Ford to build its own diesel engines

Oakland Press ^ | 3-11-10 | JOSEPH SZCZESNY

[smokingfrog]

Ford Motor Co. is hoping to keep its product revolution rolling by introducing for the first time its own diesel engine into the heavy-duty pickup truck segment.

The new diesel engine, powering the new F-Series Super Duty truck, resulted from a development program that began as Ford’s longtime relationship with Navistar broke down amid recriminations and lawsuits over pricing, specifications, quality standards and warranty costs.

Navistar had supplied Ford with the big-diesel engines used in the heavy-duty pickup trucks for more than two decades.

Ford elected almost three years ago to build its own diesel engine for its North American trucks, which are used extensively in construction, farming and ranching. Ford has declined to say how much it spent on the new heavy-duty F-150 and the new engines.

“It was a real gamble for us,” said one Ford official who was familiar with the project.

It was also in keeping with Ford’s ongoing effort to develop vehicles that will stand up to the best cars and trucks in each segment in which the company competes.

Ford already owned the rights to the “Power Stroke” name used on the Navistar engine, and it brought in engineers from its European operations to work on the project alongside engineers in the U.S. familiar with diesel engines.

Chris Brewer, the chief engineer for the heavy-duty truck, said the changes are already paying dividends. By bringing the production of the diesel engine inhouse, Ford was able to hold the line on prices.

In addition, the new Ford-built diesel engine delivers best-in-class fuel economy and towing capability. Indeed, recent tests showed heavy-duty trucks carrying 1,000 pounds, getting better than 26 miles per gallon in fuel-economy-challenges staged by Ford, with some drivers getting 34 miles per gallon, Ford officials said.

[Red Badger]

Rest In Peace, old friend, your work is finished.....

If you want ON or OFF the DIESEL ”KnOcK” LIST just FReepmail me.....

This is a fairly HIGH VOLUME ping list on some days.....

[NVDave]

More specifically, Ford tried to make the HEUI injection system do something it wasn’t designed to do - split shot injection.

They were trying to compete with the quietness of the Chevy/Isuzu diesel.

Navistar told Ford that the HEUI injection system wasn’t meant for split-shot injection, but Ford thought they knew better and we got the horrible 6.0.

The 6.0L diesel fiasco cost both Ford and Navistar dearly - so much so that I’d suspect that when Ford announced that they were going to “do their own diesel,” there were many smiles and chuckles inside Navistar - something akin to “Well now, we’ll get to see how Ford does when they own the whole problem and can’t point fingers...”

For all of that, tho, I vastly prefer my 7.3L. It simply has better low-speed performance, especially with a manual transmission.

[Abathar]

“”Produce a Ford 350 with a compound turbo cummins 5.9L and a allison transmission and I will buy one !””

http://www.srdieselconcepts.com/

I helped program some of the parts they needed to do just that.

[Yo-Yo]

“”Produce a Ford 350 with a compound turbo cummins 5.9L and a allison transmission and I will buy one !””

http://www.srdieselconcepts.com/

I helped program some of the parts they needed to do just that.

Something tells me that truck wouldn't meet the EPA particulate emissions test...

[JenB987]

You just can’t beat an inline 6 cyl Cummins.

6.0 Power Strokes (Power Jokes as my husband affectionately refers to them) are junk. The older 7.3’s were way more dependable.

We’re faithful fans of truck pulling and the only Fords I’ve seen do well, place or win all have Cummins engines swapped in them...usually die-hard Ford guys with a lot of extra money to spend.

Hubby is only faithful to the Cummins so he will only purchase Dodge trucks. But if Cummins ever ended their contract with Chrysler, he’d go where the engine went.

[mo]

the government isn’t interested in gas mileage and efficiency..

“.. the federal government profits approximately .59 cents per gallon through gasoline taxes, 7 ½ times or 750% that of the oil producers themselves and 20% of the price at the pumps. Pay attention here, Washington liberals are attacking oil companies for their 2.5% gross profit margin, while Washington is profiting 20% per gallon....”

http://www.jb-williams.com/4-25-06.htm

[SpinnerWebb]

I'd rather buy an American diesel and not be forced to buy German.

