As with many diesel engines, the 6.0 Powerstroke uses an EBP (Exhaust back pressure) sensor which monitors the pressure within the exhaust system in order to properly determine the turbo boost needed for optimum power.
The five common symptoms of a bad EBP sensor include loss of power & fuel efficiency, decrease in acceleration & overheating issues, excessive smoke or soot with burning noises & smells, engine failure, and blown-out pipe connectors or converter shells.
To solve these problems, you will first need to perform a thorough inspection, which includes a few quick testing techniques, measuring the exhaust back pressure, EBP thermal testing with a heat gun, and verifying the back pressure measurement.
You can then proceed to either take the sensor out and clean it or replace it with a new one if a simple clean won’t suffice.
The good thing is that the overall costs linked with solving these problems aren’t too severe, but they can worsen if you don’t take care of the problem immediately.
If you are not fully familiar with all the details of this system and its associated problems, you should take your car to a mechanic who should be able to fix the problem within a few hours.
You need to take exhaust pressure problems seriously because they can cause further engine damage. This means that you should avoid driving your truck until these problems are resolved.
If you want to know more about the ins and outs of this problem, be sure to read this article!
5 Symptoms to Detect a Bad EBP Sensor on 6.0 Powerstroke
- Significant Loss Of Power & Fuel Efficiency
- Decrease in Acceleration & Overheating Issues
- Excessive Smoke or Soot, Burning Smell & Noises
- Engine May Die (Engine Failure)
- Pipe Connectors or Converter Shell May Blow Out
Significant Loss Of Power & Fuel Efficiency
Whenever the EBP sensor fails to regulate the amount of pressure within the exhaust system, it leads to subpar performance followed by a significant drop in fuel efficiency.
This tends to be most noticeable while traveling at higher speeds and wanting to perform an overtake. Moreover, these symptoms will be even more visible while trying to tow and haul anything heavy.
Decrease in Acceleration & Overheating Issues
Improper exhaust pressure tends to lead to performance issues, which also extend to the car’s inability to accelerate consistently.
The engine is going to struggle and thus will also suffer from increased engine temperature and potential overheating.
Excess heat from the engine will not be able to escape, which will further strain the engine, overload the cooling system, shorten the lifespan of many of the engine’s internals, and may even lead to a fire.
Excessive Smoke or Soot, Burning Smells & Noises
Another way to detect a problem with the EBP sensor is when the exhaust system emits burning noises and smells and excessive smoking or soot.
As the EBP sensor is known to throw the entire combustion process out of balance, the engine is going to burn more fuel which typically leads to all of the symptoms mentioned above.
Engine May Die (Engine Failure)
Likely the worst symptom of them takes place when the pressure builds up so high that it effectively strangles the engine and leads to stalling or even terminal engine damage.
You may be able to start the engine up normally, but if there is a clog within the system that the EBP sensor can’t regulate, pressure will slowly build up and your engine will forcefully disengage, maybe even forever.
Pipe Connectors or Converter Shell May Blow Out
While on the topic of severe pressure build-up, your engine could be saved by one of the pipe connectors or converter shells blowing up in order to release immense amounts of pressure.
This means that the problem tends to be the same in both situations, but in this case, one of the pipe connectors or a converter shell takes the brunt of the problem instead of the engine.
What Causes a Faulty Exhaust Back Pressure Sensor
There are a few distinct causes that tend to lead to EBP sensor trouble, these are:
- Poor fitment of the sensor and its surrounding components
- Dirt and debris getting stuck within the system and the sensor isn’t able to process or regulate it
- The pipes have been neglected and have become extremely dirty
- System leaks that cause too much pressure on the EBP sensor
| Bad EBP Sensor Symptoms | Bad EBP Sensor Causes |
| Significant Loss Of Power & Fuel Efficiency | Poor fitment of the sensor and its surrounding components |
| Decrease in Acceleration & Overheating Issues | Dirt and debris getting stuck within the system and the sensor isn’t able to process or regulate it |
| Excessive Smoke or Soot, Burning Smell & Noises | The pipes have been neglected and have come extremely dirty |
| Engine Failure | System leaks that cause too much pressure on the EBP sensor |
| Pipe Connectors or Converter Shell Blow Out |
What to Do If You Detect a Bad EBP Sensor on 6.0 Powerstroke Engine
Be sure to follow the step-by-step guide outlined below without skipping any of these steps.
