At the recent North American International Auto Show, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, during a round table discussion, said that the tools to bring a light duty Ram diesel pickup to market are there, it’s just a question if there’s enough demand for it.

“We can do it all,” he said. “We have the engines, the know-how, because as you well know, Fiat is the repository of a huge amount of diesel know-how because of our industrial applications and even on the passenger car side. We’d love to do it, but the question is, will it sell?”

Marchionne also referred to the fact that several Chrysler vehicles, including the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee have long been offered with diesel engines in Europe, but in North America, the reception at best has been lukewarm, previous attempts to offer diesels in Jeep SUVs proving shortlived.

We’ve reported before that Cummins, which builds the straight-six turbo diesel available in the Ram Heavy Duty has developed a V8 diesel for use in 1/2 ton trucks and a version of this could be adapted for the Ram 1500, no doubt enhancing the truck’s towing and payload capability, but again, it all hinges on demand.

Given that light trucks now come under the same CAFE umbrella as passenger cars, it will probably be legislation that eventually drives demand for light duty diesel pickups. In Europe, largely due to taxation reasons, diesels are now the norm in passenger cars, their combination of torque output and fuel efficiency hard to beat. This contrasts with a generation ago, when they still represented less than half the market.

It’ll also be interesting to see if Ford and GM further pursue diesels for their light-duty pickups, previous plans have so far been put on hold.

[Source: Pickup trucks.com]

There was once a time when pickups were essentially utilitarian vehicles. However, during the 1980s and 1990s, half-ton full-size rigs became increasingly laden with creature comforts, leather bucket seats, center consoles, power everything and serious in car entertainment. Now the concept of luxury truck is expanding upmarket, with General Motors recently launching a luxury GMC Denali as part of the Sierra Heavy-Duty line from 2011.

Now GMC has announced that the Denali HD will be available in both 3/4 (2500) and 1-ton (3500) versions. Both 2WD and 4WD drivelines will be offered with a choice of regular (6 foot, 6-inch) and long (8-foot) boxes, plus the option of single or dual rear wheels on 3500 models. Exterior colors will be limited to Black, Stealth Gray and White, though 17, 18 and 20-inch wheels will be offered.

Standard engine in the HD Denali is GM’s 6.0-liter V8, coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission, the updated 6.6-liter Duramax diesel, rated at 397-hp and a staggering 765 lb-ft of torque will be optional. Like the rest of the Sierra Heavy-Duty line, the Denali trucks will be covered by GM’s 100,000-mile, five-year powertrain warranty.

According to GMC product marketing director Lisa Hutchinson; “we received such an overwhelming response to the new Sierra Denali 2500HD, that we worked quickly and decided to extend the model into the 3500HD series so those GMC buyers can also benefit from blending capability with premium features and styling.” No word yet on whether four-wheel steering will be offered.

Back in 1892, after almost 20 years developing a more efficient version of Karl Otto’s four-stroke internal combustion engine, Dr. Rudolf Diesel, patented his design for the Combustion Power Engine, in which air is compressed to the point that the heat generated allows it to ignite without the need for spark. Thanks to its efficiency and incredible torque capacity, the diesel engine has become a mainstay in larger pickups, over-the-road trucks, heavy equipment and many European private vehicles. However, today; 118 years after Dr. Diesel patented his design, another Rudolf has created, what is perhaps the next step in the evolution of Diesel’s original engine concept.

Dr. Rudolf Gunnerman, has created GDiesel, a new fuel for diesel engines that combines conventional ultra low sulfur diesel with natural gas, which is mostly methane.

Dr. Gunnerman’s company, Advanced Refining Concepts, blends ultralow sulfur diesel and natural gas at a 2-1 ratio — a gallon of diesel in relation to a half-gallon of natural gas — using a proprietary set of four metallic catalysts. This blending process allows the diesel to absorb the methane’s component atoms, hydrogen and carbon, resulting in a chemical reaction that makes it more combustible than conventional diesel fuel.

Dubbed GDiesel, Gunnerman’s fuel is said to yield up to a 30 percent improvement in fuel economy. It’s also compatible with existing fuel storage and dispensing equipment and requires no modifications to vehicles or power-generating equipment.

