Does the 6.7 Power Stroke really have two separate cooling systems?

Yes. Ford designed the 6.7 Power Stroke with a primary high-temperature loop (engine, turbo, EGR cooler) and a secondary low-temperature loop (charge air cooler, fuel cooler). Each has its own radiator, degas bottle, thermostats, and water pump — so a full coolant service means servicing both circuits.

What is the total coolant capacity of the 6.7 Power Stroke?

For 2017–2020 Super Duty models, Ford's official figures are 35.1 qt (33.2 L) for the primary loop and 15.1 qt (14.3 L) for the secondary loop — roughly 50 quarts combined. Earlier 2011–2016 models run a smaller primary capacity of 29.4–30.3 qt.

Can I use the old Motorcraft Orange or Gold coolant in a 6.7 Power Stroke?

No. Ford has replaced the Orange and Gold formulas with Yellow P-OAT for the 6.7 Power Stroke. Using an older formula or mixing types degrades the corrosion inhibitors and can damage the aluminum cooling components, EGR cooler, and water pumps.

How many jugs of coolant do I need for a full 6.7 Power Stroke coolant flush?

For a complete dual-loop flush on a 2017–2020 model, plan on roughly 13 gallons of mixed coolant (about 50 quarts). That typically means six to seven 1-gallon jugs of full-strength concentrate mixed 50/50, or the equivalent in pre-diluted jugs. Always confirm your exact model year capacity before you start.

How often should the coolant be changed on a 6.7 Power Stroke?

Ford's general guidance for P-OAT coolant is a first change at around 100,000 miles or 10 years, then every 50,000 miles thereafter — but always verify against your specific model year's owner's manual. Heavy towing and hot climates warrant checking the freeze point and inhibitor strength more frequently.

What happens if I mix different coolant types in a 6.7 Power Stroke?

Mixing incompatible coolants — particularly OAT, HOAT, and conventional green — causes the inhibitor packages to react, forming gel-like deposits that clog the EGR cooler and narrow cooling passages. On the 6.7's dual-loop system, a clogged secondary loop can spike charge-air temperatures and trigger limp mode.

Is pre-diluted or full-strength Motorcraft coolant better for shop use?

Both work. Full-strength concentrate lets you control the mix ratio (typically 50/50 for most climates, up to 70/30 for extreme cold), which is why many shops prefer it. Pre-diluted jugs are convenient for top-offs and field service. For bulk shop inventory, concentrate is generally more cost-effective per gallon of finished coolant.

How many gallons of coolant should a shop stock for 6.7 Power Stroke service?

A busy diesel shop doing 3–5 Super Duty coolant services per week should keep at least 20–25 gallons of Motorcraft Yellow P-OAT concentrate on hand. That covers roughly 2–3 full dual-loop flushes plus top-offs without running short mid-job.

Can I use a universal or 'all-makes' coolant in a 6.7 Power Stroke?

It's not recommended. Universal coolants vary widely in inhibitor chemistry, and many don't meet Ford's WSS-M97B51-A1 specification required for the 6.7's aluminum-heavy dual cooling system. Stick with the OEM-spec Motorcraft Yellow P-OAT to protect your warranty and avoid premature component failure.

Does the Motorcraft coolant available at AutoBuffy cover both loops of the 6.7 Power Stroke?

Yes. Motorcraft coolant is the same formula regardless of which loop you're servicing — the chemistry doesn't change between the high-temp primary and the low-temp secondary circuit. Use the part finder to confirm the right product and quantity for your exact model year.

MaintenanceNov 9, 2026•7

6.7 Power Stroke Coolant: Type, Capacity and How Many Jugs a Shop Should Stock

The 6.7 Power Stroke needs Motorcraft Yellow P-OAT coolant and holds up to 35.1 qt in its primary loop alone. Here's exactly what to buy and stock.

By AutoBuffy Team

The Short Answer

The 6.7 Power Stroke requires Motorcraft Yellow P-OAT coolant (VC-13DL-G), and with a dual-loop system that can hold nearly 50 quarts combined, you need more of it than most techs expect.