Make sure to gather all the necessary tools and only do the inspection if you know your way around the mechanics of a car.
Do a thorough system inspection.
Your first step always needs to be a thorough system inspection in order to gather as much info as you can as that will enable you to solve this problem for good.
If you proceed toward fixing the problem without making sure you’ve checked everything, there is a great deal of chance that you will not fix the problem at all.
Be sure to pay close attention to any loose connections, damaged pipes & connectors, potential clogs, crushed components, and leaks.
While doing so, it’s good to look for part numbers of each of these components to determine if they indeed are accurate in terms of type and size.
Test the EBP sensor.
After finishing a thorough inspection of the entire system without finding any defects, you will now have to quickly test the EBP sensor to determine if it functions as intended.
Be sure to follow these instructions:
- Turn the key on and the engine off
- Test out the exhaust back pressure and determine whether the result is in accordance with the MAP (5 volts with the ignition on) and BARO (around 28-inHg with the ignition on) sensors.
| Sometimes, the readings can change by tapping on the sensor housing, which usually means that the sensor is faulty. |
Test the EBP with a thermal heat gun.
If the internal blockage is severe, you will have to immediately turn to EBP heat gun testing without trying to perform the first two steps.
Be sure to take a few readings and always compare the before and after readings in order to get a clearer picture.
The EBP heat gun testing method isn’t necessarily the most reliable technique to determine the state of your EBP sensor, but if the system is severely clogged, this should be more than enough.
Measure the back pressure.
While measuring the back pressure, you will need a gauge that reads between zero and 15 PSI or zero to 100/higher kPa.
Follow these instructions while measuring the back pressure:
- Start the engine and tap the air pump check valve
- Disconnect the valve and install the pressure gauge (preferably on the exhaust manifold or simply put it inside the exhaust system as shown in the image below)
- Put the valve back to its position and double-check if its properly connected to the exhaust system in front of the converter.
| If you are not well-versed in doing these sorts of inspections, take your car to an experienced mechanic. |
Verify the back pressure measurement.
To start, be sure to hold your car at around 2,000 RPM. If the pressure keeps increasing from around 3-5 PSI while steadily holding the car’s RPM at 2,000, pressure is building up and there is something wrong with the system.
| The standard reading for most engines at around 2,000 RPM is around 3 PSI or slightly higher. |
How to Fix a 6.0 Powerstroke Exhaust Back Pressure Sensor
There are two ways one can fix this problem.
First, try to take the sensor out and clean it thoroughly. This can do the trick if the problem is due to poor maintenance and if the problem isn’t too severe.
If cleaning the sensor does not help, you will have to replace the EBP sensor with a new one.
6.0 Powerstroke Exhaust Back Pressure(EBP) Sensor Replacement Cost
The costs depend on what needs doing, but overall, the costs to repair this problem aren’t nearly as substantial as the problem itself. For a general overview, you can check out the table below.
| Item | Cost |
| A New EBP Sensor | $25 – $90 |
| New Hoses and Pipes | $25 – $100 |
| A New Converter Shell | $50 – $100 |
How to Prevent 6.0 Powerstroke EBP Sensor Failure
As a faulty EBP sensor usually occurs due to an overall lack of maintenance, all you really have to do to prevent it is to take proper care of your truck.
This means servicing the truck whenever needed and using the proper diesel fuel at all times. It’s also a good idea not to abuse your truck or do anything that the truck isn’t designed to do.
Let the truck warm up before using it for anything that requires more torque and check the EBP sensor and the state of your exhaust system occasionally.
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