Full-size trucks are in constant competition to create the biggest, baddest trucks, with the most horsepower.
Ford’s “cobra head” turbo exhaust downpipe which obviously is shaped like a cobra snake’s head to allow the Powerstroke engine to breathe easier makes the Ford 6.7-liter Powerstroke diesel make best-in-class horsepower and torque.
Second-generation 6.7-liter Powerstroke diesel engine:
- Rated at 440 horsepower (up from 400 horsepower in the first generation)
- 860 ft-lbs (up from 800 ft-lbs) across all Super Duty models, from the F-250 to the F-450.
Ford’s explanation on how the “cobra head” works:
Any sharp turn or kink in an exhaust system can disrupt the flow and increase the pumping work an engine must do, reducing efficiency. The Cobra head acts like a widened, banked turn, allowing exhaust gases to flow smoothly through the 90-degree turn from the engine to the aftertreatment system and reduce backpressure. By reducing pumping losses, the design improves efficiency and allows greater torque production.
By applying hundreds of hours of advanced fluid dynamics computer modeling simulations to the design, Ford engineers were able to optimize the shape of the pipe bend.
Robert Wade, Ford Powerstroke Engine Air Path Technical Leader, “Fluid dynamics allowed us to precisely tune the curvature and width of the pipe to optimize exhaust gas flow. It turns out that a downpipe shaped like a cobra head is the ideal design for air flow and breathability, which we validated through thousands of miles of durability testing.”
