2017 Ford F-150 to offer 2nd-gen 3.5L EcoBoost with dual direct and port fuel injection; 10-speed automatic
03 May 2016
The 2017 Ford F-150 will offer an all-new, second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine and 10-speed transmission. The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine will provide 30 lb-ft more peak torque compared with the first-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, up to a best-in-class 450 lb-ft (610 N·m) for a V6. F-150 remains the only truck in its segment to offer a twin-turbo V6 gasoline engine.
The all-new Ford-built transmission—the first volume-production 10-speed automatic transmission available to consumers from any automaker—will deliver improved acceleration and performance compared with previous six-speed automatic transmissions. More than 20 patents are approved or pending for the new powertrain combination.
The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine builds on the success of the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine and first-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine available for the 2016 F-150. Nearly 1 million F-150 EcoBoost engines have been sold to date, with the 2.7-liter and first-generation 3.5-liter accounting for approximately 60% of F-150 sales.
The new engine provides better low-end and peak engine performance, ideal for hauling heavy payloads and towing heavy trailers.
The engine features an all-new, Ford-first dual direct and port fuel-injection system. Two injectors per cylinder—one mounted in the intake port where air enters the cylinder and one positioned inside the cylinder—work together to improve power output, efficiency, and emissions.
For example, in part-load operation, the indirect injection can supplement the direct injection to improve fuel economy and to reduce the output of particulates from the engine.
All-new turbochargers deliver more boost via improved twin turbos and a lighter turbine wheel. The new turbos work seamlessly with Ford-first electrically activated wastegates, enhancing operating efficiency. Light-weighting the turbine wheel by making it out of high-temperature super alloy Mar-M-247 developed by the aerospace industry improves responsiveness.
Hollow camshafts in the all-new roller-finger follower valvetrain help save up to 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of weight. The valvetrain also features more durable intake and exhaust valves, and hydraulic valve-lash adjusters that optimize engine durability over the life of the truck.
The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine provides Auto Start-Stop as a standard feature, helping customers save fuel, though actual fuel savings vary depending on driving patterns. The technology also contributes to a reduction in CO2 emissions due to decreased idle times. Auto Start-Stop is specially tuned for truck customers, shutting off the engine when the vehicle is at a stop—except when towing or in four-wheel-drive mode.
10-speed transmission. The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine will be paired with an all-new 10-speed transmission for the 2017 F-150.
The transmission delivers improved acceleration and performance compared with previous six-speed automatic transmissions via optimized wide-span gear spacing, coupled with drag-reduction actions. Three overdrive gears and a wider ratio span enable lower-numerical rear-axle ratios to help improve fuel efficiency at highway speeds, while maintaining best-in-class towing.
Weight savings play a key role in improved shifting performance. The 10-speed transmission uses advanced materials and alloys to save weight, and it is the first Ford gearbox that does not use cast-iron components.
An integrated torque converter/turbine clutch also helps shave more than 2 pounds (0.9 kg) of weight, while also reducing the packaging footprint. Smarter shift logic helps 2017 F-150 customers tow with improved confidence using tow/haul mode. All-new real-time-adaptive shift-scheduling algorithms monitor more than a dozen powertrain- and driver-control signals to ensure the right gear at the right time for an engaging driving experience, including in sport mode.
An integrated electric pump works with the standard Auto Start-Stop system for seamless restarts and improved driving efficiency.
The 2017 Ford F-150 goes on sale this fall.
I don't know why Ford would do port and direct injection, perhaps it cures the valve issues that plague direct injection cars. I don't really buy the emissions side of it. But the tuner and aftermarket community will love the port injectors.
If only they did dual fuel tanks one for E0-E15, and one for E73-E75 they could run the port injectors with that and have a interesting setup.
Posted by: CheeseEater88 | 04 May 2016 at 04:51 AM
@CheeseEater88 They do it for both emissions and because high compression engines have a tendency to pre-burn (misfire) if the fuel is not vaporized enough and injected at exactly the right time. The extra control over fuel dispersion port injection adds gives them a better burn rate. Which results in better emissions, lower fuel usage, and controlled timing.
Posted by: Aaron Turpen | 04 May 2016 at 09:34 AM
I dont see an real advantage port offers over direct injection. Maybe they were doing this to go with smaller injections via direct injection. Run the basic fuel trim with the ports, and fine tune acceleration and other closed loop events.
They did go with two direct injectors, and one port per cylinder, thats a lot of money in the fuel system. I wonder what the rail pressure is. Or perhaps they went this way to lower rail pressure.
High pressure fuel systems loath ethanol because of its corrosive nature, the added oxygen is rough, plus the lack of lubricity would do more harm than good in the small openings of a high pressure system. If there was a split tank design there could be huge benifits (like Ford has done in the past with dual fuel) Ethanol has less energy per unit than gasoline so you can add more, which quenches the air charge more and it has a higher octane rating so it has very good effects.
My bet is the port is the primary, and the engine more or less uses the direct for tuning fuel trims and idle. Less maintance issues that way id imagine.
Also one thing to note is static compression ratios are a bit different when boost is applied, and even more so when there is variable valve timing involved as the valves can over lap to create less compression, its very dynamic.
Posted by: CheeseEater88 | 04 May 2016 at 08:48 PM
I see only one direct injector per cylinder - within the bank of the V between the two intake valves, as usual.
Direct-injection engines have had plenty of issues with carbon build-up on the intake valves because there's no fuel wash over the back of the intake valves, and having a port injection system fixes this. It allows the flexibility of using the direct injection system when it's advantageous to do that, and port injection when it's advantageous to do that.
Posted by: Brian Petersen | 05 May 2016 at 11:26 AM
I kind of want to take a scope to my brothers car and look at the valves. I know Ford has some secrete sauce when it comes to not caking the valves, but I know other cars have to have routine maintenance on them.
Everything is about micro managing the fuel delivery. That's why diesels have huge psi, and $1000+ injectors to deliver several sprays.
Port injectors are cheap, and can spray in large volumes of fuel. I guess if we could find out the poundage of those injectors I could make some assumptions on how they are being used more clearly.
Posted by: CheeseEater88 | 05 May 2016 at 05:49 PM