what's the most power an inline can produce without blowin it up? i'm wanting to hop my lil six. i don't want a v8 yet. plus i like the sound of my lil six. just curious. i have a lil 223ci. 6.
check out ford truck enthusiasts (FTE). There is a guy that had one dyno at 300 h.p. IIRC naturally aspirated. He has a bundle into it. I think a small turbo would be the way to go with these engines, and 200 should be do-able for about the cost of a 300 horse sbc. Cost effective? NO. Cool? absolutely.
Re:"what's the most power an inline can produce without blowin it up?" Over 3,000. Or, did you mean your motor? Don't spend any money on it. As was said - if you want a 6 get a 300. If you want power get a V8.
You can make a 223 a really neat looking engine, but naturally aspirated, you won't be making a ton of power with it. If you make over 200hp out of that you're doing QUITE WELL for yourself. If you want real power from a Ford six, i'd have to agree with everyone else and step it up to a 300. 7 main bearings, and my 350 hp 300-6 would spin to 7k and held together beautifully. I love Ford inline sixes... and 300's are the way to go for big power. Your 223 can definately be made peppy though. Put a nice little 3/4 cam in it, 3x1's and a long tube header with about a 2" exhaust system... it'll scavenge real nice and will rev to 5,500 safely. I wouldn't want to rev it much past that. If you do want to spin that 223 above 4500 all the time, be sure to balance it! Best of luck.
it's the original engine and i'd like to keep it in there. i just want more power and look more interesting than the typical than the usual V8. too many people around here have V8s and the sound got tiring. plus there isn't that many 223s around from what i've seen, let alone one hopped up.
The advantage, wether Ford or Chevy 6, is the fact the crack travels 120 degrees, as to the V8's 90 Degrees, meaning a crapload of torque. You have trade offs, a better head and intake for breathing, better exhaust etc, you can go in a circle with to many parts changes. Figure out what your target number would be nice and driveable at, then research the cost to go fast. Most 6's have tricky heads to hop up, or certain applications may not be available. Its also the old, one 4bbl or trips arugment. Yes superchargers or blowers are available.
I'm planning on using a 223 from a '63 F-100 PU in my '29 Model A, so I'm also very interested in how these motors can be resonably improved. I agree with you that it's cool to see something different and in-line sixes can look very cool! Good luck!
I agree with Cjsteak & thefrenchtownflyer the 300 I6 is the way to go. Go to fordsix.com and do some reaserch, great motor. I used to run a 240 in my f-truck ( direct brother to the 300) produced great power and would do 100 mph.
true, the hardest thing about getting power from these motors is the heads. my 300 I built for my mustang to replace to 200ci motor has a massive lazer cam and a 4 bbl intake with a 700 carb on it, but it took a crap load of head work to match up with that equipmetn, i ported and polished and it runs something like 110% more flow than stock, ccd the combustion chamebrs and some other stuff. the bosses for the valves runs right through the middle of the ports which restricts flow pretty badly, but thouhg i havent tested the motor yet the builder im working with expects something north of 450 hp out of this thing. guys used to run these motors on dirt with over 600hp, so theres alot of power to be had there. the smaller sixes, at least in the united states have heads with cast on intake logs and super restricive ports, siamese exaust port (which they make a fix for) and other problems. Australian or argentine crossflow (especially the fuel injected heads) cure this and can get you 250hp or so. The most ive ever seen was an australian crossflow, turbocharged race motor putting out a claimed 450 or so. Like others said, they can look cool, but theyre expensive to upgrade for the kind of poiwer you;re likely to get.
The advantage, wether Ford or Chevy 6, is the fact the crack travels 120 degrees, as to the V8's 90 Degrees, meaning a crapload of torque What????????????????????
