Re: Which is best 304/345/392 ????

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Jim Mojelsky wrote:
> 
> I am resending this request, because I only received one reply before, and
> would appreciate other views on this....

You probably didn't get many responses because there really isn't an
answer!

266/304/345/392 are all basically the same motor and don't have a HUGE
amount of difference that makes any ONE that much "better" than another.

It depends on a few things.. how much your truck weighs, gear ratio,
tire size, and intended use (highway cruising unloaded, heavy trailer
towing, fuel mileage, what?).

Also, how readily available the motors are... 304s are said to be VERY
common... over half of the Scout IIs produced had 304s.. and a lot of
people want to swap up to 345s and 392s... BIGGER IS BETTER as a general
rule. :-)

345/392 have 4-barrel intakes available.  The 345 would be the more
common of the two.. found in everything including Scouts, while the 392
is a Light Line pickup/T'all and medium duty component... and popular.
:)

The 392 might weigh 50lbs or a little better more than a 266.. and they
all share the same rough outside dimensions (the 345/392 have a taller
deck, and maybe a few other changes, but basically the same size.. not
like a BBChevy vs. SBChevy.)  Bolt patterns are the same and they'll all
bolt up to the same transmissions.

They all redline below 4000rpm.

So.. what do you want?  what do you have available?  What do you need to
do..?

BTW, mileage probably isn't much different between the 4 either.. 1mpg
perhaps.  For that matter, there was a thread on the Offroad list about
mileage.. seems to me a Ford pickup with a 302 got 1mpg better than the
same truck with a 460... go figure.

For me.. I generally don't believe in replacing with the same thing.. if
I yank out a 304, if I can, I'll put  a 345/392 in.. why replace when
you can upgrade?  Bigger is better. :)

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'72 Scout II - motorless
'77 Scout II - 304 from the '72
'78 Scout II - getting a 304
'76 196-4cyl on a pallet, '77 345V8 on a pallet - needing rebuilt for
the '72.