ARC is in the final stages building a refining facility in Nevada that will be able to produce up to 100,000 gallons of GDiesel a day. In the future, smaller GDiesel refineries may be built near ready supplies of natural gas and methane, such as by a garbage dump or large farm, where methane can be harvested as a waste product.

Dr. Rudolf Diesel originally envisioned his engines would be able to run on vegetable oil, but modern feedstock fuels have been unpopular because they use valuable land  for harvesting crops and generally aren’t available in large enough volumes to permit competitive prices against current supplies of diesel or gasoline. But because Dr. Gunnerman’s GDiesel, doesn’t have an impact food supplies (like say Ethanol), doesn’t require any changes in infrastructure and is able to be used in existing diesel engines without modification, perhaps the U.S. has found a really workable solution for powering vehicles in the future. So while some may say that history doesn’t repeat itself; when it comes to diesel technology and a pair of doctors named Rudolf, it appears to come darned close.

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Ford is set to release a revolutionary new 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel engine for its line of Super Duty F-Series trucks in 2011. The all-new engine promises a, “significant improvement in torque, horsepower and fuel economy,” says Ford in a press release, stating that this new F-Series Super Duty would continue to be a class leader in both payload and towing.

Numerous high-tech innovations have been employed in building this new engine, starting with a compacted graphite iron (CGI) engine block that Ford says is twice as strong as standard iron blocks. This was deemed necessary due to the increases in power output.

The new engine makes use of a Honeywell single variable turbine turbo (similar to the one found on the Porsche 911 Turbo), but takes turbo technology a step further still. Instead of one, there are two compressor wheels driven off a single turbine impeller, working like a bi-turbo setup that gives the engine a fast response time with little lag as well as the power of a larger turbo.

Visually, the new engine looks remarkably different, due to the fact that the intake and exhaust systems are the reverse of a conventional engine. The exhaust manifolds sit in the valley of the big V8 engine, while the intake manifold is on the outside. This means the cylinder heads are essentially flipped around.

By significantly reducing the amount of exhaust piping, lag is reduced considerably. Additionally, this new packaging moves the hotter elements of the engine (like the turbocharger and exhaust pipes) away from the intake areas, ensuring a constant supply of cool air to the engine. And as for that turbo, it sits in the valley between the cylinder banks. Due to its location, spool up is considerably faster and the engine’s overall balance is improved. Another major benefit of this setup is that that cab no longer has to be removed from the frame if work needs to be done on the turbo. The fuel-pump, EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) components and the thermostats are also easily accessible from the front of the vehicle.

Ford hasn’t released any specifics on the new engine but if out scientific and sophisticated brains have understood all this talk of a sequential variable turbine geometry turbo correctly, our power-loving neanderthal brains are in for a real treat when this new package makes it to market.

GALLERY: 2011 Ford Super Duty Power Stroke 6.7-Liter V8

Official release after the jump:

All-new Ford-engineered, Ford-tested, Ford-built diesel maximizes 2011 Super Duty’s productivity

* An all-new 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V-8 turbocharged diesel engine – debuting in the
2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty® – will deliver significant improvement in torque, horsepower and fuel economy, enhancing productivity and further strengthening its
position as the class leader for towing and payload
* Extensive durability testing put the new Power Stroke diesel engine through the equivalent
of 250,000 miles

* Industry-first single-sequential turbocharger with double-sided compressor wheel delivers fast throttle response along with the volume of air boost needed for maximum power; new engine also is biodiesel compatible up to B20

dearborn, Mich., Aug. 31, 2009 – A new era in Ford diesel technology arrives with the Ford-engineered, Ford-tested and Ford-manufactured 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine.

Debuting in the next-generation F-Series Super Duty truck, the new diesel engine will deliver significant improvements in torque, horsepower and fuel economy while adding more fueling flexibility and easily meeting stringent new emissions requirements.

The new diesel 6.7-liter engine also shares the Super Duty’s legendary reliability and durability while delivering best-in-class towing and payload.

“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,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Global Product Development. “Our Super Duty customers demand reliability and durability in their trucks so they can deliver the best results for their business and their customers. That’s exactly what this engine delivers.”

The diesel engine team made improvements and changes throughout the engine architecture to deliver on aggressive horsepower, torque, emissions and fuel economy targets. The 6.7-liter Power Stroke uses an “inboard exhaust” architecture, an automotive-industry first for a modern production diesel engine. It combines the best of proven technology with new, patented approaches backed by an extensive laboratory and real-world testing regimen to assure customer satisfaction.

