Fullsize V-6 Pickup Comparison

[Raspy]

I'm not a fan of V6 engines in general.

They either fire unevenly or they are mechanically out of balance and require a balance shaft to correct it.

If someone needs a modern truck with 300 HP, why buy a V6 instead of a V8? The V6 will be at a very high state of tune or turbo charged and require premium fuel. Where the V8, with more displacement will be better suited for heavy work.

Of course, for heavy work, the diesel is best. Seems like the V6 is best for cars

 

[Raspy]

Robert,

Thanks for the info on the GMC V6s. I didn't know there were so many sizes!

 

[Dmace]

I'm not a fan of V6 engines in general.

They either fire unevenly or they are mechanically out of balance and require a balance shaft to correct it.

If someone needs a modern truck with 300 HP, why buy a V6 instead of a V8? The V6 will be at a very high state of tune or turbo charged and require premium fuel. Where the V8, with more displacement will be better suited for heavy work.

Of course, for heavy work, the diesel is best. Seems like the V6 is best for cars

Exactly! Like I said earlier, what's the point of paying such a premium for Ford's high strung 300hp V6 when you can get a solid long running V8 from the other two for less money and those are engines that have been used for years in various vehicles. Unlike the Ford engines which seem to change every couple of years...
Sure you can argue that the V6 gets better gas mileage but put a load in that truck and I bet it will drop mpg's like a bad habit. The overall average of fuel mileage loaded and unloaded will be much closer to the V8's and probably less.
I want to see more inline engines, they just make more sense mechanically and tend to provide broader power curves.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Exactly! Like I said earlier, what's the point of paying such a premium for Ford's high strung 300hp V6 when you can get a solid long running V8 from the other two for less money and those are engines that have been used for years in various vehicles. Unlike the Ford engines which seem to change every couple of years...
Sure you can argue that the V6 gets better gas mileage but put a load in that truck and I bet it will drop mpg's like a bad habit. The overall average of fuel mileage loaded and unloaded will be much closer to the V8's and probably less.
I want to see more inline engines, they just make more sense mechanically and tend to provide broader power curves.

I actually agree with everything you just said. I know, must have woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something. :laughing::laughing:

The issue is these engines are going to be the standard in the near future with all the Government crap. CAFE has killed the big displacement gas engines like the Ford and Dodge V-10 and the 8.1L GM. From all the reading I have been doing the only way to get emissions under control is to make higher revving smaller displacement engines. They stroke must be shorter to accomplish this and give more complete fuel burn. This kills the low end grunt that I have always liked. Turbos and Super Chargers is the only way to bring this back with CURRENT TECHNOLOGY.

Technology is what this is all about. Things are going to have to change and new ideas are going to have to come to the market.

Chris

 

[ModMech]

The 3.5L DuraTech has PROVEN to be an excellant and willing powerplant in many Ford product lines since it's introduction in about 2006 (Edge as I recall).

The 3.5L Eco-Boost uses well proven technology but Ford has stumbled badly with V-6 products in the past, such as the 3.8L (T-Bird, Mustang, Lincoln, Taurus, Windstar etc) and still has somewhat of a black eye from that.

Virtually all engines offered now make more HP and most mkae nearly as much Tq as the "Big Block" engines of yester-year while obtaining nearly twice the fuel efficiency in a heavier more equipped vehicle. That's IMPRESSIVE!

The talk about the EcoBoost is mute, you can't get one according to Ford's website, at least not yet, they are not even listed as an option for ANY F-150.

Ford - Cars, SUVs, Trucks & Crossovers | Ford Vehicles | The Official Site of Ford Vehicles | FordVehicles.com

Personally, no 1/2 ton is a work truck that I would use for towing etc in business or on a farm/ranch, they will not take that level of abuse.

 

[Raspy]

I'm not one to jump on the bandwagon of new tech until it has has at least some time to prove itself. This especially hold true with Ford and all their new engines. The 3.8 Fords blew head gaskets, then their V8s blew spark plugs out. The diesels from them have changed over and over and have turned into the biggest warrantee disaster in Fords history. Cabs had to come off the trucks to work on them, etc. No thanks!

More inline engines would be very nice in trucks. But I'm afraid they are not likely to be popular unless they have big HP numbers and snappy performance. New, lighter and quick reving stuff seems to be the order of the day.

Also, I think, it's easier to meet emission requirements with a lot of small cylinders vs a few big ones because there is more cool cylinder wall surface per hot volume of gasses to keep the Nox down. Lower average temp.

