2011-2014 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke Parts & Upgrades

How the 2011-2014 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke is built

2011 was the first model year of Ford's own 6.7L Powerstroke, replacing the Navistar-built 6.4L. It is a 90-degree V8 with a compacted graphite iron block and aluminum reverse-flow heads. That layout puts the intake ports on the outside of the heads and the exhaust ports facing the valley, so the exhaust manifolds, up-pipes and turbo all sit on top of the engine between the heads. Fuel comes from a Bosch common rail system running up to about 30,000 psi through eight piezo injectors. The pickups launched at 390 hp and 735 lb-ft, and Ford recalibrated them to 400 hp and 800 lb-ft with a free reflash for early trucks. Every one of them backs the engine with the 6R140 TorqShift six-speed automatic.

The turbo is the big difference between these trucks and the 2015-2016 trucks on the same body. 2011-2014 pickups use the Garrett GT32 DualBoost, a variable-geometry turbo with a double-sided compressor wheel on one shaft. Ford replaced it with a larger single-compressor GT37 for 2015. The other thing worth understanding is cooling. The engine runs two separate coolant loops, each with its own radiator, thermostats and degas bottle. The high-temp loop handles the block, heads, oil cooler and turbo. The low-temp secondary loop holds only about 2 gallons and cools the air-to-water intercooler, the fuel cooler, half of the EGR cooler and the transmission.

You'll find this engine in the F-250 and F-350 in XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and, from 2013, Platinum trim, and in the F-450 pickup, a dually crew cab with an 8 ft bed. F-350, F-450 and F-550 chassis cabs got the same engine with a different turbo and a milder 300 hp, 660 lb-ft calibration.

What fails and why

Most of what goes wrong on a 2011-2014 6.7L falls into a short list. Here it is, with the symptoms to watch for.

• CP4.2 high-pressure pump. Aerated or low-lubricity fuel lets the pump wear and shed metal into the rails, injectors and return. Warning signs are long cranks and hard hot starts, a rough idle that smooths out with rpm, sudden power loss, a P0087 low rail pressure code and metal in the fuel filter. It can happen at any mileage, and once it does the whole high-pressure side is contaminated: pump, both rails, all eight injectors and every high-pressure line.
• GT32 turbo. Turbo failures were common on 2011 and 2012 pickups, and the weak point was the ceramic ball bearings. Reliability improved when steel bearings came in. Trouble commonly shows up around 100,000-150,000 miles, sooner on a tuned truck, as screeching, tailpipe smoke, lost boost and oil consumption. Soot can also stick the variable vanes, which shows up as lazy spool, surging and a weak exhaust brake.
• Plastic cold-side intercooler pipe. The factory pipe cracks, splits or blows apart under boost and heat, often with no warning: sudden power loss, a hiss, limp mode and an underboost code. Leaking boots and couplers cause low power with no codes and higher EGT, which can feel like a dying turbo.
• CCV oil separator. When it clogs, crankcase pressure rises, oil gets pushed past healthy seals and into the charge pipes, and it has been linked to turbo oil-seal failure.
• Exhaust manifold studs. Broken studs on 2011-2014 trucks are a Ford-documented problem. Listen for a tick on cold start and look for soot streaks at the manifold joints. Leaks ahead of the turbo also slow spool, raise EGT and can feel like the transmission is hunting.
• Coolant and oil leaks. The water pump is the most common coolant leak, weeping onto the lower radiator hose. A secondary degas bottle that keeps dropping with no outside leak often points to an internal intercooler or EGR cooler leak. On the oil side, the vacuum pump gasket weeps onto the front cover, and upper oil pan leaks collect at the bell housing, where they get mistaken for a rear main seal.
• Front end. On 4x4 trucks, a worn track bar ball joint is the main cause of death wobble, with tie rods, the drag link and radius arm bushings also in the mix.

2011 trucks deserve their own note. Engines built on or before March 29, 2011 had exhaust valves that could break, early pickups built before September 2010 got leak-prone radiators, the lower oil pan was plastic and seeps with heat cycles, and the turbo coolant inlet used a quick-connect fitting that leaks. Ford moved to a stamped-steel pan and bolt-on fittings for 2012. On an early truck, the build date tells you more than the model year.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

If your truck is stock and does its job, OEM-grade parts and good service are the right call. Run the correct 2011-2016 fuel filter on schedule, keep the CCV separator fresh, and service the 6R140 with fluid and a filter before anyone condemns the valve body. OE-style gaskets and service parts fix the known leaks without changing how the truck drives.

Upgrades make sense where the factory part is the weak link. A reinforced silicone or aluminum cold-side pipe with T-bolt clamps replaces the plastic pipe as a direct fit, with no tuning. A lubricity additive is cheap CP4 insurance, since domestic diesel can fall below what the pump needs. Billet engine-mounted fuel filter housings replace the aging plastic ones. Because these trucks cool the transmission on the low-temp loop, towing trucks benefit from added transmission cooling. If you add power, stick to CARB EO-numbered tuning and pair it with CP4 protection, charge-pipe upgrades and transmission cooling. Aggressive tuning overspeeds the GT32, and the single-disc factory torque converter slips and runs hot once power goes up.

What we carry

This collection pulls together the parts we list for the 2011-2014 6.7L. SPE Motorsport covers a lot of platform-specific hardware: a coolant hose reroute kit, a low-temp high-flow thermostat, a factory-replacement degas hose kit, intake piping, a recirculating CCV kit, a billet oil drain plug, and 6R140 parts like a solenoid body and transmission line kit. Mahle supplies gaskets, including the vacuum pump gasket and the 6R140 pan gasket. For fuel, you'll find the Fleece Performance Engineering engine-mounted filter assembly, a FASS water separator filter, the S&S Diesel Motorsport DCR pump conversion, and Hot Shot's Secret treatments such as Diesel Extreme and Everyday Diesel Treatment, which also live in our fuel additives section.

