2017-2019 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke Tuning

Tuning on the 2017-2019 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke

Stock, the 6.7L Powerstroke in a 2017 pickup makes 440 hp and 925 lb-ft, and 2018-2019 pickups make 450 hp and 935 lb-ft. Chassis cabs run a separate 330 hp, 750 lb-ft calibration. Fuel comes from a Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure pump feeding piezo injectors at up to roughly 29,000-30,000 psi, and boost comes from a single Garrett variable-geometry turbo. Every truck in these years has the full emissions package: EGR, a diesel oxidation catalyst, SCR with DEF, and a DPF. Any tuning you do has to work with all of that in place. The documented 50-state option for this platform is an in-line module with a CARB Executive Order number. Custom PCM calibrations are a different path, covered below.

What fails and why

Tuning itself does not wear out, but it can expose the parts behind it. The CP4.2 pump is the first limit. At long injector durations it cannot hold rail pressure, and aggressive tunes show it as a rail pressure drop under load with a P0087 code. That is why high-power builds add a second pump, and why a tune for a stock fuel system has to stay inside what the CP4.2 can supply. The other thing owners notice is transmission behavior after a flash. Any PCM reprogram, including Ford's own updates such as TSB 18-2278, resets the 6R140's adaptive shift strategy, so expect firmer shifts for several days while it relearns. That is normal, not a sign something broke.

In-line module vs. custom calibration

An in-line module modifies signals and leaves the factory PCM calibration alone. The EO-numbered in-line tuner documented for these years adds up to 59 hp and 106 lb-ft on 2017-2019 trucks, watches coolant temperature, exhaust gas temperature and transmission behavior, and pulls power when coolant is below 120F or above 240F. A custom calibration is different: it rewrites the PCM itself through a tuning interface, and the file is built for a specific truck. No CARB EO custom PCM tune for the 2017-2019 6.7L turned up in the sources behind this page, so check any custom calibration against your own state's rules before you buy. Whichever route you pick, every factory emissions system stays installed and working.

What we carry

This collection holds the hardware side of custom tuning. HP Tuners' MPVI4 is the interface that connects a laptop running HP Tuners software to the truck's OBD-II port. The HP Tuners RTD4 Southern Diesel Supply Edition is a handheld device used to load a calibration file onto the truck. From SPE Motorsport you will find a plug-and-play 5-position SOFT switch listed for 2011-2019 6.7L Powerstroke trucks, which lets the driver pick between tune positions from the cab, and a 5-position switch bracket listed for 7.3L, 6.0L, 6.4L and 6.7L Powerstroke trucks from 1999 to 2022. For other platforms, see the tuners page.

Fitment notes

Tuning is year-split. The 2020 refresh brought a revised 6.7L with 36,000 psi fuel pressure, new pistons and compression, and the 10-speed 10R140, so tunes and tuners are catalogued 2017-2019 separately from 2020-2022. Even the EO-numbered in-line tuner that covers 2011-2019 makes different gains on 2011-2014, 2015-2016 and 2017-2019 trucks. Pickup or chassis cab matters too: chassis cabs run their own 330 hp calibration, and EO turbo parts on a chassis cab need an emissions-compliant calibration to match. Switch brackets and mounting hardware span more years than calibrations do. Verify by VIN before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

Is a custom tune 50-state legal on a 2017-2019 6.7L?

The sources behind this page did not turn up a custom PCM calibration with a CARB EO number for these years. The documented 50-state route is an EO-numbered in-line module. If you go custom, check the calibration against your state's rules first, and keep every factory emissions system in place.

Will a PCM flash change how my 6R140 shifts?

Yes, for a while. Any PCM reprogram resets the transmission's adaptive strategy, and that includes Ford's own dealer updates. Expect firmer shifts for several days while it relearns.

What does a 5-position switch do?

It lets you select between tune positions from the driver's seat. It only changes something if your calibration is built with switchable positions. The SPE Motorsport SOFT switch here is plug-and-play and listed for 2011-2019 6.7L Powerstroke trucks, and SPE sells a matching bracket to mount it.

Can more power hurt the stock CP4.2?

It can. Ask for more fuel than the stock system can supply and the CP4.2 cannot hold rail pressure at long injector durations, which shows up as a rail pressure drop under load and a P0087 code. Match the tune to the fuel system you actually have.

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.