Ford's New Diesel Engine Significantly Quieter

Diesel engines, often criticized for the disturbing noise they are generating, are getting closer to reaching another important milestone in their evolution. Ford's new 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel unit, which will become available in the 2011 Super Duty range, will be one of the quietest power plants on the market, the American manufacturer said in a release for the press.

"Historically, consumer perception has been that diesels should sound rough and tough, but from a sound quality perspective they were actually loud and unrefined," said Scott DeRaad, engine NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) engineer. "At Ford, we approached the new diesel development as though it was more than a work truck and something that people wanted to drive, making ‘quieter' a reason to buy."

In order to make the engine work quieter, the American manufacturer implemented a number of upgrades, including a new design of both the piston and the piston bowl. This way, the company optimizes the combustion for a smoother process and a refined sound.

Additionally, Ford installed the turbocharger from the center housing directly to the block, which also contributed to the reduced noise.

"When turbochargers vibrate, it can lead to other parts of the vehicle vibrating," said DeRaad. "The exhaust system, for example, is directly attached to the turbocharger. So when the turbocharger vibrates a lot, the exhaust system vibrates too and that's disturbing to the customer. Bolting the turbocharger directly to the block eliminates that concern."

"We've been able to tune the diesel intake system to give us the sound we wanted," DeRaad said. "It's now a nice complement to the engine."