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Higher compression

I have a '95 F-150 with a 300/5-speed. I do a lot of work with renewable energy. I bought this truck as a test mule for two different types of renewable energy: straight ethanol (no gasoline) and wood gas (biomass gasification). In both cases, higher compression is better and advanced timing help a lot.

How do y'all suggest raising the compression? Deck the head? Swap pistons? What compression ratio could we safely go to?
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
Piston swap is the most common and effective way to raise compression. Good luck on the 100% ethanol, it is federal law that any ethanol for fuel must have 15% gasoline to prevent drinking it. If you make your own still, you better get a permit or ATF will be on you about it. You should be able to find potentially into the high 10's to 12:1 pistons. Don't outright recall where the optimal for ethanol is, but seems to me to be in that territory. main trick is finding such for a 300. It would be easier to find the high compression pistons like that in the V formats.
 
As for the ethanol, you only need 1% gasoline or some other denaturant to make it legal (non-drinkable). My ultimate goal is to have a functional vehicle that can run on locally produced fuel. I have well over 200,000 miles running my F250 on veg oil. The truck has almost 300k on the clock and I'm on the original injectors. I use a two-tank system with heat as well as biodiesel and a veg oil blend.

I was hoping Jacobs might have some high compression pistons but they only have intakes, carbs and cams. Thinking of the V-8's, any idea of the 300 pistons are used in any other engine. Figured solely on cubic inches, a V-8 version of the 300 would be a 400c.i.d. engine.
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
I tried to buy straight ethanol from a local plant once, and they had told me that, plus they discharge fuel way too fast for anything less of a tanker truck.

I do not know that there is any commonality between any other motors, and tend to believe there is not. Wrist pin location and bore diameter are the key factors.
 

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