Week Day Workhorse Weekend Warrior

The 6.4 powerstroke diesel engine available in the 2008 to 2010 Ford is one of the most reliable vehicles with aftermarket upgrades. Many people love the 6.4 because they are so easy to get power out of the factory set up. All that is required to make 545rwhp and 800lb-ft of tourque is a hot tune from just about any diesel performance shop nation wide, EGR delete kit, exhaust, and a cold air intake brings massive power to the rear wheels for a fairly low cost compared to older diesels or different motors.

The 5R110 transmission that comes from the factory bolted behind the 6.4 powerstroke is reliable up to 600 horsepower. You could run the factory tranny with more power if you drive it decently but who the hell wants to drive something with that much power like a grandma? For anybody that reads this and isnt a powerstroke fan i am not saying that the cummins or duramax is worse they are just more expensive to get that much power out of.

TURBO

The best all around turbo for diesel vehicles was determined on a Diesel Power Magazine test this week. they tested many turbos and the best was a fairly small turbo for an aftermarket upgrade but it spooled faster and built just as much boost, power, and torque as the bigger turbos. here is some info on the best turbo for mild upgrades.

Aurora 3000 Turbo
The winning turbo was the 57mm-inducer Aurora 3000 offered by ATS. As it was advertised to support 350 to 450 hp. As it turned out, the Aurora 3000 actually spooled quicker than the stock version, especially during part-throttle conditions. It also made more boost, peaking at 49 psi (compared to 42 psi for the HX35). And although EGT still hit 1,550 degrees, that peak temperature came a lot later in the dyno run. The Aurora 3000 also made more power, peaking at 449 rwhp and 1,041 lb-ft of torque. There were no driveability issues (such as lag or surging), but high EGT levels revealed the limits of the 3000’s horsepower range.

Most effective first step to upgrading your 7.3

Anyone who drives a 94 to 97, 7.3 powestroke with gauges knows that your exhaust temperature is very high compared to the low horse power numbers. The second thing is that they run low boost pressure because of a fixed blade single turbo.

In the most recent issue of the Diesel Power Magazine, there was an article on the first generation 7.3 powerstrokes. the article listed cost of an intercooler, turbo, and downpipe for your 7.3. The intercooler, turbo, and downpipe upgrades cost a total of 1,400$. But in comparison to running high EGTs ( exhaust gas temperature), low HP and the risk of ruining your motor it is a very wise upgrade. EGTs drop below 1000 degrees at full throttle, boost pressure increases by 5 to 10 pounds and horsepower increases vary depending on what tune you have on the vehicle.