300 Ford engine

[Todd in NC]

I"ve got a 1994 F-150 with a 300 engine in it. It"s got over 216,000 miles on it and it still gets around 20 MPG (not a joke!!!!!!!!). My question is, what kind of mileage did the old carbureted engines get? Everybody I"ve talked to says the mileage was bad. Right now, if I had to repower an old truck, I would go with a 300. And, I would put a 5 speed with a granny low and overdrive. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance, Todd.

 

[Kris Golden]

I have an '84 F-250 4X4 300CI 4 speed manual, 3:54 gears and it got 8 MPGs when I first bought it. '84 is the last carb equipped 300 and only in the 4X4 - 2 wheel had injection. I took off the computor and put a point type distrubtor in and changed the carb to an older non electric model and it jumped to 16MPGs and had way more power. It now has 220,000 and is down to 13.5 to 14 MPGs empty. I run wider 70 series tires and that cuts mileage plus have a heavy liftgate.

 

[mtflat]

I had a new '77 F100 plain jane model with a carbed 300, 3spd that got 15-16 consistently for over 176,000 miles.

EFI was a good idea, even if it cuts down on some home repairs and hotrodding.

 

[IrishMike]

I have an 85 F-150 it has got 13 mpg as long as I have had the truck, loaded or empty. It is a carb engine with 4-speed granny low. I have had a 16 foot trailer behind it and with truck and trailer loaded, just under 13,000lbs, it still got 12-13mpg. It is getting old and high miles now and at times it is hard to start, but still runs well, Mike

 

[Jon Hagen]

Neighbor had an early 80's F 150 with 300 and 4 spd OD manual. was pretty consistant at 20mpg or a bit better. Good for a 1/2 ton 2 wd.

 

[ericlb]

i had a 93 fi50 4x4 with the 300 it got 17 to 20 until
i sold it at 160,000 miles because i needed a larger truck, this was a short bed, kind of makes you wonder which idiot at ford trashed that engine and decided to make all these weird sized gas guzzelers they have now that old 300 was a hard act to follow probably the best longest lasting engine they made

 

[Amarillo Doug]

I drive an "88 bronco with a 300 in it every day.It still gets 20 MPG and it has 673,000 miles on it and is still going strong.I fully expect to get a million miles out of it!!!

 

[Leaky Boot]

I have had a F100 with 3 speed for past 25 years. Current miles is about 139K. I average about 20 mpg. Way back would get about 22 on long trips. I bought a new pickup in 1999 and just kept this one too as to good to give away. It gets better mileage than the 4.6 in the newer F150. 3 speed is much less work than the 5 speed OD. Seat is better and I think you can see over you left shoulder better in the old one. If I could have my way they could just keep making the 1980 model today. LB