Diesel Goodness

"Diesel Goodness" Explained for 2016 Nissan Titan XD
Titan Development Team Talks About the Unique Attributes of Diesel

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The level of interest in the 2016 Nissan Titan XD is nearly unprecedented, and a lot of that interest centers around its available Cummins V-8 turbodiesel engine. Nissan released another video today as part of its “Truckumentary” series talking about “diesel goodness.” Representatives from Nissan, Cummins, and even noted diesel performance specialist Gale Banks talked about the inherent advantages of diesel in the context of a truck.

Rich Miller, director of product planning for Nissan Trucks and SUVs, describes diesel goodness as “having a lot of tenacity on grade climbs, that the engine always has more to give.” Steve Sanders of Cummins says “Part of diesel goodness is a bit of overkill, and that’s comforting.”

Gale Banks, well known for his aftermarket diesel performance development for nearly all HD diesel trucks, said, “In terms of what this thing will do in this truck, I think a lot of people that haven’t experienced diesel, but have been a Nissan customer, will really be amazed.”

Although certainly not to the colossal levels of output of the 6.7L Cummins in the Ram 3500 or even the latest Ford Power Stroke V-8, the 5.0L in the Titan XD is a unique proposition in the truck market, straddling the line between 1/2-tons and HDs, with its output of 310 hp and 555 lb-ft of torque roughly splitting the difference between the HD trucks and the 3.0L V-6 in the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel with 240 hp and 420 lb-ft. You can watch the video below.

Truck Trend

Certainly hits a sweet spot and a gap in the market that's asking to be filled. Do it at the right price point and Nissan might surprise a few. 310HP/555TQ is in the power band that is quite capable to do what 90% of the market needs. There may be some that still desire more, however 310HP/555TQ is quite compelling.

Ascetics of the Nissan are good from the cab back. The front fascia is appealing. The long overhang forward of the front wheels and the slight cab over location for the cowl is slightly odd.

I didn't care for its looks originally, but it's slowly growing on me. Will be good to see one in person. They'll never take market share away from the Big3, but they should at least be able to boost sales from their current Titan. The motor alone is a winner. Hopefully the truck can keep up to it.

joemac wrote:

310HP/555TQ is in the power band that is quite capable to do what 90% of the market needs.  There may be some that still desire more, however 310HP/555TQ is quite compelling.

First gen Dmax power there.
Should get better mpg than a first gen Dmax as well.

This new "1/2 ton" will probably out perform my old 1 ton in every category.
Only thing it is missing is a full floating rear axle. 6 lug hub centric FF will do the job.

Newer article on the engine over at PUTC.

I like the stats but one thing I noticed is that it has 4 head bolts per cylinder verses the 6 of a Duramax. It should not be an issue in stock form but the people who start running mods and much higher boost will start complaining about head gasket failures.

Wish I had the money to get a engine/trans combo from one of those and drop it in my truck. Would do anything I need of it.

Diesel Dan wrote:

Newer article on the engine over at PUTC.

Thanks for the heads up...


New Cummins Is Ready for 2016 Nissan Titan XD

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We recently toured the Cummins engine plant in Columbus, Ind., where a dedicated assembly line is about to start cranking out all-new 5.0-liter V-8 turbo-diesel engines for the redesigned 2016 Nissan Titan XD pickup truck. And by the looks of things, like this could be a great match.

Depending on the exact version, the engine will produce 315 horsepower plus a healthy 555 pounds-feet of torque. While that number may seem low compared to the 900 pounds-feet of torque produced by the bigger 6.7-liter Cummins found in Ram heavy-duty trucks, this V-8 offers some interesting technology (see video below) like a brand-new two-stage Holset M2 turbocharging system. The system offers Low Pressure and High Pressure modes, which engage at specific rpms and speeds to produce the highest performance possible, all based on demand. The result is a torque band shaped more like a box instead of your average bell curve.

"Ever since we first imagined the engine, we've been working with various OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] to get customer feedback," said Tim Britt, Cummins chief engineer for light-duty engines. "What they all told us they wanted was more fuel efficiency and less pollution — so we began development work on a second diesel truck engine with a cleaner combustion process and lower emissions." Cummins began building the first prototypes for this smaller V-8 turbo-diesel in early 2002.

