Thread: Ford cuts Super Duty production amid dispute with engine maker

The launch of Ford Motor Co.'s new Super Duty pickup is in danger of stalling.

Less than a week after International Truck and Engine Corp. stopped shipping diesel engines, Ford Motor is cutting production of the highly profitable Super Duty.

Ford is cutting shifts starting Thursday, March 1, at the lone plant in Louisville, Ky., that builds the Super Duty. No production is scheduled for Friday, March 2, and daily shifts will be reduced from three to one starting Monday, March 5, said Ford spokesman Tom Hoyt.

International and Ford are locked in a legal battle over money. Ford sued International on Jan. 11 over warranty costs related to the old 6.0-liter Power Stroke engine that powered the Super Duty truck from 2002 to 2007 and over the price International is charging for the 6.4-liter turbodiesel that replaced it.

Ford launched the 2008 Super Duty this month and is trying to fill 50,000 dealership orders for the big pickup, the most profitable vehicle Ford sells. Although Ford offers the Super Duty with a gasoline engine, about 75 percent are sold with the hard-working diesel.

Buyers of Super Duty trucks opt for the diesel because it can tow heavier loads and because it gets better fuel economy than the 5.4-liter V-8 or 6.8-liter V-10 gasoline engines.

Last year, Ford sold 796,000 F-series pickups, about 25 percent of which were Super Duty models.

:news:

International court ordered to supply engines.........

http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...c=66&type=qcna

Thank you John. I can breath a little easier now.:)

:yay: I think they should ship me one for Blue Oval Thunder :yay:

Originally Posted by BrianC

Thank you John. I can breath a little easier now.:)

You an me both, I was starting to get a little worried. I don't think this is over by any means, but only time will tell.

Originally Posted by Samuel1941

:news:

International court ordered to supply engines.........

http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...c=66&type=qcna

An expanded article by Reuters-
http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...R-UPDATE-1.XML
Noting the reduced engine production, and reduced superduty production.

Another reason Ford could not allow the production of the Superduty diesels to completely shutdown-
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/...iness/ford.php

I have one question though Bobby, for all of the diesel market , that market that how john puts it... "us horsepower junkies". Do you think ford diesel sales will be hurt a little bit due to the fact you can't even look at these engines funny without them throwing a code. I mean not even being able to throw a good sounding exhaust on these trucks would seriously make me think twice about buying one. I know there is always the used market but if one were wanting to buy new. Also the fact that these are gonna be obsolete in a couple years make one think twice also. I mean these are just some concerns that I have, with any new product theres bound to be bugs, Re. 6.0 and now, they just start to work a majority of those bugs out, and they are changing designs all over again. Any input??