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Howy folks, Ed here. Welcome back to Bullnose Garage. Today I’m here with my trusty 1985 F-150, and I’m going to talk to you about the engine that’s in this truck. It is one of the most rock solid and bulletproof engines that Ford has ever produced, and maybe one of the most rock solid bulletproof engines ever made for the consumer vehicle market. And that is the Ford 300 inline six. So let’s get into it.

Hello, bulletproof. That’s the word people use to describe the Ford 300 inline six engine. Let’s see what makes it tick. This information is aimed at those interested in learning more about this robust engine or considering it for a project or a swap. Much of this data is sourced from various places on the internet, and while I haven’t had direct personal experience rebuilding this engine, I’ve driven it a lot and done my best to fact check and verify the information presented here. I hope it serves as a useful guide for anyone looking to dive into the world of the Ford 300 six.

So what is the Ford 300 inline six exactly? The Ford 300 inline six engine, often simply referred to as the 300, is part of Ford’s straight six engine family produced between 1965 and 1996. The 300 was known for its durability and torque, making it a popular choice for trucks and heavy-duty vehicles. The 300 refers to the engine’s displacement in cubic inches, while its metric equivalent is 4.9 liters. The engine is known for its simple design featuring an overhead valve setup and inline cylinder configuration, which contributed to its longevity and ease of maintenance. The 300 six was produced primarily at Ford’s Cleveland engine plant in Ohio, contributing to the association with the region. Over its production span, Ford manufactured over 4 million units of the 300 six, making it one of the most produced engines in the company’s history.

The engine shares some components with other Ford inline sixes, such as the 240 and 200 engines, but it’s distinguished by its larger displacement and more robust construction. This engine was widely used in Ford’s F-series trucks, as well as in vans, industrial applications, and even in some agricultural equipment. So let’s look at the stats. The Ford 300 has a displacement of 300 cubic inches or 4.9 liters. The engine features a bore of 4 inches and a stroke of 3.98 inches, which contributes to its exceptional low-end torque. The deck height is right at 10 inches. The engine’s compression ratio varied slightly depending on the year and application, but it generally ranged from 8:1 to 9:1. The 300 six is known for its ability to produce high torque at low RPMs, with peak torque often occurring around 1,600 to 2,200 RPM. The firing order for the Ford 300 six is 1-5-3-6-2-4, which is a standard configuration for inline six engines. This helps it maintain a smooth and balanced operation.

The block is cast iron, contributing to the engine’s considerable weight of around 500 to 550 pounds. Despite its heft, the 300 six is valued for its ability to withstand extreme conditions and heavy loads. The engine is equipped with a two-bolt main bearing cap design, although some heavy-duty versions featured a four-bolt main configuration. The 300 six was first introduced in 1965 as a successor to the 262 cubic inch inline six engine. It was designed to offer more power and torque while maintaining the reliability that Ford’s inline engines were known for. The engine was initially used in light-duty trucks but quickly found its way into a variety of vehicles, including the Ford Bronco, E-series vans, and even some sedans and station wagons.

Over the years, the 300 six underwent several changes to improve performance and meet evolving emission standards. In the late 1970s, Ford introduced changes to the cylinder head designed to improve airflow and combustion efficiency. These changes included the introduction of hardened valve seats to accommodate unleaded gasoline, which became standard in the U.S. around this time. In the 1980s, Ford introduced electronic fuel injection, or EFI, to the 300 six, which significantly improved fuel efficiency and drivability. This version of the engine, known as the EFI 300, became a mainstay in Ford trucks throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The engine also received updates to its ignition system, including the transition from a points-based distributor to an electronic ignition system.

One of the most notable features of the 300 six is its exceptional torque output. The engine was designed with a long stroke and a relatively low compression ratio, which allowed it to produce a significant amount of torque at low RPMs. This made it ideal for applications that required pulling power, such as towing and hauling heavy loads. Another key characteristic of the 300 six is its durability. The engine’s robust construction, with its heavy cast iron block and cylinder head, allowed it to withstand harsh conditions and extended use without significant wear. This durability made it a popular choice in industrial and agricultural applications where reliability and longevity were paramount.

