10 Times Ford's 6.7L Power Stroke Set the Industry Standard

Intro

The 6.7L Power Stroke diesel engine is not just one of the best Ford engines ever made. It is one of the finest engines anyone has ever made. Beloved for its capability and reliability the 6.7L Power Stroke has become the industry standard ever since it first arrived on the market back in 2011. But how exactly did it become the industry standard? The 6.7L was an all-new design that not only increased power but also significantly improved reliability. Sometimes we tend to forget just how good the 6.7L is, and what it did to earn the reputation it enjoys today. So, we decided that we would look back over the past decade and highlight 10 times when the 6.7L Power Stroke set the standard. The following is our list in chronological order from the date that the achievement was announced. 

1. 6.7L Power Stroke Features “Cobra Head” Downpipe (August 2014)

Most likely when you hear someone speaking about a Ford Cobra, you immediately think of a Mustang or a sports car built by Carroll Shelby. But the venomous snake also has ties to the 6.7L Power Stroke. The 440 horsepower and 860 pound-feet of torque produced by the 2015 Super Duty equipped with the 6.7L was best-in-class at the time. One of the reasons for this prodigious power output was the new “cobra head” downpipe which helps the engine breathe easier. According to Ford, “the Cobra head acts like a widened, banked turn, allowing exhaust gases to flow smoothly through the 90-degree turn from the engine to the after-treatment system and reduce backpressure. By reducing pumping losses, the design improves efficiency and allows greater torque production.” 

2. F-450 Boasts Highest Tow Rating of Any Pickup Truck in the United States (September 2014)

The Society of Automotive Engineers J2807 standard establishes tow vehicle performance requirements against certain performance criteria. This determines a truck’s maximum trailer tow rating. Using that standard, the 2015 Ford F-450 Super Duty was rated at 31,200 pounds. That was 2,200 pounds more than its closest competitor. An upgraded frame, suspension, and wheels helped the 2015 F-450 achieve this, but so did the 6.7L Power Stroke, which was rated at 440 horsepower and 860 pound-feet of torque. 

3. F-650/F-750 Significantly Quieter Than Ever Before (March 2015)

The 6.7L Power Stroke is not all about power figures and towing capacity. Certainly, those things are important in a serious work truck. But, as much as some people don’t want to admit it, comfort matters too. The 2016 model year F-650 and F-750 trucks powered by the 6.7L were 25 percent quieter inside the cabin at 60 mph than the previous model. At idle, the trucks are as much as 45 percent quieter inside the cabin and 35 percent quieter when outside the truck in front of the grille. This was achieved with upgrades to the fuel injectors, the compacted graphite iron block, and the turbocharger mounted to the engine block. 

4. F-650/F750 6.7L Power Stroke Designed to Last 500K Miles Before Major Service (March 2016)

Ford engineers proved through engine dynamometer testing that the 6.7L engine has a design life of at least a half-million miles. According to Ford, “90 percent of F-650 and F-750 6.7-liter Power Stroke engines expected to go farther than 500,000 miles without requiring a major service that involves removal of cylinder heads or dropping the oil pan to reach internal components.” 

5. Super Duty Named 2017 Motor Trend Truck of the Year (November 2016)

The 2017 Ford Super Duty won the coveted Motor Trend Truck of the Year title. It was the first time the Ford Super Duty ever won that award. Although it marked the fifth time that a Ford F-Series was handed the prize. But that was not all. The 6.7L Power Stroke earned Motor Trend recognition as one of the best-engineered, most capable diesel engines. 

6. World Record for World’s Largest Flag Pulled by a Moving Vehicle (November 2016)

This may not be a traditional measurement of performance, but you have to admit that setting a Guinness World Record is pretty cool. A 2017 F-450 equipped with a 6.7L Power Stroke V8 pulled a 4,124 square foot U.S. flag over four laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway’s 1.5-mile track. It set the record for the World’s Largest Flag Pulled by a Moving Vehicle. 

7. Newly Upgraded 6.7L Power Stroke Has Best-in-Class Horsepower and Torque (December 2017)

Constant improvements have kept the 6.7L Power Stroke at the top of its game. Ford has not rested on its laurels and the 2018 model year trucks got an even more powerful version. It was now making a best-in-class 450 horsepower and 935 pound-feet of torque. Both horsepower and torque figures were up by 10 compared to the 2017 model. This boost was largely thanks to redesigned cylinder heads for added strength under higher loads, and optimized fuel and turbo boost calibrations. 

8. Super Duty Best-in-Class Power Takeoff Output (August 2019)

Starting with the 2020 model year, all Super Duty Chassis Cab trucks will come standard with Power Takeoff (PTO). PTO is auxiliary power from the engine that drives accessory equipment such as generators, cranes, boom lifts, and anything else needed to get work done at the job site. The PTO stationary torque rating is 300 pound-feet which is best-in-class and 50 pound-feet more than the closest competitor.

9. Super Duty Claims Six Key Best-in-Class Heavy-Duty Pickup Titles (September 2019)

With the 2020 model year, Super Duty raised the bar yet again. The 2020 Super Duty line of trucks claimed six key best-in-class titles, four of which are thanks to the 6.7L Power Stroke. This includes: best-in-class maximum available diesel gooseneck towing of up to 37,000 pounds, maximum available diesel fifth-wheel towing of 32,500 pounds, maximum available diesel conventional towing of 24,200 pounds, diesel power and torque delivering 475 horsepower and 1,050 foot-pounds. 

10. All-New Super Duty Has Best-In-Class Towing, Payload and Power (October 2022)

Now we are finally at the current generation of Super Duty trucks, where the 6.7L continues to lead the industry. The current Super Duty trucks earned the best-in-class triple crown with the best towing, payload, and power ratings. The numbers are truly staggering. Power is up to 500 horsepower and 1,200 foot-pounds of torque. Maximum tow rating is 40,000 pounds and maximum payload is 8,000 pounds. Nothing can touch the Ford Super Duty and that is because the 6.7L Power Stroke has been and continues to be a world beating power plant. 

Images: Ford