Spec	Detail
OEM coolant type	Motorcraft Yellow P-OAT (Phosphated Organic Acid Technology)
Replaces	Motorcraft Orange and Gold formulas
Primary loop capacity (2017–2020)	35.1 qt / 33.2 L
Secondary loop capacity (2017–2020)	15.1 qt / 14.3 L
Primary loop capacity (2011–2016)	29.4–30.3 qt
Mix ratio	50/50 coolant-to-distilled water (typical climate)
Full flush — jugs needed (2017–2020)	~6–7 gal concentrate, or ~13 gal pre-diluted
Change interval (P-OAT)	~100k miles / 10 years first service, 50k miles after

Why the 6.7 Power Stroke Is Different From Every Other Diesel

Ford designed the 6.7 Power Stroke in-house — it's been a Ford-engineered and Ford-manufactured engine since its 2011 introduction, a clean break from the Navistar-built 6.0 and 6.4L predecessors. That engineering independence gave Ford the freedom to solve some notorious cooling problems from the earlier engines, and the solution was a dual-loop cooling architecture. The 6.7 runs two completely separate cooling circuits:

Primary high-temperature loop — handles the engine block, cylinder head, EGR cooler, and turbocharger. This is the "hot side" that sees the most thermal stress. - Secondary low-temperature loop — handles the charge air cooler (CAC) and fuel cooler. This loop runs at significantly lower temperatures and has its own radiator, degas bottle, thermostats, and water pump. Why does this matter at the counter? Because a "coolant flush" on a 6.7 Power Stroke is actually two separate flushes. Technicians who only service the primary loop and call it done are leaving a partially degraded system in the customer's truck. That secondary loop accumulates corrosion inhibitor breakdown just like the primary — it just takes a slightly different set of symptoms to notice (elevated charge-air temps, fuel cooler issues). ---

The Right Coolant: Motorcraft Yellow P-OAT

Motorcraft is Ford Motor Company's own parts brand — not a third-party label. When Ford specs Motorcraft coolant for the 6.7 Power Stroke, that's the OEM team specifying their own chemistry for their own engine. There's no "close enough" substitute here. The current OEM spec is Motorcraft Yellow P-OAT, a Phosphated Organic Acid Technology formula. The phosphate additive package is specifically designed for aluminum-heavy engines and high-temperature diesel applications — both of which describe the 6.7's cooling system precisely. ### What Yellow P-OAT Replaced

Earlier 6.7 Power Stroke model years left the factory with Motorcraft Orange or Gold coolant. Ford has since updated the specification. If you're servicing any 6.7 Power Stroke — regardless of model year — drain the old coolant completely and refill with Yellow P-OAT. Do not top off an orange system with yellow; the inhibitor packages don't play well together and you'll end up with neither formula doing its job properly. ### The Ford WSS-M97B51-A1 Spec

The chemistry target you want on any coolant container is Ford specification WSS-M97B51-A1. Motorcraft Yellow P-OAT meets this spec. Most "universal" or "all-makes" coolants don't — and on a dual-loop system with an EGR cooler that costs well over $1,000 to replace, that's not a gamble worth taking. ---

Capacity by Model Year: Don't Guess, Measure Twice

This is where a lot of techs get caught short. The 6.7 Power Stroke's coolant capacity isn't static across its production run. | Model Year | Primary Loop Capacity | Secondary Loop Capacity |

2011–2016	29.4–30.3 qt	~15.1 qt
2017–2020	35.1 qt (33.2 L)	15.1 qt (14.3 L)

The jump between generations is real — nearly a full gallon more in the primary loop for 2017+ trucks. Ford's official figures (per Ford Service Content) put the 2017–2020 primary loop at exactly 35.1 quarts. Combined with the secondary loop's 15.1 quarts, you're looking at roughly 50 quarts of coolant for a complete dual-loop service on the newer trucks. That's about 12.5 gallons of mixed coolant. At a 50/50 ratio, you need roughly 6–6.5 gallons of full-strength concentrate to fill both loops from empty. > Shop rule of thumb: Always verify against the specific model year's Ford service data before you drain anything. Cab configuration and auxiliary heat options can shift capacity slightly. ---

