ForConstructionPros.com

For its 2011 Super Duty trucks Ford has designed and will manufacture its own diesel engine. There is nothing conventional about the new powerplant.

"Core to the design is our new engine block," says Adam Gryglak, lead diesel engineer for the next-generation 6.3-liter Powerstroke. "Where most of the segment offers a conventional cast iron block, we are introducing a new, compacted graphite iron block. It is twice the strength minus the weight."

Aluminum cylinder heads replace conventional cast iron heads. "Our aluminum cylinder heads are key enablers for our weight reduction," says Gryglak. "The overall engine is 160 lbs. lighter than the outgoing product." This leads to direct improvements in payload and hauling capacities.

Airflow through the engine is also a radical departure from conventional diesels. "Our key technology innovation is the introduction of an inboard exhaust system," says Gryglak. "We have flipped the cylinder heads inboard, allowing for shorter runners to the turbo system."

The result is greater efficiency and better performance due to a smaller exhaust volume. "We have achieved about half the total exhaust volume, which leads to improved transient performance, less radiated surface area, improved NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness)," Gryglak states. Less radiated area also means improved cooling in the package.