By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Here’s the third EcoBoost motor from Ford, joining the current the 3.5-liter V6 and the recently-announced 2.0-liter EcoBoost. The 1.6 and 2.0-liter turbo direct-injected I-4s are expected to get 20% better gas mileage than the larger, naturally aspirated engines they are set to replace next year. This little 1.6 is expected to put out around 180 horsepower and 170-175 lb-ft of torque. More at Autoblog

By Katherine Helmetag

Atomicalex

It’s official! Ford’s Cleveland Engine Plant 1 is making engines again. The plant, home of the famed Cleveland engine series, was tapped to build the 3.5l EcoBoost V6. The EcoBoost is the first direct-injection twin turbo engine to be produced in the US, and Cleveland is the first plant to build EcoBoost engines. Ford has big plans for the engine—it will eventually show up in nearly every platform. When I was a kid, I knew this plant as Brookpark Engine, and had more than a few relatives who worked there.

Twin tiny turbos are all I see on the new Ford EcoBoost 3.5l V6. Brett Hinds of Ford tells me that the main goal of the EcoBoost program was to eliminate of turbo lag–that annoying rev range where the snails aren’t spooled up and you have no power–and that two small chargers was the best way to do this. This means massive built-in tuning potential in the form of larger turbochargers and aggressive chip tuning! The engine is designed for 11psi of boost, using a forged crankshaft, high copper powder metal connecting rods, and aluminum pistons. A direct fuel injector (fitted into the cylinder wall) shoots a second injection at about 40degrees BTDC and right into a bowl on the piston face. This produces a locally rich mixture right at the plug tip, improving both power and emissions by burning rich early and lean late. Fuel mapping is all electronically controlled, and the high pressure fuel pump is mechanically driven–there is plenty of headroom in the current design. By the way, that’s regular gas, although the ECU will adjust for premium for a small power bump. Redline will be at 6200rpm, but that too is electronically controlled. Hard mounting points for this powertrain remain the same as the regular 3.5/transmission mounts. While no tuners have specifically been solicited to begin working this powerplant over, SVT has already approached the production team for engines. No crate motors are confirmed at this point, but I’m thinking that’s just a matter of time. 

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