Earlier this week, a pair of videos showing off a Ford Super Duty owned and operated by the Air Force surfaced, causing quite the stir across the internet. This is because that pickup – which is powered by the turbocharged 6.7L V8 Power Stroke diesel engine – isn’t equipped with emissions equipment such as the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, which is blocked off, and there’s no diesel particulate filter (DPF) present, either. As it turns out, this particular setup is available as a package, too.
Officially called the High-Sulfur Diesel Modification Package (98H), this offering has actually been around for a while now via Ford Global Fleet Sales, and it enables the Ford Super Duty to run on JP8 jet fuel. That kerosene-based fuel has actually been in use by the U.S. military for decades to this point after it originally debuted way back in 1978, replacing JP4 with a fuel that’s less flammable and less hazardous to service members.
These days, JP8 is used in all sorts of military vehicles both on land and in the air, from trucks to tanks and planes and even in stoves and heaters. Thus, it makes perfect sense that the Air Force would want to also utilize it in its diesel-powered Ford Super Duty pickups, and this setup has also been vetted thoroughly by Ford in more than 10 million miles of durability testing.
Compared to a standard diesel that’s limited to handle 15 ppm (parts per million) of sulfur, the 98H package enables Ford Super Duty Power Stroke models to handle up to 10,000 ppm, and it can actually run on a wide array of fuels. That includes ultra-low sulfur diesel, B20 (a biodiesel mix), high-sulfur diesel, JP8 jet fuel, and any mix of those fuels, too – giving it the type of flexibility the military needs when they’re operating in various places around the globe.
We’ll have more on the Super Duty soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford Super Duty news, and continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
Yeah I pulled up next to an F-18 at the pump the other day!!
Well that makes more sense than when the story first came out. Too bad Ford didn’t get ahead of that sooner.
These trucks can run any type of “fuel” just like the older diesels. It’s all in the tuning in these new trucks. The only reason the EGR and def stuff is in there is because the government says it has to be. The trucks are much better with out it
I wonder how many people now are gonna try to order a new truck with the 98H package.
It’s quite surprising that certain claims about required fuel packages persist, when in reality, there’s evidence that a variety of vehicles can effectively run on so-called “off-specification” fuels like JP8 jet fuel. For instance, my fleet of trucks, including personal and commercial vehicles ranging from Ford F250s with 6.4 and 6.7 Powerstroke engines to Peterbuilts and a Mack, have been running smoothly on JP8 for years now.
This fuel, which is often labeled as “waste” and sold to waste management companies at a significantly reduced cost, has proven to be cleaner and more efficient in our experience. It’s clear that there are cost-effective and environmentally-friendly alternatives available, despite common misconceptions.
Your response interests me more than the article, itself. You’re a real-world user, and seem to like JP8 fuel for your fleet. Will you please direct readers to resources you know of, for more information?
Thanks, Bud.
It would be nice to read Air Force has ordered 50K of them.
The energy density of JP8 is about 10% less than #2 diesel. Therefore the fuel efficiency will be lower.
Do as I say not as I do. Vote for me to delete your egr in 2025!!