In news that we totally did not see coming, Ford has announced a new pushrod engine option for the upcoming 2020 Super Duty line of trucks. This engine is the biggest gasoline burning engine a manufacturer has made in some time as it measures out to 444ci or 7.3 liters. The engine is a camshaft in block design with pushrods and the whole bit. The engine is not direct injected, instead using port style fuel injection and variable valve timing.
This will be an optional engine in the trucks with the company’s 6.2L offering, which is an overhead cam layout serving as the base engine. As the 6.2L engine offers more then 360hp we’re expecting nearly 100 more cubic inches and this layout to be worth 420-430hp or potentially more. This is a cast iron block engine with a forged crank. It is like some weird dreamworld where we are waking up to the answer to every old school Ford guy’s prayers. We bet it will take 16-seconds for someone to start making big power with these. As they are the optional engine, it will be interesting to see how many the company sells as opposed to the time tested 6.7L diesel which will make more torque by a long shot.
If you had told us a week ago that Ford would be announcing what amounts to a modern, gas burning big block in February 2019 we’d have laughed at you and made you buy us a beer. Boy would we have been wrong!
Here’s the story from Ford below – this is pretty interesting!
An all-new Ford-designed and Ford-built 7.3-liter V8 joins the standard 6.2-liter V8 in Super Duty’s gas engine stable. The Ford-designed and Ford-built third-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke® diesel V8 is upgraded to deliver more power and torque. An all-new Ford-designed and Ford-built 10-speed heavy-duty TorqShift® automatic transmission is paired with the 7.3-liter V8 and third-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke® diesel V8. Ford is the only manufacturer to design and build all of its heavy-duty engine and transmission combinations – ensuring the powertrain works seamlessly with all chassis components and vehicle calibrations.
“With the addition of the 7.3-liter V8, upgrades to our 6.7-liter and the debut of an all-new 10- speed transmission, we are delivering the strongest, most capable Super Duty powertrain offerings yet,” said Mike Pruitt, Ford Super Duty chief engineer.
The 7.3-liter gas V8 engine delivers high performance in a compact package. Based on decades of commercial engine experience, this 7.3-liter is expected to be the most powerful gas V8 in its class – providing durability, ease of maintenance, and the towing and payload capability customers want. It uses an all-new cam-in-block, overhead valve architecture with cast iron block and forged steel crankshaft for maximum durability. Port injection with variable- valve timing optimizes the intake and exhaust to match performance with workloads. Oil jets cool the pistons under heavy loads.
Great news!
At last an alternative to that stinking LS and I just hope its sold as a crate motor as the demand for it will go through the roof.
It’s a Ford LS .. .lol
That’s exactly what I was thinking! I guess pushrods aren’t that bad after all eh Ford guys?
I’m not that surprised, as the need is obvious.Not everyone wants a diesel in their truck, with the attendant cost, both up front as option packages, and daily at the pumps with the conspiracy level price difference between gasoline and diesel fuel. I wouldn’t expect this to be the next reincarnation of the Lima 460 or FE, but a low-revving workhorse for box trucks and lower end motorhomes. Not to say it can’t be hopped up, but RPM costs money. Hopefully I’m wrong, and this thing will make a great all-around hot rod swap bargain like we want.
I think Geordie hits it on the head,……..at last an alternate choice to the LS motor. But, it’s go alot of LS-type things going for it; – push rods, port fuel injection, cast iron block, et al. The “all new” cam in block thing is kind of wrong….don’t know what marketing genious came up with that. It will be interesting to learn how they’re doing variable valve timing with a cam-in-block arrangement. Maybe Ford is hedging it’s bets that at some point the diesel engine just won’t be a choice in the future and that’s why they’re offering a larger alternative to the 6.2 gas motor. We’ll see how this goes, but a crate motor would be pretty great!
Huh, on the FORD website, the pic shows the 7.3L with TWO alternators??
Still no HP/tq numbers, but here’s hoping the TQ number is BIG:)
https://ford-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/vdm_ford/live/en_us/ford/nameplate/superduty/2020/collections/dm/20_FRD_FSD_45741.tif?croppathe=3×2&wid=1440
Most plow trucks have dual batteries and twin alternators. Just a thought.
Lots of heavy duty trucks come with 2 alternators. Not weird at all if you think about the applications
Brian: Good guess, and now, having thought about it, anyone pulling a trailer likely has a battery on the trailer, weather it be a holiday trailer, or a car trailer with a winch;)
10 speed automatic transmission ??
That engine must have a very small powerband.
I believe the Dodge V-10 is bigger .And does Ford still make their V-10?
Not sure how it’s a big block, more just a big cubic inch small block, right? Looks pretty small especially with that oddly heavily-ribbed block casting (I see a lot of dirt getting stuck in those webs, not sure I like that on the outside of a block), curious to know what the actual external dimensions and weight of that is. But 444 sounds very cool! But ugh, the loss of manual transmissions really sucks. Yeah, yeah the autos are nice, but, still… when one breaks, unless you know your stuff and have lots of specialized tools, you’re still at the mercy of a transmission shop to fix it, compared to the simplicity of working on a stick box that anyone can service pretty easily.
I thought the Ecoboost was supposed to take care of those thirsty V-8’s? Guess not.
Makes sense to offer a high torque gasser. Many consumers, myself being one of them, are finding the high maintenance costs of the diesels to be a real problem. We are experimenting with gas trucks to see if the savings outweigh the benefits. We’ll know in about five years.I
Meanwhile, if you see a Shank Door truck in the slow lane, it’s s gasser.
With Ford being the go-to for lower priced A-class motorhomes and almost all C-class ones, my guess is that this will be the default prime mover. The Ford V10 is a early 90’s design, and is getting long in the tooth. It’s important to note that it’s pretty hard to recoup the up front cost of a diesel in most RV’s. You simply don’t put on enough miles to see enough fuel savings. The power is nice, but it has to be a need.
My 460 powered unit pulls the race car just fine on an open trailer. And, it struggles on hills. You deal with it. My guess is that the new 7.3 will show tail lights to a V10, and get about the same mileage.
FWIW, my Hemi Ram gets the same mileage as my mote, if the trailer is loaded up to the same GCW as the motorhome/race car combo. It just gets up the hills a LOT better.
Same bore spacing as a FR9 if the rumor is true…… Wonder who will be the first to swap heads?