Ford Power Stroke engine


Power stroke is the name used by a family of diesel engines for trucks produced by Ford Motor Company and Navistar International for Ford products since 1994. Along with its use in the Ford F-Series, applications include the Ford E-Series, Ford Excursion, and Ford LCF commercial truck. The name was also used for a diesel engine used in South American production of the Ford Ranger.
From 1994, the Power Stroke engine family existed as a re-branding of engines produced by Navistar International, sharing engines with its medium-duty truck lines. Since the 2010 introduction of the 6.7L PowerStroke V8, Ford has designed and produced its own diesel engines. During its production, the PowerStroke engine range has been marketed against large-block V8 gasoline engines along with the General Motors Duramax V8 and the Dodge Cummins B-Series inline-six.

Engine family list

7.3 Power Stroke

The first engine to bear the Power Stroke name, the 7.3L Power Stroke V8 is the Ford version of the Navistar T444E turbo-diesel V8. Introduced in 1994 as the replacement for the 7.3L IDI V8, the Power Stroke/T444E is a completely new engine, with only its bore and stroke dimensions common with its predecessor. In line with the IDI diesel, the Power Stroke was offered in three quarter ton and up versions of the Ford F-Series/Ford Econoline product ranges.
The Power Stroke is an electronically controlled, direct injection engine with a bore and stroke creating a displacement of. It has a 17.5:1 compression ratio, and a dry weight of approximately. This engine produces up to and of torque in automatic transmission trucks from the last years of production, and and of torque in manual transmission trucks. The oil capacity is. The oil pan holds while the top end holds an additional, making for a total of.
The 1994.5 to 1996/97 DI Power stroke has "single shot" HEUI fuel injectors which were AA code injectors unless from California where as they received AB code injectors. It ran a high pressure oil pump to create the necessary oil pressure to fire the fuel injectors. This generation of Power Stroke utilizes an HPOP with a 15° swash plate angle. The 1995-1997 trucks use a two-stage cam-driven fuel pump, whereas the 1999-2003 trucks use a frame rail mounted electric fuel pump. The 1999-2003 trucks also had a deadhead fuel system and a "long lead" injector in cyl. number 8 due to lower fuel pressures with the deadhead design. The California trucks from 1996 and 1997 have a split-shot fuel injectors; other trucks did not get split-shot injectors until 1999. Single-shot injectors only inject one charge of fuel per cycle, whereas the split-shot injector releases a preliminary light load before the main charge to initiate combustion in a more damped manner. This "pre-injection" helps reduce the sharp combustion 'knock' as well as lower NOx emissions by creating a more complete burn.
The '94.5-'97 engine utilizes a single turbocharger non-wastegated with a turbine housing size of 1.15 A/R. In 1999, an air-to-air intercooler was added to cool the charged air from the turbo for increased air density. With the new cooler, denser air would increase the horsepower potential of the engine, while also reducing exhaust gas temperatures. The turbine housing was changed to a.84 A/R and a wastegate was added halfway through the 1999 model year. The 1999 engine also received injectors, up from in the early model engine. With the larger injectors, the HPOP capability was increased by utilizing a 17° swash plate angle to meet the requirements of the new, higher flowing injectors.

Common issues

Despite being regarded as one of the most reliable diesel engines ever put in a light duty truck, the 7.3 Power Stroke was not without its own issues. A common failure point was the CPS. The failure of this sensor would create a no start condition or would shut the truck off mid operation. The easiest way to diagnose a failed CPS is through movement of the tachometer when cranking. If the tachometer does not move, the CPS is most likely bad. The fuel filter/water separator also tends to be a minor failure point across the trucks. The filter housing tends to develop cracks in the aluminum housing and leaks fuel. The heating element contained in the filter housing also can short out, blowing a fuse and causing a no start condition. The turbocharger up-pipes are a large failure point, with the pipes leaking from many different points but mainly from the joints. Leaking of the up-pipes causes the engine to lose boost and cause EGT's to increase. The EBPV was also prone to failure. tired from age it would open up when cold and get stuck on causing a jet engine like noise coming from the exhaust.
Most of the issues that came out of these motors were electrical due to poor electrical connections. The UVCH was prone to losing contact with either glow plugs or injectors which caused rough starts or a misfire depending on the year. 1994-1997 has two connectors going into each bank whereas 1999-2003 they had one connector going into each bank, made troubleshooting the harness easier in the early years. Besides the electrical the 7.3L DI Power Stroke also had a weak valve train. The valve springs did not have a high enough seat pressure leading into valve float at high RPM's often causing bent or broken push rods. Aftermarket springs and shims are available to solve the problem however. Besides those minor things, the engine came with forged connecting rods until 2001 they went to PMR's which were plenty strong for a stock motor but if there was considerable engine tuning done to the motor, they were considered a weak link at about and up. Some early models were fortunate enough to even be sold off the lot without a catalytic converter as emissions didn't quite affect the diesel industry too much yet.
The 7.3L DI Power Stroke was in production until the second quarter of model year 2003 when it was replaced by the 6.0L because of its inability to meet California noise regulations, not the commonly believed emissions standards as it beats the current 6.7L Ford Power Stroke. Nearly 2 million 7.3L DI Power Stroke Engines were produced from International's Indianapolis plant.
The 7.3L DI Power Stroke engine is commonly referred to as one of the best engines that International produced.

