Ford to offer diesel engine option for new Transit

Ford Motor Co.

The new Transit full-size van Ford Motor Co. is planning to introduce late next year as the eventual replacement for its E-Series van is going to be offered with an option al 3.2-liter Power Strokefive-cylinder diesel engine.

The OEM said its 3.2-liter Power Stroke is currently manufactured in Ford’s Struandale Engine Plant in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and will be exported to its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, MO, which received a $1.1 billion investment for building the new Transit van.

The 3.2-liter Power Stroke is one of several engines that will be available for Transit in North America, including the OEM’s 3.5-liter EcoBoostgasoline engine. All engines are mated to a Ford 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission, Ford said.

Technical features of the new Power Stroke 3.2-liter includes:

  • Quick-start glow plugs that enable smooth and fast startups at temperatures down to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit
  • A sand-cast gray iron cylinder block
  • Aluminum cylinder heads with double overhead cams and four valves per cylinder
  • Advanced common rail piezoelectric fuel injectors that deliver multiple injections per stroke to improve performance and reduce NVH; maximum fuel pressure is 26,100 psi
  • Variable nozzle turbocharger with electronic actuation; maximum impellor speed of 197,800 rpm
  • Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions
  • Integrated diesel oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate filter to save space
  • B20 biodiesel compatibility
  • Cast-aluminum, low-friction coated pistons with piston-cooling jets, which squirt oil on the underside of the pistons to keep piston crowns cool under extreme operating conditions.
  • A water-cooled high-performance electric-controlled exhaust gas recirculation valve that is better able to withstand coolant pressure drops.

“Commercial van drivers spend most of their working hours behind the wheel. We know they want a fuel-efficient diesel engine with smooth, responsive performance and low operating costs,” said Joe Bakaj, Ford’s VP-powertrain engineering.

He added that like the larger 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 offered in Ford F-Series Super Duty trucks, the 3.2-liter’s fuel system has been carefully tailored and calibrated for combustion efficiency to achieve what Bakaj called “exceptional fuel economy ratings” without affecting power levels. 

Discuss this Article 2

kscarbel
on Dec 10, 2012

I think it's great that Ford will offer a 197hp 3.2 liter diesel in the new 2013 Transit (arriving 2014 in the US).

But why won't Ford also offer the proven and more economical European standard 2.2-liter Ford "Duratorque" diesel engine in the US market Transit? In Europe, this engine is offered in the Transit in 99, 123 and 153 horsepower versions.

And why doesn't Ford USA plan to offer the Transit with it's signature front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive options (to ideally meet varying customer requirements)?

Ford Europe designs and produces great products such as the Transit. But Ford US has a long history of making significant changes to Ford Europe products before bringing them over, which has always drastically taken away from the original. The Ford Escape engine fires, unheard of in the original Ford Europe "Kuga", is a typical example. Ford US would be better served by bringing over Ford Europe products with minimal changes.

marcs
on May 14, 2013

I'm looking forward for the diesel engine option, I've always driven diesel power cars and I really like them more. Besides I know enough about diesel performance parts that I wouldn't worry if something happened to the engine, I could easily take care of it!

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