Ford Using Recycled Carpet in Head Covers

Cleveland, OH, Nov. 10, 2009--Ford Motor Co. has begun using nylon cylinder head covers made from recycled carpeting in the 3-liter V-6 engines it makes in Brook Park for the Ford Escape small sport utility vehicle and the Ford Fusion mid-sized sedan.

Auto parts supplier Dana Corp. is making the new cylinder head covers for Ford. The part is typically made of forged aluminum.

"Nylon has been used in a number of under-hood applications for quite some time," Dana engineering director David Nash told Cleveland.com. He added that Asian and European automakers have used nylon cylinder head covers for several years. Ford is the company's first customer for recycled nylon.

A Ford spokesman told Cleveland.com that using the Dana product was a no-brainer for the automaker. Nylon is less expensive than aluminum, and it's lighter. Ford and other automakers are trying to cut every ounce of weight they can to make cars more fuel-efficient.

Wellman Engineering Resins, a South Carolina materials company, has recycling centers that take in old carpet and strip away the nylon fibers.

Ford and Dana said they will look for more uses for recycled carpeting in the future.