it's a well balanced engine, the I6 in diesel or gas. sure displacement helps the v8's out, but when things are offset like u see in the v8's then it's kinda working against itself.

that is the only thing that i don't like about these pickups tho, is all the vacuum actuated stuff, but o well, a small price to pay in my book!

 

I work at a shop so I get to see interesting vehicles. I can tell you that the motor I see (original) in high mileage fords the most is the 300.

One person runs a shotcrete business out here. The motor powering his equipment? 300 I6. The motor powering all of his old trucks? 300 I6. The motor in his 4x4? 300 I6. Problem is that he cant go into 4low with the 4 speed he has. Bad tendency of snapping crossmembers.

Another person came in for an oil change. Old 88 Bronco. First thing I noticed is granny gear. Second thing I noticed is every time I tweaked the gas in granny the rear tires would slam into the wheel well. Motor powering that thing? 300 of course. He assured me that he rarely gets stuck.

Got all sorts of stories like this. Some motors are outliving the vehicle. Some are completely hammered and continue to run like the cauldron born of irish myth. After driving one for two years I can say that it has garnered more than its share of respect on my part.

 

hell yeah,that 400 hp tundra cant even compare to the 300 in the low end,its sad to ee trucks what they are today

 

I agree. The other day I raced a guy off the stoplight in my '81. The only mods being a EFI manifolds and a 2.5" exhaust. I don't know Dodge trucks, but it was a huge 2000s model and from the sound, it was definitely turbocharged. I pulled on him all the way up to the speed limit and beyond until some big semi pulled out of a parking lot in front of us and ended the fun.
After that he just good naturedly laughed and waved like "great race!" and went on his way. Probably would have creamed himself if he'd have known it was a straight six.

I'm also sure that after 35 - 40, he would have pulled on me and left me in the dust, but that's another story. The low end is where the 6 reigns.

 

damn straight everyone keeps asking when im gonna put a real engine (v8) in the thing...i laugh at them my 300 still has that damned vacuum leak i can still burn rubber in it haha

 

I'd love to see that happen, I'll be there also. Love the 300's, a buddy of mine had one back in high school. Mad love for that old truck, lol.

 

Yes! Like a fire breathing, four valves per cylinder crossflow head?

 

no we should all just get in good at ford then revolt and take over and start making the 300 6 again haha

 

that would b some bad **** market for them, if they brought them back.

y do all the companies get ride of an engine as soon as they've got all the bugs worked out of it and it's in it's prime? i bet $5 if ford were to bring back an I6 engine, it would sell for just as good as any v8 out there...

i keep getting the "put a real motor in that truck" speech from all my friends too, but like i always say, it's a little something i call going down the road less traveled.
-everyone and their dog has a 350
-everyone automatically assumes if it ain't a v8, it's junk
-everyone thinks having a million horsepower is all that matters

...yet their faces say it all when u've just out pulled them and u let them have a peek under the hood!

 

i dont think the average joe would choose a new 300 over a 4.6 or 5.4 in an F150. And ford would undoubtedly make the 300 the base engine anyway, as they did before.

Even if they did, so few of us on this board would be able to afford one anyway. I for one wouldnt want to even if i did have the money, because i use my truck as a truck. I have my dd for going to and from a to b. I wouldnt drop 50k on a new truck with a modern 300 in it because i wouldnt want to get a nick or scratch on the truck itself, regardless of the engiens ability to take abuse. Thats why its best stuck in the 80s anyway. trucks were trucks then. Nowadays a truck has to be a 500 hp, 40 mpg mobile living room. Its stupid, but its just a sign of changed times. Im just happy knowing that everytime i fire the engine in my truck, im going to do somethign no other vehicle in my family can do, but thats more a compliment to the 8 foot bed than the engine. You all should be happy with the 300s long life (from 54? to 96) and that you have one or more. Let the pansy asses run around in their plastic trucks with "5.7L iForce V8" badges on the side, racing a truck rather than doing any work or offroading whatsoever. Its the perfect truck for their needs, and you have the perfect truck for yours.

 

Thats what i have heard alot when i was in high school. what you got in there a V8? no a I-6. Oh get a real motor then. For chebby guys and dont have a 350 then its not even a real pickup to most chebby guys. I would take a 292 over a 350 so i can pull those guys with 350s anyday of the week. Those 292s arent bad motors either.

 

well said, now that i think of it, i see examples reinforcing this point everyday. I'm proud i have the truck i have. i once had a truck like that, then i wrecked it. what fun is it to have a nice truck when u can't do anything with it?

once again, well said.

 

i definately kno where ur coming from on that one! there's a guy i go to college w/ that if it don't have a bow tie on the front, and a 350 under the hood, then it's automatically junk. don't even like talking to ppl like that b/c they can't back up any of their opinions w/ any actual facts. ford 300, or even chebbie 292, if ur not just another "v8 zombie," as i've heard it put, then u've got more respect in my book.

i ain't sayin that v8's are bad, i'm just sayin that i think they're a bit overdone. for that reason, i decided not to pull my 300 for a 302 or 351.

 

I have both a 300 and the POS 350.

My favorite is the 300. Hands down the 300.

 

ya i was gonna do a 302 swap but i didnt even though the 302 has less than half the mile is in perfect working order and just ready to be plucked haha ill stick with the six