6.0 Power Stroke

The Power Stroke was replaced by the beginning in the second quarter of the 2003 model year. The 6.0L Power Stroke, was used in Ford Super Duty trucks until the 2007 model year but lasted until 2009 in the Ford Econoline vans and in the Ford Excursion SUVs until after the 2005 models when Ford discontinued Excursion production. The engine has a bore and stroke creating a displacement of. It utilizes a variable-geometry turbocharger and intercooler, producing and torque with an 18.0:1 compression ratio, with fuel cutoff at 4,200 rpm. Many 6.0 L Power Stroke engines experienced problems.

Key specifications

/ - The sources of the main issues with the 6.0L were the in-block oil cooler, and the EGR cooler materials. The oil cooler is located in the valley of the engine block, underneath the cartridge oil filter set up. The sealed outer portion of the oil cooler is submerged in engine oil, with coolant flowing through the center passages. Over time, the coolant side of oil cooler would plug up with sediment. This would reduce the flow of coolant through the oil cooler and cause higher oil temperatures. This sediment would also reduce the flow of coolant through the EGR cooler resulting in premature failure due to thermal expansion fatiguing the heat exchanging core. The early EGR coolers were also susceptible to premature failure.
- With the use of Split-shot HEUI fuel injectors, high pressure oil is required to pressurize the fuel injectors. The main high pressure oil system components are; High Pressure Oil Pump, HPO manifolds, Stand pipes and branch tube. The HPOP is located in the engine valley at the rear of the engine block. Early build years are well known for premature HPOP failure. This is due to the poor quality materials used in manufacturing. The HPOP is pressurized by a rotating gear, meshed with a rear camshaft gear. The early model HPOP gears were known to be weak, and develop stress cracks in the teeth resulting in gear failure, thus causing a no start issue for the engine. Early models also had the ICP sensor located on the HPOP cover. The high amount of heat in this location, combined with the exposure to debris in the oil was known to cause ICP sensor failure also resulting in a no start condition. This issue was addressed by Ford with the late 2004 engine update, bringing a new HPOP design, along with relocation of the ICP sensor to the Passenger side valve cover. The newly designed pump is not known for frequent failure, however a new issue arose with the update. In the late model engines, Ford also redesigned the HPO stand pipes and dummy plugs in the HPO manifold, using poor quality o-rings. These o-rings were prone to failure causing a HPO leak, and eventually a no start condition. Ford addressed this concern with updated Viton o-ring washers fixing the issue. With the new HPO system design also came a Snap To Connect fitting. Some models had issue with the prongs of the STC fitting breaking causing the fitting to lose its sealing property and again, a no start condition for the engine. Another frequent issue with the HPO system is the Injection Pressure Regulator screen. The IPR screen is located in the engine valley with the oil cooler. The material used was susceptible to failure and neglecting to replace the screen during an oil cooler replacement could lead to the debris being sent through the HPOP causing complete failure. If the HPOP does not fail another common failure point is the IPR that, if contaminated by debris, will not be able to seal completely and will then "bleed off" oil pressure causing a no start condition.
- Ford/International used four Torque to Yield cylinder head bolts per cylinder for the 6.0s and 6.4s. TTY bolts offer some of the most precise clamping force available but can be problematic. In certain situations TTY bolts can be stretched beyond their torque mark by increased cylinder pressures. This has never been addressed by Ford due to the fact that other malfunctions or abuse must occur to stretch the bolts. Some in the aftermarket will replace the factory bolts with head studs in an attempt to protect the head gaskets from future failure. If this is done without addressing the underlying issue, the head gaskets may fail again bringing along a cracked or warped cylinder head. In contrast, the Powerstroke 7.3s and 6.7s have 6 head bolts per cylinder while the 6.0, VT365, IDI 7.3s and 6.4s only have four.

Electrical and fuel

Numerous PCM recalibrations, attempts to "detune" the engine, fuel injector stiction along with several other driveability and quality control problems have plagued the 6.0. The FICM has been a problem, where low voltage in the vehicle's electrical system due to failing batteries or a low-output alternator can cause damage to the FICM. In addition, the placement of the FICM on top of the engine subjects it to varying and extreme temperatures and vibrations causing solder joints and components to fail in early build models; mostly in the power supply itself. The FICM multiplies the voltage in the fuel injector circuit from 12 to 48-50 volts to fire the injectors. Low voltage can eventually cause damage to the fuel injectors.

