Just bought the wifey an 03 explorer and was talking with my buddy who is the GM at the dealership. I was talking about how easy it would be to put the new heades on my old 5.4, he is not much of a motor head so he did not have to much to say baout that but he did mention that with the new beefier frames that they re using that you should be seeing the 6L diesel in the f-150's as early as 05.
Jsut thought I would throw this out for some opinions-

 

I honestly don't think it will happen. First off, the 6.0 is wayyyyyy to much motor for an f-150 frame. Why would you need to have a motor that pulls 15,000 lbs in a frame that can only handle 8,500 lbs. The 6.0 barely fits into a SD engine bay and I don't see it fitting in the 150. Plus I believe the tranny, bell housing is too large for the f-150, also the drive shaft would be about 2 feet long. Plus the gov't is cracking down on diesels and the emmissions .

I would like to see a v6 or inline 6 diesel in the f-150. There's rumors that International has a 4.5L V6 on the shelf waiting but Ford dropped the ball on that program. I guess we'll just have to wait and see .

 

A diesel in an F-150 frame would be just dandy. Problem is, will it make enough power? It will have to be light enough to not cause the front to sag but strong enough to withstand the force of a diesel combustion explosion. It would have to not weigh much more than the 5.4 and put out at least 200 hp and 300-350 lbs of torque. Not an easy task. To make it viable enough they would have to sell quite a few of these puppies. I don’t think the average person will want to put up with the noise and smell of one. So IMHO Ford won’t do it.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

You have to remember though the 04' f-150 frame is MUCH stronger then the current one, like 9x more stiff. I doubt they would(or could) fit the 6L but I think we should maybe look for a 6-cylinder diesel or posible a small 8.

 

Ken (from Ford Truck Enthusiasts) raised this very question to the F150 Brand Manager during our Ride and Drive. While I cannot quote verbatim from the conversation, I would not bet on seeing a diesel in the F150 anytime soon...especially now that the (light duty!) 2004 F150 can tow up to 9500 lbs when equipped to do so. Their feeling is that the market would be way too small to justify the additional cost.

 

Good insite. I agree with all of your guys input. I do think that one way or another they are going to make an f-150SD so to speak that may not be utilising the 6l v-8 but will prob as mentioned before either an inline or v-6 close to the same liters. It will prob not have a 15+k towing ability but will be able to bump it into high 11's low 12's whihc 2-3k more is alot and in my mind worth while to offer. NOw it will prob be a limited production vehicle until they see a bigger market for it, but there is now way that ford will sit back and let GM offer the only 1/2 with HD towing.
BUT, another thing that was mentioned before on ly time will tell on this one. I am not expecting anyhting until the fall of 05'-
EBJ

 

it was rumoured that ford was building a 4.5l (i believe) based of the 6.0l for the f150. international also was working on this until ford decided there would not be a big enough demand.

At any rate it will still be a few years as they are still tweaking the 6.0l aswell as the fact that 1/2 tons have harder emiisions to meet than a superduty. Also the 4.5l may only have been able to meet emissions for a few years. Then the argument that people may just step up to a superduty anyway (lets say if the price is relativly close for more truck which would u pic?)

I have heard that the jeep liberty is going to be available with a diesel in the future so maybe ford will look back into it. Who knows forsure, kinda like how there wasnt going to be a 04 lightning, all rumours until it happens.

 

Hmm...a diesel in a f150, I highly doubt a big enough market for it. Most work sites have a f250, they're bigger stronger and can handle more work.

 

The 6.0 won't fit in the regular F150 engine bay - look at the darn thing in a superduty engine bay!

Ford and Navistar were working on a chopped 6.0l - the 4.5l "baby"powerstroke engine - for use in the F150's. Given Ford's recent financial issues, the furter development and marketing of the engine was put on hold. In addition, significant emmissions issues remained to be solved, as the emissions requirements are more restrictive on the F150 trucks than the superduties due to the different weight classifications. The implementation of Ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel in 2006 and 2007 will go a long way towards solvng some of these emissions issues.

