Ford, Confident of the quality of their 3.5 liter EcoBoost engine that powers the F-150 truck, will tear a particular one that has done the equivalent of 160,000 miles and 10-years of rugged use at the 2011 NAIAS Detroit show. It’s free for everybody to come and watch the process to see the engine’s parts and components held up. Sounds boring to us, but if you’re interested it’ll be open to public at North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 15, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.
“Customers will be able to see for themselves how the components fared during a regime of tests that, when taken together, are far more extreme than even the harshest-use customer could dish out,” said Jim Mazuchowski, V6 engines programs manager. “This EcoBoost truck engine received no special treatment, and now we’re going to see how it did.”
The F-150 EcoBoost engine saw its first action on the dyno in July. Engineers punished it in temperature and load extremes simulating nearly 10 years of use – a regimen tougher than any consumer could ever subject a truck to. At this point, most engines would be ready to be rebuilt or retired, but the EcoBoost testing engine was just beginning.
The engine was dropped into a regular production 2011 F-150 at Kansas City Assembly Plant Then it hit the road and saw some of the most severe use Ford engineers have ever dreamed up.
- It hauled 55 tons of lumber
- It ran at full throttle for 24 straight hours towing 11,300 lbs
- Beat competitors’ larger engines in an uphill towing competition
- It completed the world’s toughest desert endurance race, the SCORE Tecate Baja 1000 in Mexico
Twin turbochargers and direct fuel injection
Key to EcoBoost’s performance is the wealth of low-end torque produced by the combination of twin turbochargers and direct fuel injection. Up to 90 percent of the EcoBoost truck engine’s peak, best-in-class torque of 420 lb.-ft. is available from 1,700 rpm to 5,000 rpm – all on regular fuel. The engine produces 365 horsepower at 5,000 rpm.
“Truck customers should think of the EcoBoost truck engine as a gas-powered engine with diesel-type capability and characteristics,” said Mazuchowski, V6 engines program manager. “The twin turbochargers and direct injection give it the broad, flat torque curve that makes towing with a diesel so effortless – and hard acceleration so much fun.”
The EcoBoost truck engine also features twin independent variable camshaft timing, or Ti-VCT, to help save fuel. Ti-VCT provides extremely precise variable – yet independent – control of timing for intake and exhaust valves. Ti-VCT also reduces emissions, especially in situations when the throttle is partially open.
Independent adjustment of intake and exhaust valve timing allows maximum fuel economy at part-throttle, while delivering optimized power in full-throttle situations. An added benefit is improved driveability and responsiveness across the torque curve.
Final phase of EcoBoost “torture test”
The teardown is the final phase of the new 3.5-liter EcoBoost truck engine’s “Torture Test,” a multipart series of web-based documentaries that began when this randomly selected EcoBoost engine endured the equivalent of 150,000 miles or 10 years’ use on the dynamometer, replicating the duty cycle of the harshest-use customer.
EcoBoost is fundamental to Ford’s strategy to provide technologically advanced, high-output, smaller-displacement powertrains that deliver uncompromised performance and fuel economy. EcoBoost engines deliver fuel economy gains of up to 20 percent and reduction of CO2 emissions of up to 15 percent, compared with larger, less-efficient engines.
In addition to turbocharging with direct injection, Ford engineers have enhanced EcoBoost’s technology capabilities by adding variable valve timing and precisely controlling all aspects of the engine. Ford has at least 125 patents on its EcoBoost technology.
