5 Ford Diesel Engines with the MOST / LEAST Torque
Horsepower figures are what often grab the headlines, but it is torque that gets the work done. These are the five most and least torquey Ford diesel engines.
Intro
The Power Stroke diesel engines have become synonymous with Ford trucks. So much so, that you may believe that Ford has been putting Power Strokes into trucks forever. Or at least some version of a diesel engine. But that is not the case. Ford did not offer a diesel truck engine until the 1983 model year. Of course, once they did a whole new chapter was born. Diesel engines are known for their reliability, and torque. They often don’t appear on many most powerful engine type lists, because those are typically ranked by horsepower, and that is not the diesel engine strong suit. But when you are talking about torque, the diesel engine is king.
So, we gathered a list of the five most powerful and five least powerful Ford diesel engines. A couple of notes about this list. First, we tried to come up with as varied a list as possible and limit the number of times a single engine appeared on the list. The modern 6.7L Power Stroke first came out making 735 lb.-ft. of torque. Then it was upgraded to 800, then 860, 925, 935 and so on. We didn’t want the whole list to be about the modern 6.7L so we limited the times we listed it. That opened up some slots for other diesel engines to be included. Second, our list is sorted in descending order for engines with the least amount of torque, and ascending order for engines with the most amount of torque. That way our list ends with the most and least torquey engines.
#5 Least Torque – 2018 – 2021 3.0L Power Stroke V6 (440 lb.-ft.)
When most people hear the term Power Stroke, they automatically think of a Super Duty. However, for a few years, Ford put a Power Stroke into the F-150. It was a 3.0L V6 unit that made 250 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. That is a decent amount of grunt, and when properly configured would allow you to tow 11,400 pounds. Depending on trim level, upgrading to the diesel engine was a $3,000 or $4,000 option. But if you used your F-150 to tow regularly it was worth the price. It is hard to believe that an engine this powerful makes it on the least torquey list, but that is more of a testament to just how powerful some of the bigger Ford diesel engines are.
#5 Most Torque – 2003 7.3L Power Stroke V8 (525 lb.-ft.)
For the final two years of production, the legendary 7.3L Power Stroke got a bump in torque to a satisfying 525 pound-feet. This allowed for a conventional tow rating of up to 12,500 pounds and up to 13,700 pounds when using a fifth wheel. Those are solid numbers for sure. But they pale in comparison to what a current Ford diesel can tow. Ford has made a lot of progress in the last 20 years.
#4 Least Torque – 1994 – 1997 7.3L Power Stroke V8 (425 lb.-ft.)
This was the first engine to use the Power Stroke name. It came fitted with an all-new turbocharger, direct injection, HUEI fuel injectors and an air-to-air intercooler. This engine was a huge step forward. Many consider it the most reliable of all diesel engines. But it is not the most powerful. A lot has changed in the 30 years since this engine first broke cover. 425 pound-feet of torque was impressive for the time. But today it ranks towards the back in the power department.
#4 Most Torque – 2005 – 2007 6.0L Power Stroke V8 (570 lb.-ft.)
The legendary 7.3L Power Stroke was eventually replaced by the 6.0L unit. This next-generation Power Stroke is often criticized for its reliability. However, there is no disputing its power. For the first couple of years, the engine made 560 pound-feet of torque. But for the 2005 through 2007 model years, the torque was boosted to 570 pound-feet that was generated at a mere 2,000 rpm. The 6.0L Power Stroke had a number of technical innovations such as variable geometry turbocharger technology.
#3 Least Torque – 1993 7.3L IDI Turbocharged V8 (388 lb.-ft.)
This engine is not to be confused with the 7.3L Power Stroke. What it is, is an Indirect Injection engine that is similar to the unit that was first produced in 1988. However, for 1993 a turbocharger was added for increase power. That did help bump the torque figure up to 388 pound-feet. But technology has vastly improved since then and today this engine ranks as one of the least powerful Ford diesels ever.
#3 Most Torque – 2018 – 2020 6.7L Power Stroke (935 lb.-ft.)
Now we are starting to get into some serious power figures. The modern 6.7L Power Stroke hit the streets in 2011 and has been refined and improved ever since. From the 2018 to 2020 model years, this engine was good for a staggering 935 pound-feet of torque. Trucks with this engine could put up some stellar tow ratings. An F-450 DRW could tow up to 24,200 pounds conventionally or up to 37,000 pounds with a gooseneck. These are numbers that were unheard of just 15 years earlier.
#2 Least Torque – 1988 – 1993 7.3L IDI V8 (338 lb.-ft.)
The 7.3L IDI without the turbocharger was good for just 338 pound-feet of torque. We don’t mean for that to sound like an insult. This was over 40 years ago at this point and for the time, that was a solid output. But when you rank the Ford diesel engines by torque, this is the second least powerful. Still, it was an important engine and paved the way for some of the Ford greats that were yet to come.
#2 Most Torque – 2020 – Current 6.7L Power Stroke V8 (1,050 lb.-ft.)
Starting in 2020 the Ford Power Stroke had a 4-digit torque rating. Incredible. What is even more incredible is that even this is not the most powerful Ford diesel engine. A properly equipped F-450 DRW can tow 40,000 pounds with a gooseneck trailer. This engine is a total powerhouse.
#1 Least Torque – 1983 – 1987 6.9L IDI V8 (318 lb.-ft.)
This is where it all started. The first diesel engine to go into a Ford truck. The 6.9L naturally aspirated indirect injection engine. It made just about 175 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque. That makes it the weakest Ford diesel engine ever, but they had to start somewhere. And as you can see by the rest of this list, the numbers only skyrocketed from here.
#1 Most Torque – 2023 – Current 6.7L High Output Power Stroke V8 (1,200 lb.-ft.)
Wow. 1,200 pound-feet of torque. It is the most powerful diesel Ford engine ever put in a truck. It is nearly four times as much torque as the first diesel the came out 42 years ago. If that trend continues the 2067 Power Stroke will make nearly 5,000 pound-feet of torque. Does that sound absurd? Well, we are sure people in 1983 never thought they would see a 1,200-foot-pound diesel.
Images: Ford