6.0L Addiction: Compound-Turbo’d Super Duty

Repeat 6.0L Power Stroke owners aren’t common. Still, they are out there. And their love for the 365ci International V-8 runs deep. After owning an ’05 F-250 that ran mid-12s and made roughly 650-rwhp, Justin Gerebizza set his sights even higher with this competition killing ’06 F-350. With a built engine, compound turbos, hybrid injectors, and one hell of an affordable price tag, he simply couldn’t keep himself from purchasing the truck. “It was a great deal on a fully built truck to build off of,” he told us. “I’d like to get it up into the 1,300hp range, eventually.”

“The 6.0L mill incorporates a cryogenically treated factory block and crank”

“85 psi of boost”
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Power Foundation

First things first, a rock-solid foundation was put together by Robert Shockley, the original owner of the truck. The 6.0L mill incorporates a cryogenically treated factory block and crank, R&R chromoly steel connecting rods, River City Diesel fly-cut, de-lipped, and ceramic coated pistons, and a Stage 2 cam for hot street use. The factory cast-iron heads were fitted with River City Diesel High-Rev valve springs and chromoly pushrods, utilize OE Ford head gaskets, and anchor to the block via ARP Custom Age 625+ head studs.

HEUI Fueling

Wise parts selection on the fuel injection side of things keeps the HEUI system both effective and affordable. Known to be conservative on high-pressure oil demand, a set of hybrid injectors was chosen over traditional (oil-hungry) units. Built by Maryland Performance Diesel, the hybrids flow 340cc’s worth of fuel, utilize 150-percent over nozzles, and only require a stock displacement (OE) high-pressure oil pump to perform at their peak potential. Getting fuel up to the injectors starts with a sump in the factory tank, followed by an Aeromotive A1000. Ensuring the 70-psi of fuel pressure supplied by the A1000 circulates effectively throughout the heads, a regulated return system, built by Precision Automotive and Diesel, is employed.

Built to handle big horsepower, torque, and boost, nothing was left to chance with this 6.0L Power Stroke. A cryo’d crank (inside a cryo’d factory block) swings a set of R&R chromoly steel connecting rods and de-lipped, fly-cut, and ceramic coated pistons from River City Diesel. A stage 2 cam from River City Diesel also made the cut, as did its High Rev valve springs and chromoly pushrods. The heads stay glued to the block thanks to a set of ARP Custom Age 625+ head studs. Hybrid 340/150 injectors from Maryland Performance Diesel dwell in the heads, and an OE high-pressure oil pump keeps them happy.

With the engine built to handle big boost, that’s exactly what it would get. The S300/S400 compound turbocharger arrangement forces 85 psi worth of boost through a Mishimoto intercooler, and this High Tech Turbo S400 is the first snail to take a bite out of the surrounding ambient air. The T6 flanged charger features an 88mm compressor wheel (inducer), 88/96mm turbine wheel, and a 1.32 A/R exhaust housing.

Sitting in the valley and bolted to a T4 pedestal is a box S366 from BorgWarner. Maryland Performance Diesel and the previous owner of the truck, Robert Shockley, teamed up for the fabrication of the pedestal, up-pipes, and all intercooler plumbing. The S366 uses the proven 74mm turbine wheel and .90 A/R housing combination to get boost production started.

Mounted directly behind the Mishimoto intercooler (and Mishimoto radiator, for that matter) sits a set of dual Flex-a-lite fans. The twin electric fans keep the engine’s operating temp in check and also free up some extra ponies.

No factory radius arm front suspension to speak of here. Like the rear, Flight Fabrications was sourced to end wheel hop on boosted launches. Flight’s four-link front suspension employs 1026 DOM tubing, burley mounts, is 100 percent TIG-welded, and sports a gloss white finish to match the traction bars.

While subtle in appearance, a set of Nitto 420S tires usually indicates that a truck means business. In Justin’s case, the 305/50R20 tread on his Ford does its best to grab every bit of pavement it can on boosted four-wheel drive launches, while a set of 20×12-inch Moto Metal 962’s make the truck look good doing it.

Fortifying the last link in the driveline chain, the rear 10.5-inch Sterling houses a Grizzly locker and 3.73 ring and pinion gear set from Yukon Gear & Axle. Chromoly axle shafts were also added to handle the abuses of sending 800+ horsepower through them.

