6.0 Powerstroke Cylinder Numbers Explained

Understanding how your truck's engine works can be an important factor in being able to properly maintain it. If for example you have a Ford Super Duty truck you likely have a 6.0-liter Powerstroke V8 engine.

The V9 indicates that this is an 8 cylinder engine with two banks of 4 cylinders in a V shape. Each of these cylinders has a number even though they may not be marked with that number. In this post we will learn more about the Ford Powerstroke V8 and how its cylinders are numbered.

What Is the Ford Powerstroke Engine?

The Powerstroke engine from Ford is a diesel engine that has commonly been used in F-Series Ford trucks and Super Duty trucks. It is essentially a rebranding of an engine created by Navistar International who until 2011 supplied the engines.

History of 6.0-Liter Powerstroke Engines

The first Powerstroke engine was a 7.3-liter diesel and was a version of Navistar's T444E turbo-diesel V8. It was introduced in 1994 and was used in the larger Ford F-Series trucks as well as the Econoline ranges.

In the second quarter of 2003 this 7.3-liter version was replaced by the 6.0-liter Powerstroke which would be used in Super Duty Ford trucks until 2007. It would also remain in use in Ford Econoline models up until the 2010 model year.

Why Do You Need to Know the Cylinder Numbers

When it comes to engine cylinders it can be important to understand their numbers and their firing order when diagnosing a fault. The firing sequence can vary depending on the model year of an engine but it is generally set in a specific order.

This sequence does not follow the chronological numbering of the cylinders but is designed for the optimum operation of the engine. The cylinders are numbered to pattern as we will go on to explain later in the post.

Locating the Number One Cylinder

Once you know where the number one cylinder is in a V8 engine it becomes easy to number the remaining 7 cylinders. When you look down the two inline banks of 4 cylinders each you will note that one side is slightly closer to you than the other.

This is because the cylinders are deliberately offset slightly so the two banks are not completely parallel. One side will have all of the odd numbered cylinders while the other side has the even numbered ones. Once you locate the number one cylinder the cylinder opposite which should be set slightly further back is number two. This pattern continues with number three being across from number two but set back slightly. The numbering effectively zig zag back and forth.

The first cylinder should be easy to identify when you are standing in front of your truck with the hood open. The driver side of the vehicle should have the even numbered cylinders 2, 4, 6, 8, This means as you face the front of the vehicle the number one cylinder should be on the left closest to you.

It will be set slightly ahead of the other cylinders. Cylinder 1 will be first in the left hand row followed by 3, 5 and 7 in that order as the engine moves back toward the cab of the truck.

What Is The Firing Order of a 6.0-liter Powerstroke Engine?

So as mentioned if you started the engine while looking at the cylinders in front of you they will not fire in chronological order. It will not go 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and then finally 8. Here are a few things to understand about how these engines fire.

  • The cylinders will not all fire at the same time
  • The firing sequence has been predetermined and will be the same every time as long as there are no issues with the engine
  • It will never follow the progressive numbering pattern but is not random either

So now let's imagine we are behind the wheel of our truck, the hood is removed and we can see the engine. We are about to fire up our Ford 6.0-liter Powerstroke engine. The odd numbered cylinders are now on the right as we look at the engine while the even numbered ones are on the left.

The number one cylinder is on the right but is the furthest away from us. When we start the engine this cylinder will be the first to fire. The next three cylinders to fire will be 3, 5, and 7 followed by 2, 4, 6 and finally cylinder number 8. The cycle will then repeat itself over and over as you drive.

Important Note

The exact firing sequence can vary depending on model years of these engines so it is always wise to check your owner's manual to get an accurate idea of the cylinder firing sequence for your vehicle. This is the only sure way to know if your engine is firing in the correct sequence and if your have a misfiring cylinder

Conclusion

The numbering system for cylinders in a Ford 6.0-liter Powerstroke engine is very easy once you know what you are looking at. This is a V8 engine so unlike inline engines that just have a single row of cylinders you have two.

These two rows or banks of cylinders are laid at an angle to each other in the body of the engine creating a V-shape. One bank of cylinders holds the odd numbered chambers 1, 3, 5 and 7 while the other bank has 2, 4, 6 and 8.

The two banks run roughly parallel but the odd numbered cylindered are set slightly forward of the even ones. This will help you more easily locate the number one cylinder and subsequently the rest of them as well.

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