6.7 Powerstroke Specs – A 2021 Guide

Ford aimed to design an engine that would be utilized for years to come, with their customers' needs in mind.

The 6.7L Powerstroke dubbed 'The Scorpion' offered performance, fuel economy, reliability, and longevity.

Replacing the 6.4L Powerstroke, from 2011 to today, the changes made to the 6.7L platform were mostly minor upgrades, and the engine still powers newly produced Ford Super Duty trucks.

Ford 2020 6.7 Powerstroke Specs (Scorpion)

Cylinder Head

Ford made the cylinder heads out of aluminum. A gutsy choice considering the history of unreliable aluminum cylinder heads; Duramax being an exception. The cylinder heads have 4 valves per cylinder and a glow plug. The major change to the cylinder head is the flow. On naturally aspirated V8 engines, the air enters from the valley and exits to the headers located on the outside. On a turbocharged V8, the air flows through the exhaust headers and into the turbocharger. - This design results in turbo lag and high temperatures.

Ford's 6.7 Powerstroke is the first diesel engine with the exhaust coming out towards the engine valley and into the turbocharger. This resulted in more engine bay space, reduced exhaust volume, and quicker turbo spool-up.

Engine Block

Steering away from the heavy cast iron that most diesel engine blocks are made out of, Ford made the 6.7L Powerstroke's engine block out of compacted graphite iron (CGI). Due to graphite's strong chemical bond, the material turns out twice as strong. The result was a stronger and lighter engine that came with better fuel economy and better performance. 

The crankshaft is made out of steel, and it features 6 bolt mains. To improve strength and durability, the forged rods have an end cap rotated 45 degrees. Mostly due to emissions, but also because of power and noise, The cast aluminum pistons changed in design quite a few times until Ford's engineers settled.

Compression Ratio

The compression ratio of the 6.7L Powerstroke is 16.2:1, the same as the 6.7L Cummins diesel engine. The compression ratio was lower than the previous, 6.4L Powerstroke's (17.5:1) ratio. It’s the lowest compression ratio of any Powerstroke engine Ford offers.

A higher ratio means that air is more compressed in the cylinder. This means that the explosion from the air-fuel mixture will be more powerful. However, a lower compression ratio leaves more room for higher boost levels, which may be why Ford lowered it.  Ford wanted to elongate the life of the aluminum pistons and improve the fuel economy at the expense of power by opting for a lower compression ratio.

Fuel System

With better airflow throughout the entire system, more fuel can be used, and to reap the benefits, Ford upgraded the fuel pump and the fuel injectors. The injectors have a redesigned nozzle, while the fuel pump has a larger stroke. Although Ford improved the reliability in comparison to the 6.4L Powerstroke's fuel system, the CP4.2 fuel pump failure is still an issue.

The fuel pump itself is easily accessible for replacement, but once it fails, debris from the pump will damage the entire fuel system. This type of failure can cost you up to $8000. Most 6.7L Powerstroke owners purchase a CP4.2 fail-safe / bulletproof kit beforehand and avoid the issue altogether. 

Turbocharger

After a decade of trying, Ford finally achieved more low-end torque and high-end horsepower with the 6.7L Powerstroke thanks to the new turbocharger design. The 6.4L Powerstroke had a sequential turbocharger system that utilized two turbochargers that worked great, but the cost was too high considering the results and the system was complex.

The 6.7 Powerstroke utilizes a unique single turbocharger that performs almost as two. The exhaust side stays the same, but on the compression side, there are two compressor wheels, providing higher flow at lower exhaust speeds.

Transmission

Ford replaced the 5R110W transmission that powered their Super Duty trucks with the 6R140 transmission. The 6.7L Powerstroke's 6R140 automatic transmission is the standard, without a manual ever being offered. However, you can switch to manual shift mode and shift the gears with the "+" and "-" buttons on the shift lever. 

