Do or don't put a 4bbl on 1980 300 six F 250 4x4

Does anyone have any experience with changing the 1 barrel carb on a 300 six with a 4 barrel?

Is there enough gain in power that makes it worth it? I am not interested in making it a hot-rod, just looking for a bit more power for pulling/towing.

I have a stock engine that is being rebuilt.

Thanks in advance for any insight, suggestions, etc.

this is a potential argument waiting to happen.
seriously though, it is a bit of a loaded question. we had a truck in the shop a few months ago that was exciting to see come in. a 72 f100/150 with a built 300 and a clifford 4 bbl with a flip plate and a weber 2 bbl on it. it ran ok but nothing impressive. five speed a t5. we tuned and tuned to the point that we finally said "will you let us try a 4 bbl at least" as it turned out it ran very good but still any of our 5.0s would beat it handily. i have wished for a 4 on mine for years and have just decided that its better left alone.

I've heard of pretty decent results from putting a 2 barrel with an adapter on the 300, small 4 barrels are also supposed to be pretty good, but best if the engine has been modified a bit.   The poor 300 is held back a bit by suffocation at the intake and exhaust (and retarded cam timing).

I'm in the process of building a modified 300 for my project, so hopefully won't be too disappointed.  I'm a die-hard SBF guy, but the big six was an itch I just had to scratch.

Sounds like a nice engine.  Please keep us informed on how it goes.  But a small 4bbl might be nice on there.

I agree. a half dozen sbf on pallets and one 300 that I just "need to build" but not sure how yet. after I sell a 5.0 or two, I may start that project but that might be best come winter. still trying to get lefty ready for bodywork.

I and my son did not have any luck with the Weber carbs on his Jeep YJ w/258 six.
The Jeep started with a v2 intake from the factory but someone did the Weber carb.
With that said I had a Holley 2300 v2 carb, half a v4 Holley, that we put on it and it ran much better.

I run the factory Carter YF and EFI exh manifolds on my 81 F100 and think it is fine for what it is.
The 300 is a working truck motor not a race car motor like a v8 (302) is.
The 300 was found in much larger trucks up to the F600 I believe. They are slow but gets the job done.
UPS trucks used the Ford 300 six, its a work motor.

I built my truck as a back up to pull my open deck car trailer. It will do the job just not fast but trucks are never fast. I also kept the granny first gear 4sp to help get heavy loads moving from a stop as the highway rear gear (2.75) is not good for that.
I can also split all my gears making my 4sp a 8sp but some of the ratios are too close that it may not be worth the split on some of them unless loaded.

Also look at the spec's between the 300 and 302 and IIRC they are pretty close, it is just the RPM where they get the numbers at. The 300 is down low in the RPM scale where the 302 is up higher.
Remember higher RPM is also more ware on the motor.
At 45 MPH in 4th OD I am only spinning 1200 RPM and it is pulling pretty good.

I know some guys have used a Motorcraft 2150 carb (1.08) on a v4 intake and say it helped.
If I had a 300 and money to play with I would go v4 intake, adapter to run a Holley 350 CFM 2300 v2 carb, EFI manifolds or header, Chevy 1.7 rockers (ford are 1.6) and see what that gets me.

I guess it all comes down to what you are looking for.
Dave ----

Yes, I ran a offy duel port with a motorcraft carburetor off a 289.
The truck was a 72 f250 stock six creeper 4 speed (np) 3.72-1 rear end.
To say the difference was night and day would not be a stretch.
Gas mileage went up.  Nice thing about a vacuum secondary 4 Bbl. Is it runs exactly like a 2 Bbl. Until you open it up
offy duel port manifold and HD truck manifold

That 4100 is the same carb I was *planning* on using on mine, but am kind of waffling now.  I love those old Motorcraft carbs, but mine has one cracked emulsion tube.  I could try to repair it, but not sure how successful I'd be, and since finding parts for these is getting harder and harder (and when you do, they often aren't any better than what you've got), it makes it easier to punt and just pony up for an Edelbrock 500.

There are several companies with sites that provide parts as well as rebuild/restoration  service.
Mine is a 480 cfm at the engine wasn't at all over carbed.

As an example when I used creeper gear it was always timed out so that I could grab second gear because the one barrel didn't allow for much more than getting the load moving.
After the carb Intake install creeper became really usable,  I fact all the gear ranges became much more usable,  there wasn't the need to change gears as often.
I used my f250 2wd to haul a 5 ton equipment trailer and whatever I decided to drag home. Everyday driver for two years.
I have had both 302 and 300 6 cyls.
The difference was incredible and none of my 302 trucks could compare.