Diesel Explorer

Speedfreak · January 13, 2002

Ford is puplished info on an Explorer diesel last year. Does anyone know anything about it. So far the only info I have found is a Detroit Diesel, inline 4, 2.5L DOHC, DI, Turbo rated at 140hp but not sure if that is going into Ranger or the Explorer. This is the only engine that would change my direction from my 5.0L swap. Imagine the torque output from that little guy for 4x4ing. I think Im starting to drool.....

ok89 · January 13, 2002

goto Ford's british website and look at the Ranger. Also in the Philipine Ford site. www.Ford.com can get you to those sites. They have the 2.5L I4 turbo Diesel in it.

Randall · January 14, 2002

hmm, I have been thinking of (dreaming...) of a deisel in my Ex for a while, though my thoughts centered mostly upon the 3.9L I4 Cummins turbo deisel, which has an output of 135hp/344tq. Pertinent questions would be How much torque does the 2.5 detroit put out? what tranny are they running with it? What are the dimensions? Is it US legal?

Hotweels · January 14, 2002

I have a friend who had a 87? ranger 4x4 diesel in canada, it was a hi-bred dodge/ford/mitsubishe.
It came from the factory with this motor so it must bolt right in, maybe some one should look into this?

asp84 · January 15, 2002

Speedfreak,
You've already got your engine and wiring! Don't change your mind now!

Al

Speedfreak · January 16, 2002

I know but that idea is still rolling around in the back of my mind

rockylaurence · January 19, 2002

In my opion, with the deisel, performance would be down but 20+MPG would sure make up for the lack of performance

Speedfreak · January 20, 2002

I wouldn't really say that power would be down. The engine could easily be pushed to about 200hp. Torque is typically 2 to 3 times the hp figure so 400 to 600 lbs-ft wouldn't be difficult. A good example is the Ford Louisville with the 3406E Cat engine pushes 475hp and 1500lbs-ft of torque. Imagine climbing a rockface with that type of power, you could say..... pull a Hummer out of a hole.

Check this out Dead Link Removed

rockylaurence · January 20, 2002

My knowledge of Diesels (not much) says that a small displacement 2.5 will run about >100HP and 180FP of torque. An Industrial spec 3.9 Turbo cummins only pushes 130 and 400. Or you can compare the out put of the 7.4, 5.9, etc and divide the outputs by of these engines by +/- 3 and get an idea of what a 2.5 will put out.

Speedfreak · January 21, 2002

You are somewhat correct but the 2.5L listing I already saw is rated at 140 hp which would make a torque rating of 420lbsft off your Cummins example (400/130=3 times) but lets say that its closer to 2 times thats still 280lbsft of torque. The nice thing about diesel is its ease to modify, increase boost and fuel injector flow rates and its easy to get 1.5 times the stock power which would be 210 hp and 420 lbsft of torque.

Torque increases alot faster in diesels than gas engines because there have a constant pressure combution process while gas has a constant volume process so the horsepower figure wouldnt be that high but thats a good example. The constant combustion pressure burn puts more downward combustion force on the piston creating more twisting power in the crankshaft which produces more torque. A gas engine has only a very short combustion pressure process producing less torque but more hp.

rockylaurence · January 21, 2002

OK, here we go. HP is a mesure of power related to time and distane, torque is a messure of a twisting force. I'm sure your formual is somewhere in there also. However, you also have to take into account the rate of combustion. Diesel fuel has a much higher power potential (octane?) and burns at a much slower rate while gas burns quicker and has a lower potential, this is why diesels don't rev like a gas engine. Furthermore, you can tune a Diesel by varying the injector timing gaining torq. while sacrificing HP or vice versa. I'm not a Diesel mech. but I don't think that any vehicle manufacture sells a 2.5L diesel to the civilian population with that kind of power. I may be wrong.Smile :hammer:

Speedfreak · January 21, 2002

I'm not a Diesel Tech yet but I am training. Diesel fuel in actually rated in cetane and gas is rated octane. These ratings for each fuel are completely opposite of each other. Cetane is the ability to self-combust while octane is a rating on a fuels resistance to self-combustion.