Compounded Effort

As for air, Justin’s got that covered, too. An 88mm S400 serves as the atmosphere charger in a compound arrangement, and relies on a 66mm S300 to get things rolling. The two snails combine for 85 psi worth of boost, which is shoved through a Mishimoto intercooler prior to entering a ported intake manifold. The T4 turbo pedestal in the valley and all intercooler and exhaust plumbing were a collaborative effort put forth by Maryland Performance Diesel and the truck’s previous owner, Robert Shockley.

Anytime big torque is on the table (such as with compound turbo arrangements), no corners can be cut when it comes to building a transmission that has to absorb all of it. For that, Justin sent the five-speed TorqShift to the 5R110 experts at Maryland Performance Diesel. Said to be MPD’s Stage 2 TorqShift, it’s fitted with billet input, intermediate, and output shafts, upgraded clutches, a modified valve body, and is topped off with a triple disc torque converter from Diesel Performance Converters.

Virtually no corner of the truck was left untouched cosmetically—and that includes the interior. Between the whitefaced gauge cluster, Isspro (white faced) gauges along the A-pillar, gloss white dash panel, and ’08-’10 Super Duty
center console, it’s superbly clean.

Power Transmission

Soaking up all the abuse the built 6.0L can dish out is a Stage 2 TorqShift automatic from Maryland Performance Diesel. The competition-proven slushbox houses a Diesel Performance Converters billet, triple-disc torque converter, billet input, intermediate, and output shafts, and a custom modified valve body. Dialing in both the PCM (for the engine) and TCM (for the transmission) was left to Matt Robinson at Gearhead Automotive Performance. And thanks to his tuning prowess, the large hybrid injectors never drop ICP, the transmission shifts firm but not harsh, and the truck is exceptionally streetable despite everything that’s done to it.

Addicted

For a lot of folks who own 6.0L Power Strokes, it’s a learning experience that oftentimes doesn’t end well. But for someone to modify one 6.0L and then push the envelope even further with a second—that’s called an addiction. Rest assured, Ford lovers, wherever Justin’s 6.0L addiction takes him, you can bet his hard-hitting Super Duty will be every Ram and Bow Tie owner’s worst enemy. DW

No more super-heated engine oil! Getting away from the problematic factory fluid-to-fluid (coolant to oil) oil cooler, an air-cooled unit from Maryland Performance Diesel is employed. Mounted behind the opening in the front bumper, the heat exchanger not only sees a ton of airflow, but it is no longer sitting in the heat soaked engine valley.

With zero room left under the hood, the batteries were relocated to the low-profile toolbox in the bed. Yes, even 11-second trucks have toolboxes…

[divider]Specs[/divider]

Year/Make/Model: 2006 Ford F-350

Owner: Justin Gerebizza

Hometown: Crystal Lake, Illinois

Odometer: 100,000 miles

Engine: 6.0L Power Stroke built by Precision Automotive & Diesel with cryogenically treated factory block and crank, R&R Racing Products chromoly steel connecting rods, River City Diesel 0.020 over valve-relieved, de-lipped, ceramic coated pistons, River City Diesel High Rev valvesprings, chromoly pushrods, and Stage 2 cam, ARP Custom Age 625+ head studs with OEM Ford head gaskets, Maryland Performance Diesel intake manifold and oil cooler relocation kit, Flex-a-lite electric fans, Mishimoto aluminum radiator

Fuel: Maryland Performance Diesel 340/150 hybrid injectors, stock high-pressure oil pump, Precision Automotive & Diesel regulated return fuel system, Aeromotive A1000 lift pump, fuel tank sump

Air: S488/S366 compound turbos (High Tech Turbo S488, box BorgWarner cast S366), Maryland Performance Diesel/ Precision Automotive & Diesel piping, pedestal, up-pipes, Mishimoto intercooler

Exhaust: 5-inch over-axle system with 8-inch tip

Transmission: Maryland Performance Diesel Stage 2 5R110W with Diesel Performance Converters billet, triple-disc torque converter, billet input, intermediate, and output shafts, modified valvebody

Tuning: Gearhead Automotive Performance via SCT X3 tuner

Tires: Nitto 420S 305/50R20

Wheels: 20×12-inch Moto Metal 962

Suspension: Flight Fabrications four-link front suspension and rear traction bars

Fun Fact: Justin used to own a single (S400) turbo’d 6.0L that made roughly 650hp and ran mid 12’s. But that didn’t even come close to quenching his thirst for more power. With a deal too good to pass up, he purchased this truck in its current state: fully built and ready to turn heads.

Up next

1,000 lb-ft Duramax Torque in a ’70 Chevelle

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Mike McGlothlin

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