Ford announced at the Detroit auto show in 2017 that a diesel engine would be coming to the F-150. They didn’t give a whole lot of specs and details at that time, but now they’ve told us quite a bit.

There was speculation and rumors but now we have confirmed details. In case you haven’t heard, for the first time ever, Ford is putting a diesel engine in the F-150 pickup. The F-150 has been America’s best-selling vehicle for 41 consecutive years and Ford is giving buyers even more choices to help keep that leadership.

Today Ford told us what we were wondering. First off, the fuel economy.

30 MPG

Ford is expecting a 30 miles per gallon (MPG) rating from the EPA testing for highway driving. They didn’t tell us the expected city fuel economy rating. They are possibly waiting until the official EPA numbers are announced so as to not give away too much info to competitors. 30 MPG beats out the Ram EcoDiesel which has a highway rating of 29 MPG.

Diesel Power!

Next up, the power numbers! So, the 3.0L V6 Power Stroke diesel engine produces 250 horsepower at 3,250 rpm, and 440 pound feet of torque at 1,750 rpm. If you know about diesel engines and trucks, you’ll know that torque is more important than horsepower.

Ford based the 3.0L Power Stroke engine off an existing one used by Land Rover, codenamed “Lion”. Ford used to own Land Rover and Jaguar.

The Ford 3.0L has a new variable-geometry turbocharger, fuel injection system, connecting rod and main bearings, oil pan, and a forged crankshaft. It uses a common rail diesel (CRD) injection system. Ford’s Power Stroke team that worked on the 6.7L V8 development from the Super Duty line were involved with the development of the 3.0L destined for the F-150.

The 3.0L diesel engine is produced at their Dagenham Engine Plant the United Kingdom. They are then sent to the US to be installed at Ford’s F-150 assembly plants.

Questions & Answers:

What is the release date of the diesel F150?

Ford is taking orders for the new engine as of mid-January 2018, production is to start in “spring”.

The 2018 F150 diesel cost is…?

Ford doesn’t have one straight cost for this engine option. The cost of the 3.0L diesel will be $4,000 more than the 2.7L engine on the Lariat trim level. On more expensive trucks such as the King Ranch, it’s only $3,000 more than the 5.0L price. US pricing listed, and is subject to change.

How much can the diesel F-150 tow?

Properly equipped, the diesel 2018 F-150 can tow up to 11,400 pounds.

What is the payload capacity?

The payload capacity is just over 2,000 pounds, 2,020 lbs to be exact.

Is the diesel available in any cab/body/trim configuration?

Great question! Not exactly. For retail buyers, you can get the engine in either 2WD or 4WD configurations, but only on Lariat and higher trim levels. So that’s Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum. Fleet customers, on the other hand, can get the diesel engine on all trim levels with SuperCrew 5.5 or 6.5 foot beds, or the SuperCab with 6.5 foot bed.

If you have more questions, just leave a comment below and we’ll update this article!

2018 F-150 News

As mentioned earlier, the F-150 is a big deal for Ford. It is their bread and butter and the F-Series trucks are a huge part of the company’s success. Along with the this new engine choice, there are other changes for the 2018 F-150 versus the 2017 F-150. There are new grilles, new headlights, new engines, and more. For more details, go to 2018 F150.

The diesel engine addition to the lineup brings the number of engine choices to SIX (!!) for the 2018 F-150. Ford switched to aluminum bodies back in 2015 which means the bodies will last longer due to not rusting away. Diesel engines are generally known for lasting longer than gasoline engines. So, combine those two and I think you have a great long term truck combination.

I’ve personally owned six F-150’s ranging from 1998 to 2011 and I can tell you I am excited about this new engine choice.

Considering Ford is also planning a new Ranger and Hybrid F-150 for the North American market, you can bet Ford is doing everything they can to keep the sales crown.

Here is a photo of the new 3.0L V6 Power Stroke engine:

Diesel F-150 Starting Instructions

I found this interesting tidbit in the owners manual, quoted below. In very cold weather, the accelerator pedal is literally disabled on startup, pressing it does nothing. It does that so the engine has time to warm up and circulate the oil sufficiently. That is something I’ve never heard of before in a factory new vehicle.

Your vehicle may be equipped with a cold weather starting strategy that prevents severe engine damage by assisting in engine lubrication warm-up. In extremely cold ambient temperatures, this strategy activates and prevents the accelerator pedal from being used for 30 seconds after starting your vehicle.

A message will appear in the information display as your vehicle warms up. By not allowing the accelerator pedal to be used, the engine oil is allowed to properly lubricate the bearings preventing engine damage due to lack of proper lubrication. After the 30 second warm-up period, the accelerator pedal will be operational again and a message will appear informing you the vehicle is ok to drive.

When starting the engine in extremely cold temperatures -15°F (-26°C), it is recommended to allow the engine to idle for several minutes before driving the vehicle.

Mechanical Cooling Fan

Another interesting thing is that the engine will use a mechanical cooling fan. According to Ford, this is because they couldn’t get an electric fan to move enough air under high loads using a standard 12V electrical system. It is much more common for new vehicles to use electric cooling fans.

Paired with that, the F-150 uses dual radiator shutters to increase high altitude, high temperature performance.

2018 F-150 Owners Manual (PDF)

If you’re interested in learning more about the truck in terms of features, operation, etc., you can access the owners manual from Ford. There is extensive information in there to cover the diesel functions and operations.

If you’re an F-150 owner or fan, check out this F150 Forum.

Your Thoughts?

Well, what do you think of the diesel F150 specs? If buying, will you buy a diesel engine or would you go for a gas engine? Leave a comment below to let us know.

Additional reading: The official Ford press release