Tough Testing

Why the 6.4L Power Stroke Kicks So Much… Butt

Posted January 14 2010 11:20 AM by Mike McGlothlin
Filed under: Diesel Trucks, Diesel Vehicle Reviews

Check out the endurance testing Ford put the 6.4L Power Stroke through back in late ’06 to early ’07…

It was called the Bold Endures road test and here’s what it consisted of:

-The team of drivers continually towed a 40-foot triple-axle trailer (loaded with up to 18,000 pounds for over 100,000 miles) for 150,000 miles.
-The test lasted from December, 2006 to May, 2007 (more than 130 days).
-The Super Duty towed at least 12,000 pounds at all times
-Towed an 18,000-pound trailer—a weight no other heavy-duty truck was rated to tow—a total of 100,579 miles in 88 days.
-Drove in elevations from 100 feet below sea level to 9,000 feet above sea level, in all types of terrain and conditions, and temperatures ranging from 18* F to more than 100* F.
-Drove an average of 1,145 miles per day, including at least 1,000 miles in a 24-hour period 84 times, and an amazing 1,537 miles in one 24-hour period.

PS: I wonder if this type of testing was conducted for the new 6.7L Ford Power Stroke? The research begins……..

Reader Comments:

1. Awesome stuff! Ive seen thinks on Ford website that suggests the testing of the new 6.7L PSD is extremely rigorous.

One thing that pisses me of is that ignorant people who claim they know diesel's still claim the 6.4L is a bad engine or "Ford failed with the 6.4L". When this engine is a monster with very basic upgrades. Of course, those people also blindly believe all the negative hype about the 6.0L too.

SmokenGun - Posted January 14 2010 09:30 PM

2. Ironically the 6.4's achilles heal ended up being fuel consumption, not reliability. I don't think anyone was expecting that to be the problem.

vonSeggern - Posted January 15 2010 10:35 AM

3. I was....

But, luckily the aftermarket pulled through with products that allowed us to see their true HP potential, as well as get 20 mpg!

You just have to be willing to pull the trigger with a 6.4L, performance-wise.

Mike McGlothlin - Posted January 16 2010 01:28 PM

4. I read the two posts above and quite frankly I know nothing about the 6.4 but I do know allot about Ford's 6.0 engine. I have had to listen to allot of complaining in the past three years. So, I have to disagree with the first post. My friend purchased a new Ford in 2006. Yes. It has the famous 6.0 liter engine. Oh, it's a "monster" alright. The engine has proven to be a disaster. First injector failed at 40,000 kilometers and the repair list on this vehicle today is as longer then both my arms. The Ford now sits parked in the yard with 375,000 Kilometers. It's on its third engine. Plagued with injector, turbo, computer and electrical problems it's now officially dead. It may be a shorter list if I were to tell you what he has not had to fix under the hood. My friend is not ignorant nor is he blind nor will he be a Ford customer again. That's a fact. Crazy part is that Ford has even now admitted that the 6.0 has been a "problem" engine. But. They sure have not come forward in terms of making things right with their customers. Ford Tough or Ford 6.0 the best boat anchor money can buy? You pick.

Bobcatguy - Posted February 10 2010 09:40 PM

5. Bobcat chill with that madness. Ford makes a great truck it would not get rated as high as it does in consumer reports motor trend and all those other magazines. The 6.0 is also not bad just misunderstood when treated right it can keep up with the big boys there proving that there winning dyno competitions, taking first in drag races, and still getting invited to the DPC so there is odviously something good there.

powerstrokeD95 - Posted July 27 2010 11:10 PM

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