"Around the same time we moved production of our 15.0-liter commercial truck engine to the Jamestown Engine Plant in Lakewood, New York, to make room at the Columbus plant. Then in 2006 we reached an agreement with a potential buyer to provide our new 5.0-liter V-8 turbo-diesel for their next-generation vehicle," Britt said. "At that point we began preparing the assembly line that still includes part of the original Cummins foundry built in the 1920s, which has part of its original wood ceiling intact."

All 5.0-liter Cummins engines will come from the factory using a 10W-30 non-synthetic motor oil, with 40-weight synthetic recommended for exceptionally cold climates. In Canada and Alaska, Titans also will be equipped with block heaters. Weight was reduced, according to Britt, by building the cylinder block out of compacted graphite iron, which is stronger and lighter than traditional iron. Other lightweight engine components were added, including high-strength aluminum-alloy heads and composite valve covers. The graphite iron block along with the dual overhead camshafts contributes to the engine's improved noise, vibration and harshness characteristics. The new Cummins 5.0-liter V-8 turbo-diesel exhaust system uses a particulate filter, diesel exhaust fluid and selective catalytic reduction that enable the engine to run cleaner. That technology also serves a second purpose — reducing typical diesel noise.

The new engine also features a Bosch high pressure common rail fuel system to deliver precise fuel control with multiple piezo injections per combustion stroke, which helps increase efficiency and further reduces traditional diesel clatter. Finally, the advanced, maintenance-free Bosch ceramic glow plugs provide quick engine starts even in extremely low temperatures, permitting push-button starts within two seconds.

From station one to final inspection, the engine requires just less than eight hours to build and will typically be in Nissan's Canton, Miss., Titan assembly plant within 30 hours of being built.

At startup, the Cummins assembly line will employ 108 people working five-day, 38-hour shifts. We were told Cummins anticipates building at least 13,000 engines for Nissan the first year, but has the potential to crank out up to 100,000 engines with a three-shift workforce. While the engine will be the key feature in the Titan XD, it's also suitable for recreational vehicles, small buses, light delivery vehicles and marine applications. In fact, the first Cummins 5.0-liter V-8s will be heading to Alabama, rather than Mississippi, to be mounted in a new line of Tiffin RVs.

The new Cummins V-8 is also designed to be more fun to drive, with about 45 percent more torque at cruising speed than similarly sized gasoline V-8 engines. And its low-revving power band requires less downshifting, so it will save even more fuel when towing or carrying heavy loads.

"Since the majority of full-size pickup owners only drive a little more than 10,000 miles a year, fuel economy is critical. Titan's XDs are projected to provide 20 percent better fuel economy than a similar-sized gasoline-powered V-8 when towing full loads," Britt said.

Of course, actual fuel economy figures will not be available until closer to the Titan's on-sale date late this year, and if some of the models have a gross vehicle weight rating more than 8,500 pounds, the government does not require Nissan to list fuel economy numbers. Some are hoping Nissan will still submit those trucks for EPA certification regardless of their GVWR.

While journalists were not allowed to drive the prototype Nissan Titan XD on display at the plant tour, the engine was started and given a few revs. Cummins' noise-reduction efforts were clearly evident. Also, there was no detectable odor or visible smoke coming from the exhaust.

As interesting as the Cummins plant tour was, we can only speculate about whether this engine and new truck combination will resonate with buyers. This new strategy of making a "heavy-duty" half-ton with its uniquely reinforced frame, chassis and powertrain (a six-speed heavy-duty Aisin automatic transmission will back up the Cummins) is truly an interesting gamble. But with fuel prices as low as they've been in a long while and the pickup truck segment selling at record levels, the timing for this marriage might be perfect. We'll have more once we get behind the wheel.

PickupTrucks.com

Is it just me or does the front end of the new Titan look like the now old front end of the F-150's? And the Fords seem to have taken a styling que from the Tundras.

I like the options for diesels coming to 1/2 tons!

Might not be the best looking truck but it may very well have the best powertrain in the 1/2 class.

Can't wait for some towing comparisons.
Would be something if they offer this powertrain in a work truck trim like Ram does.
Do a 1/2ton towing shootout with work trucks and a price ceiling and it might rule out GMs 6.2L/8A combo.