Ford press release regarding clean diesel technology
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007[Source: Ford]
FORD’S NEW CLEAN DIESEL PROVIDES CLASS-LEADING CAPABILITY IN FIRST-EVER HEAVY TRUCK APPLICATION
- New 6.4-liter Power Stroke® diesel with Ford Clean Diesel Technology™ provides an increase in performance with a sharp decrease in particulates and emissions
- Sequential turbochargers improve off-the-line performance with smooth acceleration through the power band
- High-pressure, common rail fuel system with Piezo-electric injectors delivers quiet operation without compromising performance
Ford is leading the truck diesel revolution with the first clean diesel engine offered in a full-size pickup truck. The new Ford-exclusive 6.4-liter Power Stroke® turbo-diesel is quieter, powerful and more capable, yet it still meets stringent new emissions regulations thanks to Ford Clean Diesel Technology™.
The 6.4-liter Power Stroke clean-diesel delivers 350 horsepower at 3,000 rpm, 650 foot-pounds of torque starting at 2,000 rpm and has particulate emissions on par with gasoline engines – a 97 percent reduction from the 6.0-liter. It has also been tested the equivalent of 10 million miles on road and in the lab, helping ensure excellent long-term durability.
“No diesel engine has ever delivered this much power and refinement with such clean emissions,” said Rick Renwick, Diesel Powertrain chief engineer. “We didn’t compromise on anything.”
A tough, cast iron block and heads provide a strong, durable foundation for making power and torque. A new cylinder head design and piston bowl design optimize the high-cylinder pressures delivered by the high-pressure fuel system. The higher pressures provide more efficient combustion, delivering increased power and cleaner emissions.
The pistons mount to the forged-steel crankshaft with larger, stronger rods that feature an increased rob bearing diameter. The pistons are galley-cooled for increased durability.
Two sequential turbochargers provide improved throttle response throughout the entire power band with better low-end performance. Tests have shown zero-to-60 times of more than a second faster than the outgoing 6.0-liter Power Stroke diesel.
A smaller, variable geometry turbocharger comes on at low rpm to provide extra boost at take-off. As engine speed increases, the larger fixed turbo joins the smaller turbo to boost power through the middle of the torque curve. As optimum speed is reached, the larger turbo takes over. The system can deliver up to 42 pounds of boost.
Ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel is fed to the engine via a state-of-the-art, high-pressure common rail fuel injection system. Fuel pressurized to 26,000 psi is injected into the cylinders through Piezo-electric injectors. The latest in injector technology can deliver up to five injections per combustion cycle to better control emissions, provide instant response for optimized acceleration and improve cold start down to –20°F.
Dual 440 mm exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coolers feature an air oxidation catalyst that literally scrubs the exhaust gasses to protect coolers against fouling and EGR valve deposits.
The Power Stroke’s engine control module (ECM) has been improved for 2008. Fuel controls and engine controls are now integrated into the same, rugged cast aluminum housing, enabling proper operation of the state-of-the-art engine technologies. The ECM durability tests were increased by two times to insure robustness.
The highly efficient, exhaust system combines engine and emissions-control technologies such as the diesel particulate filter (DPF) and oxidation catalyst into a close-knit system, removing nearly 97 percent of the diesel particulate.
A larger fuel filter better separates water from the fuel, an important asset with the increasing availability of biodiesel.
Keeping it cool increases power and durability
The Super Duty cooling system has been designed to handle extremes. Engineers based the system tests on the F-550 chassis cab’s pulling gate of 33,000-pounds, combined weight. Super Duty’s radiator has grown by 33 percent and a larger water pump nearly doubles the coolant flow rate from 75 to 140 gallons per minute.
“We have designed the industry’s most robust cooling system to provide maximum power and torque under extreme operating conditions,” said Renwick.
An all-new engine from an all-new development process
The 6.4-liter diesel is more than just a clean-sheet-of-paper engine. It benefits from a new development process optimizing durability, performance, fuel economy and emissions.
The engineering team began by collecting real-world data from working Super Duty commercial customers, tracking their daily duty cycles to ensure the development process more accurately reflected real-world use.
The data was used to develop durability tests that were more representative of these real-world duty cycles. For example, this engine program marked the first time that dynamometer tests were run with the transmission bolted to the engine during the durability run, allowing engineers to see how the up-shifts and downshifts affected the powertrain during the duty cycle.
The tests were conducted using the most extreme and abusive conditions and run to five-times the life cycle that the hardest-working truck would ever experience, further assuring durability.
“When we launched the new truck earlier this year, the engine had already seen more than 10 million equivalent miles of testing both on the dynamometer and on the road,” said Renwick.
The extended testing hours allowed the team to scrutinize every component and system under theses customer-driven conditions. As a result, more than 500 design improvements were made to the diesel powertrain to improve performance and durability.
Powertrain options include the segment’s most powerful gasoline engine
The all-new 6.4-liter diesel joins a proven gasoline powertrain lineup that includes the 6.8-liter, three-valve Triton™ V-10 that makes 362 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque – both class-leading figures.
Customers also can choose Ford’s modular 5.4-liter, three-valve Triton™ V-8 that delivers 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. More than 80 percent of peak torque – nearly 300 pound-feet – is available starting as low as 1,000 rpm.
Both engines benefit from electronic throttle control, which provides economy and performance benefits. For commercial users who need elevated engine speed to run aftermarket power takeoff (PTO) systems, the “stationary elevated idle control” feature is available on all models.
The gasoline engines feature all-new exhaust systems and newly designed air boxes that mount solidly to the new modular front structure. Transmission choices include a 6-speed manual with overdrive or a TorqShift™ 5-speed automatic. The transmissions utilize a new, unique mounting system that better isolates the powertrain and reduces vibration.
Transmissions feature all-new gear sets and a three-plate, two-stage torque converter to reduce turbine noise when the converter is locked. The F-450 uses upgraded synchronizers to enable electronic shift on the fly.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 260,000 employees and about 100 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.
