How Ford Squeezed 1,050 Lb-Ft Out of Its Power Stroke Diesel
To make its third-generation Power Stroke diesel the most powerful one yet, Ford made major revisions to its fuel system and turbocharger.
Ram made big headlines when it announced the 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel I6 in its 2019 Heavy Duty truck lineup is capable of generating up to 400 horsepower and 1,000 lb-ft. They reached that four-digit stratosphere of towing might. With the newest version of its 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel V8, Ford has shot right past that to an even higher level of output: 475 horsepower and 1,050 lb-ft.
By themselves, those are eye-popping figures. They’re also significant when you consider that the outgoing, second-generation version of the Power Stroke that Ford introduced for the 2015 model year produced 450 horsepower and 935 lb-ft of torque. Increasing power that substantially while keeping the displacement and cylinder count the same takes more than a few bolt-ons from the local auto parts store. To find out just how Ford was able to hit such heights, Andre Smirnov from TFLTruck spoke with David Ives, the technical leader for diesel engines at Ford.
The bulk of the changes Ives and his team made to the Power Stroke involve the fuel system and turbocharger hardware. More power takes efficient fuel delivery so the new Power Stroke uses a 36,000-psi system, new injectors, and an upgraded pump and fuel lines to get the diesel it needs.
Ives and his team paired that new fuel setup with revised manifolds and a new turbocharger. The lower intake manifold is now made out of plastic (instead of aluminum) for weight savings and improved insulation. It’s the exact opposite with the upper intake manifold, which is now an aluminum piece instead of a plastic piece. Ives tells Smirnov, “We did that on account of … better heat protection because it sits right on top of the turbocharger.”
That turbo is new and completely electrically actuated. According to Ives, “Response is now improved in colder climates.” A new vane design gives the big diesel better throttle response and improved efficiency – both of which are important if you plan on using a 2020 Super Duty to tow up to 37,000 pounds.
The Power Stroke’s most basic components are stronger than before because…well…they need to be. Ives says, “The internal structures of the engine are upgraded for the higher … performance … so we’ve upgraded the cylinder heads, the cylinder block.” He adds, “The piston and rod assembly are also upgraded … to handle … higher operating pressures.”
It’s nice to know how Ford got these kinds of numbers, but that answer only leads to another question: When will Ram roll out a tweaked version of its Heavy Duty 3500 that starts the next skirmish in the battle for torque and towing supremacy?
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