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F-Series Super Duty

  1. Helping Hand - Transmission cooler R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample

    Helping Hand - Transmission cooler R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample

    If you remove the body from your 2011-2019 Ford F-Series Super Duty, you'll be left with less of a truck chassis and more of a factory. This assembly line is spec'd out for one product, made to order torque shipments, and you're the primary customer. Like a non-truck-based factory, the process is a group effort, with every component depending on each other to create the final product. The 6R140 TorqShift transmission mated to the 6.7L Powerstroke is the torque factory's distribution wing, and we felt that it was time for an expansion.

    It's no secret that Ford's Super Duty trucks are towering metal machines, which require massive amounts of cooling. The stock liquid-to-liquid transmission cooler provides adequate cooling in a compact package, but it has its limitations. Some Powerstrokes need extra cooling power, especially when it comes to towing or hauling a heavy payload. We already went over this concept in our last post, so let's dive into our final production-level transmission

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  2. Tough Tanks - Aluminum Secondary Degas Tank R&D - Concept to Completion

    Tough Tanks - Aluminum Secondary Degas Tank R&D - Concept to Completion

    The Ford Super Duty trucks are the definition of dependability. When it comes to utility, the mighty 6.7L Powerstroke under the hood is more than capable of towing, hauling, carrying, and just about every other activity these pickup trucks were designed to handle. While Ford intended for the Powerstroke to endure extended punishment, some of the engine bay components (specifically the secondary degas tank) might not last as long.

    Ford's 6.7L Powerstroke has two cooling systems. The first is tasked with keeping the engine internals cool, as is the function of most cooling systems. The second is employed primarily to reduce the charged air temperatures within the air-to-water intercooling system. Expansion, or degas, tanks are required on both systems and allow for hot gasses

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  3. Protect the Lifeblood - Performance Oil Cooler R&D, Part 3 - Production Sample

    Protect the Lifeblood - Performance Oil Cooler R&D, Part 3 - Production Sample

    No matter the size, shape, or purpose of your vehicle, keeping engine oil temperatures in check is vital. However, some vehicles, like the 6.7L Powerstroke, require a little more cooling power. The stock liquid-to-liquid cooler is adequate for most Ford F-series owners. Yet, these types of coolers have their faults and limitations, which we're already improving on.

    When we last left off, we developed our prototype block-off plate to ensure a leak-free connection to our new oil cooler. Since our last post, our plate has received a makeover for an even better look.

    To further reduce the risk of leaks, we also opted for including a fresh set of O-rings with our kit to replace worn-out OEM seals.

    With the block-off plate complete, our engineer set their focus

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  4. Built Ford Tough-er - Intercooler Pipe and Boot Kit R&D - Concept and Design

    Built Ford Tough-er - Intercooler Pipe and Boot Kit R&D - Concept and Design

    From Super Duty to Heavy Duty, all the way to MEGA Duty, if there's a large displacement diesel with a massive turbocharger under the hood, it's designed to be a beacon of durability in a world of truck abuse. Ford launched the 1999 F-Series Super Duty utilizing the 7.3L Powerstroke with every intention of that truck lasting for an eternity. Over 20 years later, there are more than 725,000 of these trucks (including the Econoline and Excursion) still hauling and towing on the road today. Even though there are still almost ¾ of a million 7.3L Powerstroke powered Fords on the road today, they're showing their age. Components are starting to wear out, specifically when it comes to the intercooling system.

    It's a known fact that boost pressure works best when it stays inside the system. The

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  5. Helping Hand - Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review and Design

    Helping Hand - Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review and Design

    Many believe that the key to a great truck is a powerful engine when, in reality, the transmission can make or break a truck. Your 2011+ Ford F-Series equipped with the 6.7L Powerstroke was delivered with enough torque to spin the Earth off its axis. Still, without a sturdy transmission distributing that power, you're left with gear confetti in a transmission fluid stew. In short, maintaining proper temperatures in your Powerstroke is vital to keep it towing, pulling, and hauling to its full potential. It's about time the 6.7L was due for a cooling upgrade.

