Six Vs. Eight

[Straight6]

Please pardon me for asking what may seem like a stupid question but, why is any V8 engine more desireable to some than a 300 inline six. Be honest your opinions will be helpful to me and others trying to decide between a six and a V8.

 

[Justshootme84]

Here's a chart that I like to use for comaprisons:

Engine Specs

In general, the two V8's make slightly more HP than the I6. THe main difference is where the peak HP and torque occur in the powerband. The 300 I6 has a suprising amount of pulling power (low-end torque), so you will only notice a big difference at higher RPM's.

 

[Bully Bob]

Not stupid...! But, most will tell you "what they have is best!" Having 3 EB's now, (of 7 total) (& 11 early Land Cruisers) I've had all combinations. My 1st. EB was a '66 U-13 with the 170 straight 6, 3 speed (floor shifter) Guess what, I still have it !! It has a few minor mods....headers (split), 1br. Holley carb., 456 gears w/posi in the rear, (soon to have an air locker) & 32x11.50's. I still have 1 L Cruiser & it has its orig. 6. Usually, if I don't make it...nowbody else will try. One in our group went out & bought a 28 thou. $$ Rubicon & aft. another bunch of $$ mods he goes where I go. Eng. size....just a personal preference....V/8 sounds good...? If it comes with one, I keep it...if it comes with a 6, it stays. A lot of 4x4'n is the driver anyway. IMHO

 

[Straight6]

What makes the 5.8 ** so much more powerful than the typical 5.8?

 

[Justshootme84]

I see you noticed that!!! The "High Output" motor has different internal parts, mainly different heads and camshaft than the normal 351W.

I agree with the previous poster, and will say the Bronco 6cyl is no slouch. My friend's 85 will pull a 15,000 lb. trailer thru the mud all day long. Driving skill is 90% of it, as stated.

 

[Bradt]

I agree with the previous poster, and will say the Bronco 6cyl is no slouch. My friend's 85 will pull a 15,000 lb. trailer thru the mud all day long. Driving skill is 90% of it, as stated.

A guy at the parts place and I were talking about that. It comes up every time I buy parts and people say something about the 6. We got to talking about it, and he said pretty much the same thing as said here. It's the pulling power that makes the difference. The inline 6 is just a better towing setup than a lot of the v8s. Especially when you're talking about the 300 vs 302.

There's a towing company up here that just bought a bunch of new trucks. Every one of them a straight 6.

brad

 

[Seabronc]

Not having one myself, I have a question about I6's for you I6 owners. How doe they do on gas milage? It seems like two less cylinders and 1 br. carb would yield an improvement unless the gearing makes it scream at highway speeds.

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[cjbronco]

I have a 300 six, and I love it. It has much more torque than a 302. Mines not even built up, but im sure that the six guys know, there are guys running low 12's with the 300 six on the quarter on all motor. Its not a high hp engine, but it wil outpull a 302 and a 351 with some worked done. With some sim[le mods to the six,(intake, carb, head,pistons,cam,exhaust) your hp can go up to about 300 and about 400lb tq with the right setup. I love my six!! And yes the gass mileage is a lot better than any 8!!

 

[Bradt]

Not having one myself, I have a question about I6's for you I6 owners. How doe they do on gas milage? It seems like two less cylinders and 1 br. carb would yield an improvement unless the gearing makes it scream at highway speeds.
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I generally run somewhere between 15-18 mpg. Last check was 16, but that is with an odometer that's about 12-15% slow, so I'm probably in the 17-18 range.

brad

 

[Straight6]

Any thoughts on the 400m engine in a 1980 Bronco mated to a C6 tranny? Good bad or ugly?

 

[Justshootme84]

Bad.

 

[Guest_Jlarsh_*]

I CALL ******** ON LOW 12 1/4 MILE TIMES WITH A STRAIGHT 6. sTRAIGHT 6 ARE GOOD FOR NOTHIN BUT BOAT ANCHORS. THERES NO REPLACEMENT FOR DISLPACEMENT. SOLVE THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION GET A BIG BLOCK. AND YES THE 400M IS A GREAT SWAP CHOICE FOR LOW AND HIGH RPM POWER AND TOURQE.

 

[Bully Bob]

Hay J. Larsh,

Thanks for your educated, informed comments

 

[Guest_cjbronco_*]

As far as the guest is concerned, Its possible. I hate when people dont really know they are talkin about. I mean, though its not the same spec design, but a porsche and bmw have straight six's do they not? Hummm now lets think about this one for a sec. With the right internals why cant it run a 12 sec quarter. BTW go to fordsix.com forums and go to the big block six and look for a guy by the name a frenchtown flyer. He'll help you in the misconception that you have about the ford 300! b-(

 

[Guest]

As far as the guest is concerned, Its possible.  I hate when people dont really know they are talkin about.  I mean, though its not the same spec design, but a porsche and bmw have straight six's do they not?  Hummm now lets think about this one for a sec.  With the right internals why cant it run a 12 sec quarter.  BTW go to fordsix.com forums and go to the big block six and look for a guy by the name a frenchtown flyer.  He'll help you in the misconception that you have about the ford 300!  b-(

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PWNT!

 

[Bradt]

I CALL ******** ON LOW 12 1/4 MILE TIMES WITH A STRAIGHT 6. sTRAIGHT 6 ARE GOOD FOR NOTHIN BUT BOAT ANCHORS. THERES NO REPLACEMENT FOR DISLPACEMENT. SOLVE THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION GET A BIG BLOCK. AND YES THE 400M IS A GREAT SWAP CHOICE FOR LOW AND HIGH RPM POWER AND TOURQE.

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Ok, I've never seen a Bronco do a 12 sec 1/4 mile, but I think that has more to do with the 5600 lb vehicle and brick aerodynamics than the engine in it.

 

The displacement isn't that much different in the Bronco 6, and some of the v-8's out there. Less than your average shot glass. One advantage the 6 has over the 8 is that the drive shaft is better supported between the cylinders, and is less likely to warp when towing higher weight items. If I remember correctly the 6 has more supports per cylinder than the 8, due to the inline versus V configuration.

 

In a V configuration you have 2 directions of force operating on the shaft. These forces work slightly against one another on the shaft and make it more prone to warping at higher loads than a shaft with a single force direction like the inline 6.

 

I wouldn't say one is necessarily better than the other, but each certainly has it's own pros and cons.

 

brad

 

[KCMav713]

What are you going to use your's for? My understanding is that the six is great for pulling, like everyone says. I have a 5.0 V-8, and want a 5.8 **. But, I would also like my vehicle to get good gas mileage. One of the posts put it right...drive it with what came in it.

 

[highrider]

it depends on how you build it

 

[Straight6]

I am not trying to build a hot rod Bronco but I am considering putting a EFI exhaust manifold and a two bbl carb on my six for a little more power. Currently it has the stock one piece exhaust and intake manifold with the one bbl carb. What started all of this was that I put 31" tires on it and it now lacks the power it had before I put on the larger tires and it needs a new exhaust system anyway. Any additional suggestions would be helpful, and I am also asking the same questions at fordsix.com.