How Many Jugs a Shop Should Stock

My honest opinion: shops that run low on P-OAT coolant mid-service lose time and credibility. Sourcing a specific coolant type in a hurry almost never goes well. With a 50-quart system, running out halfway through a flush means either leaving the truck partially serviced or sending someone on an emergency parts run — neither is good. Here's a practical stocking guide based on service volume:

Weekly 6.7 PS Coolant Services	Recommended Stock (Full-Strength Concentrate)
1–2 per week	10–12 gal
3–5 per week	20–25 gal
6+ per week	30+ gal; consider bulk ordering

Why concentrate over pre-diluted for shop inventory?

Full-strength concentrate lets you dial in your mix ratio. For most of the U.S., 50/50 is correct and gives freeze protection to about -34°F. In colder climates (northern states, Canada), shops often run 60/40 or 70/30 coolant-to-water, which requires concentrate to hit precisely. Pre-diluted jugs are great for top-offs and field service calls where you don't have a mixing setup handy. AutoBuffy carries Motorcraft coolant in multiple configurations — full-strength and diluted — so you can stock the right format for your workflow. Use the part finder below to pull the exact product and live pricing for your needs. ---

Coolant Hoses: The Part Nobody Orders Until It Fails

The 6.7's dual-loop system means more hoses, more connections, and more potential failure points than a single-loop setup. The secondary loop in particular runs through tight routing near the charge air cooler — and those hoses see constant heat cycling. Motorcraft OEM hoses (reservoir-to-radiator, lower radiator, overflow, and degas bottle hoses) are available for the 6.7 platform, covering the connections most likely to crack with age. If you're already draining both cooling loops, it's worth inspecting every hose end and fitting before you refill. A pinhole leak in the secondary loop is notoriously easy to miss on a visual inspection — pressure testing after the refill catches it. ---

Common Mistakes on 6.7 Power Stroke Coolant Services

Only servicing the primary loop. The secondary loop degrades too. Both loops need fresh P-OAT on a full service. 2. Mixing coolant types. Orange, Gold, green, and Yellow P-OAT are not interchangeable. If you're uncertain what's in the system, do a full drain and clean fill. 3. Using tap water for the 50/50 mix. Minerals in tap water accelerate corrosion and can deposit scale on the EGR cooler passages. Always use distilled water. 4. Skipping the bleed procedure. The 6.7's dual degas bottle system traps air in specific spots. Ford's bleed procedure involves running the engine to temperature with the degas caps loosened — skipping this step leads to airlock-driven overheating on the first hard pull. 5. Not pressure testing after refill. A pressurized cooling system at 16–20 psi will reveal a compromised hose end or cracked degas bottle that looks fine sitting cold. ---

Motorcraft Coolant at AutoBuffy: What's Available

AutoBuffy stocks Motorcraft coolant in the configurations 6.7 Power Stroke shops actually need — full-strength concentrate for bulk service work and ready-to-use options for top-offs. The inventory also includes Motorcraft OEM coolant hoses for the 6.7 platform: lower radiator hoses, reservoir-to-radiator hoses, overflow hoses, and water outlet components. There's no reason to run a 6.7 Power Stroke on anything other than Ford's own formula from Ford's own parts brand. The EGR cooler alone costs enough to replace that buying the correct coolant is the cheapest insurance on any diesel maintenance list. Use the part finder below to confirm the right product for your exact model year and get current pricing — inventory and pricing update in real time, so what you see there is always current.

Why buy from AutoBuffy

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FAQ / People Also Ask

The current OEM specification is Motorcraft Yellow P-OAT (Phosphated Organic Acid Technology), part number VC-13DL-G. This formula is engineered for aluminum engines and heavy-duty diesel heat loads. Do not mix it with orange, green, or DexCool-type coolants.

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