Ok, so obviosuly I know what would win, but is the V8 better by that much? According to Ford's website, the 4.6 only has 29 more ponies and 33 pounds of torque....so, is the V6 that bad? I have an 04 with the 4.6, and while it's a decent engine, it's no sports car. My truck's comming up on 36,000 miles , and since my compoany pays me for my truck, It's easier to trade-in for a new one for the same payments. I used to be one that laughed at a V6 in a truck, but with so many V6's on the lots, I'm beginning to wonder. So, what are your thoughts? I only get about 16 MPG avg on my V8....

 

this topic has been beat to death, do a search. but to answer your question the 4.6 is better in every way. the 4.6 is a modular engine and most mod engines run 250k without break downs like the 4.2. the 4.6 is a better truck engine. you can always just upgrade to the 5.4 for not much more.

 

Well I tried doing a search for "4.2" and "V6" and nothing came up...maybe it's just not working at the moment, so Idecided to post it anyways. it sucks that the base XL models now comes standard with a manual V6 and that "work-truck" bumper and grille package...my XL came standard with the V8 auto and chrome bumper/grille...oh well.

 

I can't imagine that the 4.2 is a terrible engine, just a little revvy for a truck motor...in other words, you have to work it hard for it to perform well, as opposed to just adequately. The gas mileage might be its best selling point, if you do a lot of driving, but I also can't imagine that it'll hold its value terribly well.

 

Try the V6 Forum here:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/f...splay.php?f=50

-Ron

 

the 4.2 has reliability issues and just won't take the abuse very well.

 

Lots of good points mentioned in this thread.
My 2 cents;
The V6 with a stick is a pretty good choice, and since with rebates and sale prices you can nab one about 13k, that's not bad either.

The V6 does not have as good a reputation for reliability, but they have made some changes in the newest ones, so for someone that is not going to keep it for 100k, that hardly matters.

Resale has always been lower on the V6, but due to gas prices and ignorance, it might have a higher resale right now, and in the near future.

The ignorance comes from people that automatically assume a V6 gets better mileage than a V8. Color this by adding the stick (only on the V6) and you can see how misinformation gets around.

Actually the V6 is a hard stressed, over sized six, as opposed to the 4.6, which is a low stressed, undersized V8. The 4.2 is about the biggest thing you can get in that block, where the 4.6 is at the bottom.

Think 260 vs. 351Windsor, or 200 6 cyls vs. 250 6 cyls to stay with Ford.
Or the Chevy 327 Vs small block 400.

When an engine gets near the largest of it's block run, it's usually putting out great power, and has lousy lifespan.
When it is near the bottom or middle, it usually has lots of reserve left in the design.

The other thing, since you could first buy both 6 and 8 cyls in the same truck (way back in flathead days) traditionally the 6 got the same or worse miles per gallon as a V8.

A long stroke, over loaded 6 Cylinder engines just plain doesn't do better than short stroke under loaded V8 engines.

Chris

 

Chris, your points about end-of-life stresses are probably OK in general.

However, the two 300 I-6 (4.9L if you insist) engines I had went 182 and 254 thousand miles respectively, never had the heads off. And I think the 300 was the end of the line from the 170 and 221 block, wasn't it?

Hank Murphy
2005 XL Work Truck

 

The chain goes small block six 144-170-200 then with mods, 250.

221-260-289-302 then with mods 351W

223 dead end six

240-300 a big block six also called a 4.9 in later years.

You see that there was very little 'increase' or push out like most modern engines. The 300 was actually built almost exactly as early. The engine was designed as a 300, using steel timing gears for heavy trucks, at the same time they were putting the 240 in vans. If they had pushed it out to a 340 it would have the same problems.

Or Chevy small blocks (not the same as the later ones)
265-283-327-302-350-307-and with mods 400 then back to-305-262
Weird order, shows how they 'retro' motors.
They sometimes go 'backwards' or don't expand the design out to it's limits. Other times they do. Makes it hard to make 'sweeping' statements, but you see the trends.

Big block Chevy went 350 (yeah, no one ever saw one) 366 (only seen one) 396 402 (called a 400 for PR reasons) 427, then with mods 454. That one they never pushed to the limits. But it took them years to get the externally balanced 454 down to the reliability of the internally balanced 396.

Rambler (american motors, then jeep) did it with the 199-232-258-then major mod 4.0. They knew they had over extended the 258, so they revamped it completely. Not a new block, but almost.
Chris

 

Good info here...makes sense. I think i'll stick with my V8. Thanks.