Testimonial for Ford engines!

[jdavidsmi]

The 76, F250 300-6 hiboy, purchased in Alaska in 79 with 76,000 on it when we sold it in 84, (because of a short tour on Shemya Island) it had over 150,00. Normal tune ups, and tires.

Saw the truck in 88, 225,000 or so , still going strong then.

I really don’t think there’s a better truck engine ever made.

[ArdWrknTrk]

That is amazing!
Engines didn't tend to last very long back then.
Oils, metallurgy and surface finishes have come a LONG way since the '60's.

[farmboy60]

2001 ford focus wagon 267000 miles before she died 4 banger

[Gary Lewis]

We have a bathroom remodel going on and friends of ours, a father and son team, are doing it.  Ford guys.  In fact, one of them is the one with the '88 Bronco I mentioned in the other thread.  But his father told me that he has a '97 F350 w/the Powerstroke engine and has over 400,000 miles on it and it is going strong.

And when it was new they took it on a 4500 mile trip around the western US and got 21 MPG with it.  

[351FUN]

I had 300k+ on the stock 351W in my F250 when I pulled it, still ran and still pulled but had enough oil blowby that it got pretty expensive keeping it full of oil.

[ratdude747]

Here's my "story" on this.

My '84 300 had to be rebuilt due to bad bores and broken rings at just over 100,000. But that's because the PO nuked the ECU and wildly advanced the timing, and reconnected the ECU and had isssues... didn't seem to knock, but that couldn't have been good for it.

Even so, it still got me to Kansas and back when I had to drive it in a pinch. Through a bad snowstorm on the way home. Struggled mightily (no torque, just a lot of coughing and missing due to crap compression). But was running and driving nevertheless. But it got me home somehow, and it's reward was the rebuild.

Otherwise, the bearings weren't in bad shape (did have the crank polished and had to use some mildly oversized "service" mains to get the clearances in spec; standard sized rod bearings were fine)... aside from having to have 0.030" bored, all was well. Didn't have to do much head work other than disassembly, cleaning, and valve stem seal replacement (guides were doing great, valves didn't even need a re-lap).

[Rusty_S85]

Gary Lewis wrote

We have a bathroom remodel going on and friends of ours, a father and son team, are doing it.  Ford guys.  In fact, one of them is the one with the '88 Bronco I mentioned in the other thread.  But his father told me that he has a '97 F350 w/the Powerstroke engine and has over 400,000 miles on it and it is going strong.

And when it was new they took it on a 4500 mile trip around the western US and got 21 MPG with it.  

People still dont believe me the 351W in my '78 Mercury actually gets 18 city and 27 highway at 75 mph.

I have to explain to them mine has the yellow strain relief DSII ignition module with a manifold vacuum sensor that advances the timing more in low load conditions for improved fuel economy.  Before I fixed this sensor which the wires were broken off inside the vacuum sensor I was lucky to get 18 on the highway.

Still makes me wonder if I should try and retrofit a yellow strain relief DSII ignition module on my truck and see if I can squeeze more fuel economy out of it with the sniper stealth.  Id just have to look in my 73-79 parts and illustration guide and see if there is a specific part number for the 302 vs 351W.  Probably wouldnt work too good considering that is taking into account the emission systems which I am gutting from my truck.