The Ford 300 six was used in a wide range of vehicles over its three-decade production run. Some of the most common applications included the Ford F-series trucks from 1965 to 1996, the Ford Bronco from 1966 to 1996, and the Ford E-series van from 1968 to 1996. This engine was a popular engine choice for Ford F-series trucks, particularly in the F-100, F-150, and F-250 models. Its torque and reliability made it a favorite among truck owners who needed a dependable workhorse. The 300 six was also available in the Ford Bronco, particularly in the early years of its production. The engine’s torque made it well-suited for off-road use and towing, and the 300 six was commonly used in the Ford E-series vans, where its durability and low-end torque were assets through both commercial and passenger applications.

Identifying a Ford 300 six engine can be done through several means, including casting numbers and physical characteristics. The engine block typically features a cast number on the driver’s side just above the oil pan rail. This number can provide information about the engine’s production year and application. Additionally, the 300 six’s distinctive inline six configuration and overall size make it easy to identify visually. While the Ford 300 six is similar in design to other Ford inline sixes, such as the 240 and 200 engines, it is distinguished by its larger displacement and more robust construction. The 240 engine, for example, shares many components with the 300 six, but it has a shorter stroke and lower displacement, making it less powerful and torquey than the 300. The 300 six also differs from Ford’s smaller inline six engines in terms of its applications. While the 240 engines were often used in lighter vehicles, the 300 six was primarily used in trucks and heavy-duty applications where its torque and durability were most needed.

Now, while the 300 six is not typically thought of as a high-performance engine, it has a dedicated following among enthusiasts who appreciate its durability and torque. With the right modifications, the 300 six can be transformed into a powerful engine capable of impressive performance. Popular upgrades for the 300 six include porting and polishing the cylinder head, installing a performance camshaft, and upgrading the exhaust system. These modifications can help the engine breathe better and produce more horsepower while still retaining its characteristic low torque. For those looking to take the 300 six to the next level, kits are available that can increase the engine displacement and further boost its torque and power output. With the right combination of parts and tuning, a well-built 300 six can produce over 300 horsepower and 400 foot-pounds of torque.

Now, from what I’ve said here, you may wonder why anyone would ever want to swap out a 300 six. I’ll give you my reasons because that’s exactly what I’m planning on doing: taking the 300 six out and putting a 351 Windsor in. There are a few reasons, but the biggest is what I mentioned earlier. The 4.9 liter inline six just isn’t a high-performance engine. It wasn’t designed for it, and trying to shoehorn it into that role doesn’t make sense to me. I’d rather take out the engine in good working order and let someone else use it like the workhorse it is in their truck. While the 300 six is a workhorse, I’m aiming for something different with my build: a street truck with a high horsepower V8 that delivers a throaty growl and a rumbling idle. Those characteristics just don’t manifest in an inline six, no matter what sort of mods I do. And as they say, there’s no replacement for displacement. More cubic inches mean more potential power and torque, which is exactly what I’m after.

Now, I’ve been told that pulling a perfectly running 300 six to put in a 351 Windsor is practically sacrilege. But if I want to ruin my own truck by replacing the most reliable engine ever built, well, that’s my God-given right as an American, and I’ll do it with a smile on my face.

Hello, the 300 six engine is a testament to Ford’s engineering prowess and commitment to building durable, reliable engines. Its combination of low-end torque, durability, and simplicity make it a favorite among truck owners and industrial users alike. Whether you’re looking to restore a classic Ford truck or build a high-performance inline six engine, the Ford 300 six is a solid foundation to start with.

If you’re a Ford 300 six enthusiast, own one, want to build one, or even would just like to support the channel, you can now get an exclusive 300 inline six hat, coffee mug, shirt, or sticker over in my merch store. It’s a great way to show off your love for this incredible engine. Check it out on my website, bullnosegarage.com/merch.

So there you go, everything I know, or pretend to know, about the Ford 300 inline six. I’ve had this engine in this truck, obviously, ever since I bought it four or five years ago. It has never failed me and never given me a hard time. Now, I’ve had to replace a couple components: the alternator, a fuel pump, a couple things like that. But the engine itself has never failed to start and never had a problem with my NP435 in granny low first. I feel like I could probably pull the house off of its foundations using this truck. So if you’re thinking about doing a build or maybe even keeping your old 300 six around and doing some modifications to it, making it better, hopefully this video has helped you get a little bit more information.

