Failure mode - Ford F-150 3.0L Power Stroke V6 (2018-2021)
CP4.2 high-pressure pump failure (contamination cascade)
Reliability tier: aggregated - verify before ordering, see /disclosure/
Symptoms
- hard start / crank-no-start, rough running, low fuel rail pressure (P0087 family), power loss under load
- failures reported as early as ~40k miles; catastrophic failure sends metal debris through injectors, lines and tank
Compare with the other causes of the same sign on this engine: hard start, long crank or no-start · loss of power, limp mode or derate · misfire, rough idle, hesitation or surging · metal in the fuel filter or oil
Root cause
The Lion V6 runs a Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure pump - the same failure family documented for the 6.7 Power Stroke and LML Duramax: low fuel lubricity or contamination scuffs the pump and fills the system with debris. Repair is expensive (the pump sits close to the firewall). VOQ thin (2 of 59) - community-documented pattern (forum CP4 threads, reliability guides).
Diagnosis
- P0087/rail-pressure codes with a dying pump: check the fuel filter for metallic debris BEFORE replacing parts
- metal found = the whole high-pressure side is suspect (pump, injectors, lines)
Fixes
replace the CP4.2 high-pressure pump (metal-free system only - debris found means the full cascade) ()
replace contaminated injectors as a set when the pump shed debris (kits exist per bank) ()
strict fuel filter discipline + consider a lift pump for protection (aftermarket, 2018-2019 listings) ()
- fuel-filter - more than one option: F-150 3.0L Power Stroke Fuel Filter Element (Ford JL3Z-9N184-A, 2018-2020), F-150 3.0L Power Stroke Fuel Filter Assembly (Ford JL3Z-9155-AA, 2018-2021)
- F-150 3.0L Power Stroke Lift Pump System (FASS Titanium Signature 140F, 2018-2019)
Prevalence
occasional
Parts for this repair run about $90-$1,700: see them next to the other repairs on this engine in repair costs.