300 I6

Glad to see your going down the road less traveled.

I think you'll be happy with the 300. The trick to it will be getting it to have power at higher RPMS. It can handle the Rev's, just dont make a whole lotta power that higher. You definatly will have quite a few advatages in the 4\6 class....

1- You'll have the biggest common gas 6 cylinder built (So no one can beat you in cubes)

2- While you do need high end horsepower in mud drags, you still need alot of torque to spin those big tires up to speed quickly, which is where the 300 is going to shine. If it were me id concentrate on making the best use of the 300's biggest strong point, low end torque. Concentrate on smoking people so bad off the line they cant catch ya.

3-Durbilty, your going to have a helluva time blowing that thing up.

4- Showing people that the 300 has potential.

Have fun and let us know how it turns out!

later,
Dustin

in regards too the great debate

in regards to the 300's not making power after 3500, i would have to disagree, for any of them, but if you are looking for higher RPM capabilities, an injected 300 would be the route to go, as they revamped the head, manifolds, (both intake and exhaust), and for your application these would be to your benifit, if you plan to stick with the factory injection, there is alot of power to be had from your local machine jobe simply with manifold/head port matching, and swapping on a throttle body from an injected 460, you just have to grind away small portion it to clear a dowel pin, theres a better description of that process on various inline six forums, bump the compression up, there only like LOW point LOW:1, and for your non existant issue with the high RPM power, if more is desired, simply put a slightly wilder cam in it, there are plenty of options available. in regards to the injection, all trucks from 86 (5.0 only, 87 for all others) to 96 (97 HD F250's and 350's) were equipped with speed density injection, not mass air. Speed density contrary to popular belief is VERY modifyable, especially if you have a stand alone controller for it (mega squirt, etc) and are CHEAP to do. another option is mechanical injection. or a clifford 4bbl aluminum intake. regardless use the 87 and up head. and if not using headers use manifolds from an 87 and up as well. also, headwork is a WHOLE other ball game, with GOBS of HP and torque being the end result.... porting, not too much or you will lose the velocity and bye bye low end torque, which you want BAD cause like the one guy said earlier, if you get em off the line they gotta work that much harder to catch up.

about the 4.0

the 4.0 can't hold a candle to the 300, if one maybe only in the area of longevity, and in a high stress application, the 300 does have 7 main bearings in comparison to the 4.0's 4.....so i am still leaning on the 300. but as for higher end power, the 4.0 (and 3.0, 2.9, 2.8) all have the same block, actually german engineered (one of the few good engineered things to come from there, anyone who wants to try to argue that, go work a a 97 jetta VR6, until then don't even talk, lol. or go look at the vacuum hose routings a a 1.8T....) ) for its debut in the pinto back in i belive 72...? the way they achieved the displacment for the 4.0 was to increase the stroke (also helped to lower emissions) the longer the stroke, the lower the revving capabilities. now i am not saying the 4.0 is not capable of high revs, not any less than a 300 that is. but if i were to stick with a V6, i would go with a SOHC 4.0, preferably out of a 05 and up stang. lets compare specs for a minute here. now i am not sure of torque numbers or peak levels for power or torque (call your dealer they will tell you in a heartbeak) but i know HP is 210..... thats the EXACT same as a 1985 mustang GT with a H.O. 5.O.... plus a bit of head work, manifold port matching, etc. also RE-Flashing the computer and putting larger capacity injectors/ higher pressure/flow pump... then you bump up the compression ratio... give it a hotter igntion.... but, i work at noon today.... so to all a goodnight

i built a nasty 300 straight 6 for my 93 ford on 44's, i will get around to taken pics of the motor sometime today, but thanks to the guys at www.cliffordperformance.com i got the VERY LAST COMPLETE top end race setup, a set of there 11-1 pistons, blueprinted crank, offy intake with a holley 750 double pumper on it, after about a week of tuning got my best pull on the engine dyno, on the motor i was puttin out 479hp at 4100 rpm's, and 534 ft lbs, at 2600 rpm's

Oh...and BTW the 3.0 does NOT use the same block as the 2.8\2.9\4.0.