Benefits of the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine include:

o First use of a compacted graphite iron (CGI) engine block in a Super Duty-class vehicle in North America; stronger than regular gray cast iron, Ford has successfully used CGI in engine blocks in products around the world. The block structure was optimized for reduced weight and maximum strength to meet the demands of higher torque and horsepower
o Unique inboard exhaust and outboard intake architecture, an automotive-industry first for a modern production diesel engine, reduces overall exhaust system volume, which leads to better throttle response for the customer; additionally, reduced exhaust system surface area minimizes heat transfer to the engine compartment and improves NVH (noise, vibration, harshness)
o The new engine architecture enables easier service work for all major engine components, potentially reducing down time. On turbocharger service, for example, the body/cab no longer has to be removed from the frame to access the turbo; also, the high-pressure fuel pump, EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) components and thermostats are directly accessible from the front of the vehicle
o Honeywell’s single-sequential turbocharger features an industry-first double-sided compressor wheel mounted on a single shaft. The unit is uniquely center-mounted on a pedestal low in the back of the valley for improved NVH. This turbocharger design allows the single unit to deliver the benefits of a twin-turbocharger system in a smaller, more efficient package, combining the benefits of a small turbocharger (faster response) and a large turbocharger (ability to compress and force more air into the engine for more power) in one unit
o The high-pressure Bosch fuel system injects fuel at up to 30,000 psi. The system delivers up to five injection events per cylinder per cycle using eight-hole piezo injectors to spray fuel into the piston bowl. The direct-injection system is calibrated and phased for optimum power, fuel efficiency and NVH
o Aluminum cylinder heads for reduced weight; the mid-deck construction with dual water jackets provides increased strength and optimal cooling; also, six head bolts, instead of four as found on other engines, help improve sealing and maintain cylinder integrity even with the higher firing pressures; overall the engine is about 160 pounds lighter
o Compatible up to B20 fuel, allowing greener fueling options of up to 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel

“Our Super Duty customers are no-nonsense, no-compromise individuals,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Global Powertrain Engineering. “Those are the attributes our team took to heart when engineering this all-new diesel engine so we can deliver ‘Built Ford Tough’ capability, reliability and enhanced productivity.”

Rugged block and proven components
The capability and reliability found in the new 6.7-liter diesel engine starts with the engine block. The new Power Stroke’s block is made from compacted graphite iron (CGI), which is about twice as strong as regular gray cast iron. While this is the first use of a CGI block in North America in this class of vehicle, Ford has successfully used the material in engine blocks in other products around the world.

“Using a CGI block is the perfect solution for the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke,” said Adam Gryglak, lead 6.7-liter diesel engineering manager. “It provides the strength necessary for the increased torque and horsepower produced by our new engine, and it also offers significant weight savings.”

The diesel engine’s deep-skirted block and main bearing caps are cross-bolted for additional stiffness and to aid NVH. The cylinder heads mirror the engine’s attributes as a whole, with lighter weight combined with increased robustness: The cylinder heads are made of aluminum to save weight and, for improved sealing, feature six head bolts per cylinder versus the four head bolts found on other engines.

The cylinder heads, which feature dual water jackets, are capable of firing pressures approaching 2,600 psi. The tall water jacket works as a manifold, flowing high-velocity water for cooling and adding to the structural robustness in the head to handle the higher firing pressures. Crankshaft durability is improved through Ford’s unique undercut and fillet roll treatment to relieve stress.

The valvetrain features patented dual hydraulic lash adjustors, which improves the performance and reliability of the valvetrain by using two pushrods per cylinder instead of the conventional single pushrod, with individual rocker arms. Other proven components round out the engine hardware, including fractured-split connecting rods and a fuel system capable of generating 30,000 psi to feed the common-rail direct-injection fuel system.

The oil pan, which bolts to the transmission, also acts as a structural member for improved powertrain stiffness and adds to Ford’s legacy of virtually bulletproof lower-engine architecture.

‘Built Ford Tough’ testing protocol to ensure durability
The testing protocol developed for the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel incorporates the most rigorous engine tests found in Ford globally to ensure 250,000-mile durability. Extensive CAD (computer-aided design) and CAE (computer-aided engineering) work was completed to identify any potential challenges before hardware was created, which not only is time efficient but also helps ensure quality at the outset. Further, a comprehensive examination of warranty and quality tools was used to determine the expected failure modes for every component and system.

