Fourth Generation
| Production | 1964 - 1996 |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 240 cu in (3.9 L) 300 cu in (4.9 L) |
| Cylinder bore | 4" |
| Piston stroke | 3.18" (240) 3.98" (300) |
| Fuel system | Normally aspirated Fuel injection |
| Power output | 120 hp (89 kW) - 170 hp (127 kW) |
| Torque output | 260 lb·ft (353 N·m) |
Produced at the Cleveland Engine plant in Brook Park, Ohio from 1964 through 1996, the 240 and 300 Sixes are well known for their durability. Simple design and rugged construction continue to endear these engines to a number of Ford enthusiasts to this day. Many have run 300,000 to 600,000 miles (480,000 to 970,000 km) without any more service than standard oil changes. The engine has earned the terms "bulletproof" and "indestructible" by many. There are numerous claims of those who have purposely sought out to destroy one through abusive use, and were unsuccessful in doing so.
One example of the engine's sturdy design is the fact that no timing chain or timing belt (both of which can break, causing unwanted downtime or even engine damage) is used. This generation of Ford Six was designed with long-wearing gears for that purpose instead. Very few modern engines use timing gears; belts and chains are by far more common.
Both the 240 and the 300, no matter the application, used a single barrel Carter YF carburetor until the introduction of Electronic Fuel Injection. With proper gearing, many F-trucks and Broncos are able to achieve over 20 mpg with these carburetors, when properly tuned. This was heavily used by Ford's advertising campaign (some television advertisements and written literature even claimed 30 mpg), since the V8 engines in these trucks rarely achieved over 14 mpg.
The fuel economy of the 300 makes the engine a popular choice amongst truck enthusiasts that want both power and economy. The addition of performance parts (such as intake and exhaust manifolds with a four-barrel carburetor) place the engine power output near the same levels as the stock HO (high output) version of the optional 351 V8, with little or no change in economy. There are claims of 300s that have had the power output doubled, or even tripled, with less than a single mpg drop in fuel economy.
Read more about this topic: Ford Straight-6 Engine
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