It’s widely apparent that no matter what happens politically, that sooner or later fuel economy standards will be forced to rise, one way or another. Credit is due to the manufacturers for trying to find new methods to get better figures out of their biggest sellers, pickup trucks. Ford went all-aluminum and encouraged buyers to take a real good look at a V6 engine with turbocharging. Ram has recently deployed mild hybrid technologies on their new trucks, but GM dropped a bombshell or two today with some engine news for the 2019 trucks.
The first is called Dynamic Fuel Management. If you are familiar with the Active Fuel Management systems that GM has been using with success wince the mid-2000s, consider Dynamic Fuel Management a more radical form: On V8 engines, instead of shutting down a particular set of cylinders, DFM can shut down up to seven out of eight cylinders…and can fire random cylinders as needed instead of just turning cylinders on and off. That means that instead of just having one operating cylinder, the spark can bounce around the banks, firing a cylinder as needed instead. It’s an interesting concept for sure, but until we get a chance to experience it we will just leave that there for the moment.
It’s the second bit of news that raised an eyebrow: a 2.7L turbocharged four-cylinder that’s good for 310 horsepower and 348 ft/lbs of torque that will replace the 4.3L V6 in certain models of Silverado. The 3.63″ bore x 4.01″ stroke aluminum four runs a 10.0 compression ration and according to GM was built first and foremost to be a truck engine.
The figures are where they need to be for a lighter-duty truck or a “family vehicle” pickup, but we want to hear from you on the subject: would you ever buy a four-cylinder gas-powered fullsize pickup truck?
it beats walking.
The Ford EcoBoost V6 makes sense…but a FourCyl, in a Full Truck?
For me…unless it’s an S10 or Ranger…sorry but no.
Depends, will it have a four cylinder price?
A light duty truck with 310 horsepower and 348 ft/lbs of torque out of a turbskied 4 wheezer? More than enough for every day yuppie-dom.
I’ll never understand why people buy a truck as a daily driver if they don’t need the bed for anything other than putting folding chairs in to take the kids to sports practice.
On the other hand, it would make a nice light toy hauler with killer MPG.
I need a truck to haul a camper and a few loads of wood every fall so, no. I never understood 4 door short bed trucks, but those would be excellent for 4 cylinder engines
No and hell no! If I was given one for free, I’d sell it and buy a gas guzzler.
I would. Those power and torque numbers destroy what I tow with now. Id miss the V8 sound though. That engine will make a great swap candidate for daily drivers too. Nice alternative swap with plenty of power and good mileage.
Good power numbers I guess but as the full size trucks get bigger and bigger, I wonder if it will be enough. But as stated by others, it seems most new trucks never do anything other than haul groceries anyway. It would not work for me and how I use my trucks.
This is such a divisive topic, but being in this industry, I feel they will compensate with a 10-speed transmission and axle gearing to maintain towing capacities. Should work effectively.
I would sit behind a 4-71 in almost anything.
When I read the headline, my first thoughts were “Cummins 4BT,” but a 4-71 works too.
Not sure I like the idea of a four cylinder gas motor with a lot of boost in a truck. They’re great for short bursts of power, but towing uphill is likely to mean keeping it in boost for long periods of time, and I’d be worried about longevity.
Buddy of mine just bought a used Mercedes Benz GLK 250 with a 4 cylinder twin turbo diesel. Makes 190 hp and 369 ft.lbs of torque. Not too shabby.
Here’s more info,and a road test, in case you GAF.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVr9V72xurA&t=615s
OK here is my thoughts .I am no x’pert but I play one on TV.When you over “tax ” .A small displacement engine to make these horse power numbers .There is no way in hell it will have any sort of a long life. So all you guys that like to buy a new truck every 2 years or so, will like the 25 MPG a full size truck will get. And when it gets 50 K miles on it you get rid of it.But there is no way a small displacement engine can push a 4500 pound vehicle along and can last 150k . Us used car buyers always buy a vehicle with that in mind. The car industry is using the MPG laws to sell you a $60K truck that is wore out at 100,000 miles .So go ahead and buy the new truck for $60K and in 2 years trade it off for $25K ,And be upside down on the loan to the tune od $25K . So your next $60K truck will cost you $85K in reality . All this is real ,and in the name of 5 more miles to the gallon . And they are painting it all with the bullshit of better MPG . So go ahead and get ya one of these units. If you drive it around a car with a very large trunk it might be OK for 100,000 miles . But I’ll bet ya a dollar to a dog turd .That if you use one as a “TRUCK” it’ll give trouble . There is now way that small of an engine will live with those numbers very long.I would bet it has to have 30 PSI boost to do it . Me ,I’ll pass thanks all the same .O and I’m on Wensdays at 9PM check local listings
Consider this, That new engine will be the first of its kind, just like the Vega with teflon coated cylinder sleeves, by the time you figure out it was a bad idea, you are stuck with it. I have a 5.3 Liter Silverado, that motor never works hard to power a crew cab and a load of people and crap in the bed. Turbo charging a 4 banger is like a dumping adrenaline in a power lifter, you will get the job done, but both are going to crap out early in life.
The problem is that the fuel mileage numbers never pan-out. That is the biggest complaint of the Ford Ecoboost. I’m not interested in a turbo anything
I’ve got the 4.3L in my ’15 Silverado now. It gets the job done, towing the race car on the weekends and as my Daily. I wouldn’t consider stepping up to an enclosed trailer without stepping up to a 5.3L truck as well. I love the new 4.3L and that GM finally upgraded the dinosaur that was in everything up to the 2013’s. Should have kept tweaking on that and bragging that a GM V6 doesn’t need a whistle to get the job done unlike the blue oval.