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I've had cars with the 302, 351W, 400, 429, and 460, and driven some buses with the 360 and, I think, the 389 or 390 (forgot the number). They've all been great engines. The 351W needed more work than any of the others. That's just my experience though.
Aside from being a gutless wonder, what makes the 255 so bad? If it's anything like the 302 I would think it should at least be super reliable.
That's probably it right there....the fact that it's a gutless wonder, probably had small port heads and all. Certainly not worthy of even trying to make any power with it. As little power as it made it really didn't deserve to be called a V8. I'm sure it probably also had the typical smog era "never did run efficiently" syndrome. You have to remember the 255 was designed to make the tree huggers happy, so I'm sure it was massively detuned, retarded ignition and all.
I'd like to know why the 400 was so heavily shunned?
I've been a part of Ford message boards where people turn turds into hot rods. Apparently all the 255's would swap directly for a 302 and vice versa. The 255 is a debored 302 with smaller head ports, and passes its peak power around 3000 RPM like every other smog-era V8. I do know the 3.8 V6 replaced the 255 which saved about 100 lbs in weight and produced slightly more power. I had one of those old 3.8's...it was hardly a performer and not as reliable as a 302, but moved the car along nicely in town, could easily tow a 1500 lb trailer @ 70 MPH and got up to 30 MPG highway.
I had a 76 Cougar kept it for 4 years, sold it to a relative, the engine was ok while I had the car!
It was a nice car, now, tiny is in! Got the car in September, and cost 5400, got a trade for 2800. Forgot my trade car the Dart was giving a 1000 to
buy the car, and that car had a bad water leak, reason for the trade? I did the trade a little ove 1 year.
I'd like to know why the 400 was so heavily shunned?
I dont know... we had a 1978 Lincoln Town Car with the 400 (460 became an option that year) and it was a really good engine.
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