# Gas mileage of a Ford straight 6



## hemlock (Aug 18, 2011)

Hello,
Does anyone know the rough fuel mileage of a Ford straight 6 (1979) with a 4 speed automatic?  We had on years ago (except with a 4 speed standard), but I don't remember how it was on fuel.  There is one for sale here for a good price, and looks in great shape.


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## MasterMech (Aug 18, 2011)

I'm going to guess in the low teens, maybe 12-14 MPG based on prior experience.

Unless you plan on driving it daily, does it matter? Nothing wrong with old trucks for real work.

The fuel dragon (8MPG! With room for improvement....) in my sig stays parked unless I need it for heavy-hauling chores. But when the time comes, I am happy to enlist it's services, regardless of fuel costs.


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## lukem (Aug 18, 2011)

hemlock said:
			
		

> Hello,
> Does anyone know the rough fuel mileage of a Ford straight 6 (1979) with a 4 speed automatic?  We had on years ago (except with a 4 speed standard), but I don't remember how it was on fuel.  There is one for sale here for a good price, and looks in great shape.



I had a 1979 2WD 4 speed auto F150 with a 302 V8 (versus the 300 I6) and what felt like 4.56 gears (I doubt they were, but it was screaming going 55).  It was THIRSTY....got about 8.  Even with the 6 and some tall gears you'd probably get no better than 14 for that old of a truck.


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## hemlock (Aug 18, 2011)

MasterMech said:
			
		

> I'm going to guess in the low teens, maybe 12-14 MPG based on prior experience.
> 
> Unless you plan on driving it daily, does it matter? Nothing wrong with old trucks for real work.
> 
> The fuel dragon (8MPG! With room for improvement....) in my sig stays parked unless I need it for heavy-hauling chores. But when the time comes, I am happy to enlist it's services, regardless of fuel costs.



You can't beat the those old trucks.  I had a 1984 C30 up until last year, and it was a "fuel dragon" (that's why I don't have it anymore, but it sure is missed).  With fuel at $4.60/g, you needed a second mortgage to fill it.  I'm starting to go into "truck withdrawal" however.


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## MasterMech (Aug 18, 2011)

'84 C30, with the 454? lol  That's about the only thing that's worse than mine since they usually had a Rochester Quadra-junk fuel-toilet instead of the crude fuel injection on mine.


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## hemlock (Aug 18, 2011)

MasterMech said:
			
		

> '84 C30, with the 454? lol  That's about the only thing that's worse than mine since they usually had a Rochester Quadra-junk fuel-toilet instead of the crude fuel injection on mine.



It had a good old Q-jet carb on it.  I used to keep a small jar of fuel with the truck, because if it sat for any amount of time, I'd have to take the air filter off and dump some gas down a port on the back of the carb to re-fill the bowl to get it to start.


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## Bigg_Redd (Aug 18, 2011)

hemlock said:
			
		

> Hello,
> Does anyone know the rough fuel mileage of a Ford straight 6 (1979) with a 4 speed automatic?  We had on years ago (except with a 4 speed standard), but I don't remember how it was on fuel.  There is one for sale here for a good price, and looks in great shape.



I had a 1978 F150 4x4 with a 300-6 and a 4 speed standard tranny.  14-15 MPG if running empty and I was taking it easy.


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## thewoodlands (Aug 18, 2011)

Bigg_Redd said:
			
		

> hemlock said:
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Ford Super Duty 250, getting 14.8 miles per gallon. Huge improvement  :coolgrin: it's a 2010. Needed it to push snow.


zap


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## lukem (Aug 18, 2011)

50% of fuel economy is a direct result of the right foot.


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## Flatbedford (Aug 18, 2011)

My first Ford was an '83 F250 4x4 straight 6 and 4spd. with 3.55 gears. It got around 11 or 12 around town and as much as 18 on the highway. Not that much better than my '00 F250 V10 that has about 200 more hp.

The Ford 300 six has a reputation for being practically indestructible and just about all of its torque is available just off idle. I great truck engine.


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## PJF1313 (Aug 18, 2011)

The only Ford 6 I had was an '80/'81 (can't remember now) E-150, old Ma Bell service van, short/stub noise (engine half in the van) I bartered some electrical work for in the late 80s.  Was great going to the junk yards and loadin' up some engine/tranny combos - just slide it right on in - and right on out via some Al. diamond plate and some scrap backery rollers..

As far as millage, it would get about 10 to 12 AFAICR.  It was a 3-speed "semi-automatic"; meaning you would have to switch from 1st to 2nd to drive then to "N" at a stop sign/light; but without a cluch :sick: 

Ran great until it threw #4 rod through the block (on a beer run  ;-P  )but made it back runnin' on all 5, dumping oil like crazy, from that 7 mile trek!  After that, I yanked the power train and the front end, and made a good enclosed trailer out of it for a few years, then got 50 bucks for scrap on top of it all (~'94)  !! 

Sorry for babble, but the SOME of the good 'ole days - WHERE!!  Young and crazy and NO RESPONSIBILITIES and didn't give a darn.....


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## Wallyworld (Aug 18, 2011)

I have a 95 F150 4wd with a 300, I get 17 or so


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## ajreid (Aug 19, 2011)

I had a '76 300 6cylinder in a f150 as my first truck in high school. Didn't get very good gas milage but nothing does when your a teen ager. Yours has 4 speed transmission which mine didn't, that should help. One thing I can say is they are defiantly a tough engine.


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## wayneg (Aug 19, 2011)

I had a 1987 E150 van with the 4.9L straight six and a 3 speed automatic.  It got around 13 mpg.


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## oilstinks (Aug 19, 2011)

I get about 14 in my 96 300. I got it for the 300 though. I pull my ferris walkbehind and 14ft trailer with it. It has got bunches of pulling power. Wish it was a 4 speed. Seems the 4 speeds get about 2 more mpgs than the 5s do here in the mountains. A guy i work with had an 84 300 with a 4 speed and got 16. We both run 235 tires also. But for pulling and hauling wood its great it is a little excess on the fuel though. I bought it for its torque not is fuel mileage.


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## Trktrd (Aug 19, 2011)

I have a '94 F150 with the 300 six. It LOVE'S gas. My F350 with a 7.3 diesel gets better mileage. But I'm the type to drive something til it dies. 320,000 miles later, the old 300 still isn't dead and still runs great.


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## fire_man (Aug 20, 2011)

hemlock said:
			
		

> MasterMech said:
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I always wondered why my '83 305 V8 w/ Q-jet carb starts hard after the truck sits for more that a week or so. It can be 20 below zero and it starts right up after sitting a day or two, but after a week in any weather it has to crank a lot. I'll try the gas in the back of the carb trick.


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## mainemaul (Aug 20, 2011)

had 1994 2 wheel drive F 150, 300 6 CYL.
15 MPG almost always


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## hemlock (Aug 20, 2011)

fire_man said:
			
		

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Thats excatly how mine was.  I guess the gas in the carb bowl just evaporates or slowly leaks out over time.  The gas down the back of the carb trick got mine to fire right up.  It also saves the "dry" cranking of the engine.


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## MasterMech (Aug 21, 2011)

That Carb certainly earned it's nickname.  :-S


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## fire_man (Aug 21, 2011)

I really can't complain about the Rochester Quadra Jet carb. Its only been through one rebuild in 28 years. Other than the hard starts after sitting, its been good. Older technology worked well, that's how we got to the moon.


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