Ford confirmers new light duty diesel!

[y-knot]

According to the Automotive news, Ford confirmed that they will release a new light duty diesel engine in it's F-150 trucks. It will be a 4. 4L V-8 turbodiesel sourced form the Land Rover side of Ford's house, and it will be available by late 2008.

 

[JFlagg]

Maybe a diesel in a Ford thats worth a crap, maybe... To bad its a V-8.

 

[AKaiser]

I thought International made the engines, or at least owns the company that makes the diesel engines for the Rover.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

News has been circulating about it for awhile. Here is a Wikipedia entry on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_4.4_Turbo_Diesel



The engine blocks may be made in the same Tupy plant in Brazil that casts a lot of the Cummins engine blocks.

 

[Grizzly]

I hope they have better luck with it then they have had with any of their Powerjokes.

 

[DSpencer]

Forged in Brazil by Tupy and built English tough.



http://www.dieselforecast.com/ArticleDetails.php?articleID=208

 

[Huskerman]

Maybe a diesel in a Ford thats worth a crap, maybe... To bad its a V-8.

Couldn't agree more!! I wish my fellow Americans didn't feel the need to have to compare the size of their Johnson according to how many cylinders their diesel motor has.



FWIW, I travel to Malaysia on business and they have had Ford RANGERS with diesels for YEARS.



Huskerman

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

The significance of Ford’s new diesel engine is its power rating. At 4. 4-liters with a turbocharger, the engine will develop 330 hp – ideal for all F-Series passenger and light-duty applications, namely, F150, F250 and F350. Also, it should be capable of at least 700 Nm of torque. This will bring it within nudging distance of Navistar’s 6. 0-liter Powerstroke, but in lighter and more compact form.

Looks like the wedge between Ford and Navistar just keeps getting wider - and the F-150 diesel could easily keep existing Ford customers from jumping ship to the Toyota side...

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

4. 4L in a F350 - it would work itself to death. Can't imagine it having a decent TBO rating.

A V8 in a 1/2T truck is fine in my book, the Ram 1500s are getting a V8 Cummins soon. Should make a snorty fun-to-drive truck. But when you're talking about towing with a HD pickup, a straight 6 is the way to go.

 

[Huskerman]

the Ram 1500s are getting a V8 Cummins soon.

Please tell me that is just a rumor!! Guess I am lucky I have my 04'. If Cummins DOES go to a V8 diesel, I will be VERY disappointed.



Huskerman

 

[SNiebaum]

Please tell me that is just a rumor!! Guess I am lucky I have my 04'. If Cummins DOES go to a V8 diesel, I will be VERY disappointed.



Huskerman

It's truth but I think you're missing the part where it said in the 1500... this engine will not replace the 6. 7L... .

 

[Huskerman]

It's truth but I think you're missing the part where it said in the 1500... this engine will not replace the 6. 7L... .

No, I saw that it was 1500. I researched it last night and sure enough, it's coming in 2010 it looks like.



Me personally, I like having a 3/4 ton so it woulnd't affect me but its too bad that people wouldn't buy an inline 4 because Cummins could easily make one that would have the same performance as the 5. 7 V-8 (in terms of torque anyway).



Huskerman

 

[Giachino]

FWIW, I travel to Malaysia on business and they have had Ford RANGERS with diesels for YEARS.

Huskerman

They found that the enhanced torque makes it easier to run over 15 scooters simultaneously! .....



KL or Penang? I spent a lot of time on Penang... . drove an xr650 for $5 day... . talk about taking your own life in your hands!

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I'd rather have a V8 than I4 in a half ton - smoother operation with twice as many power pulses per revolution. My pick would have been an inline 6 about 5 liters in displacement, but when Cummins began this project they wanted packaging flexibility as part of the equation, and to save weight as much as possible, thus the reason for going with the V6 & V8.

 

[DSpencer]

The 1/2 ton trucks can't follow the 3/4 and larger trucks and expect to sell big time in the beginning. The buying public is going to buy a diesel only if there is a clear advantage to a gasser. The EPA estimates will have to be 25% better than gas just to get a serious look by most non diesel customers.

Gas vs Diesel has been averaging 15 percent or so higher and looks like that is going to continue.



The trucks that will pull the 6k trailers and have the highest combination of mpg and performance will get the most looks from the public.



Myself will be looking for a smaller than average truck that will pull my 2500 lb trailer. I hope there will be high mileage choices for that category. If they end up making a horsepower/torque race like the current crop they will be missing the market.

 

[Giachino]

If they end up making a horsepower/torque race like the current crop they will be missing the market.

Well starting with a 4. 4l 330hp 510lbs motor... . i'm speculating that's where they're headed... . at least ford, and it'll drive the competition if it's out first...

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

The buying public is going to buy a diesel only if there is a clear advantage to a gasser. The EPA estimates will have to be 25% better than gas just to get a serious look by most non diesel customers.

Gas vs Diesel has been averaging 15 percent or so higher and looks like that is going to continue.

I heartily agree!



Advances in engine longevity for gassers has placed them not all that far behind the diesels - and gas-power economy combined with power levels that fully meet the needs of the vast majority of buyers leaves the diesel-powered choice pretty much to the heavy duty users.



High diesel fuel prices, compared to gas, combined with the move to force diesels to operate higher up the RPM curve for the sake of emissions have/will pretty much make choice of diesel power in light trucks a novelty decision, rather than a practical one...



Face it, if you were a buyer wanting a truck for commute driving, mixed with only occasional heavier use - lightweight RV or the infrequent hauling of larger and bulkier stuff unsuited for a car, would you pay the extra $$$ for the price of a diesel - and then pay a premium price for fuel?



Watch out on the road what the drivers of F-150 and Tundra are mostly hauling and using their trucks for - and ask yourself WHY they would even consider the extra $$$ for a diesel option - other than novelty.



It takes a while to "save" back the fuel savings of a diesel when the engine option is in the 2K-3K dollar range, especially at today's diesel fuel prices. If I didn't use my truck for RV towing, I'd likely be driving a gasser in the Tundra, F-150 or Dakota class.

 

[AKaiser]

Myself will be looking for a smaller than average truck that will pull my 2500 lb trailer. I hope there will be high mileage choices for that category. If they end up making a horsepower/torque race like the current crop they will be missing the market.

V6 CTD in a Dakota would be plenty of muscle.