2011-2014 Post-Warranty Power Stroke Fix Part 2: Turbo & CP4.2 Install
After spending more than half a day tearing apart the top end of a ’13 6.7L Power Stroke in Part 1, we’re ready to install the Quick Spool budget turbo kit from Maryland Performance Diesel. As we mentioned in the first installment, the pathway to reliability on ’11-’14 model year Super Dutys begins by ridding the engine of its troublesome factory variable geometry turbocharger. Maryland’s all-inclusive turbo system allows you to do that, and then some. With a BorgWarner S364.5 SX-E in place of the restrictive stock turbo, vastly more airflow enters the engine. The extra air volume results in substantial horsepower gains (50 to 80rwhp depending on tuning).
To get the most out of the new turbo, and since the folks at Flynn’s Shop had ample access to it with the intake plenums and cold-side intercooler pipe removed, a newer (‘15+) high-pressure fuel pump was bolted in place of the stocker. When Ford raised horsepower output of the 6.7L Power Stroke from 400hp to 440hp in 2015, a higher-flowing Bosch CP4.2 was the primary means of making the power increase possible. Naturally, the aftermarket discovered that considerable gains could be had by adding a newer pump to an early (’11-’14) engine. Just like the turbo upgrade, swapping out an early CP4.2 for a new one is a direct, drop-in proposition—another easy sell for anyone looking to make their early 6.7L Ford run with the new breed.
After they’d wrapped up the install, the guys at Flynn’s released yet another 640rwhp late-model Super Duty back into the wild. Keep in mind that the stock long-block, transmission, injectors and lift pump remain—and are expected to last at this power level.
$3,000: The Cost of Long-Term Peace of Mind
In the photo above, Maryland Performance Diesel’s Quick Spool budget turbo system and its 6.7L intercooler pipe fix kit are on display. The contents of both systems include everything you need to address the ’11-’14 6.7L Power Stroke’s most notorious problems. The turbo kit includes a MPD-modified BorgWarner S364.5 SX-E, billet turbo pedestal, stainless steel up-pipes and T4 collector, all new intercooler boots, lower intake plenum plug, a No Limit Fabrication cold air intake and an overall cost of $2,725.95. The intercooler pipe fix kit replaces the failure-prone, plastic cold-side charge pipe with a mandrel-bent, stainless steel version, along with a billet throttle body adapter and the corresponding boots. It retails for $279.
Stainless Plumbing
Because the S364.5 turbo employs a T4 divided turbine outlet flange, MPD fabricates the T4 exhaust collector that bolts to the turbo (center). The up-pipes (right and left) link the exhaust manifolds to the collector. All piping is made from 0.120-inch wall, 304 stainless steel and heavy-duty bellows are incorporated into the driver side up-pipe and passenger side collector tube.
First Things First
To rule out accessibility issues later on, it pays to install the driver side up-pipe before the turbocharger is dropped in place. For ample access to the factory up-pipe studs in the exhaust manifold, the exhaust manifold heat shield can be removed. MPD supplies new up-pipe gaskets with its Quick Spool budget turbo system, but the factory up-pipe nuts are reused.
Less Work Later
Prior to installing the turbo, the exhaust collector can be bolted to the turbine housing. MPD includes a T4 divided gasket for the turbine outlet flange as well as mounting hardware.
A True “Drop-In” Turbo
One-hundred percent bolt-in ready, MPD ships the turbocharger assembly as one pre-assembled unit. That means the turbo is attached to the pedestal, the oil feed line is installed and tight, the downpipe adapter is bolted up and the exhaust housing is correctly clocked. There is no need to adjust anything before, during or after the turbo assembly is set in place.
Tightening Sequence
While the MPD turbo kit is well-engineered, no aftermarket parts are going to simply fall into place. Some finagling is always in store and this was the case in our install. However, a valuable tip the guys at Flynn’s Shop shared with us was to make sure you leave everything (pedestal bolts, exhaust collector bolts, up-pipe nuts at the exhaust manifolds, V-band for downpipe, etc.) a tad loose until it appears like everything will bolt together flush. Then tighten each component up slowly, all the while making sure no one part is being placed in a bind.
