[Guest]

I currently have a 95 F-150 4x4 with a bone-stock 300I6 in it. I use it as my daily driver. It looks as though in the near future, it will expand into trailer towing duties with FarmJeep in tow. I have used it with great success around the farm, towing heavy objects at low speeds, and with slightly less success off the farm, hauling things at higher speeds. Here is where my concern comes in...last summer I drove out to AZ, through the mountains. I had the truck pretty loaded down, probably about 1200#s of camping gear, spare parts, etc. Going through the mountains, it ran fine (love that fuel injection), never once ran even a touch hot (even in 110degree temps with the AC cranking), and never so much as hiccuped. However, it was short on power. Screaming up a hill in 3rd gear at 3000rpms gets old. Shift to 4th, and it would start slowing down. It would pull higher in 3rd, and I sometimes ran at 3500 rpms, but I just didn't like running at that kind of rpms. Now, we have two disclaimers. First, I know I can regear, and get the higher tranny gears into a more workable speed range. I've considered that. But even that does not solve the lack of power (it is pretty doggy, even when empty around town). Second, before anyone jumps on with the importance of maintaining a balanced tow-vehicle (not over powering an underbraked '1/2 ton' truck), I already have that in mind as well. The focus of this post is engine power. I had been planning on upgrading to a 3/4ton, with a larger engine. However, the way things are going with corn prices, school bills, and an upcoming wedding, that trade may be postponed. The truck is in perfect shape...and I'm thinking I'll be keeping it for a while. I've started looking at options, and it looks like Clifford Performance has the most expansive options. Anyhow, I'm looking for suggestions as to where to start--what to get--what to swap and what to keep. Headers, cams, exhaust, ignition, all sorts of things are available. I'm looking for informed suggestions on where to start and why. The other alternative, I suppose, would be to wait and buy a 351 or other motor and swap that in. I'd be open to this option as well, but given that I've got a strong running engine now, with a known mechanical history and no problems, I'm not too keen on switching to an 'unknown quantity' unless I have to. The truck has 78K on it, and again, aside from a K&N airfilter, the engine/exhaust are bone stock.

I think I read something about TR going out of town, so if that is the case, I'll try to bring this BTT in a week or so. Until then, anyone and everyone are welcome to comment.

I Jeep, therefore I am.

 

[806]

I had a '93 f-150 with the 300 and I gave it to my dad with 210,000 miles on it and the only thing I had to get fixed that whole time is the tranny rebuilt.
4x4 model isn't a speed demond. my 2wd wasn't either. I could pull dang near anything though.
those 300's have incredible amounts of torque, just no top end speed. A buddy had a '94 with a V-8(302 I think) in a race he could beat me, but throw a trailer on him, I kicked butt.
Where was I going with this? I would imagine exhaust and headers would help, but the gearing is still the same. the 4th gear in it is just not a uphill towing gear.
surveyboy

http://www.csupomona.edu/~sdmiller1/jeep.htm

 

[kerryp]

I've owned 3 Fords with the 4.9ltr 300 6cylinder, and as you already know (they were bone stock, and I never did a thing to them other than the typical prev. main.), its a bulletproof engine.

Mine were all geared for highway ust as yours sounds to be....i'm assuming that you probably have no lower than a 3:50 something gear and most likely more along the line of the 2:70's.

If you are going to be towing a load, I would definately consider re-gearing to get that ummph you need to get up and over the hills and to pull comfortably...

As for performance, I never really liked headers, but thats just a personal preference, I have alot of friends that swear by them....

I haven't really ever checked on performance parts for a Ford 4.9ltr, but I would assume they have the cat backs, raid systems, and typical fuel injection performance mods, chips, etc. that would give you better air flow through your engine... that would probably knock you up at least 10hp???

Between getting more airflow in your engine and the re-gearing it should make alot of difference.....another thing to consider would be to upgrade the ignition system to a good MSD or similar (hey, do a TR upgrade /wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif), those usually will give you better performance as well.

I'm sure TR will have some really good advice for you, I'm just taking my shot at it /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif, he'll correct anything I got wrong /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif.....

kerryp

http://bastroptx4x4.alloffroad.com

 

[Guest]

3:55 axle gears...and yes I know about regearing. It already has the TFI system...but as I said, I'm open to upgrades to it. Just not certain which are most advised.

I Jeep, therefore I am.

 

[863]

I've owned 2 Ford Trucks with the 300, and it is probably my all time favorite engine. My '78 had 3.50 finals, and could find itself a bit short on power on hills. My '76 had 4.10s, and I didn't notice hills!

That said, Clifford Performance is definitely who you want to go through. I've dealt with them before, and they've always treated me right. Since you've already got fuel injection, I'd start by seeing if they make a "chip" for it, and maybe a larger MAF sensor (I'm not a FI guru--all my 300s had carbs!). Free-flowing exhuast, of course, and if you are really serious, Clifford has some nice cams--I particularly like the RV cam--for the 300. They have some superchargers too, but that gets expensive in a hurry!

This may sound weird, but I know a couple of guys who pulled bigger engines out (one was a 460) to go the the 300. Probably the best engine Ford ever built.

It's all a state of mind, and if you don't mention the state of my mind, I'll be happy to overlook yours!

 

[CJDave]

/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif Last summer Jeepchick and I took our big trailer to Iowa behind the GM 4X4. What I learned was that if you are marginal on HP, then HAVE THE GEARS. Our Small Block 350 Chev-Lay was kind of short on HP for a job like we were doing, but we had the ability to tailor the gearing to take maximum advantage of every one of those ponies. By twin-sticking the NP205 transfer case, we had progressive 2WD ratios which were as follows: 12.84, 7.02, 6.55, 3.58, 3.08, 1.96, 1.57, 1.00 You can see that the top FIVE gears are perfectly spaced. 2nd Direct @ 3.58, 3rd Under @ 3.08 then 4th Under @ 1.96 then 3rd Direct @ 1.57 then 4th Direct @ 1.00!!! We could put that Shiv-Lay EXACTLY where it needed to be RPM-wise, and avoid long periods of unnecessary winding because the next gear was too far up. Making the double shifts was NO PROBLEM since the Under-Direct split was 1.96 you DOUBLE the tach shifting down and HALVE the tach shifting up./wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif That 300 Six is SUCH a good mill that you would be crazy/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif to get away from it. How about a transfer case mod instead?/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif

CJDave
A moonguy-operated Jeep Skunkworks in the "Heartland".

 

[Guest]

Driving my parents subruben with 465 and 350 I have often wished for a way to split between second and 3rd. It seems like that on most steep hills second winds up to far and 3rd is just to far away. Looking at the ratios there is rather a large jump there. For towing the twin stick seems like a great idea.

bandhmo

 

[13337]

From the BBS 'Mouth' to your ear FarmJeep!

I've owned three of the little 300 I-6 and I have zero complaints...
They have a bore to stroke ratio, and that long ass rod makes for wonderful torque!
(why do you think it's still available in this world of supercharged V-6 power plants???)

The guys are correct.
I have had a few on the dyno, and you can't make a horsepower monster, but you can make tons more torque!
(enough you can break the HEFTY nodular iron crank clean!)

They ain't race car engines, but if you can get a good hook, you can change the rotation of the earth!

As for longevity on the last one I had, it was about 70K when I sold it, and I charged the AC in it for the guy that bought it two summers ago, and it had 170K and was still running without any problems...
He said it was hard on water pumps... I told him to stop buying the discount auto parts water pumps and put a good one on it...
If that was his only complaint, he's lucky.

Mine towed a 35' pontoon boat to and from the lake nearly every weekend, and did a wonderful job at that, but that pontoon was no where near as heavy as a car and trailer....

