well to say the I-6 has meet my standards. when in my senior of high school i was looking for a truck and i was looking around i wanted to get a ford cause i got a 88 e150van with the 351 and if i want i can swap it into my truck. so my friends mentioned the 4.9l and how his uncle had bought one for a beater and beat the hell out of it and were trying to blow it up so they drained the oil and coolant and was driving it with his friends and it started to rev really high and they all ran a way from the truck and were too scared to go turn it off( i dont believe the last part). so i did research on the I-6 and read about
-high mileage motor
-v8's start to wear and having to start replacing stuff after 130,000.(not sure about this)
-good mileage. i haven't seen this on my truck yet except once. the 351 in the van gets 10mpg my friends 5.0l gets 10mpg(just rebuilt low miles)(runs like crap/no power)
- my friends 5.0l was running on 7 cyl and another one on the way and had 180,000 on it. i heard the 5.0l are good motors.
- i would like the power of the v8 but i like how easy it is to work on the I-6
-i have been wanting to swap the motor out with the 351 and keep the I-6 for backup but it is just i like the 6 so much i dont want to swap it out.
-i take it offroading once and a while and i know it can handle it.
- and i like having something different than my other friends. they make fun of me cause i cant keep up with them when going someplace but hey i will just tell them i can pull better than them. they dont think i can pull anything. my one friend has a jacked up 86 blazer and wants to take it mudding and i told him i will pull it where ever he needs it cause i know my truck can do it good(screw trailer breaks, i know i should have them but hey who needs them when you are having fun). but he will pull it with his 01 dodge.

 

Don't forget about the fact that the 300 has no timing chain to stretch / break (How many v8s are destroyed when timing chain breaks and cause piston and valve damage?)and also the fact that the inline 6 is perfectly balanced.
I think that some mods that boost horsepower substantially and add heat also shorten the life of the 300. I think the bone stock 300 will outlast any gasser, if maintained a little bit. I had one 300 that had over 300,000 miles before any issues developed with oil pressure etc.

 

I don't think having mods that add power take life away from the motor, but driving it like a maniac will.

 

well if you add a super charger or turbo will shorten the life. i drive my truck good asnd like a maniac sometimes but it can take the abuse.

 

my thoughts are,
if you want a fast truck buy a lightning
if you want an all around truck buy a 300 powered rig.
i have seen and had people with 300s that are high milage and even abused that have lasted far longer than their v8 counterparts (the foreman at one of my previous employers had 300 powered trucks till 1998 the last one had 300k on it when they retired it. then the lab used it for another 50k till all the ball joints let go at the same time! the replacement... a 4.2 powerd truck that blew 4 qts a day by 150k miles.
they switched to the 5.4 from that point on and have done far far better, but havent been able to get one that holds up to the abuse like a 300.

i have owned both a 302 powered truck and currently own a 300 powered truck.
the 300 feels more powerful to me. (mind you the 302 truck was also a 4x4 auto whereas the 300 truck is a 2wd stick).
i bought the truck for mpg (it seems to do as well as the chebby caprice i was driving) but can haul stuff.
now! that said. im gonna state that gearing has a LOT to do with mpg as well as aero dynamics.
my f150 gets between 14-18 on my commute (24mi each way).
BUT, my 1996 buick roadmaster wagon with a 350ci LT1 gets 20-22 and on a long all hwy trip ive gotten as high as 27
my truck has 4:10 gears (i think) and my Buick has uber tall 2:56's (soon to be changed to something much more aggressive)
the curb weight for the Buick is higher than the truck. but, the aerodynamics are far better than the truck. (wonder what the buick would do with a 300 and a 5 speed)

 

Ariodynamics and gearing are huge factors. These Ford trucks are built like brick houses. They push a LOT of air. Just following close to a Uhaul to break the forwind earned me 18 mpg on the hills of WVA, and I have a 4.11 gear. THAT is how much wind resistance affects a truck.

 

I forgot about this one when making my list earlier. The 300 is smoooooooth, much like any I6.
Although, my opinion may be biased since over the years I've only actually ridden in a V8 vehicle a handful of times, and maybe driven one once.
Had my fair share of I6's though.