But wouldn't it be nice if we could at least order a 300 inch inline, cast iron six? Or a mid sized inline 5 cylinder turbo diesel like the Sprinters used to be offered with. Or the 2.8 inline 4, turbo diesel that came in the Jeep Liberty. All great engines.

 

[_RaT_]

Robert, rebuilt one those in my 1963 GMC. Mine even had Scotch plaid valve covers! The engine was very good in the low RPM's, sucked on gas like crazy, maybe 10-11 mpg. I drove mine to Maine back in 1986. My engine was the 305E. It also was available in a 350, 401 and 478 and of course the V12 which used many of the componets from the V6 like pistons rods etc as I recall. The crank on that was longer then my Ford 351 V8 that was also getting a rebuild at the time (it was in my boat). My 63 had the 4 speed manual with the non synchronized 1st gear. Mark

Just looked at the Wiki Link you attached. Was not familiar with the 379 or 432 as those were not in my repair book. Later versions.

Here are links to Chevy V6 trucks. Stump pullers.... Hook a chain from these trucks to one of the new ones, and the early one would drag the new one acrss the parking lot...

My olf high school drafting teacher had a '66 GMC> That truck would pull like most modern diesels. It was a beast!

GMC V6 engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

GMC Big Block V6 Engines

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3323302/1962-gmc-c-k-pick-up-patterson-ca-us

 

[_RaT_]

I would really like a small diesel truck. Toyota has a decent one that the US does not allow. Its not for pulling stumps, but I have better tools for that anyway. It does get over 30 mpg. With no question we will indeed see gas/diesel taxes go up in the near future, prepare to pay more for everything, you can bank on that!

I'm not one to jump on the bandwagon of new tech until it has has at least some time to prove itself. This especially hold true with Ford and all their new engines. The 3.8 Fords blew head gaskets, then their V8s blew spark plugs out. The diesels from them have changed over and over and have turned into the biggest warrantee disaster in Fords history. Cabs had to come off the trucks to work on them, etc. No thanks!

More inline engines would be very nice in trucks. But I'm afraid they are not likely to be popular unless they have big HP numbers and snappy performance. New, lighter and quick reving stuff seems to be the order of the day.

Also, I think, it's easier to meet emission requirements with a lot of small cylinders vs a few big ones because there is more cool cylinder wall surface per hot volume of gasses to keep the Nox down. Lower average temp.

But wouldn't it be nice if we could at least order a 300 inch inline, cast iron six? Or a mid sized inline 5 cylinder turbo diesel like the Sprinters used to be offered with. Or the 2.8 inline 4, turbo diesel that came in the Jeep Liberty. All great engines.

 

[ModMech]

Ford's warranty costs with the 2002 up diesels stems more from their last-minutes changes to something that worked and more importantly, much longer warranty periods, than anything else. The 6.0L/6.4L engines proved to be VERY good overall, however neiter are forgiving of bad "tooning" by the aftermarket.

Ford has TONS of diesel engine products in ROW that they could sell in the USA, but that would take market share from the most profitable lines, not something they are likely to do.... until someone else does.

Taking the cab off is for speed, not necessity in most cases and actually results in a better quality repair. Ford is not the only one doing it and not the first, by a long shot.

 

[RobertN]

Part of the reason the V10's came about, was emissions. It was easier to get a clean burn with 10 smaller cylinders than 8 larger ones. Part of it was the stroke ratio as mentioned, part of it was the flame characteristics over a larger bore size.

Some things are going to have to change. One might be, a move away from the behemoth loads we in the US(myself included) try to haul.

The other is, we really do not need 400hp/600ftlbs torque to haul. Over the years, I have seen some of the older v8's, and even a i6, haul loads like discussed in the many threads here. They just did it a lot slower...

Getting an American to take a step back in power is about impossible, barring a full on embargo...

If you(we) took a step back with that new V6, dropped the HP/Tq, significantly upped the MPG, that motor could still pull a nice load. In the slow lane. Same as the diesels. Why not have a 200hp/350tq motor, kinda like the older 12V Cummins, that got MPG in the 20-27mpg range. More time in the slow lane, but better mileage.

Heaven forbid, the rest of the world survives that way...

The issue is these engines are going to be the standard in the near future with all the Government crap. CAFE has killed the big displacement gas engines like the Ford and Dodge V-10 and the 8.1L GM.

Technology is what this is all about. Things are going to have to change and new ideas are going to have to come to the market.

Chris