The 6R140 transmission features a filtration system, low-speed torque converter lockup, double overdrive speeds, and the 'Live Drive' take off. The gear spread is made for maximum torque at 1st gear and high overdrive at cruising speeds.

Emissions System

A feature unique to the 6.7L Powerstroke is the controlled EGR flow before entering the cooler, instead of the opposite. The system reduces soot buildup in the EGR valve, resulting in less maintenance. 

The diesel particulate filter captures the soot, heats up, and burns the particulate matter off of the exhaust system during the regeneration process, the same as most other trucks. The selective catalyst reduction injects and mixes the fluid into the exhaust. - Turning nitrous oxides into water and nitrogen. The diesel oxidation catalyst oxidizes hydrocarbons inside the exhaust system. 

Ford had to comply with EPA regulations, so during the entire designing process, most 6.7L Powerstroke parts were designed with that in mind. 

Horsepower

The 6.4L Powerstroke produced 350 horsepower at 3,000 RPM. The introduced 2011 model year 6.7L Powerstroke produced 390 horsepower at 2,800 RPM, which Ford soon bumped up to 400 HP with an upgrade to the engine. 

From 2011 until now, the horsepower ranges from 270 to 475 depending on the chassis type and 6.7L Powerstroke's model year. It's safe to say that horsepower isn't Powerstroke's weak point. 

The 2020 Powerstroke produces more horsepower than it's competitors 6.6L Duramax and 6.7L Cummins. The difference is quite notable, with Powerstroke's maximum horsepower capping off at 475, Duramax being second with 445 HP, and Cummins coming in third with 370 horsepower.

Torque

The 6.7L Powerstroke received quite a significant upgrade in the torque department compared to the 6.4L models. At introduction, the engine produced 735 pounds of torque at 1,600 RPM, which was increased to 800 torque soon after.

Ford's 2020 6.7L Powerstroke trumps the competition, breaking the 1,000 pounds of torque mark and achieving 1,050 pounds of torque! If power is what you're looking for, Ford's Powerstroke is dominating the competition.

Depending on the model year, the Powerstroke's torque ranges from 660 torque at 1,600 RPM to 1,050 torque at 1,800 RPM.

MPG

It's not a secret that diesel trucks have huge fuel economy issues. Performance races between the 'Big Three' aren't helping the cause either. However, Ford put great effort into improving the 6.7L Powerstroke's fuel economy. In fact, there's a significant improvement compared to earlier Powerstroke models.

The 6.7L Powerstroke can get anywhere from 9 MPG to 30 MPG, depending on tow-load, driving conditions, fuel, and of course, driving speed. The average MPG reported by 6.7L Powerstroke owners is 18 MPG on the highway and 15 MPG in the city. 

Other 6.7 Powerstroke Specs

6.7 Powerstroke Oil Capacity

The 6.7L Powerstroke can hold 13 quarts with the filter volume included.

6.7 Powerstroke Oil Type

5W-40 rating is the best oil with a wide range of operating temperatures, while 15W-40 oil is recommended for heavy-workload trucks.

6.7 Powerstroke MPG 

6.7L Powerstroke can get anywhere between 9 MPG to 30 MPG. The average MPG reported is 17 MPG on the highway, 15 mpg city driving.

6.7 Powerstroke Diagrams

The documents below contain some of the most detailed specifications, information, and images/diagrams of the 6.7 Powerstroke. If you're wondering where or how a component is oriented and what it's connected to, this is a fantastic resource:

• 6.7 Powerstroke Engine Diagram

• 6.7 Powerstroke Cooling System Diagram

• 6.7 Powerstroke Coolant Capacity

• 6.7 Powerstroke Fuel System Diagram

Conclusion

The 6.7 Powerstroke, or 'The Scorpion', got its name from the turbocharger mounted on top of the engine. Ford gets our ‘nod’ for continually innovating to get ahead of the competition. Since 2011 and the 6.7L Powerstroke's introduction, Ford has spent countless resources improving the engine year after year.