Someday, when I'm ready to sell my truck (that'll be a while), I wanna' get a '96. I was wondering, what is a better overall engine, a 302 or a 351 based on:

acceleration:
towing and other torquey tasks:
reliability (overheating, maintenance, etc.):
durability (life span of engine):
gas mileage:

I know there isn't one clearcut winner for every single category, but overall, what would be the best way to go? One thing going for the 351 is that I want to get an F-350, which as you all know doesn't offer the 302 as an engine. So just how bad is the gas mileage for the 351? Thanks in advance.

 

The 351 is a better motor for hauling/and is basically a truck engine. The 302 is a commuter/lt work engine. Mileage on the 351 sucks! I have never heard above 11 stock and about 15w/mods. I get avg of 20 with my 302.
acceleration: (The 351 has more low end and high end acceleration than the 302. What makes me wonder is, it must not do as well on qtr mile times over the 302, because not many mustangs or cop cars had it. Hmmm.)
towing and other torquey tasks: 351, (truck engine)
reliability (overheating, maintenance, etc.): (I doubt there is much of a difference.)
durability (life span of engine): (again, I doubt if there is much of a difference, I know several of both with well over 200k with out the engine being touched)
gas mileage: 302 hands down

I think the 460 gets around the same mileage as the 351 does, and it has WAY better performace than either of the others. The 460 was the best of the Big blocks

 

The 351 definatly drinks gas like crazy. I got a 96 F150 shortbed 4X4 with 351, it's very thirsty, but can pull a house down.

 

I agree with Pastmaster (once again), 460 was the best of the big blocks!

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'94 F-150, 4.9 6cyl., K&N FIPK, Mangecor 8mm wires. Gibson 3" Side Swept, MSD Blaster Coil, superchip. Just stolen: Pioneer DEH-P835R Head Unit, Rockford Fosgate 200a1 pushing 2 RF 10" subs. Pirelli Scorpion A/T 255/75/15. Est. 200 hp 300ft/lb. Torque! Not bad for a straight 6!! Also driving the girlfriend's '94 Mercury Grand Marquis.

 

Whoa! Ok. I have a 1993 4x4 SuperCab Short Box with a 351 EFI (no mods except Bosch Platinums). I've never gotten worse than 12 driving in city traffic. On several occasions I've gotten 15+ mpg, and once 11 when I was bucking a 40 mph wind doing 85 coming back across ND. I average between 13-14, but saying no one gets better than 11 without mods....not true at all.

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99 XLT 5.4L SC 4x4 ORP Wedgewood Waldoch - 3.55LS, grey/blue leather, wood dash and door inserts, Lund Deflector, Trenz Billet Antennae, Clear Corner Lenses...and too many things on my want list!
1977 1/2 F250 4x4 "Low Boy" 400-4spd

 

I have a 1996 F150 w/ 302. I don't see how the milage could be any worse! I have never seen anything close to 18mpg. Go with the 351! Just my opinion -- Martin

 

ND-BMW: The 11 mpg was for a F-350, I posted that for TF's question aobut 351's!

My dad had a 1995 F-150 Regcab/longbed 2wd 3.55 351 that avged 13mpg stock. My best has a 1992 Supercab Flairside 351 4x4, he said he has gotten 12 once, and he has only a kn filter and a tonneau. If your getting 15mpg stock without a tonneau, you do have something to brag about,otherwise you must be the only one. I know several people who have them in F-250's and they can't ever get over 12 even in 4x2's

You get 12mpg in town? Thats unbelieveable. I have a 93 2wd with a 302 and alot of mods and I only get about 10-12 in town. My 89 4x4 302/auto avgs 14, got 16 once, stock except true duals, avgs 9 in town

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[This message has been edited by Pastmaster (edited 05-24-2000).]

 

I've gotten worse than 12 mpg only once, bucking a wind. I put on 40K in 2 years and my overall average was 13.8. I always got within +/- 1/2 mpg of 12.5 driving around Minneapolis for the last 3 years. I didn't say I get 15+ all the time, but on many occasions (long trips) and I only experienced a slight bump in that when I got a tonneau . My dad has a 1992, basically the same truck (4X4 SC 351) and he's a rural mail carrier...averages 13 over the last 4 years...and that's a lot of starting and stopping.

 

How does that 5.4L compare to your 351? I mean mileage and performance. I would guess its a bit better?

 

I haven't put enough miles on my 5.4 yet to give a good mpg claim. With no mods or bed cover I've been hovering in the 14-15 range. The 5.4 has a lot of pep and you can feel it when you put the throttle down. I pulled my skid steer about 300 miles a few weeks ago, and it's hard to explain but I almost felt like the 351 was a little more at home pulling it. Then again, the two trucks are completely different animals.

 

I have a 92 Ext 4x4 351 355rear and I get 12mpg all the time with out a trailer and 10mpg pulling 6000lb. I craked a head and valve at about 120k. Replaced one head and rebuilt other. It gets more towing and plowing miles than easy miles. I agree with BMW the 351 seems to handle pulling better compared to my wife's Expedition, but the Triton feels faster and smother under regular driving. The 302's I've driven were real doggy pullers.

 

You can't beat displacement when it comes to towing, now racing on the other hand...