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If you’ve spent any time in the diesel world, you know that owning a Power Stroke can sometimes feel like a love-hate relationship. These trucks are absolute workhorses, but they come with factory features - otherwise known as design flaws - that can turn a reliable rig into a driveway ornament.

Let's cover exactly what goes wrong with the 6.0L and 6.4L platforms and how we resolve these issues to keep these trucks on the road.

The 6.0L Power Stroke: What Are Its Main Faults?

• Improper Valve Recession: Most 6.0L rocker failures aren't due to design flaws, but poor machine work. If the valve recession isn't set correctly, the valves can hit the piston, which snaps the stamped rocker arms.
• The Cooling System and Gaskets: The combination of EGR cooler failures leading directly into head gasket failures are a primary concern for this engine.
• Secondary Valvetrain Damage: When these engines are modified or repaired without precision, the pushrods can be forced upward, breaking the valvetrain components.

While the 6.0L earned a reputation for head gasket and EGR issues, its valvetrain is actually quite robust compared to its successor. You may have heard us say before: the root cause of most of the 6.0L’s problems is an ineffective oil cooler.

How Does Choate Engineering Improve the 6.0L?

We've developed several solutions to make these engines more reliable than OEM specs, including using a coolant-to-oil cooler, comprehensively cleaning the casting grit that was left by the original casting process, and upgrading cams to keep the lifters functioning perfectly.

Sand Casting Removal: This process removes microscopic grit and leftover sand from the factory manufacturing molds trapped inside the engine's internal passages. Doing so prevents this abrasive debris from dislodging into the oil or coolant, protecting bearings and water pumps from premature wear.

Precision Balancing: Using advanced algorithms, this procedure perfectly balances the weight of the rotating assembly (crankshaft, pistons, and rods) down to fractions of a gram. This drastically reduces the destructive harmonic vibrations and axial forces that multiply at high RPMs, ensuring the engine remains stable and the bearings survive.

Upgraded Camshafts: Modified camshaft profiles alter valve timing to maximize exhaust gas velocity, which forces the turbocharger to spool up much faster and reduce lag. Additionally, they feature smoother closing ramps that prevent the valves from violently slamming shut, eliminating valvetrain separation and keeping the lifters stable.

The 6.4L Power Stroke: What Are The Most Common Faults?

• Lack of Top-End Lubrication: Unlike the 6.0L, the 6.4L high-pressure common rail system doesn't naturally provide enough oil to the rockers. This metal-on-metal friction wears down the pivot balls and valve bridges.
• Oil Dilution from Fuel: Fuel frequently makes its way into the engine oil, thinning it out and significantly reducing its lubricating properties, which accelerates the wear of critical internal components.
• Lifter and Camshaft Failure: Due to excessive valve lash caused by wear, the lifters begin slapping the camshaft. This eventually sends metal shrapnel through the engine, wiping out the cam lobes and causing catastrophic failure.

The transition to the 6.4L brought common rail injection and more power, but it also introduced a lack of lubrication in the upper valvetrain. 6.4L failure, whether it is from a broken camshaft or lifter, is compounded due to several underlying factors leading to a perfect storm that destroys engines from the top down.

What Can Be Done About the 6.4L Issues?

We've developed a valve cover that addresses the inherent issues in the 6.4L design. This billet valve cover has an integrated oiling system, much like the later 6.7L has, that makes sure the rockers are getting the necessary lubrication at all times.

• Integrated Oiling: These covers feature an internal oiling system that feeds the rocker assembly under constant pressure.
• Constant Lubrication: By ensuring the rockers and valve bridges never run dry, we eliminate the wear that leads to catastrophic lifter failure.
• Preventative Peace of Mind: It’s a no-brainer upgrade for anyone looking to save their 6.4L before the ticking starts.

Does Choate Engineering Offer Racing Engines?

We're pushing the Power Stroke platform further than ever before by collaborating with giants from the racing world and bringing elite-level technology to diesel engineering.

• Massive Nitrous: We've worked with 6.0L builds capable of handling huge amounts of nitrous.
• Advanced Materials: Our 2618 billet pistons and custom massive sleeves withstand extreme cylinder pressures.
• R&D Mindset: Our builds act as the guinea pigs - the technology we prove on the track may eventually make its way into your daily driver or work truck.

What Is White Boxing/White Labeling And Why Should You Avoid It?

There is a secret in the diesel industry called white boxing. This is when a company buys a generic part, puts it in their own branded box, and claims they engineered it.

• The Problem: You might think you're buying a premium, custom-engineered part, but you’re actually getting the same generic component everyone else has.
• The Choate Difference: We do our own machining in-house with 4- and 5-axis CNC equipment. If we use a partner for pistons or cams (like UEM or Comp Cams), we are upfront about it.
• Quality Control: By manufacturing in-house, we control the quality of every part that goes into our long blocks.

Can Using 15W-40 Oil Hurt My Power Stroke?

In older engines like the 7.3L and 6.4L, 15W-40 was the best choice. But in the late 6.4L engines and newer Power Strokes, that thick oil can cause more issues than it solves. Because the clearances are so tight, using a heavyweight oil - especially in colder northern climates - prevents the oil from lubricating the rod bearings properly on startup.

• Follow the Manual: Unless you’re running a Choate-built engine, stick strictly to the manufacturer’s weight recommendations.
• The Choate Difference: When we build a long block, we actually alter the crankshaft and rod clearances. We open them up so you can run the engine harder without worrying about biting a bearing.

Power Stroke Engines from Choate Engineering

Don't settle for a standard rebuild that keeps the same factory flaws. At Choate Engineering Performance, we treat every engine like a specialized project. Check out the diesel lineup at Choate Engineering Performance to experience these proven benefits:

• Real Problem Solving: We specialize in solving the real problems found inside today’s most popular diesel power plants, including Duramax, Power Stroke, and Cummins. Our engines are fully remanufactured and re-engineered to outperform factory designs.
• True Remanufacturing: We reman diesel engines - meaning every detail is inspected, machined, and upgraded to meet or exceed OEM specifications. Unlike a simple rebuild, which may reuse parts and skip precision machining, our reman process corrects the known weak points in Ford Power Stroke, GM/Chevy Duramax, and Dodge Ram Cummins engines.
• Advanced In-House Machining: Our reman diesel engines are designed and machined entirely in-house using advanced 4- and 5-axis CNC equipment, flow benches, and precision balancing technology. We eliminate OEM design flaws.

Visit us online today and get an engine that's better-than-new. Whether you need a daily driver or a dedicated workhorse, we are here to help you get the most out of your diesel today!