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https://www.fordnxt.com/news/the-ford-pushrod-returns-with-the-new-godzilla-7-3l-ohv-big-block/
A big torquey OHV gas engine for Ford's big Super Duty pickups. If the mid-range truck manufacturers had any sense at all, they would adopt this line of thinking and develop a big displacement OHV fuel injected gas engine for the mid-range truck market.
If they could do so and make the engine reliable, even if the fuel mileage couldn't compete with the current mid-range diesel monstrosities, the savings in the cost per gallon of fuel and more importantly, the cost savings in maintenance would more than make up for any possible mpg weakness.
But with today's technology, tighter tolerances, and better more efficient fuel delivery systems, a large displacement gasoline truck engine may not fair that bad in the mpg department vs. a diesel today compared to how it was back in the '70's and '80's.
The company I used to own ran two 1997 Chevrolet 3500 stake bed trucks equipped with 454 fuel injected big blocks. We ran those trucks for at least six years, got over 600,000 miles out of each engine, sold both trucks to a customer for use on his farmland in 2003, and was told by this customer several years later that he was still running both trucks on his farm with no engine problems at all.
After we sold those two 3500s in 2003 along with some Ford F-450 and 550 Super Duty trucks, we started buying larger mid-range trucks such as Chevrolet 5500s, IHC 4300s, Freightliners, Kenworths, etc.....
Our maintenance costs were much higher with the diesel powered trucks, particularly after the forced introduction of Diesel Exhaust Fluid and the accompanying systems.
Our vehicle maintenance costs were lowest when we were running either gas powered trucks or trucks powered by diesel engines equipped with mechanical fuel systems.
In my opinion, Ford is making a good move by introducing this big displacement OHV gas engine to their heavy duty pickup truck line and finally joining GM by implementing this idea.
A big torquey OHV gas engine for Ford's big Super Duty pickups. If the mid-range truck manufacturers had any sense at all, they would adopt this line of thinking and develop a big displacement OHV fuel injected gas engine for the mid-range truck market.
If they could do so and make the engine reliable, even if the fuel mileage couldn't compete with the current mid-range diesel monstrosities, the savings in the cost per gallon of fuel and more importantly, the cost savings in maintenance would more than make up for any possible mpg weakness.
But with today's technology, tighter tolerances, and better more efficient fuel delivery systems, a large displacement gasoline truck engine may not fair that bad in the mpg department vs. a diesel today compared to how it was back in the '70's and '80's.
The company I used to own ran two 1997 Chevrolet 3500 stake bed trucks equipped with 454 fuel injected big blocks. We ran those trucks for at least six years, got over 600,000 miles out of each engine, sold both trucks to a customer for use on his farmland in 2003, and was told by this customer several years later that he was still running both trucks on his farm with no engine problems at all.
After we sold those two 3500s in 2003 along with some Ford F-450 and 550 Super Duty trucks, we started buying larger mid-range trucks such as Chevrolet 5500s, IHC 4300s, Freightliners, Kenworths, etc.....
Our maintenance costs were much higher with the diesel powered trucks, particularly after the forced introduction of Diesel Exhaust Fluid and the accompanying systems.
Our vehicle maintenance costs were lowest when we were running either gas powered trucks or trucks powered by diesel engines equipped with mechanical fuel systems.
In my opinion, Ford is making a good move by introducing this big displacement OHV gas engine to their heavy duty pickup truck line and finally joining GM by implementing this idea.