2008-2010 Ford 6.4L Powerstroke Engine Parts

Engine parts for the 2008-2010 Ford 6.4L Powerstroke

The 6.4L is a Navistar-built, cast-iron pushrod V8. It kept the 6.0L's bed-plate block layout but grew the bore from 3.63 to 3.87 inches on the same 4.13-inch stroke, for 390 cubic inches. Ford stepped the head bolts up to four M16 bolts per cylinder at a factory 165 ft-lb, and unlike the 6.0L, those bolts no longer hold the rocker carrier. The bottom end is stout: stock connecting rods have lived at 900 rwhp. In F-250 and F-350 pickups Ford rated it at 350 hp and 650 lb-ft. It is also a one-generation engine. Nothing in the long block, heads, injectors or pump interchanges with the 2003-2007 6.0L or the 2011-up 6.7L, so buy parts listed for 2008-2010. For the rest of the Ford diesel lineup, start at our Powerstroke collection.

What fails and why

Start with the oil. Fuel from regeneration cycles and from leaking piezo injector bodies ends up in the crankcase. The rocker arms get their only oil through the pushrods, so diluted oil chews up rocker tips and bridge balls, and it damages the 16 hydraulic lifters too. A stuck-open injector nozzle can over-fuel a cylinder and torch a piston. The factory cast pistons also crack at the re-entrant bowl lip, and one cracked piston is usually found whenever a 6.4L gets torn down.

Cooling is the second thread. The in-block oil cooler plugs with casting sand and coolant sludge, which restricts coolant to the EGR coolers and pushes oil temperature up. You see a check engine light, engine de-rate and higher oil temps. There is no reliable first-failure mileage, and replacement OEM-style coolers are reported to last roughly 50,000-75,000 miles. Run the truck low on coolant and the aluminum front cover can erode from cavitation behind the water pump, which shows up as milky oil, coolant in the crankcase or pinholes in the cover; that one is considered uncommon. Head gaskets give less trouble than on the 6.0L in stock form, but the factory bolts stretch under added cylinder pressure or prolonged overheating. Watch for coolant pushed out of the degas bottle, white smoke and coolant loss. Trade press has reported catastrophic failures between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, well short of Ford's claimed B50 life of 375,000 miles.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

If the truck is staying stock, OEM-grade gaskets, seals, sensors and stock-replacement parts are the right call, as long as oil changes stay at 5,000 miles. Some repairs are upgrades by default, though. The usual replacement for cracked factory pistons is the MaxxForce 7 industrial piston, with a de-lipped bowl and thicker crown; forged pistons are for high-horsepower builds. Replace all eight while it is apart. Any time the heads come off, install studs rather than reusing the torque-to-yield bolts, and mill the heads no more than 0.005 inch. For the oil cooler, replacement and heavy-duty coolers from Mishimoto and PPE are the cited upgrade path. On the valve train, upgraded springs and pushrods are the move when you build for power, and worn rockers and bridges get replaced as a set.

What we carry

MAHLE covers the gasket and piston work: engine gasket sets, head sets, Black Diamond head gaskets, timing cover seals, rear main seals, valve cover gasket sets, intake and exhaust valves, and pistons with rings in standard, reduced-compression and Maxx Force 7 versions. Alliant Power has oil cooler kits, a cylinder head gasket kit, belt tensioners, a fan clutch, a glow plug control module and crank, cam, oil pressure and EOT/ECT sensors. Dorman adds an oil cooler, oil pan, dipstick, glow plug harnesses, an electric vacuum pump, fan clutch, tensioners, idlers and a harmonic balancer. XDP brings head and main stud kits, valve springs, billet rocker bridges and pushrods. PPE has head and main stud kits and a heavy-duty oil cooler. Dayco supplies belts, tensioners and idlers, and Mishimoto has a replacement oil cooler, a magnetic drain plug and an oil filler cap. For the oil itself we stock Hot Shot's Secret and Lucas Oil engine oils and additives. You will also find parts from Gator Fasteners, BD Diesel and G&R Diesel.

Fitment notes

This collection is for the 2008-2010 6.4L in F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickups (single and dual rear wheel), the F-450 pickup and F-450/F-550 chassis cabs. Some smaller parts, like the oil pan, rear main seal cover, idler pulleys and several sensors, are cataloged for both the 6.0L and 6.4L, so go by the fitment line on each product rather than assuming. Main-drive serpentine belts differ for single- and dual-alternator trucks. Pistons come in standard and oversize, so order to what your machinist measured. Early 2008 trucks with engines built before August 20, 2007 fall under TSB 07-26-2 for the high-pressure fuel pump harness; later builds already have the updated harness with a mesh loom. When in doubt, verify by VIN.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I change the oil on a 6.4L Powerstroke?

Ford's normal schedule was 10,000 miles or six months, with 5,000 miles for severe service. The shop consensus is every 5,000 miles because of fuel dilution. Check the dipstick weekly, and if the level climbs above the max mark, change it right away. Capacity is 15 quarts with the filter.

Will 6.0L or 6.7L engine parts fit my 6.4L?

Not the major hard parts. The 6.4L long block, heads, injectors and pump are unique to 2008-2010 and do not interchange with the 2003-2007 6.0L or the 2011-up 6.7L. A few seals, sensors and accessory parts are cataloged across both the 6.0L and 6.4L, so read the fitment line on each product.

Should I replace all the pistons if only one is cracked?

Yes. The factory cast pistons crack at the bowl lip, and a cracked piston usually turns up whenever a 6.4L is torn down. Standard practice is all eight, using MaxxForce 7 pistons with the de-lipped bowl, or forged pistons for a high-horsepower build.

Do I need head studs on a stock 6.4L?

In stock form, head gasket failure is rarer than on the 6.0L. It becomes likely above roughly 600 rwhp or after prolonged overheating. If the heads are coming off for any reason, install studs rather than reusing the torque-to-yield bolts.

What are the signs of a plugged 6.4L oil cooler?

A check engine light, engine de-rate and higher oil temperatures, and eventually EGR cooler trouble, because a plugged oil cooler restricts coolant to the EGR coolers. There is no reliable mileage at which the original cooler fails. Replacement coolers from Mishimoto and PPE are both in this collection.

Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.