Ford 300 (4.9L)?

[danielp3344]

I've been daily driving my truck for a while and I gotta say it's not as fun as my F150 (1987, previous daily). Feels too much like driving a car, but doesn't handle as well. The F150 is on it's last legs due to rust, but has a perfectly good 300 I6 in it (the best gas truck engine ever). I'm considering swapping the 2.9 for it, some preliminary thoughts.

• Not sure the FM146 can take the kind of torque that engine puts out (especially if I wanted more power later) and the trans in the F150 is a 4 speed (really 3 since 1st is like 7:1)
• Would need new gearing to get any fuel economy back (for those that aren't aware the 300 literally does not rev above 4k, likes to be below 2.5)
• Would it even fit? (might have to measure it and the ranger later today)

All things considered though I think it might make driving the ranger a bit less like driving a car, and give it some better torque for hauling too. Any thoughts?

 

[adsm08]

1) The FM146 cannot mate to the 300-6. The pattern and everything is wrong. You'd need to keep the F-150's transmission, or get a different trans with the correct bell pattern.

2) You might be surprised, since the Ranger weighs so much less.

3) It "fits". I measured for this some years ago, and my measurements were admittedly incomplete, but it "fits". IIRC the length of the 300-6, from the back face of the block to the tip of the fan is about 4 inches less than the length of the Ranger's engine bay from the firewall to the core support. This will mean things like relocating the rad in front of the support, and using an electric fan would be helpful for fitment.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Couple things.

the ranger manual will not bolt to the 4.9. The 4.9 uses the small block ford bellhousing pattern. You would need a m5odr2 from a f150.

the 4.9 has been swapped into the ranger before. Length is the issue. You will most likely need to mount the radiator on the outside of the core support if you do not want to modify the firewall.

you will need to upgrade the front springs. The 300 is a heavy pig. And the stock springs won’t hold it properly. It will be fairly nose heavy.

aside from those issues. You can make it work. But for the effort needed. You’d be better off using a 4.0. Or a 302.

a lot of the 4.9 trucks came with either 2.73 or 3.08 gears. I’ve found in my personal experience. 3.55 for those trucks is just about perfect.

 

[Dirtman]

The FM146 won't even bolt to 300 so no worries about it handling the torque. Secondly, anything will "fit" but itll take some custom fab work. It's a very long engine, at minimum you'd be making custom motor mounts and relocating the radiator.

 

[danielp3344]

2) You might be surprised, since the Ranger weighs so much less.

I meant my gearing is too low as is, Doing 70mph I'm pushing 3k rpm, which is a little much for the 300.

In my case I don't see much advantage in a 302 or 4.0 over the 2.9 I have, I guess I've never driven a 4.0 but It seems very much like a bigger 2.9. The appeal of the 4.9 to me is the large amount of torque at very low rpm. I *really* wouldn't want to use the T18 from my F150 without a new gearset at least, since it tops out at 4th which is 1:1. I'm not really worried about making a trans fit, I work at a machine shop so adapting stuff isn't a big deal. Torque capacity and ratios are the important part.

 

[Dirtman]

If you go this route your best option would be to get a M5OD-R2 from a 88-96 F-150 4.9. With the overdrive I doubt you would have any gearing issues. Why get a 300 for the torque then kill it with high gears anyway?

Let it be a torquey beast...

 

[danielp3344]

lol, torque from a 300 is a whole different level from the 2.9, I just want a top gear that allows highway driving without getting 10mpg. I agree with you on the M50D though.

 

[Dirtman]

Bigger tires will effectively raise (numerically lower) the gear ratio... cheaper to just put 33's on it than re-gear. And plus... 33's...

 

[danielp3344]

on top of that already, I have 32x11.5s

 

[rusty ol ranger]

You could use a ZF from a 351 F250/350. Keep your creeper low then still have an overdrive.

The 300 weighs roughly the same as a 302, and will outtorque a 4.0 pretty eaisly (265ftlbs@2000rpm vs 225ftlbs@2400rpm).

I say go for it. Its a pain but not undoable.

 

[danielp3344]

The local junkyard has a bunch of old F250s, I'll have to go poke around sometime and see if I can get a cheap trans that way. I guess that's step one.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The local junkyard has a bunch of old F250s, I'll have to go poke around sometime and see if I can get a cheap trans that way. I guess that's step one.

Do not get one from a 460 or diesel. It wont work.

Im also not sure how a ZF will work in a ranger as far as shifter location and such.

 

[danielp3344]

shifters can be relocated, why wouldn't a 460 or diesel trans work?

 

[adsm08]

shifters can be relocated, why wouldn't a 460 or diesel trans work?

Same reason your FM146 won't work.

The bolt holes to attach the transmission to the engine are in the wrong spots.

 

[Dirtman]

Engines tend not to all be the same.