I got the info from Ford literature and the engine is being made by Detroit Diesel. It will be a 2.5L DOHC Direct injection Turbo.

Diesel engines cannot run at higher rpm typically because of thier long piston travel. When piston speed reaches a certain point heat gets to high and pistons and cylinder walls start to melt. Gas engines rev higher because they have very short piston travels. An Indy engine has very short strokes compared to a 7.3L Navistar (Ford Direct Injection Engine).

As for the combustion process my last post states badly but accurately the difference between gas and diesel which is the prime reason diesel make more torque than gas pots.

chad · January 22, 2002

My only question would be... If you have a manual or automatic that you would put behind this little diesel? The diesel engine is great when it is not taken out of the power band but if you make a run up a long hill and need any kind of wheel speed it sucks. Take a look at drag racing or any other kind of racing where you need power quickly... no diesels. If all you drive on is rocks where your traction remains consistant then you would be ok but if you ever need any kind of wheel speed look out. Stick with the 5.0 liter you will not be disapointed.

Speedfreak · January 23, 2002

I dont know what tranny would be used behind the diesel, if the engine goes into a Ranger I would suspect a manual but if its an Explorer its most likely going to be an auto. Smaller diesel do tend to rev a little higher than bigger diesels, VW's can rev to about 4500prm. It would still not have the same reving ability as such but when climbing a hill, the engine would find the torquey sweet spot of the rpm range and either dig 4 ditches or climb a near vertical incline (with in reason) with ease.

Nothing is stopping me from the 5.0L conversion right now(except time and money) but when that tires, if I can find a good diesel to drop between the frame rails, I will. I was more curious if anyone has heard anything about the diesel engine.

I tried to find the site but failled but there are some fast drag diesels out there some where. There is a company near me the drag races them in Semi's and fullsize pick-ups and they get great results.

expobronc · January 23, 2002

I've got WOOD!

thinking of a diesel expo.... been thinking about how to make my expo into a little more of a machine to pull my 76 bronco around. I think a turbo diesel could get me a little closer!!

expobronc · January 23, 2002

by the way... i know you could get B2's with little diesels... why couldn't you bolt up one of those puppies?? I belive the 2.8, 2.9, and 4.0 all have the same motor mounts and bell housing patterns...

Speedfreak · January 23, 2002

The diesel in the older Rangers and Bronco IIs are rare as hell and 2.0L Mistubishi. This engine seemed to be good for one thing that I can find and thats headaches. The engine is better suited to the smaller lighter trucks than a heavy X. A little more displacement, direct injection and ample boost pressure is what I'm looking for in a diesel. I even heard that Ford is thinking about a V6 diesel for the F-150. If that engine happened then I would also look into it for a conversion.

Hey Expobronc, who makes that bumper on the front of that Ranger on your website? And is there one for the Explorer? I saw one just like it on a Cherokee one day but couldn't stop him to ask where he got it.

01EB5.0 · January 29, 2002

I don't think it would be as easy as just changing engine and tranny to convert to diesel would it? I am holding out for the expedition turbo diesel. That new ford 6.0L sounds sweet too!

dieselrocks · February 4, 2002

The 2.5L for the Explorer was actually produced by VM Motori, at the time part of DDC. It was to go to export markets only and was not coming to the US. It's the same engine used by Jeep in Europe. Sorry, i'd love to have a good modern turbodiesel for my X also....

01EB5.0 · February 4, 2002

Originally posted by dieselrocks
The 2.5L for the Explorer was actually produced by VM Motori, at the time part of DDC. It was to go to export markets only and was not coming to the US. It's the same engine used by Jeep in Europe. Sorry, i'd love to have a good modern turbodiesel for my X also....

By 2007 the explorer should have diesel. I think the expedition/F150 frame will get one in the next 2-3 years.

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