TWIN INDEPENDENT VARIABLE CAMSHAFT TIMING (TI-VCT) HELPS MAKE 2011 FORD MUSTANG V-6 A TRUE THOROUGHBRED
11/30/2009
Ford
The heart of every Mustang is its engine, and beneath the hood of the new 2011 Ford Mustang V-6 beats a technological tour de force. Displacing 3.7 liters, the dual-overhead-camshaft (DOHC) 24-valve V-6 uses Ford's Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) to produce 305 horsepower and 280 ft.-lb. of torque and is projected to deliver up to 30 mpg highway - a combination unbeaten by any other vehicle in the industry.
Customer benefits of Ti-VCT include extremely precise variable control of "valve overlap," or the window of time in which both the intake and exhaust valves in the engine are open simultaneously.
"This overlap control via Ti-VCT helps us eliminate compromises in the induction and exhaust systems," said Jim Mazuchowski, Ford manager of V-6 powertrain operations. "Drivers are going to notice improved low-speed torque and increased fuel economy and peak horsepower. Plus, there are benefits they won't notice, too, such as reduced emissions overall, especially at part-throttle."
The flexibility allowed by Ti-VCT means Mustang V-6 customers will experience:
-Better off-the-line launch feel, with plenty of the low-end "grunt" for which Mustang is famous. Ti-VCT can deliver up to a 5 percent improvement in low-end torque and a 7 percent improvement in peak power versus non-Ti-VCT-equipped engines.
-Improved fuel economy at all engine speeds resulting in projected 19 mpg city/30 highway with six-speed automatic transmission; 18 mpg city/29 highway with six-speed manual transmission. Ti-VCT alone can account for up to a 4.5 percent fuel economy improvement over non-VCT-equipped engines.
-Lower emissions, with better control of NOx and HC throughout the range of engine operating speeds, reducing atmospheric pollution.
How the technology works
As a DOHC design, the 3.7-liter V-6 uses two camshafts per cylinder bank - one to open the intake valves and one to open the exhaust valves. Traditionally, camshafts only have been able to open the valves at a fixed point defined during engine design and manufacturing. But with modern variable cam timing systems, the camshafts can be rotated slightly relative to their initial position, allowing the cam timing to be "advanced" or "retarded."
Ti-VCT takes this technology and applies it to both the intake and exhaust camshafts of its DOHC design, using electronic solenoid valves to direct high-pressure oil to control vanes in each of the camshaft sprocket housings. By using one valve per camshaft, controlled by the Electronic Control Module (ECM), each intake and exhaust cam can be advanced or retarded independently of the other as engine operating conditions change, providing an exceptional degree of valve timing control.
The new 3.7-liter engine for the 2011 Mustang V-6 will be built at Ford's recently retooled Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1.