4-cyl engines for full-size trucks?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

So which is 'bigger', a 3-liter inline 4, or a 3-liter V6? Which would (assuming the same sort of turbo, ignition, &c) make more power/get better fuel economy? But I bet if two identical-output engines, one a 4 and one a V6, were available as options, over 80% of Americans would choose the V6.

By "bigger" I meant bigger in displacement, not in external volume. A 350cu.in. (5.7L) Chevy small-block V8 is smaller on the outside than a 4-litre DOHC V8 from Lexus/Toyota. There are many other factors rather than just the cylinders layout that would lead to a higher power or greater fuel-efficiency, but a more favorable R/L ratio might benefit the V6 for power and NVH. In regard to a 3-litre engine, Americans who are used to get a truck for commutting or leisure would get a V6 instead of a straight-4 because they usually see the # of cylinders as a premium feature, while in the 3rd-world the lower purchase cost of a 4-pot is more attractive for commercial operators, and it ends up also becoming cheaper to overhaul.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by wdb

I kinda think they did. Also note: every Tacoma you see without an extended cab or 4-door double cab is a 4 cylinder.

I don't see any T100s there.

Taco isn't full-size.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

The problem with 4 cylinder engines over 2.5 liters is harmoinic oscillations, a rocking motion front to rear caused by the forces created by the first and last cylinders.

I won't say you're wrong about that, but I have operated vehicles with 4-cylinder engines considerably larger than 2.5 liters. Like for instance the 13.6 liter engine on a D-7 Cat: TractorData.com Caterpillar D7 tractor information (Which brings back not-so-fond memories of hand-cranking the 2-cylinder gas (IIRC) engine that was used to start the diesel.) Or the (horizontally opposed) O-360 (approx 5.9 l) in my Piper.

But my point was that if you had a 4-cylinder that was objectively better in all respects - HP, torque, fuel economy, price - than an optional V6 or V8, a large fraction of buyers would still go for the V-engine, because they've been conditioned by so much marketing crap to non-think that it's better.

[niky]

Boxer engines are not quite as prone to vibrations, and tractor engines don't need to rev as high or idle as smoothly as automotive engines.

Global pickups have between using four cylinder diesels for quite a while, but as they get bigger, they're switching out to give cylinder and six cylinder designs

[niky]

Double post

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by niky

Global pickups have between using four cylinder diesels for quite a while, but as they get bigger, they're switching out to give cylinder and six cylinder designs

I assume that by "global pickups" you mean the ones we know as mid-size in Brazil but would be deemed compact in America. The only one currently available with a 5-cylinder that I'm aware is the Ranger, and in Australia the Nissan Frontier is available with a V6, but the 4-cyl ones are still the best sellers in a worldwide basis. Anyway, the Nissan Patrol, which is closer in size to an American full-size, had the 6-cyl TD42 replaced by the 4-cyl ZD30 in Australia and other markets with tighter emission regulations.

[niky]

Yup. Most are sticking with the 2.5 to 3.0 4-cylinder formula, since 4-pots are getting mighty powerful nowadays, but I don't see these things getting anything smaller than the 2.8 to 3.5 range in the USA. Which might mean anything from I5 to V6 for the next generation of pick-ups stateside. Or, if we're talking Ranger or Ram sized, 4.0, at the very least.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by niky

Yup. Most are sticking with the 2.5 to 3.0 4-cylinder formula, since 4-pots are getting mighty powerful nowadays, but I don't see these things getting anything smaller than the 2.8 to 3.5 range in the USA. Which might mean anything from I5 to V6 for the next generation of pick-ups stateside. Or, if we're talking Ranger or Ram sized, 4.0, at the very least.

Some folks are swapping Kubota and Yanmar stationary and agricultural engines in the 2.2L range into compact pickups such as the Ranger and the S10 in America, so we can guess the Ford's own 2.2L used in the current overseas Ranger wouldn't be so much of a bad choice. Anyway, in some ratings, it even has higher power and torque than the ISF2.8 used in the Brazilian F-350, altough in America I wouldn't expect such engines into an F-350. Maybe the 5-cyl 3.2L shared with the Transit could eventually be a good option for budget-oriented commercial operators... Anyway, since Mitsubishi Fuso already uses the Fiat/Iveco 3.0L 4-cyl turbodiesel into the U.S.-spec Canter, which has a higher GVWR than the F-350/F-450, a similarly-sized engine might not be so unsuitable to many Americans.