Ford Powerstroke Information
Many people use the phrase "Power Stroke" to refer to a Ford diesel pickup. Technically, the Power Stroke is just the engine, used exclusively in Fords. The Power Stroke is a V-8 diesel engine that has been in use since 1994. The Power Stroke was implemented to make a vehicle that appealed to commercial pickup users who frequently needed a pickup with high towing capacity, as well as to recreational users who wanted high towing capacity and a comfortable ride.
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History
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The Ford Power Stroke was released in 1994. The engine was made by International Truck & Engine Corp. (Navistar), but Power Stroke was a Ford Motor Co. name. The Power Stroke was the first computer-controlled diesel engine. The original Power Stroke engine featured an electro-hydraulic injector in each cylinder, which increased efficiency and cleaned up the combustion process by injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber. By 1998, Navstar was producing 206,000 Power Stroke engines, nearly twice as many as in 1994.
7.3-liter Engine
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Early Power Stroke engines produced 215 horsepower and 425 foot-pounds of torque. The first Power Stroke engines were 7.3 liter with a V-8 cylinder configuration. In 1999 Ford changed the design of its pickups, giving them a larger front end which provided room for a large air-to-air cooler. This feature increased the horsepower to 235 and the torque to 500 foot-pounds. By the year 2000, Navstar had upped the horsepower to 275 and the torque to 525 foot-pounds. A few aftermarket parts could raise the horsepower to more than 300 and hit 600 foot-pounds of torque. More than 2 million pickups equipped with the 7.3-liter diesel Power Stroke engine are in operation, which is more than Chevrolet, GMC, and Dodge diesel pickups combined.
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6.0-liter Engine
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In 2002 stricter emissions regulations required some changes to the Ford Power Stroke. Ford made a new 6.0-liter engine with decreased engine displacement but which still had 325 horsepower and 570 foot-pounds of torque. The addition of an exhaust gas recirculation system and a compression ratio of 18:1 put the engine in compliance with emissions regulations and increased gas mileage. This engine had the best fuel economy of any Power Stroke produced before or since.
6.4-liter Engine
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In 2007, Ford redesigned the Power Stroke, addressing emissions, noise and power components of the engine. The new 6.4-liter engine was 70 percent quieter than previous Power Strokes. The new engine featured 25 percent more horsepower and 80 more foot-pounds of torque than previous engines. It used extremely high fuel pressure to atomize the fuel into a finer mist. This allowed it to mix more quickly with the compressed air. The 2008 6.4-liter engine featured 350 horsepower and 650 foot-pounds of torque. Due to some of these changes, though, the fuel economy was poorer than in the 6.0-liter engine. This was the first Power Stroke to use twin turbochargers.
Future
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In 2009, Ford ended its relationship with Navstar, the company that produced the Power Stroke engine. The Ford engines were to continue to be called Power Strokes and be built by Ford. The 2011 F-Series Super Duty Ford pickups were slated to feature a 6.7-liter engine with more power, less noise and that conformed to 2010's strict emissions standards while increasing fuel economy, according to Adam Gryglak, the engine's lead engineer. The new engine was to be compatible with B20 biodiesel and rated at 390 horsepower and 735 foot-pounds of torque.
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