Ford revealed details Tuesday on both its second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine and a new 10-speed transmission slated for release with the 2017 F-150.
The updated powerplant sheds some weight, gets matched with a new transmission and, according to Ford, lays down 30 lb.-ft. more torque than first-generation models.
That’s a best-in-class 450 lb.-ft. for a V6—including gasoline and diesel powerplants—for those of you keeping score at home.
“The powertrain is the heart of every F-150, and together our all-new 3.5L EcoBoost and 10-speed transmission will give our customers better power, efficiency and confidence,” says Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president, Product Development, and chief technical officer.
Ford engineers say the new 3.5L EcoBoost engine—whose power rating is unchanged from 365 horsepower—was designed for hauling heavy payloads and towing heavy trailers with better low-end and peak engine performance.
Featuring an all-new dual-direct and port fuel-injection system, the new engine gets two injectors per cylinder—one mounted in the intake port where air enters the cylinder and one positioned inside the cylinder—working together to improve power output, efficiency and emissions.
All-new turbochargers, with improved twin turbos and a lighter turbine wheel, deliver more boost and work with 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, Ford adds.