6.4 Power Stroke

The 6.4L Power Stroke was introduced for the 2008 model year, known as the Slug. It was the first engine introduced to the light truck market that utilized dual turbochargers from the factory. This was the first Power Stroke to use a diesel particulate filter in order to nearly eliminate particulate emissions. The new DPS and active regeneration system greatly hindered the engine's fuel economy capability, though the engine proved to be comparatively strong and reliable. The engine was ultimately retired after the 2010 model year, as Ford replaced it with its own in-house built 6.7L Power Stroke.
The engine has a bore and stroke, resulting in a total calculated displacement of. Despite having to meet emission regulations, the engine was able to increase horsepower ratings to and torque to at the flywheel. Horsepower and torque are achieved at 3,000 rpm and 2,000 rpm respectively. It also features a compound VGT turbo system. Air enters the low-pressure turbo and is fed into the high-pressure turbo, then is directed into the engine or intercooler. This system is designed to result in reduced turbo lag when accelerating from a stop. The series-turbo system is set up to provide a better throttle response while in motion to give a power flow more like a naturally aspirated engine. The 6.4 L also has a DPF and dual EGR coolers which are capable of reducing exhaust gas temps by up to 1,000 degrees before they reach the EGR valve and mix with the intake charge. The DPF traps soot and particulates from the exhaust and virtually eliminates the black smoke that most diesel engines expel upon acceleration. The engine computer is programmed to periodically inject extra fuel in the exhaust stroke of the engine to burn off soot that accumulates in the DPF. This engine is designed to only run on ultra low sulfur diesel fuel which has no more than 15 ppm sulfur content; using regular diesel fuel results in emission equipment malfunctions and violates manufacturer warranties.
The 6.4L has had one recall that addresses the potential for flames to come from the tailpipe of the truck. This problem arises from the DPF which is part of the diesel after-treatment system. A PCM recalibration was released to eliminate the possibility of excessive exhaust temperatures combined with certain rare conditions resulting from what is becoming known as a "thermal event".

Key specifications

Emissions controls include exhaust gas recirculation, Denoxtronic-based selective catalytic reduction from Bosch, and a DPF. Output was originally and. but shortly after production started, Ford announced that they made an update to the 6.7L diesel. The new engine control software makes the engine capable of at 2,800 rpm and at 1,600 rpm while achieving better fuel economy and without any physical changes to the engine. The 2015 engines are rated at and. Ford claims the bump in horsepower is from a new turbo, new injector nozzles and exhaust improvements. For 2017, the torque had risen to at 1800 rpm, Horsepower remains the same. To compete with the Duramax and Cummins engines from GM and Ram, Ford has increased output for the 2018 model year to . Previously, the Duramax motor had a gain over the Powerstroke in 2017, and for 2018 the Cummins motor had a torque gain over the Powerstroke if the Powerstroke's output hadn't been increased for model year 2018. The engine will be available for Blue Bird Vision school bus.

Key specifications

2015—2016

3.2 Power Stroke

The 3.2 L Power Stroke is an inline-five engine that debuted in the U.S.-spec Transit for model year 2015. The engine is a modified version of the Ford Duratorq 3.2 L diesel engine that has been adapted to meet emissions in the United States. To aid in economy, emissions, and reduce NVH, it has a high pressure common rail fuel injection system and piezo injectors that can spray up to five different injections per compression event. It has a water cooled EGR system to reduce the temperature of the exhaust gas before being recirculated through the intake. A unique feature to the emissions system is that the diesel oxidation catalyst and the DPF have been combined into one singular unit as opposed to the traditional two separate units. Exhaust treatment continues with SCR which is done by the injection of diesel exhaust fluid in the exhaust to reduce NOx. The engine features a variable geometry turbo which allows for intake air flow tuning on the fly to increase power and fuel economy. The engine also features a variable-flow oil pump to avoid wasting mechanical energy pumping excessive amounts of oil. It has cast aluminum, low friction pistons with oil squirters to keep them cool during heavy-load conditions, a die cast aluminum cam carrier to stiffen up the valve train and reduce NVH, and to increase low end durability, the crankshaft is cast iron and the connecting rods are forged. The block itself is an extra rigid, gray cast iron with a closed deck. The power figures for the 3.2 L Power Stroke are at 3,000 rpm and at 1,500-2,750 rpm. The Euro Duratorq 3.2 makes and of torque.

Key specifications

A 3.0 liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel V6 was introduced in the new 2018 Ford F-150 as a medium duty engine to compete with the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel V6. The 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel generates and of torque, paired with a Ford-GM 10-speed automatic transmission, providing a towing capability of. EPA-estimated fuel efficiency ratings are highway, city, and combined.

Applications

The Power Stroke engine has been used in the following applications.
Ford E-Series
Ford Excursion
Ford F-Series
Ford F-Series
LCF
Ford Transit