Can A 6.4L Puller Succeed In The 3.0 Class?

Andrew Kicak is about to find out. He’s dabbled with running his 2.6 smooth bore Ford in 3.0 (Limited Pro Stock) in the past—typically by bolting on a set of duals, swapping out the turbo, and making a quick tuning change—but now it looks like Andrew is bumping up for good. This is the same 6.4L Power Stroke that shocked the 2.6 field at the 2024 Scheid Diesel Extravaganza, having qualified both days and even earning a Third-Place finish despite the loss of one of its K16’s (via slung belt) mid-track. Andrew’s current work on the truck has entailed readying it for the upcoming Keystone Nationals in March.

On The Dyno

Big Numbers On The Firepunk Leader Board In 2024

As you can see from these numbers, securing a spot on the Top 10 dyno list at Firepunk Diesel is a pretty big deal. This year, Brady Prows took top honors with his G56-equipped third-gen Cummins, making 2,139 hp and 2,104 lb-ft of torque aboard the rollers, enough to own the overall record. To our knowledge, this is the highest horsepower G56 truck in the land and, almost unbelievably, the huge numbers were forced through a bone-stock gear box, albeit one fitted with a LazarSmith girdle and a triple-disc clutch from Kenny’s Pulling Parts & Machine. Second on the list was U.C.C. competitor, Michael Brown, whose mega cab dually laid down 2,022 hp and 1,927 lb-ft (as well as 2,270 hp and 3,189 lb-ft at Thoroughbred Diesel‘s annual dyno day).

Over-The-Road

An Old-Iron, 3408 CAT With 70,000 Hours On The Clock

From king of the hill to king of the roadtrains, Perth, Western Australia native, John Wilson, swears by his 3408 Cat. The Heavy Haul Nation regular says his big displacement (18-liter) V-8 has seen three in-frames since being placed in service back in 1980 and currently has 70,000 total hours logged. At 55 mph, that calculates out to nearly 4 million miles… The epitome of reliable, in 44 years of long-haul trucking, the big yellow Cat has only left its owner stranded three times—in the form of two turbo failures, spaced 10 years apart from each other, and a compressor that threw a connecting rod three years back. Better yet, the truck this 3408 powers turns out 550 hp at the wheels.

Emissions

EPA Green Lights Further CARB Regulations, Awards $735 Million For Zero-Emission HD Vehicles

In the waning days of the Biden administration, the EPA has granted two landmark requests from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for waivers to impose the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations for light-duty vehicles, along with its Omnibus low-NOx regulation for both heavy-duty vehicles and engines. The gist of ACC II is that, by 2035, all new light-duty vehicle sales must be zero-emission compliant. As for the Omnibus regulation, it specifies that California vehicles and engines must meet the low-NOx emissions standards for model year 2024, whereas the same standard won’t be applied federally until 2027. Additionally, in early December the EPA awarded $735 million to assist with the purchase of more than 2,400 zero-emission, heavy-duty vehicles—70-percent of which will go toward the purchase of electric school buses. The average cost of a full-size, electric school bus sits somewhere between $350,000 and $425,000, vs. roughly $150,000 for ICE-powered buses.

OEM

Daimler Truck To Pour $285 Million Into Diesel-Powered, Internal Combustion Engine Production

While the EPA and CARB push more zero emission regulations and projects through, Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) is investing big money into the expansion of a Detroit Diesel engine plant. The planned project will include $285 million in spending for its Detroit Manufacturing Plant in Redford Township, Michigan. The scope of the project entails reinvesting in the internal combustion engine (ICE) platform, prolonging support for existing technologies, and enhancing its research and development facilities. DTNA is hopeful to begin construction in early 2025, with more than 400 new jobs expected to be created at the site, in addition to the 2,000-plus jobs already in existence at the longstanding facility.

Written by Mike McGlothlin