new engine. This in and of it's self makes it more reliable then any new engine.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by Old Rust Bucket
I disaggree. The 300 IS more reliable then the 5.4 (or any "modern" engine) Anyone who can look me in the face and tell me a more complicated engine is also more reliable needs to see a shrink. The 300-6 was built in a time when simplicity truely was beautiful and selling replacement parts was not a consideration when designing a new engine. This in and of it's self makes it more reliable then any new engine.
Now if we want to take it even further(as you have). Lets bring in the modern honda 4 cylinders, or modern cummins 5.9.
Again I have as many great memories as anyone about the 300 6. And for its time it was very good. But its time has long passed us by.
As an engineer for a large truckmaker, I don't recall ever knowing about or hearing about designing to sell replacement parts. Lets all drop that rumor immediatly. Its not true.
And yes the complexity ads reliablity. Did the 300 6 have a program that would prevent it from severly overheating? Did that carb precisely monitor fuel at all altitudes and temperatures? How often were spark plugs to be changed? Did it throw codes so you could quickly know what the rough running was caused by?
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 338
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From: Barbourville Ky
I agree the modern engines are much more relaibe .I have customers in and out only a daily basis with vehilces in the 140,000-150,000 mile range and other than just normal maintence they've had no problems.I remember the old carb engines.The ones that i owned,,there was little chance of starting them up and letting them warm up on a cold morning.they would either quit as soon as you went back in the house or would soon be running a billion RPM making you have to go back out and stomp the accelerator to the floor so they would slow down.My son will never have to experience the chore of PUMPING an automobile just to keep it running or to make it even move.No matter how cold it gets,with my 5.4 you just get in and go.
I've owned the older 300-302,,and even 350's--NONE would even compare in mileage to my 5.4.People say ( I like the old ones better).Their reasons are :1 they own one :2 they dont understand the techonolgy in the news ones so they just bad mouth them.
Opinions are like behinds..everybody has one.
I've owned the older 300-302,,and even 350's--NONE would even compare in mileage to my 5.4.People say ( I like the old ones better).Their reasons are :1 they own one :2 they dont understand the techonolgy in the news ones so they just bad mouth them.
Opinions are like behinds..everybody has one.
Elder User
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From: Ft Wayne IN
like i said earlier no one can convince me that these modulars motors are more reliable than the 300,and i cant convince some people that the 300 is more reliable than the 5.4 ,so once agian there is no point in arguin
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Senior User
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Originally Posted by tjthegreat
like i said earlier no one can convince me that these modulars motors are more reliable than the 300,and i cant convince some people that the 300 is more reliable than the 5.4 ,so once agian there is no point in arguin
Elder User
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From: Ft Wayne IN
well the 300 goes more than 200k with out problems,they are known to go well over 300k,i havent really heard any problems that were something that was continuosly wrong with the 300,it was also in production for several decades i still se many on the road today.once again there isnt really point in talking about durability because the 5.4 ben around for about 11 years and so far so good, the 300 over 40.so i find it pointless to debate over it
Senior User
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Originally Posted by tjthegreat
well the 300 goes more than 200k with out problems,they are known to go well over 300k,i havent really heard any problems that were something that was continuosly wrong with the 300,it was also in production for several decades i still se many on the road today.once again there isnt really point in talking about durability because the 5.4 ben around for about 11 years and so far so good, the 300 over 40.so i find it pointless to debate over it
Also was 200k the norm during the 300's lifeline. not really most vehicles were sold long before that. I have no doubts that one could make it 200K or 300K or more. But that is not the norm.
In my experience a person can expect a basically maintence free mod motor for around 100K miles and normal lifespan is between 150 and 200K. That simply wasn't the case for the 300.
Furthermore you didn't address the questions I asked earlier. Those are a few examples of easy to quantify ares where the 300 was inferior.
i believe that most people who think the 300 is superior are simply poorly informed about new technology.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2006
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Originally Posted by FTE Ken
If they are so reliable why are you bitching about your truck with its 300 in other sections, and have had nothing but problems? Get some schooling... you're really not very well educated about these engines, not by a long shot.
Goooos Frabaa
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Originally Posted by wedefyu
I bet if you looked inside of a 300 I6 with 200k miles, and then looked inside my 4.6 with 192k miles, the 300 would show considerably more wear.
Another we are forgetting is that in the past oil leaks and/or oil consumption were expected. They still happen now but they are the exception rather than the rule.