Actually, the best setup for high end power on a 300 is a 4bbl 390CFM Holley, on a Carbed engine, with an EFI head and EFI exhast manifolds.

go to www.fordsix.com.

later,
Dustin

the pushrod 3.0? ummmmm, yeah, it is it just has a different intake.

also if your not opposed to being sach religious and throwing a GM motor in there, a buick 3800 or 3300 will cook the s**t out of most other options, not to mention the longevity of those things is amazing.... but i know now that i am gonna get shot so i'll start running for cover, lol

another option is the 200/250 with a cast iron aussie head with removable aluminum 2bbl intake, just make sure its a late 67 and up 200, as the early ones still shared the 4 main block of the 144/170. i would have to see your rules for this class, can you run overhead. dual over head cam engines? if so that opens a WHOLE new playing field

bacicly you can run anything as long as it is stock. they dont care what its out of and you can run headers but no alum. heads, intakes and no Nos. or it will be in mod. 4/6 class.

Keep the straight 6.

The 3.0 is not based off the 2.8\2.9\4.0.

The 2.8\2.9\4.0 are part of the "cologne" engine family, first designed in cologne germany for Ford of Germany. The 2.8 evolved into the 2.9, then the 2.9 evolved into the 4.0.

The 3.0 is a taurus engine from the vulcan family, atleast the 3.0pushrod is, the DOHC 3.0 is a Duratech Engine.

later,
Dustin

Sweet! The c-6 needs a little work to make it fast. If you know someone that builds trannies. Take the #9 roller out of an E40d. You probably don't need the low gear but, that is also available out of the E40d.
If you can't run an aftermarket intake, you should go with the factory EFI. WAY better than a single one barrel in the middle of a long engine!

3.0 isn't from the same family...It was built at the Lima engine plant in Ohio...Just like the 2.x series, specifically for the taurus.

BTW...I like this project. The 300 is an awesome engine...I haven't been around them in trucks, but it was a common Generator engine, and they have incredible lifespans.

No, dont run the factory EFI.

Run an EFI head with a 2bbl Motorcraft 2150 or a 4bbl with a holly 390. In the mud probely a 2bbl would be your best bet.

EFI head, with EFI exhaust and a Carbed 2bbl intake. Dont screw with the little 1bbl Carter. They are good for about 150CFM and a carb off an 11HP briggs will blow more air.

If you bore the 300 a little over and run Early 390 pistons in it it will bump the compression of it up a little ways, and gain more power. Port and polish the head, and do a good valve job and you'll have a bulletproof racer. Recam it and run a Duraspark dist on it. Go to www.fordsix.com and talk to frenchtown flyer. Hes got a rail car with a 300 that runs 9's.

Another trick is to run the right gears. To much gear and you'll spin it up so high so quick you'll get out of its powerband, and not enough gear and you'll waste all of the 300's great low end torque.

Like i said, use all that low end power to your advatntage.

later,
Dustin

ok, new problem. the c-6 has a cracked case but i have a Cruise-O-Matic off of a 300. i have never worked and these and i dont know how strong they are so any thoughts on them? it has a cast iron case with a alum. bell housing.

A turbo charger would get you the high end power you need. but they are kinda expensive. Just mount one of the types that set up in the exhaust pipe and get a larger none ball bearing turbo for less cost, because the i6 already has all of the low end power it needs but with the high end a turbo will help greatly.

A turbo would destroy the low end torque becasuse of lag.

The cruise-o-matic, aka, FMX is actually as strong (and some argue stronger)then a C6. But there heavy as hell with the cast iron case. They are a 50's design. I dont know if they take the parasitic loss like a C6 does, but i do know that they are hard to kill.


Im still tellin ya though, a T18 or T19 "wide ratio" 4 speed is your best bet.

later,
Dustin