The major problem is if this engine ever comes to fruition will be making sure the engine is not misunderstood. Some people have the opinion that a Diesel in a pickup must be a super powerful, stump pulling, haul a semi trailer type motor. The current blreed of Cummins, Navistar, and Duramax diesels only serve to reinforce that opinion. It doesn't have to be that way - Europe has figured that out. Sales of diesel powered cars has mushroomed in the past few years (partially due to exorbidant taxes on gasoline) in Europe. Small, torquey diesels are even offered in American cars - like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty (still called the Cherokee in the rest of the world). Folks from North America are always plesantly surprised by these motors as they offer snappy performance and excellent fuel mileage.

I strongly believe someone has to break the barrier of bias against small diesel engines in the US. Volkswagon has done a bit with the TDI, but perhaps the Liberty with a diesel will do the trick.

I'm all for a small diesel in the F150 that gets me comparable power somewhere between a 4.6 and a 5.4 but gets over 20+ mpg regularly. I know plenty of people who feel the same. Too bad North American auto makers still don't think we're ready!

 

I agree with Gopher. If an automaker put a diesel engine into a half ton truck, I would definitely get rid of my thirsty S-Crew and purchase the high mileage diesel. I just got back from a two week fishing trip where I saw at least fifteen of the new Cummins diesels. They are SO freaking quiet. They are quieter than my S-Crew, get twenty MPG, last LOTS longer... Even if it didn't have the power of the gas motor at first, a diesel that is as smooth and long lasting as the Cummins in a F-150 would be a big seller in my opinion.

While we are kinda on the subject of diesel, does anyone know how gasoline companies get away with selling diesel fuel for more or the same as gasoline? The stuff is less refined and a by-product of the gasoline process... if the price of diesel ever came down, and the engines came in a light duty truck, they would both be more popular options... IMHO

 

gopher,

You make a lot of sense. My last truck was almost a SD with the PS 7.3 diesel but the payments were too much. The power potential of a diesel is so much greater with simple bolt ons. The problem with the diesel option is the payback time. You have to drive quite a few miles to recope the investment from the cost of fuel savings. When I eventually trade in my current truck I will again seroiusly look at the oil burner as an option.

JMC

 

JMC, very true that that repayment / break even time takes a while. The last time I checked on a Powerstroke Superduty vs. a V-10 Superduty the break even mileage at that point was around 150,000 miles. Of course the diesel is just broken in then, but I digress... If you are a high mileage driver, then the diesel is a no brainer, or if towing, but beyond that?

Part of the difference in diesel prices is in the tax rates. Federal tax on diesel is 24.4 cents a gallon, gasoline is 19.4 a gallon, so right there you are 6 cents a gallon difference. Add in state taxes which may or may not be different, and there you have a price difference.

Right now, diesel on a National basis average is about 6 cents cheaper a gallon even with the different taxes. So right there, diesel is already priced about 12 cents a gallon lower than gasoline for the "raw" diesel product.

 

GLad to hear the new opintiopns. Everyone has had some great points.
THese last few points though have made alot of sense. IF you could get the same "performance" in an f-150 with either motor, and get better milage, why not? The onlyt other agrument agianst any diesel motor is the lack of gas stations that carry diesel.
As mentioned you, the bolt on performance parts for diesel motors, have a way better power increase.
But again I guess we will just have to wait and see=-

 

any word on the baby powerstroke?

are they still working on this?

will they come out with a diesel for the light trucks/expy by 2006?

if the expy had it now i would grab one

 

Last I heard, the plans for the baby PSD have been scrapped. International is currently talking to GM to get the small PSD in the Hummer H2. I would love a PSD in an F-150, but personally, I think it would cost more than a SuperDuty, and with the current F-150 towing almost 10,000 pounds, there's no need for it, and as was stated already, it wouldn't get enough sales to dedicate the research and development and time and money to get that engine in an F-150. Most people who are towing what the PSD would be needed for get a SuperDuty, but the F-150 1/2 ton truck is already towing as much as it's going to be able to tow anyway, even with a stronger engine. I love the PSD, but for me, it would be kind of pointless if the truck that it's in has IFS. I do wish that we would get a smaller V8 or a 6 cylinder diesel, though. That would be awesome, I'd want a diesel in my F-150!