Ford Motor Company and Navistar International combined their efforts and designed the Power Stroke engines for heavy and medium-duty diesel trucks. These two automobile giants joined hands in 1982 when Ford thought of developing a dynamic and highly-durable diesel engine for its trucks to revolutionize the industry. Since the commencement of the Power Stroke engine, many different models have been manufactured.
- The first-ever Power Stroke engine was the 9L Indirect Injection, a massive powerhouse and highly regarded in the American truck industry. But due to its high-power generation and torque, the total working life of the engine was minimal. This first Power Stroke engine model had its fair share of issues, and so did the other engines of its family, which were manufactured later.
- The next version was the Ford 7.3L engine. It was a massive upgrade on the 7.3L IDI (Indirect Injection) version manufactured from 1988-1993. This engine was first launched in 1994 and upgraded the truck industry with a Turbocharger, Direct Injection, and massive power system. Like every other version, this version also had some drawbacks. Despite ranking in the Diesel Power Magazine’s top 10 diesel engines of all time, the 7.3L Power Stroke engine does not have much torque and power than the family’s latest engines. As it began production nearly two decades ago, it does not provide an EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system and diesel filters, which are very necessary components in modern times.
- The next version was the Ford 6.0 Power Stroke. It was released after the 7.3L engine after making new additions and enhancements. The 6.0 Power Stroke was built by using modern components to enhance the heavy-duty truck service. This engine offered greater horsepower and torque, which increased its power drastically. But despite assimilating all the modern components, some problems surfaced.
1. The water pump of the 6.0 Power Stroke uses a plastic rotor. Constant use for years heats the engine quickly, and the plastic rotor might get brittle. As the plastic rotor gets brittle, it can develop cracks, stopping the flow of heat waves from the engine.
2. Exhaust gas recirculation cooler gets weary in every Power Stroke engine. But it gets very weary, especially in the 6.0 version. The heat generated due to the power consumption and greater torque can pile up soot and smoke.
3. The engine oil cooler used is placed under the turbocharger and intake pipe. Due to this huge pressure, the coolant flow can be restricted to the exhaust gas recirculation cooler and results in the engine overheating. The pressure created can also rupture some of the components of the engine and might need permanent replacement.
4. Cylinder and bolt issues are very common also. Generally, the cylinder heads and bolts do not get clamped properly, leading to loose ends in the engine. This can lead to cracks and ruptures of some components if the engine is used while ignoring this issue.
- After the Ford 6.0 Power Stroke engine production, a new demand for enhancement and necessities arose. So, in 2008, Ford 6.4 Power Stroke came into the picture. The main motive behind manufacturing this engine was to fix up the redundancies in the previous models and provide something new and powerful for the heavy-duty truck industry. While many of the problems were addressed, some new problems surfaced. The engine components did not coincide well with the truck designs. As a result, if any changes or repairs were to be made, the truck would need to be towed and disassembled to fix the issues or replace any defective parts. This was a very costly and time-consuming affair compared to the other models of this family.
This version of the Power Stroke engine had an embedded particulate filter. The particulate filter works by absorbing soot and dirt when the engine is running. After a certain time, the filter gets full and sprays off diesel to eliminate the extra soot and dirt. This process can lead to overheating and can spoil the diesel and oil quality. Increased temperature and other cracks can result in replacing the engine.
- In 2011, Ford designed plans to manufacture a different Power Stroke engine without the collaboration of Navistar International. After many months of planning and efforts, Ford finally produced the Power Stroke 6.7 engine. The workers and engineers involved in the research were Ford’s employees, so they focused more on ensuring a better driving experience. Many useful additions were made, which included air-water intercoolers, reverse flow bolts, and separate pushrods. These additions not only improve the driving experience but also increased the engine’s reliability. But like every other Power Stroke engine, this engine also had its fair share of issues.
Ford highly upgraded the exhaust system in this model. The engine’s Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) sensors were always faulty, and Ford had to issue a replacement warranty for nearly every engine.
- Ford kept manufacturing this model from 2011 to 2016. In 2017, Ford came up with different innovative ideas to redesign and enhance the 6.7 model. Thus, they ultimately designed and manufactured the Power Stroke 6.7L engine. Ford engineers eliminated all the redundancies present in the previous 6.7 model to provide more efficiency and comfort. The engine design is robust and unique compared to other models and provides increased torque and easy exhaust flow.
As some of the redundancies were sorted, some new problems did surface. As this engine is relatively new, there have not been many cases of problems arising. However, it is observed that the problem with the Exhaust Gas Recirculation system and the system cooler persists.
- The third generation of the Ford 6.7L Power Stroke engine is in demand today. Instead of introducing and manufacturing a whole new generation of engines, Ford worked on fixing and enhancing the older versions of the 6.7L model. Steel ones replaced aluminum pistons to ensure effective conductivity and the running of the engine. As these pistons are lighter and smaller than the previous ones, they provide more longevity and speed to reduce the engine’s weariness and friction. A rapid injection system is also assembled in the engine to enhance the truck’s overall performance. As this engine is very new to the market, many problems have not surfaced apart from the Exhaust Gas Recirculation system’s common failure to discharge coolants.