Ford to build own diesel engine for Super Duty

[rickaren]

Ford to build own diesel engine for Super Duty

Posted Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009, 1:33 pm in Employee News

Ford Motor Co. says it will build its own diesel engine to power the next generation of its F-Series Super Duty pickups, ending a relationship with Navistar International Corp., The Detroit News reported.

The new, 6.7-liter turbocharged diesel V-8 will be manufactured at Ford’s Chihuahua Engine Plant in Mexico, the paper said. It is slated to debut on the 2011 Super Duty next year and promises significantly improved torque, horsepower and fuel economy. Ford says it has made sure the new motor can manage 250,000 miles without a major hiccup, the News said.

“This all-new diesel engine has been so extensively tested both in the lab and in the real world that we’re confident we’re giving our customers the most reliable and productive powertrain available today,” Derrick Kuzak, group vice president in charge of global product development for the automaker, told reporters.

Navistar has been the exclusive diesel engine supplier to Ford’s Super Duty program since 1979, the paper noted. But the 6-liter engine it began shipping in 2003 led to a storm of quality complaints, the News said. Ford bought back thousands of trucks and ultimately sued Navistar to recoup warranty costs. The supplier blamed Ford for the problems and countersued, the story said. (The Detroit News)