Thursday, November 7, 2013
6 0 Powerstroke Issues
The 6.0-liter Powerstroke was a turbo-diesel engine used in a wide variety of Ford trucks and vans. Until 2007, all Powerstroke engines were made by a subcontractor, Navistar. Unfortunately, Navistar had poor quality controls and all the engines produced by Navistar had numerous problems. The 6.0-liter Powerstroke cost Ford millions in warranty repairs, in addition to the extra cost of redesigning the engines.
Unreliable Variable Vane Turbocharger Solenoid
All turbo-diesels rely on a turbocharger to properly burn the fuel/air mixture. On the Powerstroke, a variable vane is used to adjust the air intake coming from the turbocharger into the engine. A solenoid controls the degree of rotation of the vane. On Navistar Powerstrokes the solenoid detaches easily, in addition to corroding early. Damage to the solenoid prevents the variable vane from changing position. A Powerstroke with a damaged solenoid will suffer power loss throughout the power band.
Carbon Deposits
All Navistar engines, not just the Powerstrokes, suffer from excessive carbon deposits. Carbon deposits are a byproduct of the combustion of carbon-based fuels like diesel. In a well-designed engine the carbon is pushed out during the exhaust cycle of the combustion chamber. Unfortunately Navistar did not get the fuel injection timing right, and carbon builds up with each combustion cycle. A Powerstroke with carbon buildup shows excessive black exhaust smoke as well as power loss at higher engine speeds.
Defective Exhaust Back Pressure (EBP) Sensor
The exhaust back pressure sensor tells the engine how much resistance is in the exhaust system. Excessive back pressure can choke the engine and the turbocharger. In the 6.0-liter Powerstroke, the sensor detaches easily from the exhaust system, depriving the ECU of any data. A detached sensor will lead to exhaust gases flowing back into the combustion chambers, stalling the engine. Additionally, the exhaust gases will flow back into the turbocharger and stop it from spinning.
Fuel Injector Harness Chafing
The most dangerous defect in the 6.0-liter Powerstroke is the easily damaged fuel injector harness. The lines are laid across the engine support struts, which shift as the engine torques. This shifting chafes the fuel lines to the point of leaking. Even though diesel fuel is less flammable than regular gas, it is still a fire hazard. Do not operate any vehicle that is leaking fuel. If there are fuel puddles under the engine, then the fuel lines have been damaged. Contact a Ford dealership for repairs. Ford has bought back some trucks with this issue rather than pay for the repairs.
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