Downpipe, Passenger Up-Pipe, Turbo Maneuvering
Though it wouldn’t be completely tightened yet, the top section of the factory downpipe was connected to the turbocharger before the passenger side up-pipe went on. In the image above you’ll notice that the up-pipe and exhaust collector flanges don’t align flush. This would change once the turbo assembly was positioned slightly toward the firewall before its pedestal bolts were fully tightened.
Other Necessary Alterations
Due to the fact that the S364.5 SX-E turbo is cooled solely with engine oil, the coolant lines for the factory turbo are abandoned. This is done by simply capping off the line installed on the coolant crossover via the MPD-supplied plug shown above. Other abandonments would include capping off the main vacuum supply line that feeds the factory wastegate solenoid (as it's no longer wastegated) and taping up the VGT solenoid pigtail that’s no longer needed.
Accessing the CP4.2
With nothing in the lifter valley stopping Flynn’s techs from accessing it, it was time to tackle the high-pressure fuel pump swap. Because the vacuum pump has to come off to access the CP4’s drive gear nut, the fan clutch has to be removed first. Once the fan is loose you can simply slide it forward and leave it in the fan shroud until it’s time to reinstall it.
Timing Is (Still) Everything
Once the vacuum pump is out of the way, you gain access to the CP4.2 pump’s drive gear. On a 6.7L Power Stroke, the CP4.2 is timed to both the crank and the cam (and is driven by the cam thanks to this gear). Notice the two timing marks on the bottom of the CP4.2 drive gear and the single timing mark at the top of the cam gear. To keep the engine in time, these marks must align in this fashion. The pump can be pulled before or after you line up the timing marks, just make sure they’re correct before you button everything back up.
Early CP4.2 vs. Late CP4.2
Although you could never tell by looking at them, the ’15-newer Bosch CP4.2 pump on the right outflows the stock one on the left by nine percent. A longer stroke on the ’15-newer pump’s camshaft provides the increase in displacement and flow, which was the main ingredient in Ford’s higher, 440hp rating that became available on ’15 Super Dutys. When a late-model CP4.2 is combined with a BorgWarner S364.5 turbo and revised PCM tuning on an ’11-’14 truck, it’s not uncommon to clear more than 640rwhp on the chassis dyno.
Mounting the New Injection Pump
After lubricating the CP4.2’s O-ring, the new pump was installed on the three mounting studs present in the engine’s front cover. The 13mm pump mounting nuts call for 18 lb-ft of torque. Once the pump is secure in the valley, the pump’s drive gear nut can be installed and tightened to its 59 lb-ft spec.
New High-Pressure Fuel Lines
Any time you break loose the high-pressure fuel lines in the common-rail system, Ford recommends replacing them completely. With as much as 29,000 psi traveling through them, the last thing you want is a leak. The high-pressure lines are torqued to 30 lb-ft at the pump and 26 lb-ft on the fuel rails.
Piecing Her Back Together
Notice the two notches (one up top, one on the bottom) in the vacuum pump. These legs ride in the CP4.2 pump drive gear. You might also notice that the vacuum pump has been fitted with a fresh gasket (a must). When fastening the vacuum pump in place, make sure you coat the bolts with Loctite and torque them to the recommended torque spec of 89 in-lb. After that, the fan hub can be reinstalled, followed by the fan and serpentine belt.
Factory Intake Plenums Reinstalled
Now the factory lower intake plenum can be reinstalled, and the new CP4.2 begins to disappear again. MPD supplies a new plenum-to-turbo inlet boot with its Quick Spool turbo kit but you may have to cut it down in order to get the intake plenum aligned over its mounting points. After that, the upper intake plenum can be reinstalled, followed by the factory hot-side and cold-side intercooler pipes.
Stealth Mode
Thanks to the MPD Quick Spool budget turbo system’s retention of the factory intake plenums and hot-side intercooler pipe, there’s really no way to tell the turbo has even been upgraded. The finishing touch on MPD’s budget turbo kit comes in the form of a cold air intake from No Limit Fabrications. These five-inch diameter intakes are extremely popular in the 6.7L Ford segment and the 5.5x9-inch air filter they come with offers plenty of airflow for aftermarket turbochargers.
