Ford has used the Power Stroke name on 4 very different diesel V8s since 1994, plus 2 smaller engines, and each one has its own weak points. RDI Power repairs all of them at our Brooksville shop, from high-mile 7.3L trucks to late-model 6.7L work trucks. We diagnose with Ford IDS, Ford’s dealer-level diagnostic software, and our Ford specialist, Eric, brings more than 30 years of Ford dealership experience to the bay. Whether you spell it Power Stroke or Powerstroke, the approach is the same: find the root cause, then fix it once.
7.3L Power Stroke (1994 to 2003)
The 7.3L uses HEUI injection, where high-pressure engine oil fires the injectors under the control of an injector driver module. It is the simplest and least powerful Power Stroke and the one with the best reputation for durability. Common repairs:
- Camshaft position sensor: a failed sensor causes stalling and no-start conditions, often with no warning.
- Injector harness connections under the valve covers: poor connections cause misfires.
- Glow plug relay: a common cause of hard cold starts.
- Fuel filter housing: leaks and failed fuel heater elements.
Do not confuse it with the 7.3L V8 Ford sells in Super Duty trucks today. That is a gasoline engine.
6.0L Power Stroke (2003 to 2007)
The 6.0L has a hard reputation, but its failures follow a pattern, and that pattern can be fixed. The oil cooler’s coolant passages clog, oil temperature climbs, and the EGR cooler, which is fed by the same coolant, overheats and cracks. Head gaskets fail because the factory torque-to-yield head bolts stretch. The fuel injection control module supplies 48 volts to the injectors, and when its output drops, the engine starts hard and misfires. Injectors also stick when oil condition slips.
A quick health check on a 6.0L is comparing engine oil temperature with coolant temperature once the truck is fully warmed up. A gap of more than about 15°F points to a restricted oil cooler, often before the EGR cooler has failed.
Bulletproofing the 6.0L and 6.4L
Bulletproofing means removing the known weak points instead of waiting for them: head studs in place of the factory head bolts with new head gaskets, an updated oil cooler and EGR cooler, a healthy injection control module on the 6.0L, and a cooling system that is clean and flowing. Whether it is worth doing depends on the rest of the truck. Our article should I bulletproof my Power Stroke or just get a new truck walks through the decision.
6.4L Power Stroke (2008 to 2010)
The 6.4L brought high-pressure common rail injection with piezo injectors, compound sequential turbochargers and Ford’s first diesel particulate filter. Common problems include radiator leaks, EGR cooler failures, exhaust up-pipe leaks, and fuel diluting the engine oil during regeneration, which shows up as an oil level that rises between changes. A rising oil level on a 6.4L is a reason to get it checked, not a reason to keep driving. Like the 6.0L, it can be made dependable with the right repairs and upgrades.
6.7L Power Stroke (2011 on)
Ford designed the 6.7L in-house, with the exhaust side in the valley of the engine and SCR with DEF from the start. It is powerful and generally dependable, and its common repairs are well known:
- High-pressure fuel pump: on trucks with the Bosch CP4.2 pump, a pump failure can send metal through the entire fuel system, which then needs the injectors, rails, lines and pump replaced and the system cleaned. Clean fuel and fuel filters on schedule are the best protection. More on our diesel fuel injection page.
- Oil leaks from crankcase pressure: a restricted crankcase ventilation filter raises pressure and pushes oil past seals. See the most common reason for oil leaks on the 6.7L.
- Emissions components: EGR coolers, NOx sensors, DEF system parts and DPF regen problems.
- Glow plugs: the 6.7L uses glow plugs like every Power Stroke V8. See glow plug repair.
3.0L and 3.2L Power Stroke
Ford also used the Power Stroke name on 2 smaller engines: the 3.0L V6 offered in the F-150 and the 3.2L inline 5-cylinder in the Transit van. We diagnose and repair both.
The Ford truck around the engine
Most Power Strokes we see live in F-250 through F-550 Super Duty trucks, F-650 and F-750 medium duty trucks, E-Series vans and cutaways, and Transit vans. We repair the rest of the truck too: electrical systems and body electronics, ball joints and front suspension, brakes, drivelines and transmissions from the 5R110W to the 10R140 (see truck transmission repair). On 2003 to 2016 Super Duty trucks, worn cab mounts are another common complaint; read does your Ford have bad cab mounts. Our Ford diesel repair page covers Ford trucks in more detail.
Every Power Stroke repair includes a digital vehicle inspection with photos and technician notes and carries our 3-year/36,000-mile labor warranty. If your Power Stroke is down or running wrong, call the shop or request service online, and tell us which engine you have and what it is doing.