Learning About The History Of The Ford Power Stroke Diesel - History Lesson

For 2008, an all-new Super Duty also brings an all-new 6.4L V-8 Power Stroke diesel. Packing 350 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, the newest member of the Ford engine family can pull up to 19,200 pounds in the F-250 and F-350 as they ride on a similar chassis. If that's not enough for you, Ford's all-new F-450 rides on a unique chassis and with the Power Stroke, you can yank 24,000 pounds of your favorite automotive artifacts around town.

The Future of Diesel Fords
With the age of alternative drive systems upon us, alternative fuel use has been a very hot topic, as of late. Hydrogen fuel cell technology and Hybrid drive systems are feasible and look good on paper, but neither is as established as the diesel engine and its refueling infrastructure. But with the help of some government officials and the mass crucifixion of every '80s diesel-powered GM car on the road, it is very possible that perception will change and America will open its arms to today's modern diesels. We need to win over the doubters that think diesel engines in the mainstream are not here to stay. The benefits overwhelmingly outweigh any negatives when it comes to widespread diesel use.

International's Tim Cooney has seen how the industry has evolved over the years, so we also asked him about the future of diesels and Ford Motor Company. As he stated, "The infrastructure will take a few more years, but the general perception is that diesels are dirty. We do a lot of work with legislators in Washington, with the Diesel Technology forum, and on Green Diesel technology. We also do a lot of work with outreach and education programs surrounding clean diesels and the benefits of diesels. With the fuel economy we can bring with diesels, we will give the public a vehicle to drive. There is a high cost of meeting current diesel emissions and in 2010, it will tighten up even more. But if you expand the scale and sell more of the product, it will lessen the cost of each vehicle. We are very interested in the SUV market and we have strong interest in that. The consumer SUV and minivan market will grow with diesels."

The Power Stroke diesel continues to amaze us. Over the past 13 years, no other engine has been able to pull on every one of our heartstrings. It makes all the right sounds, all the right power, and moves your Ford truck with unscrupulous authority. Even with a trailer hanging off the back, there is little that can restrain a Power Stroke. For that, we owe it to Ford and its alliance with International for today's performance diesel movement and, of course, the introduction of the Power Stroke diesel itself.

Living With The New 6.4l Power Stroke
We were lucky enough to evaluate an all-new F-250 Super Duty that was equipped with every conceivable option. Aside from the supple leather buckets that are a part of the King Ranch Edition and the touch-screen navigation system, this truck also came with the new 6.4L Power Stroke. After living with it for a week, we came across a few discoveries.

On cold starts, engine noise is drastically reduced from both the outside and from the interior cabin, where this Super Duty seemed quiet enough to pass as gasoline-powered. Also noticeable was the lack of black smoke upon startup, like the 6.0s. Once underway, the significantly reduced turbo lag was apparent as accessing the 650 lb-ft of torque was easy, thanks to the turbo's quick responses. Around town, the Power stroke made the 8,056-pound Super Duty feel surprisingly light on its feet, considering its 4-ton heft. Fuel economy was not all that great, with an average of 16.8 mpg, even with the dealer-installed tonneau cover in place. Truth be told, we weren't light on that accelerator, but we've seen stock 6.0s pull better numbers with just a slight weight difference. We're sure that once the aftermarket starts playing with the computer tune, we can see improvements here. In the end, the 6.4 feels like a 6.0 with a cat-back and an air filter.

Once we started to put some weight behind it, the 6.4's merits started to really shine. With a Mustang and open trailer hooked up to the Class IV hitch, we drove around for a few days with a 5,000-pound load. We had nowhere to go, really, we just wanted to see how it would react with the weight. From a truck standpoint, the chassis is barely stressed with this "little" amount of weight. Ride quality actually improved as the rear seemed more planted, compared to when it was unladen (those 20-inch wheels sure look heavy). But when it came time for the Power Stroke to react to its new load, it quietly laughed, maybe even chuckled. You see, the 5,000 pounds did nothing to slow the engine down, at least from a driver's seat-of-the-pants perspective. We were able to set the truck in cruise control and at 70 mph, the TorqShift five-speed automatic transmission was humming along in Overdrive. As expected, fuel economy dipped to 12.9 mpg and we have a stack of fuel receipts to prove it. If anything, this is an area that could use some work.

The new Power Stroke and the Super Duty is a package made in heaven. Brute power and torque and anvil-like underpinnings, combined with elegant lines and graceful driving dynamics, make this new truck the truck to get. In conclusion, we've seen what the aftermarket and the enthusiasts have done with Power Strokes of yore. Think of the new Super Duty as the proverbial blank slate, but a better one with which to start your next Ford Performance Truck project. So for all of you companies out there, get to work and start making those parts! Just do the programmer first.

This mighty 6.4L powerhouse has not one, but two sequential turbochargers to keep this engine on boil whenever you need it. The common rail Direct Injection system has lightning-quick Piezo injectors for optimum performance and economy. By timing the injection of fuel accurately, turbo lag is reduced and emissions output can be controlled with more accuracy. Like the 6.0L it replaces, this has four-valve head technology and EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation), along with intercooling for optimum performance.

It's packed in there pretty tightly, but the new Power Stroke is still easy to work on. The oil filter still sits on top and the airbox, intercooler, and turbochargers are all easy to access. We can hardly wait until we get our grimy mitts on one of these!

To meet ever-tightening emissions requirements for diesel engines, a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) is used for the first time on a Power Stroke. By nature, the process of diesel fuel combustion produces soot, which we see as black smoke. These particles of carbon vary in size and quantity, but they hurt the environment, even when low-sulfur fuels are being used. This DPF is placed in the exhaust to capture all the particulate and then burn it off with existing exhaust heat and a heated element. In the end, it eliminates up to 90 percent of harmful diesel particulates.