Here's How Our 6.4L Power Stroke Pistons Are Better

De-lipped Fuel Bowl

The sharp lip on the factory fuel bowl catches fuel spray and creates dangerous hot spots. We de-lip the piston crowns to smooth out the bowl so the fuel spray trajectory is corrected, hot spots are eliminated, and the risk of piston cracking under high heat and pressure is greatly reduced.

Reduced Heat Transfer

We apply a Polyphen Coating to the top of our pistons to lock the heat in the cylinder where it belongs - keeping it out of the piston itself and keeping your oil temperatures down.

Corrected Valve Clearance

No more valve clearance guesswork. Choate Engineering pistons are flycut to give your valves extra breathing room and avoid piston-to-valve contact. This means you can run an aggressive, high-lift camshaft knowing you have the clearance you need.

Precision Machining

Choate Engineering Performance piston sets are machined to strict tolerances and weight-matched to eliminate vibration and ensure consistent performance. Additionally, we put every single piston through rigorous inspection cycles before they leave our facility.

Diesel Performance Benefits

The thin factory castings of Ford's 6.4L pistons are infamous for cracking right along the lip of the combustion bowl due to excessive heat. Our custom machining, de-lipping, and coating upgrades not only help to avoid cracking, but will also help your Power Stroke:

  • Drive Down EGTs: Better management of your combustion heat keeps your exhaust gas temps and oil temperatures down, even under massive loads.

  • Run Cooler Oil: Thermal coating stops extreme heat from soaking into the piston body; less heat transfers into your engine oil, keeping your vitals cool and preventing oil breakdown.

  • Improve HP and MPG: Optimizing your combustion and heat management means more horsepower to the ground and better fuel economy at the pump.

Street, Track, and Tow Ready

These pistons are suited for everyday use and racing, making them an ideal, reliable choice for the daily driver who occasionally tows and the dedicated track competitor alike.

ORDERING NOTES

IMPORTANT! Please be sure that you order the correct size. If you change your piston size after the order has been completed, a restocking and shipping fee may be charged. Standard sized pistons are non-refundable.

SIZES: These are the available sizes: STD, .020, .030, .040. Please ensure you know your specific size when placing an order.

AVAILABILITY: Due to high demand and rigorous quality control standards, current lead time for this machined kit is 1-3 weeks. Orders are processed in the order received. Standard sized pistons are non-refundable.

Installation Tips

Check out Cass's quick tips for installing your upgraded pistons, and explore our complete library of videos and tutorials to learn more about diesel upgrades.

Full Description

AVAILABILITY: Due to high demand and rigorous quality control standards, current lead time for this machined kit is 1-3 weeks. Orders are processed in the order received.

 

Key Features and Fixes:

Choate Engineering Performance incorporates critical features to solve common performance constraints and provide a robust foundation for high-horsepower builds.

  • Polyphen Coating Tops: The Polyphen Coated Tops act as a thermal barrier to reduce heat transfer into the piston material and oil.
  • De-lipped Fuel Bowl: The piston crowns receive a crucial machining modification where the fuel bowl lip is de-lipped. This corrects the fuel spray trajectory to prevent impingement and remove potential hot spots, thereby significantly reducing the risk of piston cracking under high heat and pressure.
  • Valve Clearance Solution: The flycut valve reliefs eliminate the common constraint of piston-to-valve interference encountered when using performance cams, allowing builders to confidently select higher lift camshafts.
  • Performance Benefits: This heat reduction provides multiple benefits:
    • Lower EGTs (Exhaust Gas Temperatures)
    • Lower Oil Temps
    • Increased HP & Fuel Mileage
  • Versatile Use: These pistons are suited for every day use and racing, making them ideal for the daily driver who occasionally tows or the dedicated track competitor.

 

Components and Parts:

This complete kit provides a ready-to-install solution built for durability under high-stress conditions.

  • High-Strength Piston Castings: Built from robust materials capable of withstanding the elevated cylinder pressures and high temperatures common with aggressive tuning and high boost levels.
  • Complete Ring Set: Each piston comes with a full set of high-quality standard rings. Designed to meet original specifications, these rings provide dependable sealing and oil consumption control for long-term engine health.
  • Wrist Pins and Locks: Includes heavy-duty wrist pins and corresponding locks (or retainers) for secure connection to the connecting rod.

Piston Set Includes:

  • 8 Pistons with Ceramic Coated Tops
  • Non-coated Piston Skirts
  • 8 Pins
  • 16 Locks

 

Machining Process:

The integrity and performance of these pistons are achieved through specialized machining processes focused on geometry, clearance, and quality control.

  • Precision Flycutting: The piston crowns are flycut with precision-depth valve reliefs. This guarantees the necessary piston-to-valve clearance required when installing high-lift performance camshafts.
  • De-lipped Fuel Bowl: The piston bowl edges are precisely machined (de-lipped) to optimize the fuel spray pattern and help prevent piston cracking by mitigating concentrated hot spots at the bowl lip.
  • Piston Geometry: Each piston is machined to specific tolerances and weight-matched to maintain engine balance and ensure consistent performance across all cylinders.
  • Piston Cycling: Each piston goes through vigorous quality cycles at our facility to ensure they meet stringent specifications before assembly and coating.

 

IMPORTANT: There are several piston sizes available. Please be sure that you order the correct size. If you change your piston size after the order has been completed, a restocking and shipping fee may be charged. Standard sized pistons are non-refundable.

Choate Engineering Industrial engines are covered up 1 year / 2,000 hours, with some limitations.

We also require our customers to follow proper maintenance procedures, replace critical components during installation, and more.

As consideration for the above warranties, the buyer agrees they will take no action, statement, characterization, or implication regarding Choate Engineering Performance that may in any manner be interpreted as disparaging to Choate Engineering Performance or the reputation of Choate Engineering Performance. Any violation of this is a material breach, entitling Choate Engineering Performance to void any warranty.

CHOATE ENGINEERING PERFORMANCE SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE, NOR SHALL IT PAY ANY FREIGHT/SHIPPING CHARGES.

  • All freight and shipping charges are the sole responsibility of the customer, including any customs fees or brokerage fees.
  • Any shipments Choate Engineering Performance arranges for the customer include insurance.
  • In the event the purchased unit is damaged during transportation to or from Choate Engineering Performance, Choate Engineering Performance shall not be responsible for any costs associated with such damage.
  • The repair of such damage is not included under the Limited Warranty; should transportation damage skew the results of the diagnosis such that the findings are that the defect is not covered under the Limited Warranty, Choate Engineering Performance shall incur no liability or responsibility whatsoever.

NOTE:

CALIFORNIA WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov