Piston discussion

[Cknox121]

So for someone looking at buying a 6.4 ... this thread...is it something to cause pause...or not? Seems like a lot of cracked pistons out there for tuner only trucks.

Is this a deal where it's a 7.3 pmr rods, 6.0 heads, 6.4 pistons...6.7 ?

Serious question. Say a 6.4...deleted, tuner only...otherwise stock...are cracked pistons a inevitable reality with the 6.4

I wouldn't pause. There are what 20 people who have cracked pistons, but who knows how many who have not. Don't let a forum scare you. They are about the only places you really hear about major failures such as this. Not enough failures to justify not buy a truck, but be for warned that it could happen. Gotta pay to play.

Just like the 2011 6.7 and turbo failures... I have only heard of them on the forums, other then my buddies truck who's turbo shot the bed.


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[blk350on20s]

Went 47k tuned and deleted with SCT and Spartan for pretty much for the whole time. Cracked the #2 piston.

Replaced only that piston and went up in power on a mini build. Been 700 HP since 2011 and I am now at 105k miles on the truck with zero issues

 

[Morgan@Midwest Diesel & Auto]

I wouldn't pause. There are what 20 people who have cracked pistons, but who knows how many who have not. Don't let a forum scare you. They are about the only places you really hear about major failures such as this. Not enough failures to justify not buy a truck, but be for warned that it could happen. Gotta pay to play.

Just like the 2011 6.7 and turbo failures... I have only heard of them on the forums, other then my buddies truck who's turbo shot the bed.


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There's way more than twenty people who have cracked pistons. Just by the calls I get talking to people with cracked pistons. What's sad is you don't hear from the majority of these people. They are just average joes using their truck for work etc.... Very few sample of people on the forum compared to the hundreds of thousands out there driving 6.4's

 

[Morgan@Midwest Diesel & Auto]

With that being said there seems to be no real rhyme or reason why. Most of them are tuned with a 300+ tune from my experience. That or they still have emissions intact. Not many running canned sct tunes and deleted do I see with cracked pistons.

Though guaranteed, it has some to do with heat and stress applied to the pistons. The longer one runs with emissions intact and/or a big tune, the more likely you are to hurt it. Yeah nicks truck made huge hp. But just like he said, he doesn't abuse it every time he drives it. "Grandpa driving habits" I believe were his words. Some live longer than others. But don't buy one without knowing that the opportunity to crack one can happen to you.

 

[forcefed6.4ford]

Opportunity... Haha

 

[V-Ref]

I don't think it takes a degree in metalurgy to see where this piston design might have a flaw or two. Here's those images spoken of previously.

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/at...01-cracked-pistons-here-why-pics-cam00290.jpg

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/at...42-cracked-pistons-here-why-pics-cam00293.jpg

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/at...90-cracked-pistons-here-why-pics-cam00292.jpg

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/at...11-cracked-pistons-here-why-pics-cam00295.jpg

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/at...32-cracked-pistons-here-why-pics-cam00294.jpg

 

[V-Ref]

Sledpull....your pistons....I'm assuming no one's cracked any yet? Would you care to share how many trucks are running them so far. Thank you for your insight thusfar. Very informative thread.

 

[jdgleason]

Wow that's a good picture!

 

[bft blue oval boys]

Wow, those pictures kinda make me wanna save up for a 6.7 instead of getting a 6.4...

Sent from a Cummins plant, driving a TDI, wishing it was a Powerstroke

 

[V-Ref]

The whole reason I'm in here...is I went and drove a clean straight low mileage 6.4 just yesterday. Great truck, even though the engine compartment looks more like a engine nacelle off a turbojet aircraft...I can get over it, 'cause I just want a tuned/deleted DD for this pickup. OK...I need to have a 4 post lift to go cab off to work on it...got it.

But if you need to put pistons in it from day 1 to make it solid.....I'm gonna have to pass on the ol six four.

Talk me down if I'm way off here.