    Before we can dive into the improvements, we need to understand the OEM system fully. In 2011, Ford upped the ante in the heavy-duty truck segment with the 6.7L Powerstroke, complete with all the technology to earn the Super Duty moniker, specifically the addition of an entire secondary cooling system. This system's focus is dissipating heat from the air-to-water intercooler and channels coolant through several of the vehicle's other

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  6. Basic Needs - Aluminum Primary Degas Tank R&D

    Basic Needs - Aluminum Primary Degas Tank R&D

    This Aluminum Primary Degas Tank for the 2011-2019 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke is Available Now! Click here to Check it Out!


    Cooling is one of the basic needs of any engine, and for a workhorse like the 2011-2019 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke, any failure in the cooling system can be disastrous.

    The 6.7L Powerstroke's cooling system is divided into two parts. The primary cooling system cools the engine, engine oil, transmission, and EGR. It also supplies heat to the cabin via the heater core. The secondary cooling system focuses on performance, cooling the air-to-water intercooler and the fuel. Both systems have a common weak point, however: their respective degas tanks.

    Like almost every manufacturer,

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  7. Protect the Lifeblood - Performance Oil Cooler R&D, Part 2: Design

    Protect the Lifeblood - Performance Oil Cooler R&D, Part 2: Design

    Attention to detail is key to keeping any hardworking truck healthy. In our quest to protect the lifeblood of the 2011-2019 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke, we've thought of those details. But before we look at our design, let's recap our last post on the stock oil cooler.

    The stock 6.7L oil cooler is a simple stacked-plate design that uses the engine coolant to warm and cool the oil. The inside of the cooler is separated into two sets of fins. Oil flows through one set of fins while coolant flows through the other. Once the oil temp exceeds the coolant temp, the coolant helps pull excess heat from the oil and releases it through the radiator. This design is adequate for a stock truck, but with more power, or heavy towing, comes more heat.

    To get started on our design, we removed the

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  8. Protect the Lifeblood - Performance Oil Cooler R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    Protect the Lifeblood - Performance Oil Cooler R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    Oil is the lifeblood of any engine; without it, the engine would self-destruct in a matter of seconds. But just having oil in the engine isn't enough. It needs to stay just the right temperature too. Modern synthetic oils can withstand temperatures up to about 350°F, but as engine temperature climbs, oil begins to thin and lose some of its protective properties. There's a sweet spot where oil is most effective: thin enough that it can flow into the tiny crevices of the engine, but thick enough to cushion the blows of combustion.

    For a heavy-duty diesel engine like the 2011-2019 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke, ensuring the oil stays in that sweet spot is essential. Heavy towing or power-adding modifications can quickly drive oil temperatures over the useful range, sucking the life from the 6.7L's internal components. To help combat high oil temperatures, Ford equipped the 6.7L Powerstroke with a liquid-to-liquid oil cooler from the factory.

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  9. In Good Health - Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit R&D: Start to Finish

    In Good Health - Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit R&D: Start to Finish

    If you're like most 6.4L Powerstroke owners, your truck is your livelihood. It gets you around, carries your tools, tows your equipment, and anything else you need to get the job done. You rely on your 6.4L every day and want to keep it healthy, but your 6.4L isn't as diligent about its own well-being.

    Like all modern internal combustion engines, the 6.4L Powerstroke generates blow-by. This blow-by is made of carbon, oil, fuel, and water vapors that leak past the piston rings during combustion. Blow-by can be extremely detrimental to the bottom end of an engine if left unvented. The pressure from blow-by buildup can push out seals and reduce engine power. The corrosive nature of blow-by can also damage engine bearings and reduce oil life. To get the blow-by out of the bottom end, modern engines (including the 6.4L) utilize a crankcase ventilation (CCV) system.

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  10. Foundations of Strength - Upper Support Bar R&D: Production

    Foundations of Strength - Upper Support Bar R&D: Production

    The goal was simple: take what we learned from developing our 2008-2010 6.4L Powerstroke upper support bar and apply it to the next generation 2011-2016 6.7L Powerstroke.

    A little over two years ago we dove headfirst into developing our 2008-2010 6.4L Powerstroke upper support bar. Since then, we've been developing more products for trucks and the Powerstroke platform. With every project, two points ring clear. First, Powerstroke owners need a truck that can be powerful and reliable above all else. Second, nothing destroys a heat exchanger faster than flex. We can add as many safeguards against core stress as we want,

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