So the fact that Cats largest on highway engine customer was coming out with their own engine had nothing to do with it?

 

Sure it had something to do with it. They could have found more customers to take the place of their largest customer in time. But in the interim, they would have had to completely bear the R&D costs of meeting the rapidly changing EPA regulations until customers were found and it just wasn't fiscally feasible in the short term when finding new customers is not a sure bet. With their off road engines they don't have to bear those costs since presently the EPA regulations only apply to highway applications of an engine. If the EPA regulations would not have been as they are, CAT would have been able continue with their highway engines for the customer base that they had. The leadership at CAT also recognized trhat most of the major players in the highway engine market bought new prior the the new regulations taking effect and the market was going to be slow for a few years. This also played a part in their decision to vacate the highway engine marketplace.

 

Come on. The US has hardly changed MPG standards in 20 years. Ford could meet all the standards by just stop making the trucks so freaking heavy. If they would be a leaders instead of a follower of what other truck makers are doing they would rule the road. Sadly nobody has any ***** in the auto industry.

 

It has nothing to do with MPG. The EPA changes there standards, so the automakers have to get the motor to operate in the correct amounts of CO2, and NO2. I don't think Ford would have done away with the 7.3L if the EPA wouldn't have changed there standards.

 

ha ha, Yeah its just that simple. So instead of making trucks that can actually work and haul a decent payload lets make them lighter so they just bend in half when you load them up. Give me a break guy. Like somebody else said, it has nothing to do with MPG numbers. Lets not forget the MPG numbers have been going down like crazy thanks to the EPA. I want to see a 6.4 get 20 mpg like a 7.3 could. I would like to see how Ford is being a follower in the light truck market? Gee I wonder why everybody seems to think you are from some other manufacturer. Probably from honda, they make a great truck!

 

So then what exactly has Ford been doing for the past 33 years? Numbers speak and the Ford F-series has been kicking the competition butt for a long time now. Are they perfect, no but they are far better than any other pickup on the road today.

Jeff

 

All of the manufactures trucks have shortcomings usually due to poor design. As to the mpg issue, that can be traced directly back to the EPA and the short time frame that the manufactures have to work in. Some of the blame can fall on the manufacturers for dragging their feet on developing new methods to attain cleaner engines that deliver fuel economy. It they were more proactive and aggressively attempting to stay ahead of the EPA things might be better for the consumer.

 

Mercedes and the other diesel engine manufacturers in EU have no problem meeting far stricter diesel emissions laws and still build car diesels, light and med. van diesels, heavy truck diesels with more performance than anything Ford, Cummins or any US manuf.s have made in the last 40 years.
Is it dumb US engineers or fat lazy US auto truck manufacturing exec.s more interested in their stock options prices than making a quality engine.

Your next ambulance will probably have a Mercedes diesel in a Mercedes van body that your grandchild rides in for diesel particulate lung damage because of weak cheated upon US emissions regs.

Go overseas anywhere, Asia, EU, Middle East.
you won't see any US made diesel pickups. Customs doesn't allow them in.
So much for the US diesel pickup industry.

 

You're missing the picture there guy. MPG standards are not the only piece of the puzzle.

 

Or perhaps the US manufacturers are more concerned about making money. Will the extra costs involved with making what you would call a quality engine be outweighed by the increase in sales? I don't think so. Also, it is silly to compare EU to the US. They are two different markets.

I do enjoy all of the arm-chair engineers and arm-chair CEOs though.

 

Ford does have a European division, and they do make diesels. I would like to know how you know they "have no problems" meeting the stricter emissions laws, and also what are their emission laws.

Lets not forget part of the problem with meeting our epa rules is how fast they were put in place.

 

................And to back up what you say about the EPA,GO HERE, Diesel Technician Society ,one more time,my 2002 7.3 is aprox (80%) lower in NOx than a 1991 7.3,think about this for one minute people,the 6.Oh Oh's and the 6.4's came about after the EPA mandated lowering CRAP out of the tailpipe that that the 2002 7.3 could not meet EVEN AT AN (80%) REDUCTION LEVEL OVER A 1991 7.3,it's called goverment out of control with NO common sense and just what is the total cost to YOU and ME in HIGHER priced truck's that get LOWER MPG,we lose on BOTH end's,Sheeesss.

 

Well said, poppie. I've been saying since 1968 that the EPA would wreck the auto industry and they have. One reason Ford and the EU manufacturers are investing in diesel technology everywhere but North America is because fuel costs a lot more everywhere else and the population of the rest of the world does not whine about the smell of diesel like we the spoiled Americans do. America could build a car that would get 80 mpg if they wanted to. But it would probably require using diesel with the hybrid technology and the "stink" perception of the diesel engine won't allow it. Put another way, the decision makers of the manufacturers don't have the courage to be visionaries instead of short term thinkers. If I were in the market for an economical car I would be driving a TDI VW instead of a Fusion, Toyota, or Honda hybrid. The fuel mileage would be better on the highway and I wouldn't have to spend over $3000 for a new battery down the road to keep it on the road for 300,000 miles. I would love to have a turbo-diesel Fusion and a diesel F150. That would be all we would need in our driveway.

 

I second the diesel F-150. I don't need a Super Duty. Everything I tow is less then 8,000 lbs. My next truck will be a F-250 with a diesel. Probably take a while to save up $60,000 though. LOL. The diesel gets better fuel economy and has way more torque then a gasser. Plus they usually last longer (mileage).

 

As far as I am concerned the Hybrid cars are way over rated. My buddy had an 03 VW TDI and it would get 45+ MPG all day long. The Hybrids are hardly even getting that... if at all. like you said, diesel has a negative connotation, especially with the environmental crowd.