Just noticed Ford is raving about how 70% of all SuperDuties are sold with the PSD. They also rave about the PSD as the best diesel out there... 'natch. And then they say this... that the PSD is better because, among other things, of its more robust iron heads (!).
Now I wonder. If iron heads are better on the PSD, why they wouldn't be better on Fords gas engines? Hmmm Mr. Ford?
BTW, the 8100Vortec is iron headed, so does that mean we should buy from GMC, Mr. Ford?
Aluminum heads work better on Gas engines for several reasons. The V10 is a little over 9:1 comp ratio. I'm sure the PSD is double that or more. Aluminum also displaces heat better. This means you can bump the compression ratio up a bit and still use regular gas. They are also lighter which aids in MPG figures.
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2005 V10, AT, Fx4 Dark Stone Metalic, Crewcab F350, 4.10LS, shortbed, towcomand, Extang tonno **SOLD**
Uh? And that means GMC is dumb I suppose? How do you explain the domestic trucks with aluminum heads ( anything the dummies will buy ) and commercial and fleet ( they make their living at it ) which are iron???
Many a auto. eng. has noted on these boards that other than weight there is no advantage to aluminum heads. read the can get the exact same performance with iron. On a 6000lb truck, I'm sure the extra 75(?)lbs will really cripple my MPG... NOT!
I fail to understand what everyone has against aluminum heads? They've been using them for years and years now and seem to be holding up just fine as long as you don't run the engine out of coolant and cook it. With the computers on these trucks you don't even have that problem anymore because it will shut the engine down before that even happens. If you want to cry about something, I think it should be about something that is actually a problem like the tissue paper thin sheet metal they use on these things.
Actually, making aluminum piston engines is a fine art requiring the kind of attention one puts into airplanes.
Trucks OTOH fall in the category of "lumber jack" tools. Read capable of handling the rough and ready kind of conditions one finds where the pavement ends and the abuse begins.
Aluminum engines and plastic manifolds just don't cut it here. OTOH, I'd vote for aluminum bodies, alumimum tranny and 4X4 cases, maybe even differentials on IRS/IFS setups, and similar areas. With the all iron PSD outselling both the V10 and the Duramax ( soft heads ) by 3 to 1, he who wishes to make sales might want to sit up and pay attention.
Realizing this is another PSD owner stiring the pot in the gas section, BUT the problem is the person can't stop typing. Mentioning airplane engines now puts you in the unbelieveable catagory(or the WHAT? catagory). You see the one place I would want a very realiable durable engine is in a airplane. A small private plane or a larger one. You see if my "lumber jack" truck breaks down I'm just walking. If a Beech breaks down I'm gliding. And contrary to what most people think, even a powerless landing in a pasture can be a little rough. And for a really fun ride, try sitting in the right seat of a jet ranger with a dead motor. I haven't and hope to never be. Oh yeah...auto-rotate..no problem.
And about 95% of the trucks...probably including your truck(mine included), doesn't even fall into the "lumber jack" tool as you mention. They never see the end of the road!! And please don't cry about how some deer hunters...I'm a deer hunter and no one I know takes their new 35-40k truck into the bottom unless there is a nice road. Maybe a little soft mud but that doesn't even hurt the paint. That's what they have the ATV's for.
I think you got some good responses to your original question. Realizing again that wasn't your intention....now was it.
Oh BTW, remember when bows and arrows were the weapon of choice? I'm sure the bow salesman said "he who wishes to make sales might want to sit up and pay attention". Of course that was until technology said otherwise and advancements were made. Or maybe the caveman who said "living in a cave is the best way to live". Or one of my personal favorites, when we went from peeing outside to a nice non-smelling toilet inside.
The reason why Ford sells more PSD's is 1) it's a good engine(no arguement), and 2)they make more money selling a PSD. Which one do you think makes the brass at Ford and the stockholders happier? Me?...I own Ford stock.
Have a nice day, [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Not the first time this issue has come up, same person though. Please give examples of failed aluminum heads, and plastic manifolds to back up your statements. Your typical response of aluminum bad, iron good, isn't cutting it. In addition, failing to realize that aluminum is easier to machine, cast and forge, in addition to having better heat transfer (not at all important), blah, blah,.... wasted time and words.
Do us who are soft in the head a favor, and buy an 8.1 GM, with it's hard heads and.....happy lumber jacking.
I merely "quoted" from a FORD document... [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]
Sauce ( in this case from ) the gander so to speak...
I am speaking here strictly to the gas engine issue, and I'm not knocking Fords gas engines. I need merely point you to cracked/ leaking plastic manifolds on the 4.6 engine or to sparkplugs that "auto eject" on the 6.8 engine to point out the more interesting things that happen with aluminum heads. I'll desist from pointing out that your set for a valve job somewhat sooner on aluminum engines than gas, and that dealing with that job is a good bit more complex on an aluminum head than on an iron one.
Arguments about how much easier it is for the manufacturers is very nice folks. Just one small point... are you the manufacturer? The rest of us aren't, and those claims do nothing for us "customers".
But again, other than weight, aluminum has NO advantages and now apparently even Ford is acknowledgeing that!
P.S.-- I am a proponent of iron OTR engines, but I'm certainly not the only one on these boards.
It's a good thing that I've NEVER heard of a diesel "auto ejecting" an injector out of its cast iron head. I've NEVER heard of a gas engine with cast iron heads "auto ejecting" a spark plug either. LOL!
While we're at it, why not go back to the old cast iron transfer cases too? Sheesh. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] SamC
I think your reading to much into the press release. Ford was talking strictly about the PSD. Why would Ford say that about all their engines when most all of their other engines have alloy heads...they wouldn't...cuz there just talking about the PSD.
If I hate my neighbors "dog" that doesn't mean I hate all dogs. Otherwise I would say I have all dogs.
But I do hate all cats!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Rob
PS I heard cackle is caused by cast iron heads. No cackle in my v10.
I wouldn't say Ford gas engines are garbage either. But hypocracy can come in many forms. Don't kid yourself. Detroit, in general, knows that the materials issue is out there.
P.S.-- from what I'm hearing now "cackle" is caused by another materials problem... in the fuel lines [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]
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