Ford Will Offer Diesel Option on New Transit

Dec. 10, 2012
Ford’s new Transit full-size van, which will be introduced late next year as the eventual replacement for the E-Series van, is going to be offered with an option al 3.2-liter Power Stroke five-cylinder diesel engine

Ford’s new Transit full-size van, which will be introduced late next year as the eventual replacement for the E-Series van, is going to be offered with an option al 3.2-liter Power Strokefive-cylinder diesel engine.

Ford said its 3.2-liter Power Stroke is currently manufactured in the 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 EcoBoost gasoline 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 25 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.