Working around diesels most of my life I've found true diesels to be more durable and easier to maintain than gas. I would love to own a diesel f150. My current F150 would be a perfect truck with a good diesel in it. That said, I don't mind waiting until the designers figure out all the 2007 and 2010 emission mandates a little better. I drive a Freightliner tractor daily in my job. It is a 2008 model with a Detroit engine. It has more driveability problems than any vehicle I've EVER driven as does our entire fleet of '08s. It won't idle without loping, surges at slow speeds, has gone through 4 EGR valves in a year, gets about 2mpg less than the '01 models they replaced and generally runs like crap. Maybe a little time for tweaking the diesels isn't a bad idea right now.
I'm old enough to remember 1973-74 and the way the new emission standards(catalytic converters, etc.) screwed up cars for a few years.
I think "Ford4x4-JD70AB" has some good points, a inline 4 or 6 just seems to work better (well no problems with my 6.9 V8 so far), I know the inline 300 6 cyl was a great engine and they are still using the old 2.3 inline 4's in many cars and buggies today. I think a inline 4 or 6 in the light trucks would be great and get some great MPG ! Why go to a V8 or V10 or V12 and have so many more parts to break............remember KISS ! Keep it Simple Stupid !
BTW.....a small diesel is needed in small cars....my 87' Ford Diesel ESCORT....still runs and gets 37 MPG on bad days in city drives.....cost me less then 9K out the show roon doors ...............try that with todays crossbreed vehicles !
My 6.0 has almost exactly that, and I'm out of warranty (over 5 years).
Nothing wrong with Cummins...by most accounts they make a pretty solid product. A 3.9 could work if they can tune it up to handle the workload.
As for the hybrid question; Mining for battery materials, and then dealing with the waste has to factor into the equation. I have heard a number of $7K when the Prius batteries need replacing. That is a pretty stiff fee IMO.
I have gone over Fords South American site and saw that in Brazil and Argintinia they have a 3.9 4 cyl Tdi (i think its a cummins, my portugese and spannish isnt good). Makes around 270 hp and 410 TQ at 2000 rpm. That could have worked in the F150... Funny in Argintinia they call their F250 the F100. Anyway that 3.9 must have recently replaced the 4.2 i6 Tdi we had got to know in South Africa and Aus. That motor had good tq but hp was not so good.
A deisel is a F150 is a bad idea. Youre gonna see a lot of guys buyin these and towin like its a 6.4L f250, breakin stuff and then raping Ford on warranty work. Remember, people are idiots.
I don't think ford would honor warranties if the truck breaks because of misuse. I for one, would love a diesel 1/2 ton. I do moderate towing with intermittent heavy towing. I'd love the unladen mileage of a smaller turbo diesel. The 6.4 is just too much for me, but I want a diesel. And please, please, please, bring back a manual trans in the 1/2 ton!
I would love to have an F150 diesel with the 6 speed automatic with Tow-Haul. And while Ford is at it, they can bring back manually locking hubs with manual shift on the fly transfer case and a heater core that can be changed without having to remove the instrument panel, thus adding $450 to the job.
With the new emision targets and the inability to make diesel with our current refineries, we are not going to see a 1/2 to diesel, if we do they won't sell very well.
the inability to make diesel with our current refineries
What do you mean our current refineries can't make diesel?
Diesel is a byproduct of making gasoline.
I live in a town dominated by refineries and they produce diesel by the thousands of gallons daily.
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1996 F250 4X4 Crew Cab: Diablo Flip Chip, Powershot 2000, Hypermax exhaust turbo back, Tymar AIS, All the gauges, Bilstein Shocks, AirLift Super Duty bags on the rear
We don't have a refinery capacity problem. We have a perception problem by the unknowing general public and tree huggers. All they know is that diesels are louder and stink and are harder to start on cold days. While none of this is true today, it's a perception that the general public has. I would love an F150 diesel and a Taurus or Fusion diesel as well. It would be far less expensive in the long run than a hybrid and pull more.
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