If you find videos like this helpful, if you think I did a good job, or you just want to kind of give me some kudos, then hey, you know, hit that thumbs up, give me a subscribe. It really helps out the channel. I’m planning on doing some more videos like this about other Ford engines, maybe even transmissions, that kind of stuff. Right now, I just don’t have the time to devote to working on the truck like I’d like to, but I still want to make videos. So I’m thinking about doing an informational series about, like I said, engines, transmissions, that kind of stuff, just like this one that I just did. So if you like that kind of content and want me to do more of it, then just let me know. Drop me a comment, say, ‘Hey, Ed, can you do one about the Cleveland?’ or ‘Do one about the 460?’ or whatever you might want to see. I’d be happy to do that kind of research and put it out for you guys. So again, thanks so much for watching, and we will see you next time.

Howdy folks, Ed here. Welcome back to Bullnose Garage for the first time, and man, it’s been almost two years. Uh, life, pandemic, all kinds of stuff just got in the way of me working on this truck. And I’ve gotten several comments on many of my videos asking where I am and what’s going on, and people even actually worried about me, and I appreciate that. I really do. Uh, everything’s fine.

But today, the reason that I’m out here right now is because something broke on the Bullnose, and I need to fix it. And the last thing that I want to do is fix something on that truck without bringing you guys along with me. So what broke is this. It’s a mechanical fuel pump. So I try to start my truck every couple of weeks at the very least just to get it running and make sure that it’s okay, make sure the battery stays charged, all that fun stuff. Then about once a month or so, I’ll go out and, uh, actually stretch its legs, run it for, uh, you know, 10, 15 miles, something like that, and then bring it back and make sure that it’s running all right.

And this last time I went out to start it, it was kind of hard to start. I had to give it a whole lot of gas, and it cranked and cranked and cranked and wouldn’t catch. And then eventually it did catch and then die, and then it caught and then died. And then I gave it even more gas, and it caught and then it ran, but it sounded kind of strange, and I started smelling a little bit of gas. And so I turned it off and opened up the, uh, the hood back there and looked underneath, and there’s a big puddle of something, and it wasn’t oil, and it smelled like gas. So I’m guessing it was gas.

And sure enough, I turned the truck on and, uh, went back around to the front, and you could see it was running, but you could see, uh, where the fuel pump was just draining fuel, um, out onto the driveway here. And I don’t know if you’ll be able to see this or not, but these mechanical fuel pumps are designed with a little weep hole right here. So they’ve got a diaphragm inside of here, and then this, this, uh, right here rides on top of a cam inside the engine. And, uh, if that diaphragm goes out, it leaks out of this hole as an indicator to what, you know, that there’s something wrong and you got to replace it. And there’s no fix in the diaphragm. You can’t get in here, and there’s no serviceable parts. This thing is like a one-piece unit, and it’s like 30 bucks, so it’s not worth even trying to fix anyway, even if you could.

Um, so just go out and grab yourself a new one if you’ve got that problem. And these are actually, uh, pretty easy to change. You just get in there, takes a, uh, I think it’s like a 12 millimeter or a half-inch driver with a ratchet, and, uh, you got to get yourself the fuel pump itself. Like I said, it’s about 30 bucks. I got myself a Felpro gasket, like two bucks, and, uh, I didn’t have any of this, so I went out and grabbed some Permatex Orange. Um, that’s what’s good around fuel, uh, just to go around the gasket there. Now, there shouldn’t be any fuel touching that gasket. It’s in between the block and the fuel pump itself. There’s some oil in there, but there shouldn’t be any gas. But anyway, it’s around the fuel line, so in case something were to break or bust, I don’t want that getting out of the gasket material and giving me problems, so that’s why I’m using that.

