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- Joined
- Jan 17, 2012
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- 22
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Guys, I think there are some errors (or maybe I'm confused about the way it's worded or something) in the description of the 4.0 V6 engine.
In the Tech Library it leaves the impression that the 4.0 V6 is a development of the 3.8/3.9 V6. This is NOT the case.
The 3.8/3.9 V6 is known as the Essex V6, so called because it was built at the Essex Engine Plant in Windsor Ontario Canada, and it's main distinguishing feature is that it's a 90-degree V6 - that is, the angle between the two cylinder banks is 90-degrees. This permits a lower (but wider) engine, and was developed because Ford wanted a low V6 motor for use in vans and in cars where a low hood line was a priority.
(By the way, a 90-degree V6 engine is not an ideal geometry. Conventional engine design wisdom is that the angle between the cylinder banks multiplied by the number of cylinders should be an even multiple of 360. 90 * 6 = 540. 540 / 360 = 1.5 which is not an even multiple, obviously. However, for an 8 cylinder engine, 90-degrees works out fine, as 8 * 9 = 720, and 720 / 360 = 2 which is an even multiple. It has to do with even spacing of the power pulses, and making a smooth-running engine without balance shafts or other expensive and inefficient methods.)
The 4.0 OHV and the SOHC engines are a development of the original German-made Cologne V6, which is so called because it's made in Cologne, Germany. It is a 60-degree V6, and is totally not related to the "American" Essex V6. It was originally an OHV engine, with the single cam shaft conventionally placed in the valley between the cylinder banks, which operated the valves through push rods and rocker arms. It was actually derived from the earlier "Taunus" V4, which included a balance shaft (And which was used, by the way, in the original 1962 Ford Mustang Concept Car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_7PforFj6A ). By adding two more cylinders, and making it a V6, they were not only able to make a more powerful engine, but they could eliminate the balance shaft as well.
Over the years the engine has been bored and stroked from the original 2.6 liters (the smallest version I've personally seen, but there may have been others) through 3.0 liters up to the present 4.0 liters.
In 1997 Ford converted the OHV engine to a Single Overhead Cam configuration by the simple expedient of designing new SOHC cylinder heads, and replacing the original camshaft with a jack-shaft, driven off of the crank just like the original OHV camshaft was, but incorporating two additional sprockets, one on the front of the jackshaft to drive the cam in the left head, and other on the rear of the jackshaft to drive the cam in the right head. By doing so they were able to yield, through better porting, an increase of at least 50 HP !
This is the engine that lives under the hood of my 2011 Ranger, but I think that's the last gasp of the Cologne V6. (By the way, the Origin Sticker on the left window of my new Ranger stated "Engine - Germany".) Rest in peace, and rest assured you will be missed.
Just setting the record straight here as I understand it. If someone wants to correct anything I've written, please feel free to reply.
In the Tech Library it leaves the impression that the 4.0 V6 is a development of the 3.8/3.9 V6. This is NOT the case.
The 3.8/3.9 V6 is known as the Essex V6, so called because it was built at the Essex Engine Plant in Windsor Ontario Canada, and it's main distinguishing feature is that it's a 90-degree V6 - that is, the angle between the two cylinder banks is 90-degrees. This permits a lower (but wider) engine, and was developed because Ford wanted a low V6 motor for use in vans and in cars where a low hood line was a priority.
(By the way, a 90-degree V6 engine is not an ideal geometry. Conventional engine design wisdom is that the angle between the cylinder banks multiplied by the number of cylinders should be an even multiple of 360. 90 * 6 = 540. 540 / 360 = 1.5 which is not an even multiple, obviously. However, for an 8 cylinder engine, 90-degrees works out fine, as 8 * 9 = 720, and 720 / 360 = 2 which is an even multiple. It has to do with even spacing of the power pulses, and making a smooth-running engine without balance shafts or other expensive and inefficient methods.)
The 4.0 OHV and the SOHC engines are a development of the original German-made Cologne V6, which is so called because it's made in Cologne, Germany. It is a 60-degree V6, and is totally not related to the "American" Essex V6. It was originally an OHV engine, with the single cam shaft conventionally placed in the valley between the cylinder banks, which operated the valves through push rods and rocker arms. It was actually derived from the earlier "Taunus" V4, which included a balance shaft (And which was used, by the way, in the original 1962 Ford Mustang Concept Car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_7PforFj6A ). By adding two more cylinders, and making it a V6, they were not only able to make a more powerful engine, but they could eliminate the balance shaft as well.
Over the years the engine has been bored and stroked from the original 2.6 liters (the smallest version I've personally seen, but there may have been others) through 3.0 liters up to the present 4.0 liters.
In 1997 Ford converted the OHV engine to a Single Overhead Cam configuration by the simple expedient of designing new SOHC cylinder heads, and replacing the original camshaft with a jack-shaft, driven off of the crank just like the original OHV camshaft was, but incorporating two additional sprockets, one on the front of the jackshaft to drive the cam in the left head, and other on the rear of the jackshaft to drive the cam in the right head. By doing so they were able to yield, through better porting, an increase of at least 50 HP !
This is the engine that lives under the hood of my 2011 Ranger, but I think that's the last gasp of the Cologne V6. (By the way, the Origin Sticker on the left window of my new Ranger stated "Engine - Germany".) Rest in peace, and rest assured you will be missed.
Just setting the record straight here as I understand it. If someone wants to correct anything I've written, please feel free to reply.
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