For oil changes there are Hot Shot's Secret Green Diamond and Blue Diamond engine oils, PPE MicroPure XR oil filters and a billet oil filter socket, and Lucas Oil products. On the air side, S&B offers the 75-5104 cold air intake and the KF-1070 replacement filter; browse more in intakes. MBRP mufflers and resonators for filter-back exhaust work are in our exhaust section. Edge Products brings the Insight CTS3 monitor plus an EAS EGT kit and EAS pressure sensor, and Big Hitch Products has a behind-the-roll-pan hidden receiver, a urethane roll pan and a flip-up plate bracket, with more in hitches. Ride and load work is covered by BDS Suspension lift kits and shocks and Air Lift air springs. You'll also find replacement parts from XDP MFG, Mishimoto, BD Diesel, Alliant Power and Dorman. Shopping for injectors? Start on our injectors page and read the fitment notes below first.

Fitment notes

Many parts here fit a wider range of 6.7L years, but these splits trip people up:

• Pickup vs. chassis cab. F-350, F-450 and F-550 chassis cabs use a different turbo and the 300 hp calibration, so confirm which you have before ordering turbo or tuning parts.
• 2011-2014 vs. 2015-2016. Turbo, exhaust-side parts, injectors and brakes split at 2015. 2011-2014 pickup injectors are not the 2015-2016 pickup part. A 2011-2014 truck that already has a GT37 retrofit takes 2015-2016 exhaust-side parts, and its intake piping may differ too.
• 2011 build dates. The oil pan, oil cooler hardware and turbo fittings changed for 2012, so 2011-only parts exist. The glow plug part number changes by build date (12/1/2012), not model year.
• 4x4 vs. 4x2. Front suspension parts fit 2005-2016 4x4 Super Dutys with the Dana Super 60; 4x2 trucks use a different Twin-I-Beam front end. Front brake parts split by drivetrain too. An F-250 may need a rear block to sit level after a 2.5 in front leveling kit; an F-350 usually does not.
• Intake approvals. The S&B 75-5104 intake carries CARB EO D-590-13 for the F-250 and F-350 only; there is no EO for the F-450 or F-550.
• Towing gear. Factory 5th-wheel and gooseneck prep uses Ford's puck system, and only Ford-puck-specific hitches fit it. Bed length (6.75 vs. 8 ft) and SRW vs. DRW also change hitch and air spring part numbers.

When in doubt, verify by VIN, or call our Wildwood, FL shop and we'll check it with you.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 2011 6.7L Powerstroke worse than a 2012-2014?

2011 is the year with real hardware issues: early exhaust valves on engines built on or before March 29, 2011, a plastic lower oil pan that seeps, leak-prone radiators on trucks built before September 2010, and a quick-connect turbo coolant fitting. Ford fixed the pan and fittings for 2012. Most of the early valve failures were repaired under warranty, so on a used 2011 the build date and service history tell you what you're dealing with.

What are the warning signs of a CP4.2 pump failure?

Look for long cranks or hard hot starts, a rough idle that smooths out as rpm rises, sudden power loss, a P0087 low rail pressure code and metal flakes in the fuel filter. A failed pump contaminates both rails, all eight injectors and the high-pressure lines. Those lines are one-time-use parts and must be replaced any time they're opened, so plan the repair as a full system job.

How do I protect the CP4.2 on my F-250 or F-350?

Start with fuel: change filters on schedule, keep water and air out of the supply, and consider a lubricity additive, since domestic diesel can fall below the lubricity the pump needs. Billet replacements for the aging plastic engine-mounted filter housing remove a leak point that develops with age. For a hard backstop, a CARB-approved bypass kit routes the pump's bottom-end flow back to the tank and filters so a failed pump can't feed debris to the rails and injectors, though it does not stop the pump itself from wearing.

Why did my 6.7L suddenly lose power with a loud hiss?

On a 2011-2014 truck the first suspect is the factory plastic cold-side intercooler pipe, which can crack or blow apart under boost and drop the truck into limp mode with an underboost code. Smaller leaks at boots and couplers cause low power with no codes, and a smoke test finds them. A reinforced silicone or aluminum pipe kit is a direct replacement and needs no tuning.

How often should the CCV filter be changed?

Diesel Hub recommends every 30,000-40,000 miles, and owners report getting 1-2 mpg back after the swap. A clogged separator loads the charge pipes and intercooler with oil and has been linked to turbo seal failure. If you're replacing the turbo, do the CCV and inspect the charge pipes at the same time, or the new turbo inherits the old problem.

What causes death wobble on a 2011-2014 F-250 or F-350?

On 4x4 Super Dutys the main cause is a worn track bar ball joint or bushing, with tie rods, the drag link and radius arm bushings next on the list. A new steering stabilizer only masks the play, and the wobble comes back within months. Fix the joints first; a dual stabilizer kit is an add-on after that, not a substitute.

My secondary coolant bottle keeps dropping. What's going on?

The secondary loop holds only about 2 gallons, so a small leak empties it fast. With no external leak, the usual suspects are an internal leak in the air-to-water intercooler or the EGR cooler, and a pressure test of the secondary system will show it. Make sure you fill and test the right bottle, because the truck has two degas bottles and the primary one gets overlooked.

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.