At least part of Ford's legendary success in the truck market can be attributed to some pretty great engines. These 8 are the best engines to ever power a Ford truck. Check them out inside!
1. 300ci I6
Ford's 300ci inline-six cylinder was introduced way back in 1965, and it saw use in the F-Series for over 30 years. And the mighty I-6 didn't become one of the longest running Ford truck engines without merit, of course. It delivered loads of torque in a supremely reliable and economical package and was even utilized in some heavy duty trucks. The 300 was also incorporated in generators, wood chippers, and dump trucks. Not to mention UPS delivery trucks, some of which still employ the mighty six.
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2. 390 FE V8
The 390 is legendary for its bulletproof bottom end and excellent torque. The FE engine landed in the F-Series beginning in 1967 and lasted into the 70's, proving to be a popular choice among truck buyers. The 390 produced decent power in stock form but can be built to suit just about any application you can think of, from dump truck to race truck.
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3. 351 Windsor
The 5.8 liter, 351ci Windsor V8 debuted in 1969 under the hood of the Mustang Mach 1, acting as a bridge between the 302 and 390. It didn't land in a truck until 1980, but by 1981 it was the most powerful engine you could get in an F-Series aside from the 460. The Windsor proved to be a popular engine choice, even getting the nod in Ford's high-performance Lightning. It remains a commonly used engine today, with numerous crate versions available in the aftermarket.
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4. Pushrod 302
While we are on the subject of the 351 Winsor, we might as well add the Pushrod 302. It grew out of the Windsor engine which by the early 1990s needed some modern improvements. With the help of Roush Industries, Ford trucks developed a pushrod-operated four-valve-per-cylinder engine that became popular among truck enthusiasts. The most defining aspect of a pushrod engine is the fact that it uses a pushrod to actuate the valves. It was not a powerhouse engine, but a reliable and durable one for many years.
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5. 460 V8
The legendary 460, one of Ford's 385 engine family, was the Blue Oval's final big block engine design. The 460 became available in the F-Series back in 1974 and was offered until 1996/7. The big motor remains popular today thanks to it's towing capability and reliability. It's also a great building block for making serious power, as even minor modifications can result in significant increases in horsepower and torque.
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6. 5.4 liter Supercharged V8
Not everyone was thrilled with Ford's switch to modular V8s, but it's hard to find fault with the 1999-2003 Lightning's supercharged 5.4 liter V8. Peaking out at 380 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, the blown small block is and was an excellent platform for building a seriously fast truck. With just minor enhancements, the 5.4 is capable of laying down serious power.
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7. 7.3 liter Powerstroke Diesel
The mighty 7.3-liter Powerstroke V8 Diesel is not just one of the most capable engines Ford ever fitted in a truck, it's also one of the most popular engines ever used in a truck of any kind. Ford sold over 2 million Super Duty's fitted with the 7.3, and the engine is well known for its reliability and performance. Sadly, the big Powerstroke was replaced in 2003 thanks to a demand for improvements in fuel economy and the need for lower emissions.\
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8. 6.7 liter Powerstroke Diesel
Following a series of issues with outsourced diesel engines, Ford went in-house with the 6.7-liter Powerstroke V8. The clean sheet design was both quiet and powerful, with a number of unique design features. A twin-scroll turbo compressor and reverse flow heads helped the 6.7 achieve as much as 440 hp and 925 lb-ft of torque. In service since 2011, the latest iteration of Ford's Powerstroke is proving to be quite reliable as well.
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