Hey guys,

I've got a question about the 170. I've got the original 170 in my Bronco with the 3-speed. My concern is anytime I hit any sort of decent incline, I usually end up shifting into second and the max I can go is 30. Now I know the I6 is no speed demon, and I have realistic expectations about it, but I wanted to see if that is standard hill climbing speed or if my engine is weak and I need to check the compression.

Anyone have any input about the power of the 170? It will go 55 no problem if the road is decently flat, doesn't smoke and has good oil pressure. It's hills that are the issue. Thanks.

-Colby

No experience with that but what would you expect when you name her Sally?!

What gearing do you have? I would expect you to have 4.56. But if someone has swapped in something else it would sense for it to be a bit anemic. If you still have 4.56, then it might be time for a rebuild.

I enjoyed the 170 that was in my '66. It wasn't a powerhouse but it did scoot around well on 33s.

Needs a turbo! I know a guy in TX who put one on his bronco and it would keep up with some modded v8's. He called in "The buzzin' half dozen". Quite impressive, but hard to tune.

Realistically, when was the last tune-up? Do they make a TBI kit for it?

My 1968 1/2 cab had a 200 in it when I bought it. I rebuilt it had the head milled as much as was safe, added a long tube header and K&N air filter. Later I added a DUI Distributor,1:6 rockers, Rhodes lifters. I did change to a 3:50 gear before I started the hole build. After all that I pulled it and put in a 302. Classic Inlines has the best slection and they are Ford only. They also have dino numbers on their web site. ( saved me money on a 2bbl carb change. 5 hp not worth the money spent). Clifford performance has less and less parts for the small block Ford six. My 200 is a 1973 smog motor.

Colby,

If you are going to do a full rebuild, and want to learn about them - there is probably no simpler engine than those early I-6s. Truthfully, I doubt there is a full rebuild in that engines near future - it has less than 20k original miles on it. however - it did sit for a very long time so who knows....

If it were not a classic survivor then you might consider a swap to a larger 6 (200s are plentiful and cheap - or even free if you want to pick them up). You might still consider it, then reinstall the original engine when it is rebuilt if that is what it actually needs. (oh boy - here goes the dreaded bronco creep)

I agree I can't think of a better engine to learn to rebuild. Seems to be as simple as they come. I unfortunately don't have the facility to do a rebuild so I think I would have to outsource that to a shop.

It does seem like low mileage for a rebuild but it was never very well cared for, and that was 17k hard plow miles. It runs great, doesn't smoke, and has decent oil pressure, it just seems to be missing a bit of top end power. Or maybe not I'm gonna try and plug vacuum lines and do a compression test for further troubleshooting before I'm convinced it needs a rebuild.

I've thought long and hard about an engine swap, even just temporarily, but I really enjoy I6 for light wheeling. The torque is great and the power is manageable. I think I will stick with it and I know it will never be quick, it's just a matter of ensuring it's in good working order and I can manage I think.

The 200 ci and the 250 ci inline sixes deserve a look though.

More power and more durability, while still looking original.

Well the thing is, it's a very very early '66, and it's almost completely original so I'm trying to keep everything together. Otherwise, I totally agree. I would have swapped for a bigger straight-6 or a V8 a long time ago.

Colby, a 200 is going to occupy very similar space to what your 170 does and requires no mods, IIRC. You COULD go 200, put the 170 in storage, and if ever the restoration bug hits, put it back in the truck.

Rebuilding the 170 sounds like a fine idea

Not everybody needs a 428 super cobra jet

That little 170, you have plenty of space for it.

Drain it, clean it up well, paint it purty and I will cut you a piece of glass

Voila

Coffee table.

Thanks. Now I want a '66 170 coffee table.

Now that is a great idea! Might be tough to sneak past my girlfriend though. Her and my Bronco are already not friends....

Only a few could tell that it isn't a 170 if you put in a 250, and even fewer if you put in a 200.

How far do you want to take "original"?

The 170 wasn't really adequate for the roads and traffic 50 years ago, much less today.

Drive it?

Or trailer it to shows?

My 66 is also an early one but it was bastardized before I got it so I don't feel obligated to keep it 100% original. I did he disc brake conversion, added power steering, swapped the 170 for a 200, and put a C4 behind it. The next plan for mine is EFI and force-fed air. With that said, I could roll 70MPH with the stock 170 and that was with very poor compression. I could not leave the Bronco in my driveway without using the parking brake because it would roll away in 1st Gear! One thing to consider with regards to making the move to a 200 is that 99% of people won't know its not original. The two look almost exactly the same except for the number of freeze plugs in the side of the block. I keep all of my original parts just in case I ever decide to return the Bronco to her original 66 U13 glory .

I can justify anything


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It would be cool to have a 200. But between the nostalgia and lack of space, I'm gonna work with the 170 a bit more and see if I can't get it running a bit better.

Really except for a missing back bumper and cut rear fenders, mine is stock so I think that's pretty cool. I drove it yesterday. On flat road I can get it up to 60, possibly 65 or so. It's just up hills where I have issues. I'm seriously thinking it's a vacuum leak robbing it of power. I keep saying I will do a compression test and find out and I haven't had the time, but this weekend I am going to do some bumper mount repair and do the compression test because I really would just like to know. I'll be on vacation and hunting for the next two weeks after that so this might be my last shot before the weather gets cold. I'll let you guys know what I find out.

I know your wanting to stay stock but the ignition system is a weak spot. The 66 had a "Load O Matic" setup. Basically, you have a distributor that is controlled by metered vacuum signal from from a "Spark Control valve" in the carb. Its an awful system. If you were to swap the carb for a later autolite 1100 and use a duraspark ignition from a later 170/200 I can promise you that you will notice a difference. If your not comfortable making those changes, at least get a copy of The Ford Falcon Six Cylinder Performance Handbook . It is full of tips to maximize the power from your straight 6

http://www.amazon.com/Ford-Falcon-Cylin ... op?ie=UTF8

Thats a link to it on amazon.

That could be a good improvement. I don't mind doing making that change as I can store the original parts pretty efficiently and reverse them in the future if I ever felt the need. I ordered a copy of that book also, just to gain some more insight into the 170 and how I can make it better. Thanks for the suggestions!

I unfortunately didn't get a chance to play with the vacuum lines or test the compression this weekend, but if the weather is still nice in a few weeks I will try and do that. I did inspect the vacuum lines to the wipers and noticed a few dry rotted cracks, which look like great places for leaks to be happening. So that is definitely not helping the situation. I'll dig deeper into things and see what I can find when I have time.

I'll keep the 200 in the back of my mind as an option though. I've been mulling it over and considering I don't see a major restoration happening in the near future, making it a little more drive-able might be nice and a swap for a 200 sounds relatively painless. Then I could rebuild the 170 and still have some fun in the Bronco!

pssst! Chebby disc brakes work on a dana 30 and Power steering is Mucho Nice and not very difficult.

Wait, I've logged a ton of time and money on the Bronco. When exactly does my wife encourage the hot girlfriend?

Damn, I knew there was a catch.