1972 302 C4 F100 Miles Per Gallon?

[Subzero]

I bought a 1972 truck a few months back and I'm rebuilding the engine. It has a c4 and a 302 drivetrain with a 3.5 or 3.25 rear axle ratio but I can't seem to remember which is correct right now. My old 1968 F100 with a C6 360 got around 8mpg-11mpg. What will this 1972 Truck average around with a lift foot behind the pedal?

[basketcase0302]

Subzero » Wed Nov 16, 2016 1:57 pm

I bought a 1972 truck a few months back and I'm rebuilding the engine. It has a c4 and a 302 drivetrain with a 3.5 or 3.25 rear axle ratio but I can't seem to remember which is correct right now. My old 1968 F100 with a C6 360 got around 8mpg-11mpg. What will this 1972 Truck average around with a lift foot behind the pedal?

My fav engine! Lot of guys here call them everything under the sun except for what they are a versitle engine that can pump out the ponies if you want it to with a lot of choices in either economics orracing.
I got 14 in the city with my DRW F-350 with a 302 .030 over with a C-6 and 4.10 gears, (exact reason yanked the 360 out and built the 302 for it-gas mileage).

What does the 302 have in it, (is it stock) / what carb are you running / what kind of exhaust is on the truck?

[Subzero]

It's going to be a .30 over bore stock engine with all new bearings, pistons,valves,ect and new steel valve seats to run better with ethanol fuel/higher temperatures. Stock Motorcraft carb and intake as it ran too good ,besides a knock, with that set up to change it. Duel H-pipe straights out the side with stock manifolds ( I gotta buy those because mine are cracked).
At first I kind of regretted not buying a big block again but I figure in going to keep this truck hopefully for life and a 302 might be more new-age friendly. And 14 city is pretty great with me

[sargentrs]

I got 15-16 mpg in my original 302 with the 3.03 3spd manual and 3.89 gears. 285,000 miles and still running great when I pulled it out. With the C4 and the 3.50 gear I'd expect you get better than that if you don't hotrod it.

[Subzero]

285,000 is impressive, mine has 91,000 and had a knock. It's coming together slowly and should be done by Christmas. I would of thought a manual trans got better mileage than a C4

[sargentrs]

Typically, manual's get better mileage, also depending on how it's driven. However, the old 3.03 3spd had a granny first and due to the high gear ratio, 3rd would be turning 3000+ rpm at 70mph. Add to that the 265/75-15 tires and you have a recipe for a gas guzzler. But with those 3.89 gears she would kick it out of the hole....for about 20 yards anyway

[Subzero]

My daily/beater car is similar- manual trans and runs at 3,000 Rpms doing 60mph. Wish I had another gear up top and I'd get much better mileage, but even now I still get 30mpg so I can't complain much. I like low Rpm engines, maybe because I started out with a 1968 F100 and then a diesel

[ThinLizzy13]

I dragged an old 82 f150 4x4 out of a field to use as a beater. 3.03 gears, C6, and an ailing 302 with 127k and 10psi oil pressure at highway speeds.
It was my first 302 and really impressed me despite it being on death's door. I drove it about 3k miles like that and it still averaged me around 12-13 mpg.

[Subzero]

302s are some tough engines, but sadly I guess I got another dud. Good news is it's getting another chance to prove itself and I hope it lasts for atleast another 30 years of on and off driving

[basketcase0302]

You've made a good choice, don't let anyone here tell you otherwise.
I still own my first 302 that I bought way...back in 1984. It is a 71 year model that came from a rusted out F-250 of the same year. It has well over 300K miles on it / I have rebuilt it twice (currently .030 over on cylinders with stock main journals).
It saw over 20 years of the harshest use imaginable, (including 10 years powering a swamp buggy) with a snorkel that frequently made six foot deep water crossings in the Florida swamps. This engine has been in five different vehicle configurations and will see a sixth in my lifetime I believe.
Waiting on another "project" to throw it in-praying it's a decent bump.
Why the username LOL...

[Subzero]

After painting all the parts after sandblasting them it's really showing how great it's going to look. I just love the old ford blue color and the bright orange stickers contrast. I'm still having trouble finding some original exhaust manifolds and struggling with the weather for a good day to spray my engine accessories with glass black paint. Whole truck is going to be like new- and for less than half the cost of a new "tin foil" one they make now

[basketcase0302]

Are you gonna run new exhaust pipes when you drop the 302 in it?
Here's repo new manifold(s) for a decent price. I loved the sound of the stock manifolds on my dually with flowmasters and "twice pipes" (as Cheech would call them LOL).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/289-302-5-0-For ... 2243434870

[Subzero]

Yes I'm running all new exhaust, or lack there of, cause I'm running straight pipes out the side in front of the rear tires . That one looks really similar to one I have. Check out my post in Engines on my exhaust manifold search ( 302 Exhuast Manifolds are Obsolete?). Mine has some emissions plumbing on it and car casting numbers. The one you linked on eBay looks like a close enough match for that side, thank you. I still need to find the other side with the lines for it or find a way to remove the old ones.