Customer data, including driving styles, road types and vehicle usage (towing and payload), also played a key role in developing the testing program that best replicated Super Duty use.

Components were torture-tested in the laboratory with a regimen designed to exceed what even the harshest user might dish out. Engines literally ran continuously for hundreds of hours. Finally, a battery of in-vehicle, real-world tests validated the work done in the laboratories.

The strict testing work also ensured the new engine is B20 compatible, which allows customers an environmentally responsible fueling option of using blends up to 20 percent biodiesel
and 80 percent petroleum diesel. Durability cycles were run on multiple blends of diesel fuel to ensure the robustness of the system.

“These cross-functional tests give us the full spectrum of Super Duty customers – from those who run their trucks at maximum power with a maximum load for long periods to those who use them more in a start-stop mode,” said Ed Waszczenko, lead engine durability engineer.

All-new design for all-new engine
One of the obvious visual differences in the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine is the layout of the pipes. The exhaust manifolds, for example, reside in the valley of the engine instead of outboard, while the intake is outboard of the engine. The cylinder heads are essentially flipped around in comparison with previous V-8 engine architectures.

This unique layout – an automotive-industry first for a modern production diesel engine – has several advantages. First, the overall exhaust system volume is reduced, meaning air can be fed to the single turbocharger quicker for faster spool up and reduced lag, resulting in improved throttle response for the customer. The improved packaging also places components that need to be in cooler air away from hot exhaust pipes, resulting in better thermal management and, by extension, better fuel economy.

“The physical size of the system is smaller, but more importantly, the air-handling part of the system is considerably smaller and that translates directly into the responsiveness of the engine,” said Gryglak, noting that the volume of the exhaust system feeding the turbocharger is smaller by about 50 percent because of the inboard architecture.

Combining two turbochargers in one package
The single-sequential turbocharger – an industry first – is key to the new diesel engine’s performance. The unit has two compressor wheels driven off one turbine impeller. This approach combines the benefits of a single inertia wheel – faster response without lag –
with the thrust of a larger turbocharger, with the ability to force more compressed air into the engine for more power.
The engine’s smaller exhaust volume combined with a corresponding smaller intake volume and smaller turbocharger creates a system that is quicker to boost, more responsive and better able to deliver horsepower and torque, especially at the low end, when the customer demands it.

The turbocharger includes an advanced variable nozzle turbine, which enables variable vane pitch angles, driving optimal turbine power to achieve optimal boosting levels for all operating conditions. The single shaft ensures the transition is seamless. The unit – compact in dimensions – is uniquely center-mounted on a patented pedestal low in the back of the valley instead of hung off the block, which helps balance the system and aids NVH characteristics.

Combustion system clean and powerful
The combustion system is the heart of the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine and in many ways encapsulates the careful balancing act the Ford team achieved in terms
of power, fuel economy and reduced emissions. The key factor in the next round of federal emissions standards, which begin in 2010, is the reduction of oxides of nitrogen (NOx). To help reduce NOx, the new Power Stroke burns cleaner, thanks to an innovative way Ford developed to cool the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to efficiently recycle the combustion gases in the system.

Ford’s system runs the engine with the least amount of oxygen possible in order to reduce NOx without degrading performance and fuel economy. Ford’s solution runs the EGR through a two-step process utilizing separate cooling sources, something not typically seen. The end result is the EGR is brought into the intake at a lower temperature, which means more of it can be utilized, creating greater efficiency throughout the system.

A unique piston bowl design and the high-pressure fuel-injection equipment are huge enablers in achieving the balance of power and lower emissions. The system can deliver up to five injection events per cylinder per cycle, while eight holes in the injector spray fuel into the bowl.

The compressed-air ignition unique to diesels is aided by pilot fuel injections before the piston reaches the top, allowing the charge to heat up even hotter than what you get under normal compression.

“Then when the main injection occurs, we can mitigate NVH because we have a slower ignition process,” said Gryglak. “When the fuel burns, it doesn’t burn with a traditional pop or bang.
The direct-injection system is calibrated and phased for optimum power, fuel efficiency and NVH.”

