The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Best in-line 6 motors

https://www.hagerty.com/media/archived/best-inline-six-engines/ (Stovebolt Tops The List)

Interesting article. thanks for sharing

A girl could argue the GM Atlas should be in the list.

Interesting article; would have been more interesting if criteria were listed, not just opinions.

Jon

Many may never have owned one but the best inline 6 I ever had was the Pontiac OHC (in a 1966 Le Mans). Plenty of power, 20+ mpg, quiet, cool running and no trouble. I think it had 140,000 miles on it when I sold it and the policeman who bought it for his wife said she drove it for another 7 years.

That Jeep/AMC 4.0L (and its altenate displacement predecessors) was a good one.

Hmmmm- - - - -where's the 855 cubic inch Cummins inline six, or the 3406 Caterpillar? How about the Detroit 6-71?
LOL!
Jerry

Seem like quite a few of the folks commenting on the thread thought the 300 CID Ford engine should have been included.

Jon

I actually just skimmed through it and didn’t notice. That’s a terrible omission. Those 300s are borderline eternal.

1 The 195.5 Custom flying scott, 1962 Rambler vintage.

2 And the Mopar Slant 6.

3 Ford 300

4 Continental flat head

5 235/ 261, GM (The goofy distributor puts it here) Though I have the most time with these than the others posted.

They are in order.

Yeah better than all that German junk listed. And nothing over head cam belongs either. LOL

Truckolet -- Jerry beat me to it, as well!

My list would go:

1. 6-71 Detroit (hands down, no discussion)
2. Stovebolt (includes the 302 Jimmy)
3. 3406B Cat
4. 855 Cummins
5. DT466 International (Pre Maxxforce junk)
6. 258 AMC 6
7. Older Toyota straight six (can't remember the displacement)
end of list. Nothing Euro -- Period.

John, as I recall they were licensed copies of the GM 235, but they're not exact. I've worked on one in an FJ60 Landcruiser, and the Japanese did some changes that made things hard to work on. My Son-in-law is the owner and wanted to change the engine mounts and I had to remove the alternator and it's bracket to get down to the engine mounts because a bolt wouldn't come out.

The title didn't specify on what the 6-cyl motor would be used. Here's one with one carb per cylinder. They are NOT Rochester B's. It would be used in a vertical position. It's a Mercury motor.

I've got one of those Mercury motors, with "Mariner" badging- - - - -worst PITA I've ever tried to keep running- - - - -at least on all six cylinders at the same time! The electronic ignition system resembles a vacuum cleaner- - - - -it "inhales vigorously!"
Jerry

The Toyota Type F inline six looks very similar to the Stovebolt six but shares no internal or external parts.

It is actually based on the 1939-1963 GMC inline 6. The head is based on the Chevy 216/235 head. It was built under license from GM. Displacement was 238cid

The second generation of this engine was introduced in the mid 1970s.

I didn't originally list my own experience on a Chevrolet board, but since our leader has listed preferences, I thought some might find my experiences interesting.

Shop van used year round in Missouri with 300 CID six.

Purchased used with 80k miles.

Drove about 3 months and decided I needed stock in Shell Oil if the original Holley 1 barrel was retained.

Changed 3 on tree to 4 on floor.

Changed Holley 1 barrel to Carter 4 barrel (Offy intake). Hwy mileage leaped from 12 MPG to 22 MPG. And it certainly helped the power !!!

Reluctantly junked the van at 440k miles because the Missouri winters (Modot thinks we have to have salt and cinders for the drivers who got their license at xxx-mart) rusted out the body the THIRD time. During the time I owned the van (80k to 440k) the cylinder head was never off the block. I don't think it was before that, but don't know.

The only other domestic straight sixes I have owned:

Ford 213 (burned an exhaust valve almost as often as a polititian told a lie).
235 stovebolt in a passenger car (hwy mileage 12.3, but this before I knew the difference of Rochester and Carter). With what I now know, I am positive I could improve that significantly. Totally reliable.

Several non-domestic, but will not go further with those (I was bitten by the "buy-American" bug) at age 30.

Jon

I always thought GM postponed the introduction of a V-8 because the Stovebolt was sooo good.

Carb King -- We were posting *our* versions of the greatest in-line sixes ... if that helps any. Too much overwrought Euro trash in the Hagerty list (in my opinion... REAL sports cars have 4 cylinders, not 6 ... or 8 ... or 12, and they're cooled by air -- if you want to waste hp lugging around a radiator and a bunch of water ya can't drink ... well, its a free country ))

Just sayin' ... for a friend ...

I think the gasoline sixes and the oil-burner sixes need to be on separate lists.

They are asked to do different things, for different reasons.

My uncle bought a 93 F150 with the 300 and a five speed back in 95, or maybe it's a 95 bought in 97..? Anyway, he's still got it and last we talked about it, maybe last year, it had a little over 450k miles on it and he had just had the oil pan off of it for the first time for something, I don't remember what. I has not been rebuilt.

Yeah the old Ford 300 six is a really great engine. I'd argue, one of if not the best engine Ford ever made.

John - I took my reply to the 'Spoon

Jon