4.9L Inline-Six Engine
Built from 1965 through 1996, Ford’s 300-cubic-inch (4.9L) inline-six turns air and fuel into rotational torque using six cylinders arranged in a single row, a seven-main-bearing cast-iron block, and a timing-chain-free helical gear drive.
- Displacement & Bore × Stroke
- 300 CID (4.9L) · 4.00" (101.6 mm) × 3.98" (101.1 mm)
- Firing Order & Balance
- 1 – 5 – 3 – 6 – 2 – 4 · Naturally balanced 120° pairs
- Bottom-End Support
- 7 main bearings (one flanking every cylinder)
- Camshaft Drive
- Direct helical gear-to-gear (zero timing chain)
Part Assemblies in 4.9L Engine
Piston, Rings, Wrist Pin & Connecting Rod
Turns combustion gas pressure into reciprocating linear force and pivots it onto the spinning crankshaft throws.
Forged Crankshaft, Harmonic Damper & Seals
The spine of the 4.9L engine: converts six staggered reciprocating strokes into continuous rotary torque.
Cylinder Block, Seven Main Bearings & Mounts
Deep-skirt cast-iron cylinder block with a main bearing between every single cylinder for legendary bottom-end rigidity.
Gear-Driven Camshaft, Helical Timing Gears & Cover
Direct helical gear-to-gear camshaft drive—zero timing chain, zero chain stretch, and permanent valve timing.
Hydraulic Flat-Tappet Lifter, Pushrod & Rocker Arm
Self-adjusting hydraulic valvetrain linkage that translates camshaft lobe lift into overhead valve motion with zero lash.
Cast-Iron Cylinder Head, Valves, Springs & Cover
Twelve inline overhead valves, fast-burn swirl combustion chambers, and concentric coil springs that control cylinder breathing.
Gerotor Oil Pump, Hex Drive, Pickup Screen & Oil Pan
Trochoidal inner-and-outer rotor pump driven off the distributor shaft that supplies pressurized lubrication to every bearing.
Spin-On Oil Filter (FL-1A) & Oil Pressure Switch
Full-flow pleated-media oil filtration with anti-drainback and cold-oil bypass valves, paired with the block pressure sender.
Two-Piece Tuned-Runner EFI Intake Manifolds & Airbox
Long curved aluminum runners that arch over the valve cover to ram-charge the six cylinders for massive low-RPM torque.
Twin-Bore Throttle Body, Butterfly Shaft & Idle Air Control
Dual-butterfly airflow metering for driver pedal response, paired with a computer-modulated Idle Air Control bypass valve.
Serpentine Belt, Automatic Tensioner & Carrier Brackets
Single 6-rib serpentine belt and torsion-spring automatic tensioner that drive every front engine accessory.