I wholeheartedly agree... but I just broke down and bought the German.

Traded in my F-150 King-Ranch (11 mpg gasoline) for the Jetta TDI (45 mpg diesel). It's quite a culture shock, and I wanted to buy a Ford, but they have nothing that competes economically.

I do feel a bit emasculated, though.

[fightinbluhen51]

Cats? Yeah, I have cats! They’re at home eating.

Nothing that a good acetylene torch, some new exhaust piping, and an engine recalibrate wouldn’t take care off. Screw that urea injection crap!

[fightinbluhen51]

All depends on how they do their engine / catalyst “regeneration.” Some engines were to be designed so they didn’t use the urea injection, but would then run at a higher exhaust gas temp to “burn out” the soot in the cat.

Explain to me why, to meet the emissions requirements you degrade fuel efficiency with EGR (which I’d get ride of in a heart beat) and the higher EGRs which means more fuel burned for a diesel since they throttle with the fuel.

[mo]

All you need to know about this..

State and Federal Treasuries “Profit” More from Gasoline Sales than U.S. Oil Industry

http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/1139.html

[UNGN]

Traded in my F-150 King-Ranch (11 mpg gasoline) for the Jetta TDI (45 mpg diesel). It's quite a culture shock, and I wanted to buy a Ford, but they have nothing that competes economically.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid would have similar costs per mile... at least around here where gasoline is much cheaper than Diesel, but I had sticker shock when I saw they were $36K at the auto show last week.

I wouldn't pay over $23K for a Ford Fusion, unless it had 350HP.

Spending $13K more to save maybe 10 mpg is crazy. Not just crazy, but Al-Gore-Bat-shiat-crazy.

[bert]

You lost a truck.

Think Sprinter, a Dodge van manufactured in Europe by Mercedes and sold and serviced in America by Dodge. Mine is extremely roomy, 9,000 pound GVW and on a trip ended yesterday to the flat lands of Florida and Georgia got 25 mpg cruising I 95 at 65 MPH. The turbo diesel is flawless and performs awesomely with a 600 mile range

Un like its Dodge truck cousins made in USA, it can’t be heard rattling a mile away.

[gathersnomoss]

The Progressive Government hates gasoline as much as it despises cigarettes.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"When they gonna build a nice diesel for the average car/SUV?"

When the Feds let them. Ford has plenty of very nice diesel passenger vehicles running around Europe. But here in America--supposedly so much less "green" than Europe--our emissions laws have gotten in the way. It's a pity, as today's passenger-vehicle diesels are really nice to drive and very durable. Fortunately there's some change afoot. Slow, very slow, but change nonetheless.

[mcshot]

The diesel in our former 02 Jetta was made in Poland and aside from emission problems the best thing about the car.

[smokingfrog]

For your lawn, you should get a propane mower.

[e_castillo]

I have a 2001 7.3 4x4 and love it. They do have some good engines in Europe so if they bring in designers that have extensive experience they may not be too shabby.

[mo]

“Progressive” governments are compelled to “virtue” to justify the legitimacy of their iron fist.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I was recently reading about those. Seems like a great idea!

[Don W]

In 1994: The Ford Motor Co. owned 7.70%; Tenneco Inc. General Employee Benefit Trust owned 7.70%; Cummins Engine Co. Inc. and Affiliates Employee Stock Ownership Trust c/o The Northern Trust Co. owned 5.57%; and The Capital Group Inc. owned 5.04%.

That’s from

http://www.smokershistory.com/cummins.htm

I may have overstated the amount that Ford owns, but you were also mistaken. If you actually read my post, you would have seen that I mentioned Chrysler’s use of Cummins engines, and that the bankruptcy of Chrysler corp likely frees Ford to use Cummins now.

I stand by my entire post, including my theory on why Ford will now use Cummins.