2018 F150 Diesel [Motor Trend brief evaluation]

[1986F150Six]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/autos-trucks/2018-ford-f-150-xl-diesel-commercial-truck-first-test/ar-AAxClP5?li=BBnb4R5&OCID=HPDHP

[Rembrant]

34 MPG Hwy with the diesel....nice!

[Gary Lewis]

I'll be anxious to read some towing comparisons with the 3.5L EB.  I realize that mine is the older 3.5L and has the 6 speed tranny, but I doubt that the tranny will make a lot of difference towing.  And, I'm curious to see how the two engines will compare under load.

[Ford F834]

Interesting article David! 34 mpg out of a 5,000 lb truck is impressive. I am interested in the towing comparison and how they figured that the laden fuel savings would pay for the engine premium in 1/5th of the distance compared to unladen... and I wonder why they can only sell to fleet accounts? Odd.

I know you can’t really compare the new and old technology, but guys who have transplanted NA 6.9/7.3 into single cab 2wd F150 pickups report kissing 30mpg on the highway.... but with about half the hp and tq.

[Ray Cecil]

This is impressive. I love this new tech!

I like how ford has went with the aluminum bodies. I'm curious to see how they do over the long haul. Much better than the steel rust buckets of the good ole days.

On a similar note. Have ya'll seen Chevy's new 2.7 Liter 4-cylinder they are putting into their full size silverado and sierra? 310 HP and 348 ft lbs @ 1500 RPM!!! OUT OF A GAS 4 BANGER!!! How do they do that?

I want a 2.7 crate motor to throw in the Impala!!

[1986F150Six]

2018 Ford Focus RS; 2.3L 4 banger with 350HP & 350 ft. lbs. torque!!!

[Ray Cecil]

1986F150Six wrote

2018 Ford Focus RS; 2.3L 4 banger with 350HP & 350 ft. lbs. torque!!!

@ what rpm? That is impressive. Chevy's has low end torque built into their design, because its being used in a truck. I also learned the chevy has cylinder deactivation for better fuel mileage. So basically a full size truck running on 2 cylinders down the highway.

I like the looks of the new focus...pretty sweet sound in the RS. Not gunna lie. I watch some Redbull Rally cross with my boys recently and the Focus was kickin butt.

[Ray Cecil]

OMG $42,000 for a Ford Focus RS?



I'll take the gently used Mustang thank you.

[Gary Lewis]

Janey's 2014 GLK has a 2.1L 4-banger diesel with twin turbos and it kicks out 369 ft-lbs at 1600 RPM.  And we've averaged over 35 MPG in 50K miles.

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

Janey's 2014 GLK has a 2.1L 4-banger diesel with twin turbos and it kicks out 369 ft-lbs at 1600 RPM.  And we've averaged over 35 MPG in 50K miles.

That is impressive. I know Mercedes has always led the way in diesel tech. There are some very long living Mercedes engines still alive out there. I think 300,000 miles is just getting broke in.

What is sad though, we are getting all these really sweet engines, and they will all be obsolete in a few years. Everything will be electric once they get the graphene battery technology figured out, and install all the charging stations. Combustion engines will be like a landline telephone, or a VHS video tape.  Aint never coming back. Only folks like us will still be tinkering with such "dirty" technology.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm not sure the batteries are all that close to being perfected.  As we've learned with lithium ion, storing that much energy in one place can have consequences.  They'll get it sorted, but it will be a while.  And even then towing is going to require 3x as much energy, or more, so "dirty" engines will be with us for quite a while.

[1986F150Six]

Long live the "dirty"!

[JMUBullnose]

It's precisely for this reason I want to eventually pick up another Bullnose and convert it to a resto-mod/eVehicle.  It would be so freaking sweet.

[Gary Lewis]

New vehicles are so laden with electronics, much of which is seriously integrated into them, that porting their "stuff" to an old vehicle is becoming quite difficult.  However, there are ways to port the shell of some vehicles to the newer running gear that might get much of what you want.

For instance, there are kits to allow the body of a 1950's Chevy pickup to be bolted to the running gear of a late model S10.  That gives you a modern vehicle with the old look.  So, perhaps the same could be done with a Bullnose truck on a later model frame?

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

New vehicles are so laden with electronics, much of which is seriously integrated into them, that porting their "stuff" to an old vehicle is becoming quite difficult.  However, there are ways to port the shell of some vehicles to the newer running gear that might get much of what you want.

For instance, there are kits to allow the body of a 1950's Chevy pickup to be bolted to the running gear of a late model S10.  That gives you a modern vehicle with the old look.  So, perhaps the same could be done with a Bullnose truck on a later model frame?

Something like this, Gary?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-Ford-F-100-xl/123165164574?hash=item1cad37441e:g:K04AAOSwBXhbBgmV&vxp=mtr

[Gary Lewis]

Jein.  He put a Bullnose cab and bed on a 2000 F150 frame, a 2012 F150 engine, a 2004 Crown Vic tranny, aftermarket tranny controller, etc.  But I'm wondering if you couldn't just put the Bullnose sheetmetal on a 2000ish truck and retain the computer(s) and complete running gear.  Old school look on a new school running gear.