October 1st 2013
Ford engineers built upon the many benefits of this design as they upgraded the Power Stroke. One improvement is a larger GT37 turbocharger that replaces the previous GT32 model, enabling more airflow to the engine to produce more power beyond today’s 400 horsepower and 800 lb.-ft. of torque.
Key components of the new GT37 turbocharger
The GT37 features a single, larger 88-millimeter compressor wheel that replaces the GT32’s dual-sided compressor design. The compressor forces air into the engine’s cylinders to improve performance – especially at high altitude where the air is thinner than at sea level. The turbine size is increased to 72.5 millimeters from 64 millimeters, so exhaust gases have a larger surface area to spin the turbo, providing extra power. The wastegate and the wastegate controls are eliminated, because the turbo operates at lower peak pressures than the GT32.
“The original designers of the current Power Stroke V8 diesel forecasted needs for higher output. This facilitated the larger turbocharger, increasing airflow and creating more power,” said David Ives, Power Stroke technical specialist. “We’ve dramatically improved performance while reducing overall engine complexity by focusing on the turbo system.”
A further benefit of the larger turbo is improved engine exhaust braking, manually controlled by a push-button switch on the dashboard. Extra braking power helps reduce wear and tear on wheel brakes and requires less manual brake application from the driver, especially on downhill grades.