 

[forcefed6.4ford]

I've got 100k miles tuned on gear heads street tune. I think it has way more to do with how you drive the truck than the hp it makes. Of course there are exceptions to the rule... Mikie. Haha. My last truck did 90k miles and I split a piston and blew hg twice. With my 450 I squeeze the throttle and ease off instead of stab and chop. Try to make the egts rise and fall more slowly to not heat and chill shock the metal

 

[V-Ref]

Does a non-deleted truck experience high EGTs that could contribute to thermal stress to the piston? Where is this regen taking place (6.4 dummy here)? Does it result in thermal transfer to a specific cylinder more than others?

 

[Morgan@Midwest Diesel & Auto]

Sledpull....your pistons....I'm assuming no one's cracked any yet? Would you care to share how many trucks are running them so far. Thank you for your insight thusfar. Very informative thread.

To my knowledge none of them that I've sold have cracked. I've sold close to 20 sets in January for a reference. Some are hd's or oem de-lipped, valve reliefs decked etc.... All kinds.

 

[forcefed6.4ford]

They are toasty. Around 1250-1300f sustained. But when the truck goes into and out of regen the temps change slowly. There is just so much fuel available on these truck in a stock configuration that it is easy to get them hot fast, if you don't tend to the air side of things when upgrading tuning.

 

[LovinPSDs]

V-ref. Those pictures are SCARY! talk about one hell of a mistake out of the factory.

I'll pitch this out there.. I work in a full machine shop/metallurgical lab. I'd be willing to section some other pistons if we had some cracked ones to see if casting flaws are common. Maybe Dorian or PTP have a few around there shop.

 

[V-Ref]

I've sold close to 20 sets in January

:jawdrop:

One dealer...160 pistons...one month...for a motor built for two years. I'm out.

Thank you all for sharing.

 

[jdgleason]

:jawdrop:

One dealer...160 pistons...one month...for a motor built for two years. I'm out.

Thank you all for sharing.

I'll be willing to bet that a big chunk of those were guys upgrading to built motors with no issues. Settle down.

 

[forcefed6.4ford]

Not all these pistons will be going into failed engines. A lot of guys stock up on parts prior to doing builds. You don't have the context and are assuming the worst. Are the pistons the weak point? Yes. Are there fixes? Yes. Can you build huge power and have it last? There are some trucks out there that have been fairly trouble free at well above 750whp for years.

 

[V-Ref]

I'm settled down guys. I meant I was out of the thread.

 

[Corb@CorbinShipping]

The whole reason I'm in here...is I went and drove a clean straight low mileage 6.4 just yesterday. Great truck, even though the engine compartment looks more like a engine nacelle off a turbojet aircraft...I can get over it, 'cause I just want a tuned/deleted DD for this pickup. OK...I need to have a 4 post lift to go cab off to work on it...got it.

But if you need to put pistons in it from day 1 to make it solid.....I'm gonna have to pass on the ol six four.

Talk me down if I'm way off here.

Most of those, were not your average daily drivers buying aftermarket pistons. Most guys that own 6.4s do not even know what a "delete" is... Much less feel the need to upgrade pistons, tuners, intakes, etc...

I interviewed a guy a few weeks ago, that raised his hand to god (no kidding) and swore that his 2008 f350 would out tow anything on the road. It was the most powerful truck that any of the big three ever produced, etc... I asked what he had done to it, he said "Nothing, it don't need anything done to it!" bone stock.... This is the majority of 6.4 owners... We are the very small percentage of 6.4 owners that want MORE power....

I cracked 3 pistons on the 450, tuned deleted and abused for 110,000 (deleted at 50 K, sold at 160 K) but my 250 has seen tow power Xs, 62/75 non vgt with 110 and dual pumps, etc, all stock engine and heads, with only studs, springs and push rods... Pistons are just fine still.

Nick Detray made 1284 hp on a STOCK bottom end, after running a big single and 100% tips for several thousand miles...... Same pistons that the truck came from the factory with...

I have said it before, and will say it again... "The enemy of GOOD, is BETTER...."

If we were to leave these truck in stock form, there would be very few "horror stories" of parts failures.... But, I will most likely NOT be sticking to this train of thought.... LOL

But, all in all, I would not hesitate to buy another 6.4 and tinker on it as well...