1/2 ton diesel anyone? looks like it might be a reality before long...

[Bigfoot62]

Prove it!
Show me one story or picture of a diesel powered factory built Ford F150.

Article, with pictures, from 2008: 2010 Ford F-150 diesel [Spied again]

Article, with pictures, from 2009: Engine Spy Photo: 2010 Ford F-150 Diesel

Article from 2007: Driven to Diesels - Autoweek

Article from 2008: 2009.5 Ford F-150 Diesel Spotted, Could Produce 350 HP

Article from 2008: PickupTrucks.com: Ford In Wait And See Mode For Diesel F-150

 

[Dmace]

Nothing in the past 3-4 years? Obviously a dead idea there...

 

[300UGUY]

GM built some demo trucks a few years ago with a smaller version of the Duramax. They weren't keeping it a secret, they showed it off at some industry conventions. There are even youtube videos and magazine articles, though they lack any hard HP/torque/MPG figures.

The reason they aren't in production is the financial meltdown. Not to steer the thread into a discussion about that, but GM just did not have the money / creditworthiness to setup production-volume manufacturing for it. Making some concept/demo vehicles for trade shows is a lot cheaper than reconfiguring a factory and putting all the logistics in place to make 100k engines a year. Good idea, bad timing.

100K is not a good volume for a engine program. For that to be viable, it would have to share a lot of components with other engines and/or be sold at a very high markup. I used to work in a plant that did 250K per year, and we were a small, high margin operation. For 100K per year, it would be hard to get vendors lined up, for the same reasons, you either have to have high volume or high margins.

 

[buickanddeere]

100K is not a good volume for a engine program. For that to be viable, it would have to share a lot of components with other engines and/or be sold at a very high markup. I used to work in a plant that did 250K per year, and we were a small, high margin operation. For 100K per year, it would be hard to get vendors lined up, for the same reasons, you either have to have high volume or high margins.

GM is counting on the direct injection gasser to cover what would have been the diesel market if the top regs were Tier II. GM would Have taken much of the diesel truck market if they had used the Cummins instead of thier own diesel adventures.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Plus with Ford making in-house diesel engines (in Mexico)

Kind of like the Ram being made (in Mexico):thumbsup:

Chris

 

[Storm56]

Kind of like the Ram being made (in Mexico):thumbsup:

Chris

Bought a new 2012 Ram this year. According to the window sticker:

Major Parts Content Info:

US/Canadian Parts 70%
Mexico 18%
Engine - Mexico
Trans - US

Final Assembly: Warren MI

So 18% comes from Mexico with assembly in US, not quite what your post states...

 

[Soundguy]

No matter what form of fuel is used to scrub the exhaust it has to be added into the cost of operation. Who knows, maybe battery technology will get to the point where it can be used to scrub the exhaust.

and where do yuo think that battery power comes from? the alternator.. and what powers it. fuel.

I saw some stupid add for a car a while abck.. they were talking up how all the electrical accessories you can get are better as they don't rob power fromthe engine.. yet what they ar emissing is that if you run an electric pump.. you are running off battery or alternator.. and that.. in the end.. menas fuel consumption based on load. right now with current battery technology and conversion losses.. I can't imagine it's a whol eheckuva lot more efficient to turn spinning energy into stored energy, then convert back to spinning energy.. seems like someone is break one o fthe laws of physics there.. not to mention you are adding up front cost and complexity...

soundguy

 

[Dmace]

Kind of like the Ram being made (in Mexico):thumbsup:

I just had to point that out since you see it as such a negative for RAM but not Ford...

 

[logdog]

Bought a new 2012 Ram this year. According to the window sticker:

Major Parts Content Info:

US/Canadian Parts 70%
Mexico 18%
Engine - Mexico
Trans - US

Final Assembly: Warren MI

So 18% comes from Mexico with assembly in US, not quite what your post states...

Was it a 1500? I heard those are made in Michigan but the 2500 and up are made in Mexico. Just curious

 

[Storm56]

Was it a 1500? I heard those are made in Michigan but the 2500 and up are made in Mexico. Just curious

Yes it was a 1500. Cannot comment on the 2500's as I did not check them out.