Ford’s Next-Generation V-6 Engine

DEARBORN, Oct 17, 2006 - Ford’s new 3.5-liter V-6 engine, a more powerful and cleaner engine that eventually will be under the hood of one in five Ford Motor Company products in North America, delivers the smooth power and lively performance that bring the new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX to life. Both vehicles are set to launch next month, November 2006.
“Our new 3.5-liter V-6 is a key component in Ford’s global powertrain strategy,” says Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president of Powertrain Operations. “This powertrain is an innovative solution to answering the call for better fuel efficiency, more refinement, more power and clean emissions, without any sacrifices.”

In the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX, the new engine is mated to an all-new six-speed automatic transaxle and the combination will deliver improved highway fuel economy of up to 7 percent and improved sustained acceleration compared with a typical four-speed automatic transmission.

Ford’s new V-6 produces 265 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque with a 3.5-liter displacement unit with a height and width that is the same as Ford’s smaller Duratec 30 V-6. This enables Ford to install the engine in a wide variety of current and future products.

In developing the new engine, Ford engineers targeted excellent performance, fuel economy and low exhaust emissions. Engineers put particularly emphasis on the engine’s ability to work together in harmony with Ford’s new 6F six-speed automatic gearbox. By analyzing the transaxle and engine together, noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics of the powertrain were optimized to ensure a quiet, lively and trouble-free driving experience.

The all-new 3.5-liter V-6 architecture provides significant flexibility to incorporate additional engine technologies. The 3.5-liter engineering team included extra provisions to make upgrades relatively simple. These upgrades include such potential features as hybrid capability, gasoline direct injection and direct injection with turbocharging.

Every world-class engine starts with a solid foundation. To optimize the base engine structure to provide outstanding durability and NVH, the lower-end design of the 3.5-liter engine features a forged-steel, fully counterweighted crankshaft with induction-hardened journals, fractured-split, powder metal-forged connecting rods and high-temperature alloy, cast aluminum pistons. These components are housed in a High Pressure Diecast (HPDC) aluminum cylinder block featuring six-bolt mains with cast in cast-over iron liners.

The engine’s cylinder block design represents the first application of a high-pressure die-cast block for a V-configuration engine for Ford Motor Company. Ford chose HPDC over more conventional semi-permanent and sand casting processes because HPDC offers:


Reduced raw material requirements (lower weight compared to conventional sand casting)
Tighter casting process control capability
Better and more consistent casting qualities
Elimination of reliance on casting processes that have byproducts requiring strict environmental controls
Reduction of expensive post-casting processing (cleaning, heat treating, machining and assembly) requirements
Ford deployed extensive CAE modeling to reduce lead-time, optimize die design and simulate critical process parameters to help ensure a consistent, robust casting.

The 3.5-liter V-6’s upper-end was designed as a system, all the way from the throttle body to the exhaust manifolds, to create the optimum flow for peak power and a broad torque curve. CAE analysis was used to fine-tune each component to deliver the required airflow without the need for intake flaps or butterfly valves in the system. Advanced throttle-control software enables precise tuning of engine response to best fit the character of each vehicle application while setting the engine to run at its peak efficiency for optimal fuel economy.

The 3.5-liter V-6 uses a compact, lightweight dual-overhead cam valvetrain for peak power capability and smooth operation at high RPMs. The engine also incorporates intake variable cam timing (iVCT) to optimize valve timing for a smooth idle, optimal part-load driving and an impressively broad torque curve with good power. The iVCT system uses a hydraulically actuated spool valve that can rotate the intake camshafts up to 40 degrees within a half-second. A low-friction, roller-chain cam drive contributes to fuel efficiency.

The aluminum cylinder heads in Ford’s new V-6 are designed for high airflow and optimized combustion to support performance, fuel economy and low emissions. CAE was used extensively to develop the airflow and combustion system performance for this cylinder head design. This efficient combustion is enhanced by incorporating a centrally located spark plug and a high 10.3:1 compression ratio. The cylinder heads were also designed to accommodate fuel-efficient technology upgrades such as gasoline direct injection.

Ford’s new 3.5-liter engine is PZEV capable right out of the box. Careful design consideration for the combustion system and catalysts create an engine that can meet stringent emissions standards without the need for expensive add-on technology.

“The 3.5-liter V-6 is capable of achieving PZEV certification by delivering low cold-start emissions and enabling rapid catalyst light-off, which is a significant accomplishment for a larger displacement V-6 engine,” says Tom McCarthy, engine systems manager for the 3.5-liter V-6 engine program. This is accomplished with low heat-loss exhaust manifolds and close-coupled catalysts for fast light off during cold start. Optimized fuel injector targeting minimizes cold-start emissions before the catalysts reach operating temperature.

 

the only thing that sounded interesting about that whole article was this:

"The 3.5-liter engineering team included extra provisions to make upgrades relatively simple. These upgrades include such potential features as hybrid capability, gasoline direct injection and direct injection with turbocharging. "

ford is still behind the ball when it comes to V6's. Look at the nissan 6's now...they're making 300bhp where this one is making 260. It's a great start though.

Now where's Yamaha to help bring ford out of this funk.


p.s. wanna compare 6cylinders?? I've got a 3.4L we'll play with!

 

hardly.....that 300hp is only in 1 of the Nissan models, the Z, which is a sports car..The comparable model would be the Altima which is guess what,?? 265 ! the VG is also a pig of an engine when compared to the duratec 35,as far as dimensions and weight...The ford engine is the same dimensions as the 3.0L duratec....I would say its WAY more than just a good start...this will be a WIDELY used engine, expect to see it in models like the Edge, MKZ, Fusion,Milan,Zephyr,Mazda6,CX-9,Mustang, Freestar, Escape, Mariner, Tribute, Ranger, and probably a few more....

 

yeah, I'm sure its a nice engine but it's a day late (since about 03). I'm sure in time it'll be as huge as the vulcan 3.0 or the duratec 3.0L. I'm just saying it's nothing real special when you consider nissan has been using a similar engine in it's car for almost a half decade now.

 

You're missing something though Matty...COST !

Compare what a V6 Fusion goes for vs a V6 Altima...Nissans are getting so expensive I don't see the point of them having a luxury brand...They already have luxury brand prices....

 

yeah...the ford engine is going to buckets cheaper thats for sure. Look at how many models they can share that engine with....and not just in the ford marquee.

would anyone else like to see a new FORD PRODUCED mid engine focus ZX3 with the 3.5 in the back? I don't see why not...it would destroy any other import on the road and possible a few domestics.

new camaro who??

 

Not to get too much into that, but dont expect to see the new Camaro with an LS series engine in them and 400hp like the concept...more than likely the Z28's will have the 305hp 5.3L that you see in the Monte Carlo's....Watch out for the new Mustangs though, they should be getting a new bigger,badder V8 when the 3.5L gets introduced in the base Mustang...

Let the horsepower wars begin again !!

 

here's what I'd want to see out of ford on the new mustang"

Base model:
V6 5spd...nothing fancy - whatever v6 makes decent power and is cheap

GT
4.6 3-valve V8 with 300-325bhp

SCCA Spec
2.3 Duratec, direct injection turbocharged 300bhp, 6speed, no options...no ac, no radio, no power anything

cobra
supercharged ALL ALUMINUM 5.4L from the GT...no more iron blocks....

 

2 out of 4 aint bad....I'd LOVE to see another SVO.....The 2.3 has been in a RWD platform on the ranger, so it shouldnt be too difficult to put in the 'stang...

doubt you'll see it though....