What’s the Scoop?
More air means more power in a Ford 6.4L using BD Diesel’s Boost Scoop
By Steve Temple
Photos by Steve Temple and Austin Price
When Ford switched from the 325hp 6.0L to 350hp 6.4L Power Stroke, the increase in horsepower was not as much as expected considering the increase in displacement numbers.
Torque numbers fared better, bumping from 570 to 650 lb/ft.
Even so, the added emissions equipment on the 6.4 was clearly was keeping some horses in the corral. So what’s a quick and affordable way to loosen the power reins?
A simple, proven approach: installing a ram-air scoop.
Ram-air technology has been used for decades by aircraft engineers, racers and hot-rodders, the latter putting scoops on everything from hoods to side windows to brake inlets.
BD Diesel also drew on this tried-and-true performance trick in creating its Boost Scoop.
Designed for 2008 to 2010 Ford 6.4L Power Stroke diesels, this unit replaces the air intake on the passenger-side fender with a ram-air style scoop.
In addition, the ducting features reduced bends, increased diameter and smoothed-out corners for higher airflow.
The Boost Scoop is made from a high-strength plastic, and sealing its carbon-fiber finish are three layers of UV-resistant clear coat.
It’s not just a cool-looking carbon-fiber accessory for the side of your truck– it forces more cool air into the turbo and reduces turbo lag.
A significant increase in airflow can not only enhance power output (which we’ll document below), but also improve fuel economy and lower Exhaust Gas Temperatures (by as much as 100 degrees, BD Diesel claims).
To verify these statements, we did some dyno pulls both before and after at Ken Imler Diesel Performance.
We’ve performed a number of intake installs over the years on a variety of vehicles, and this particular one provided some of the most dramatic results we’ve ever seen.
BD Diesel’s Boost Scoop raised the output at the rear wheels by 20hp and 37 lb.-ft.of torque.
The specific readouts indicated an increase from a baseline of 262hp @ 3,000 rpm to 283hp to 3,250 rpm.
As for torque, it jumped from 487.4 lb.-ft.at 2,500 rpm to 524 lb.-ft.at 2,750 rpm.
(These numbers were taken inside the shop, not on the open road at speed, where the airflow would be even more enhanced.)
Imler notes the increased airflow did not kick on the “Check Engine” light, either.
Why such a big gain for such a relatively simple change?
Typically vehicle manufacturers constrict the factory intake for several reasons, sometimes for lower production costs, but also to reduce sound levels, surprisingly enough.
Of course, such a compromise comes at the expense of Âperformance.
Increasing the intake charge by putting a scoop out in the open airflow, paired with a high-flow, washable filter element, recovers this “lost” power.
And that’s with no modifications on the engine itself.
The Boost Scoop is a simple bolt-on performance upgrade that you can do in less than a day. And that’s the real scoop!
SOURCES
BD Diesel
33541 MacLure Rd.
Abbotsford, BC Canada V2S 7W2
(800) 887-5030
Ken Imler Diesel Performance
1441 Richards Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 920-3775