Like the rest of the guys said, the little 300 is an example of that 'Better Idea' Ford always claimed to have...

So many cats, so few recipes...

 

[CJDave]

/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif Now that you have mentioned it.......the Achilles heel of the 300 Six IS THE WATER PUMP! We have used several of those engines in Industrial applications....they were the INDUSTRIAL model.....and when you use a HUGE fan on the engine, the water pump lives about 60 days at ten to twelve hours per day of tach time. The bearing in the pump is too small and the end thrust from a bigger-than-normal fan is too much for it. We FINALLY set up a fan mandrel and drove THAT from the crank pulley, and got the fan off the water pump./wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif

CJDave
A moonguy-operated Jeep Skunkworks in the "Heartland".

 

[dorfs]

Pretty much a bullet proof engine. Too bad it won't quite fit in a CJ.

A couple of things to do to gain some power. Check the catalyst for a exhaust restriction. Sometimes they will creep up on you. A slow loss of power over time is not very noticable. The other is dumping in a can or two of BG 44k. Same reason. A slow loss of power over it's 70k miles isn't very noticable until you clean off the injectors and intake valves. The 44K really works wonders! Marked improvement in every high milage injected engine I put it in.

 

[626]

actually it will fit in a jeep just need an electric fan in push mode as for towing you didnt say whether you had a 4 or 5 speed tranny the 4 is good for towing the 5 is marginal my father hasa an 89 f150 2x4 with the 300 sixpopper injected with the 4 spd tranny and he tows a 28 foot camper with all the neede accesosys and he has no complaints it pulls like a dream

jeep the first 4 wheel drive the only 4 wheel drive

 

[863]

Actually, with a little work, I think a 300 could be shoe-horned into a CJ, at least a '72 or newer. We dropped a chevy 292 in a guys FJ40 once, and that is about the same physical size engine as the 300. That wasn't a bad engine either after we got done with all the nifty toys from Clifford! Split headers on an inline six sounds NICE!

It's all a state of mind, and if you don't mention the state of my mind, I'll be happy to overlook yours!

 

[Guest]

Ok...a few more questions...

1. If I'm in an area where emissions testing isn't required, is there any downside to 'hollowing out' a cat?
2. Anyone know of a 2wd low modification for a BW 1356?

TR, would you suggest ignition, exhaust, or other modifications to make it the even torquier beast you were talking about? MSD? Other?

I Jeep, therefore I am.

 

[CJDave]

/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif In smog-crazy California we always swept out the corners to find ways to be "marginally legal" without giving away all of the peformance hard-bought through good engine building. Here is ONE thing that seemed to work well with our catalytic converter equipped rigs: Drain the "berries" out of that catalytic converter and run them through a series of sieves such that you end up with only the larger sizes. Then take a Shop-Vac and tape it to the exhaust pipe and start it up. The berries can then be re-introduced into the cat body by holding them close to the hole while the vacuum does it's work. Then use a bolt-in core plug to cap the hole in the catalytic converter. The "large berry only" pack will allow more open flow area, and seems to work just as well as the dense pack ever did. We always passed the smog tests with colors flying, wound tight in second direct./wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif The performance enhancement came from a reduced exhaust restriction due to the simple fact that the TOTAL SKIN AREA of the berries over which the exhaust had to rub was reduced, and the square area of OPEN SPACE was increased. There is more open space in a room full of beach balls than there is in a room full of ping pong balls./wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif

CJDave
A moonguy-operated Jeep Skunkworks in the "Heartland".

 

[13337]

CJ Dave and Dave pretty much covered it...
Punch the cat if you don't have emissions issues.
Clean the injectors! Every vehicle should have the injectors cleaned about every 35K to 50K.
Larger air cleaner with LOTS of surface area.
MSD will help a bunch under heavy loading.
Unless you want to change a BUNCH of things, that's about it...

So many cats, so few recipes...