Ford has the Power Stroke, GM the Duramax, and Dodge has made a killing with the 6BT series Cummins. I can't help wondering if they'll put a 4BT into the Dakota. GM could put a small diesel into the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon. And a Ford Ranger diesel would be nice. Fuel is getting spendy.

Maybe it's time to resurrect my 1983 Ram 50 4x4 (Mitsubishi Mighty Max with different letters on it) with its little 2.3 turbodiesel. There were a few diesel mini-pickups for a while, but they seem to have faded away. Today's diesels have better engine management. I'm thinking a diesel mid-sized pickup would be nice.

 

The old Rangers could come with a 2.3L turbo diesel as a matter of fact.

 

heck yes!! take the 360 cummins but with 4 cyl instead of 6. somewhere around 200-250 c.i.d. i remember years ago besides the ranger diesel that isuzu had a small diesel, that was when the chevy luv (isuzu p/u) was around. they had a real bad rust problem, worse than the vega.

 

all the chevy luv's I've seen have been rusted out so bad I was wondering how they was held together. I didn't know ford made a ranger with a diesel, I knew on the luv's and vw had the rabbit truck that was a diesel. I think a midsize diesel is an excellent idea. My dad talked about that the other day, he grew up on a farm and when they got a diesel tractor it had a lot of power and would run all day long on a tank of fuel and wondered why they never put them in trucks till way later. For the most part diesel is cheaper than gas and you do get more mpg. VW has it in their cars and they get 45+ mpg. I don't think it would be hard at all to get 30+ mpg in a midsize truck diesel that you could actually use it for work also.

 

Ford has a V6 Powerstroke... I think the biggest thing that is barring it is that the Crew Cab is already a heavy son of a gun, and that diesel is going to put at least 400 pounds on it (5.4 is aluminum, PSD is Iron)

 

Ford doesn't have a V6 powerstroke...

 

Sure they do....
Its a 4.5L V6, 200 HP, 440 Lb. Ft. of Torque

http://www.commtruck.ford.com/ctw/default.asp

clickydo on the big flashy banner that says "whats new!"

 

I don't know where you are but here in OK, diesel is, $1.95+ per gal. and gas is $1.70+ per gal.

 

I am in the western part of Washington State. I recently drove to Iowa and back, and paid as low as $1.739 for regular.

Yesterday, I filled my bike at the Cook Road Shell, on the I-5 corridor. I paid $2.099 for regular unleaded, and noticed diesel was $2.399 a gallon.

Sometimes I go to Costco or USA Gas and can still get regular unleaded for under $2. But heading upriver, closer to where I live, I see $2.159 for regular.


Hey, mattsbox99, I know that's an ad for Ford's new LCF cabover, but this sure looks like it has real potential for a pickup! That 4.5 diesel would be great in a pickup. Let's face it, diesels over 300 hp, mounted in extra heavy one-ton trucks, are great for contractors or folks with really big campers and trailers. But they are overkill for Joe Average just doing the chores with his pickup. For most of us "users," a pickup is just a big handy metal box that drives down the road.

Today, I ran a typical pickup errand, finding a deal on homemade snowplow. Three of us heaved the thing into my F250, one end at a time. When I got to my shop, my son and I dragged it back until I could pull forward to let the rest of it slide off the tailgate. I didn't need 300 hp to get down the road, and could have done the job with a half ton. If Ford wants to let me try that 200 hp 4.5 V6 in my old '77 F250, just for an undercover pickup test, I'll be happy to test it for a couple of hundred thousand miles. I'd even give them back my 351M!

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=10 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=168 bgColor=#666666 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD width="100%">More Info</TD><TD align=right width=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=docs cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=168 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom width=10></TD><TD vAlign=top width=12></TD><TD vAlign=top width=10></TD><TD vAlign=top width="100%"></TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=right width=10></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom></TD><TD class=docsInstructions vAlign=top colSpan=3>The Printable Materials below require Adobe Acrobat Reader.</TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=right></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom></TD><TD class=docsInstructions vAlign=center colSpan=3></TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=right></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=168 bgColor=#666666 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=docs cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=168 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=right></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom></TD><TD vAlign=top width=12></TD><TD vAlign=top width=10></TD><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Commercial Truck Model Line Flyer</TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=right> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=right></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom> </TD><TD vAlign=top width=12></TD><TD vAlign=top width=10></TD><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Ford LCF Series Flyer</TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=right> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom width=10></TD><TD colSpan=3></TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=right width=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Features

Engineered and produced in North America, the new Ford LCF is designed for use in highly populated urban areas, where more and more customers are turning to tilt cabs for their general delivery, utility, recovery, leasing and rental, construction, landscaping and other vocational applications.

It’s built for customers who appreciate the tilt cab design advantages over conventional cabs—visibility, maneuverability, operating ease, overall efficiency and basic economics.

U.S. industry-standard 34" frame width and optional axle-to-frame (AF) dimensions help make upfitting easier and more cost-efficient.

Power and Performance

The Ford LCF will have plenty of horsepower (200) and torque (440 lbs.-ft.) to haul the heavy loads, climb intra-city hills, or merge onto freeways safely. Power and frame, suspension, and brake designs all contribute to a robust, Built-Ford-Tough chassis that delivers excellent maneuverability, braking and brake wear, and ride and handling.

Basic Specifications

• GVWR: Classes 4/5: 16,000 lbs., 17,999 lbs. and 19,500 lbs.
• Cab: Ford
• Engine: Power Stroke® 4.5L V-6 Diesel; 200 HP @ 3000 rpm; 440 lbs.-ft.
• Torque @ 1850 rpm
• Transmission: TorqShift™ 5-speed Automatic O/D with Tow/Haul function
• Transmission-Mounted PTO provision: optional
• Wheelbases/CAs: 113"/84"; 137"/108"; 149"/120"; 167"/138"; 185"/156"
• Frame Rails: Ladder type, Huckbolted, High Strength, 50,000 lbs. psi
• CA (Cab-to-Axle): clean top of frame rail for easy body mounting
• Axles:
  • Front: I-Beam 6,000 lbs. /7,000 lbs.
  • Rear: Single-speed 11,000 lbs. /13,500 lbs.
• Suspension:
  • Front: Taper-Leaf, 6,000 lbs. /7,000 lbs.
  • Rear: Vari-Rate 11,000 lbs. /13,500 lbs.
• Brakes: 4 wheel anti-lock disc
• Stabilizer Bars: Front and Rear
• Fuel Tank: 40-gal. (rear-of-axle between rails) std./35 gal. single/dual (side)-optional
• Wheels – 19.5" (Steel or Polished Aluminum Wheels) and Tires
• Tow Hooks
• Chrome Grille/Headlamp Bezels: optional

 

A diesel Ranger & F-150 would be great.

 

I'd prefer a 60 degree 6 or an inline, but if it works it doesn't really matter. Whatever the case, it is way off in the distance. Aarg, the waiting game.

 

Its too heavy for a half ton pickup...