The new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged engine features instant-start glow plugs, allowing quick start even in extremely cold temperatures.

How the new Power Stroke meets new emissions standards
The new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel will employ an aftertreatment system to help comply with 2010 federal regulations to reduce nitrogen-oxide levels in diesel emissions by more than 80 percent compared with the previous standard. The Ford aftertreatment system is a three-stage process; a key component is the use of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).

Injection of DEF to reduce NOx is a proven technology that’s been used throughout the automotive industry. Unlike other solutions used to control NOx, the DEF system allows the diesel engine to run at its optimum range in terms of fuel mixture. Some systems require the engine to run richer – which can be harmful to diesel engines – in order to control the NOx.

Step One: Cleaning and Heating – The first step in cleaning the diesel exhaust occurs when the exhaust stream enters the Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC). The role of the DOC is twofold. First, it converts and oxidizes hydrocarbons into water and carbon dioxide. This conversion happens at about 250 degrees Celsius.

Second, the DOC is used to provide and promote heat, using specific engine management strategies, into the exhaust system. Through appropriate thermal management, this heat increases the conversion efficiency of the downstream subsystem(s) in reducing emissions.

Step Two: Knocking Out the NOx – The next step in the process is what’s known as Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). In this process, the NOx in the exhaust stream is converted into water and inert nitrogen, which is present in the atmosphere and harmless. Before the exhaust gas enters the SCR chamber, it is dosed with DEF, an aqueous solution that is approximately 67.5 percent water and 32.5 percent pure urea.

When heated, the DEF splits into ammonia and carbon dioxide. These molecules are atomized, and vaporized, then enter a mixer that resembles a corkscrew. This twist mixer evenly distributes the ammonia within the exhaust flow. The ammonia enters the SCR module, which contains a catalyzed substrate, and through chemical reactions combines and converts the NOx and ammonia into the harmless inert nitrogen and water. Dosing occurs between 200 and 500 degrees Celsius.

Step Three: Scrubbing Away the Soot – The final part of the cleansing system for the diesel exhaust gas involves the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). The DPF traps any remaining soot, which is then periodically burned away, known as regenerating, when sensors detect the trap is full. The regeneration process sees temperatures in excess of 600 degrees Celsius to burn away soot.

Quieter, more refined diesel sound for improved NVH
Customers of the 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbocharged diesel engine will notice a quieter, more refined sound. Improvements to the combustion system, structural integrity of the compacted graphite iron block and the single turbocharger mounted to the engine block account for many of the NVH improvements.

Specific design upgrades were made to both the piston and the piston bowl to optimize the combustion process, which features a two-stage combustion event instead of a single-injection event, causing harsh, sudden and loud combustion. Instead, a starter or pilot injection of fuel begins the compression process before the main injection.

The result is smoother combustion and a more refined sound for the customer. When at idle, two pilot injection events are used to make the firing process even smoother and aid in quietness. The “ticking” of the high-speed injectors also is masked by specially designed covers on the engine.

Mounting the turbocharger from the center housing directly to the block provided several advantages as well in terms of NVH.

“When turbochargers vibrate, it can lead to other parts of the vehicle vibrating,” said Scott DeRaad, engine NVH engineer. “The exhaust system, for example, is directly attached to the turbocharger. So when the turbocharger vibrates a lot, the exhaust system vibrates too and that’s disturbing to the customer. Bolting the turbocharger directly to the block eliminates that concern.”

Using one turbocharger, instead of two operating in series or sequentially, helped solve some NVH challenges as well.

“Having one turbocharger eliminates the air-handling noises – the whooshes – as the engine switches from one turbo to the next turbo,” DeRaad said. “Our turbocharger also has ball bearings that pilot the shaft in the turbo, which helps eliminate the potential for the shaft of the turbocharger to gyrate in its housing, which can create noise.”

Other improvements include the addition of two resonators in the intake system as well as a third resonator near the air cleaner.

“We’ve been able to tune the diesel intake system to give us the sound we wanted,” DeRaad said. “It’s now a nice complement to the engine.”

Just as the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine is the perfect complement to the 2011 Ford Super Duty, delivering both capability and reliability.

“Developing the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine was an awesome endeavor,” Gryglak said. “After all the engineering and testing, we’re confident this engine will ensure the new Super Duty continues its leadership in capability, reliability and productivity.”