So let’s get to it. All right, so that right there is the fuel pump. The, uh, line on the bottom of your screen, let me move this up a little bit so you can see, that’s going to the fuel tank, and the one on the top in the back there is going up to the carburetor. And you can see that, uh, there’s a bracket right there, and, uh, that bracket holds the ignition coil connector. Uh, so we’re going to have to remove that bracket as well. Now, not all vehicles have that, but mine happens to. Um, let’s see, and again, this is on a 3006. Uh, your mileage may vary, but, uh, on my ’85 36, this is how everything’s set up.

Now, a lot of these fuel pumps actually have the can facing down. In my case, it faces up. That’s just the way that it is. So I’m not sure if you can see it from this angle here. There’s a couple of bolts that hold that on, so it’s a fairly easy replacement, and we’re going to start by taking off the lines. So we’re going to start with this fuel line from the tank. Um, now, because my truck is outside, I’ve already leaked a bunch of fuel on the ground. I don’t really care that much, but if you’re going to be inside of your garage or in a place where the floor kind of matters, you want to make sure to put something under the truck because you might get some fuel leaking out of here when you take it off. And you just, uh, loosen up this hose clamp here and wiggle it off. Takes a little bit of force, especially if it’s been on there for a while. You just take it right off, and you want to cap this with something. I’m just using a driver extension and then kind of tuck that out of the way.

Now for the other one, we need to get a wrench in there and loosen that up. Now for the line going to the carburetor, I’m going to use a 5/8 flare nut wrench, and I’m going to use that because I don’t want to have to round this nut off and replace this line. So, um, whenever you’re working on, like, brake lines or lines like this, it’s always a good idea to use a flare nut wrench, um, because they have a more positive grip and you’re less likely to round things off. It makes them harder to get on. They’re a little bit, takes a little bit longer to do, but it’s just a little bit of insurance.

All right, that took a while, but we are on. Okay, I’m trying to get you guys a pretty good angle. Um, it’s a little hard to get down in here and see what I’m doing, but the next step is to actually unmount it from the block. And if you can see there, a couple of bolts there, they are half-inch, and so I would use my half-inch ratchet to take them off. Oh, and I was wrong. They’re not bolts, they’re nuts. That’s what happens if you’re not a mechanic. You think you know something, and then you’re not. Because, um, I have this, uh, um, ignition coil bracket behind there, uh, and it’s down by where the gasket is, I’m going to have to take that off so that I can get to the existing gasket and make sure that I get all that gasket material out of there. So this is a 9/16, and it’s right up here, and now I can move this out of the way and actually get to the pump.

So here’s something that I actually didn’t know about and expect. Um, the first bolts that I took, or the first nuts, excuse me, that I took off of the bottom where the fuel pump is at actually held this bracket on. So the actual fuel pump mounting, uh, nuts are still on there. So now I have to remove those, and they are also a half-inch. And up she comes. Now that I’ve got the fuel pump out of there, you can see inside the cam that’s down there that the fuel pump, um, arm rides on. You can also see all the, the gasket material that’s left on there. We want to make sure we get all that gasket material off so we have a nice clean mating surface with the block again for the new pump.

I want to start by using a, uh, a nylon brush just to kind of peel away the gasket material that’s there. You don’t want to be too harsh because you don’t want to, so there’s not actually even a gasket there. It looks like there’s just some gasket material that someone had put on before, and I have an actual gasket that I’m going to use. But, uh, make sure this is nice and clean. You don’t want to be too harsh and rough up too much, but you do have to make sure that it’s nice and clean. And now finally, get this as clean as, uh, I can. Oops, out of the way. I’m going to use this brass bristle brush. Brass bristle brush, um, it’s a little rougher than nylon but not as rough as steel. And this is just, uh, if I had a scratch pad, I’d probably use a scratch pad, but I don’t have one. Um, you could probably use steel wool, but that may be a little bit harsh for me. So that’s just to make sure that I got any remaining gasket material or any other kind of contaminants, uh, definitely off of there. And then I’m going to, uh, take some isopropyl alcohol and dilute it just a little bit. It’s not quite so strong, and give it a good final rub down with a shop rag just to make sure I don’t have anything going around there. Then we will let that dry and take a look at the old pump.