 

Wind resistance, yes that's what we have here, and good wind resistance it is to. I think just what f250 restorer wanted. I don't think there is a more debated subject besides which is better ? Ford or Chevy? We have all stated good reasons and our OPINIONS (just love those, cause we all have one) What it all boils down to " IN MY OPINION" is it's our choise because it will do what we ask of it. OBCB

 

*hides his bowtie* Yeah, I gotta admit, if it wasn't for this 300, I'da probably passed on the deal I was offered, and my truck would now be sitting in a scrap yard. I guess it just intrigued me. You dont often see a 6 that's almost 5 litres, especialy not an inline 6

 

I was a chevy guy for many years and I still have a 94 Caprice wagon (wifes) with the LT1. It will get better gas mileage on the highway than my 95 300 because of the aerodynamics and gear ratio. Its also the best performance of any stock 350 that I've owned. I have always liked the 240/300 engines and they were a big improvement over the old 223 like the chevy 194/230/250/292 was better than the older GM sixes. Granted the lubrication oils got a lot better at about the same time.
I have had two V8s pass 200k. The first was a 83 F150 302 and the second was a 87 chevy 305 that started life (80k miles) in a Camaro before I put it in my 86 Burb. The 302 was leaking oil and #8 cylinder was low on compression when the truck was retired @ 220k. The chevy made it to 230k iwhen the rear axle let go. The engine was still strong but starting to burn oil between 5k mile oil changes and three teenage drivers.
That being said the 300 has been my favorite engine. I now have had two pass the 200k mark and I fully expect my 95 to make it to 300k. I like the 92-96 F series trucks because they are made to last, age well, and are easy to work on. The 300 is much easier to work on than any V engine and most other I6s that I've had with the exception of my 76 250 chevy. As a matter of fact I wouldn't have bought my current truck if it had anything but the 300 and 5 speed.
Most fleets liked sixes in general and especially the 300 because of their reliability and ease of service. My AMC/Jeep 4.2 2v and 4.0 EFI was a bit of a pain to work but much better than most V8s.
As far as gas mileage goes I have found no real difference between V8s and sixes of even displacement. My 83 302 got about 2 MPGs less than my two 300s (94/95) but I think that was mostly due to the AOD and carb vs the EFI and 5 speed. The 83 302 would deliver about 16-17 MPG on the open road while my 300s averaged 17-19 on the same roads. The 300 seems to do better in stop and go driving and I have been averaging 14MPG in 1/2 highway and Boston traffic. It does its best on the back roads of western Maine where the low end torque is handy on the hills. Not bad for a 4300lb truck that can haul a 4100lb fifth wheel RV.
My 76 Chevy Malibu 250 3 speed would get 23-25 mpg @ 70-60 Mph. The 305 once hit 20MPG.
I've had many trucks and cars over the past 40 years and I consider my 95 to be almost ideal for my needs as a DD. I have watched coworkers with more modern trucks with half of my miles spend much more in repairs.
A co worker just had to have the heater core replaced on his 02 F150 to the tune of $600 and another had to replace the drive shaft ($400+) on his 04 because the U-joints weren't serviceable though it appears Ford might be picking up the tab on that one. Both had 92-96 Ford trucks before their current rides with the 300 and primarily sold their trucks because of rust and in one case 250k miles showing. Both like the 4.6s power and the trucks have been reliable for the first 120-130k but both doubt they will make it much beyond 200k. Biggest complaint is how hard it is to work on.
my 2 cents
rikard

 

F250 RESTORER, Hey buddy, you started this, chime in and let us know if you're getting what you need for your article. OBCB

 

I-6 makes more peak TQ than simillar displacement v-8? myth

I'd like to chime in on this "myth #1".
The orig. post sez nothing bout the 300 I6, just straight sixes.
It is my novice's (not an engineer) understanding that (if U look @ the crank /the rods coming offa it) the six has more inherent tq in design than the V8. Immagine that baby spinnin w/ 6 rather than 8 & U C what I mean.
Jeesh, there's not even a harmonic balancer, the fly wheel can B lighter/no weights etc.

Correct me if wrong, all way ready to learn.

Thanks

 

buick would do with a 300 and a 5 speed

Now! I like THAT! Or some sorta AOD.

 

I was looking for a quote that would sum up any advantage the I6 has over a v8. I believe it is staring me in the face: Torque and mileage.

I know this will stir things up, but in the same vehicle, same gears, etc., I believe the I6 produces more torque, and at a lower rpm, thereby lasting longer, and producing better mpg.

I wonder what the numbers would be on a 302 with a 1v carb?

 

Sucky just like the 300 with a 1bbl carb.