It was an accidental spelling mistake. The "CRANK" travels 120 degrees then a plug fires on an inline 6. A V8 fires every 90 degrees. Lucky667
i have a 55 ford 2 dr wagon the original 223 was shot. I installed as truck engine that has 262 cubic inches. It looks identical to the smaller 223 and is a perfect bolt in swap. You can find these engines in 1 1/2 ton trucks and some bread vans. OldWolf
An engine doesnt know or care if it has 6 cylinders or eight. There is no disavantage to 6. I have built both 6s and 8s. Sixes are a lot more fun for me. Done Fords Chevies and slant sixes. Even a jag six All great motors. go for it. A good six well done wil give a V8 a run for its money. Dont let anyone discourage you go for it. You will be pleased. Don
I did not know there was a 262 in that design, how do you ID them? reason is I have one out of a truck that I thought was a 223.
The "CRANK" travels 120 degrees then a plug fires on an inline 6. A V8 fires every 90 degrees. Again: what does this have to do with torque?
Clifford (6=8) Perfomance sells/manufactures headers, manifolds, cams etc. for 223s. Go to their home page. Clifford has some interesting history racing Hudsons http://www.cliffordperformance.net/...?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CP&Category_Code=F300
Re: inline six potential? The issue is breathing. The Jag DOHC six..in 3.8 litre was easily modified to 300hp reliable street..more in race trim. Aston Martin 6s also. The issue that makes these so strong is the head. Dual overhead cams..C Type straight cross flow head..(Westlake designed)..three large SUs or Webers=strong power...all this in their day. Now 3.8 and 4.2 Jags return well over 400 for vintage racing..but these are not inexpensive motors to hotrod. The big Ford 300 is a decent start..but it will depend on the flow..and what could be done to get it to breathe..for street power.
Inline 6 potential? I've seen street driven Supra's with 1500 Hp and track cars with way more. But they have nothing to do with this. Just an interesting fact
I'm going to sidestep the original question a bit to start. I had a 223 in a '55 Mainline when I was in college. Ran great, fun car, etc. I rebuilt a head for it, knocked .030 off for a little compression increase, and put two glass bowl holleys on an Offy intake, built a split exhaust manifold and ran 2" duals. Sounded WAY cooler, and regardless of actual H.P. gain, the fun factor went WAY up. For a street driver, don't go max H.P. Some cam, balancing, mild compression increase, dual carbs and exhaust, that's all ya really need. Max H.P.out of a 223? how much $$ you got?
i think the 120 deg firing makes it a more balance engine, not more torque. the heavy crank, or crack if you wish, and spinning mass prob healps out on the torque. they are torque monsters, the larger ci ones. as said don't let them talk you out of the 6. if you want power get a v8, i disagree with. at least power per cubic inch.
i have a holden 6 here in australia, i l9ove sixes, my wife has a v8 but all my cars are six, the only problem with a six is you need to open your wallet more to go fast, there are less brands of speed equiptment so its harder to find good cheap stuff. mine so far owes me about $7000 without the supercharger on. i could have got the same power with a $3500 crate motor and had more reliability so its only worth getting into sixes if you like sixes
The "CRANK" travels 120 degrees then a plug fires on an inline 6. A V8 fires every 90 degrees. Again: what does this have to do with torque? Exactly, you can change a V8 from a 90 degree engine to a 180 degree engine, and it doesn't change their torque characteristics just by changing that....explain in more detail, maybe your meaning something else! <!-- / message -->
Barney Navarro did something real special with an AMC. read a Rambler 6. Lets not forget that there are more engines out there than chev or ford.. though the big two are easier to find parts for..
It's not real power, man, that car is pushing 60lbs of boost to make that number. It's not really enjoyable to drive in that state, the turbo is the size of your head. Tom
What is it the junkyard dude in Mad Max says? Something like, Speed is just a matter of money, how fast do you want to go? Anyhow, the same applies to horsepower. That said long stroke motors usually don't like high RPMs and an inline by it's nature is a long stroke motor. That's the only limit I see. But you could probably gear it down enough to pull a house off it's foundation if you wanted.
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