All right, so there’s our old pump, obviously, and our new one. And, uh, you, I mean, you can’t visually look at this and tell that it’s bad. Um, yeah, there’s not really any kind of diagnostics that you can do, um, except run fuel through it and watch it pour out of the weep hole. Um, that’s about it. But, uh, as you can see, they’re not exactly the same, but, uh, they’re definitely going to fit. So now the next job is just to install the new one. Just a quick note here, um, there can be some difficulty with installing these because of the position of the cam. Um, sometimes you’ll have to actually turn the engine. Um, you have to get on the crankshaft pulley with a ratchet or something or a breaker bar and actually turn the engine a little bit to get that cam into the right position to put this in. You can muscle this in without doing that. It’s kind of up to you how you want to do it. This one came out really, really easy, so I’m hoping that my engine is in the correct position to make it pretty easy to install this one. Uh, we’re going to find out.

So my first job here is going to be getting this gasket, um, onto here. The easiest way to do that is to take some of your gasket maker and just run a little bit seal area here, okay? And then you can put your gasket on, and what that’s going to do is that’s actually going to sort of lock the gasket to this part, and that way you’re not fighting with the gasket to stay on, um, while you’re getting it actually on the engine itself. And then while you’re out here, you actually do the same thing the other side, just a real light thin coat here. You don’t want too much. You don’t want it really oozing out, just enough to go around all the surface areas so that, uh, it mates real good and it fills in any micro gaps or anything between this gasket and the block itself. So let’s get to it.

All right, here we go. This is kind of hard with the camera here, but this is a little tight, but you just keep at it, and it’ll get in there. It’s a little hard to work with. I don’t really have a lot of space here for my fingers. There we go. Getting these in is kind of the hardest part, and I can see my gasket starting to get tacky, so I want to make sure that I get this tightened up really quickly. Sorry if you’re wobbling around. Sometimes this stuff is hard to do with the camera in the way. There we go. Now we want to slide our bracket back on. Should be fairly simple, just like that. I’ll get this thing tightened up and be right back with you.

All right, so it’s now installed. The only thing that remains is to put the, uh, the hoses back on. Now this is going to be tricky. You want to make sure that you’re not going to cross-thread that as it goes in. There we go. Now, like I said, wh off my sunglasses. Now, like I said, you want to be careful that you don’t cross-thread this nut right here. Um, it took me a little bit to get it in the right position. You may have to actually bend your line just a little bit to, uh, to get it to line up. You’ll know when you get it right ’cause it’ll start going on, uh, fairly easy. If it’s real, real hard to get on there, then you’re probably cross-threading it, and you don’t want to do that because then you have to replace this nut, flare nut right there, and, uh, that means replacing the whole line. So you want to make sure you’re careful.

And the last thing is putting your fuel line back on, and you just shove it on there, make sure it goes on all the way, and you can, uh, tighten up your hose clamp. All right, now we should be good to go. Now when you go to start this, it’ll probably take a long time because that have to pre, so, uh, be patient, and we’ll see how long it takes.

All right, here we go, and success! There is no fuel leaking out of my new fuel pump. Keep an eye on it just when you first, uh, get it started up. Make sure all your connections are dry, and you put your finger on it, you can actually feel the vibration of that pump lever in there moving up and down on the cam. At this point, I think we’re good to go.

All right, guys, well, there you go. Pretty simple job, a little bit dirty, but what is it? And, uh, pretty cheap too. Actually, it’s about, uh, I think, uh, 30, 40 bucks for all the parts that you need to do it. Um, it’s about an hour’s worth of work for me, and that includes filming. So for, uh, somebody who doesn’t have to worry about dealing with the camera and getting the right angles and going through all that stuff, it’s probably really a 20, 30-minute job at the worst. If you’ve never done it before, um, it’s a little fiddly getting in there sometimes, get those bolts out, and you got to be careful with that fuel line that you don’t, uh, cross-thread that flare nut or round it off or anything like that. But I mean, as long as you’re careful, you’re not going to worry about, uh, the truck runs like a top once again. It’s nice to have the old inline six running great again. Um, sounds as good as it did before, or actually probably better now with the new fuel pump. Uh, took it around the block a couple times, no issues at all, no leaks, no nothing. So it’s very nice to have that thing back on the road again.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, gripes, internet ramblings, stick them below. Thanks again for watching, guys, and we will see you next time.