ComieHook

Hey guys, I just picked up an '84 Ford F150 XL, for cheap. It has PS, PB, cold AC, automatic tranny w/overdrive, SWB, and the original AM/FM radio. (Yikes!) Anyway, it has the inline 6 in it. My dad told me that it will get pretty good gas mileage because of that, but he thought that some of the early 80s Ford trucks with the i6s had some problems, because Ford had to up the gear ratios due to some new government regulations, and that 6 just didn't have enough umph to pull it off.
I would like to get your thoughts on that, as well as your overall impression of this truck.
Thanks for listening to a noob!
HHJr
P.S. I owned a '74 F100 with a 460 in it for a while a few years back. I miss it, still.

Darth Bama

One thing about those inline 6's, they last forever. Only drawback I know of is they're not the fastest things on the street.

I have a buddy who has a 92 that has 350k. You can jump in it and feel safe to drive to California in it! Runs like a sewing machine!

wbstaz

Hi Comie,

Congrats on the new truck, yep the in line 6 is a real good engine, as others have said it will not set the world on fire, but it will never let you down if you look after it! I have a 1986 150 XLT with a hot cam 351W in it, I am thinking of swapping it out for the in line 6 and using the 351W in a Sports Car Project I have in mind. Just remember it is getting on and needs oil and filter changing after 6,000 miles if used on long runs and half that mileage for short runs.


Good luck and happy motoring!!
Billabong.

oxidation

I have the same truck with a manual tranny, see sig, but you're mistaken about the mileage, unless you think 10 mpg is good.

mike_l

if that's all you're getting, there's something wrong with your truck. new the mileage is listed as 18 and i drove an '81 work truck that got up to 22 mpg.

wbstaz

Yes, Oxi, you have been driving around with a vacuum line off which will drastically increase consumption of gas, I get better than that out of my 351W 15-18 on a long run and driving conservatively!!

06fordf150

the i6 is the best motor ford made imo and its a tourqy s.o.b i can def tell the dif between my 89 302 and my old 86 i6 and i sold the i6 300 with around 200 thou on it and now i still see it truckin around town prob pushing 300+ now!!

81F150

As said above, the 300ci sixxer is a great engine. I have an 81 with it and wouldn't swap it for anything. Its not a race car, but its a driver. I'll leave the drag racing to my 92 mustang coupe!

Uncle Tony

I'll toss in my two pennies for the good 'ol I-6.

I'm on my third F-150. Each had the I-6. The first was an '82 Custom with a 1 bbl carb and a 3 sp. auto. I bought it used in 1996. It wouldn't pass vehicle emissions and was getting 10-12 mpg.

Not being very mechanically inclined, I had to locate a service center who had a mechanic who knew how to adjust the carb. After that, I never had any issues with emissions, or anything else for that matter. The mileage never improved above 15-16.

I sold it to a fellow at my wifes work to get a used '94 XLT with a fuely I-6 and 5 sp manual. After I put a fiberglass bed cover on it, the '94 would get 20-22 anytime. The fellow still has the '82. I'm considering asking him to sell it back to me.

I traded the '94 for a new 2003 Ranger 4X4. A couple years later I bought a sweet '96 Eddie Bauer with the same engine/trans combo as the '94. I still have the '96.

The I-6 is a strong engine and pulls hard but it's no speed demon.

Mitch_Rapp

I agree with the rest. The I6 is the the best motor I've ever owned, mine chugges alone with with pavement peeling torque, no speed or acceleration, haha. I've got 4 on the floor and longer road trips get me about 22mpg. 215,000 miles and the son of a gun starts on a dime at 20 below.