Diesel Trouble Codes

P0087 — Fuel Rail/System Pressure Too Low (6.7 Power Stroke)

Measured fuel rail pressure is below the PCM's commanded value on the 6.7 Powerstroke. Diagnose fuel delivery and high-pressure pump health before condemning…

Updated September 1, 2026

What it means

The PCM commands a target rail pressure but the measured pressure is lower than commanded, indicating a supply or high-pressure generation problem.1

Most likely causes

  1. High-pressure (CP4) pump wear or failure — Typical on this platform for P0087; pump cannot generate commanded rail pressure.1
  2. Leaking pressure control/spill valve — Internal leak reduces rail pressure buildup.1
  3. Restricted fuel filter or supply restriction — Low-side supply restriction limits fuel available to the high-pressure pump.1
  4. Low-pressure supply system deficiency — Low-side pressure too low can starve the high-pressure pump; see P008A pattern for supply faults.2
  5. Fuel system contamination or pump-related failure history — NHTSA reports document fuel pump malfunctions leading to extensive fuel system replacement on this family.3
  6. Open recall / software-related fuel system issue — NHTSA campaign 24V957000 concerns Fuel System, Diesel; remedy availability and eligibility can affect diagnosis.4

How to diagnose

  1. Verify freeze frame and repeat the fault under load; confirm rail pressure actual vs desired.
  2. Inspect low-side supply pressure and volume; address supply faults before high-pressure components. Low-side issues map to P008A patterns.
  3. Check fuel filter condition and replace per service interval; inspect for restriction or water contamination.
  4. Monitor rail pressure control valve command vs actual pressure with a scan tool during a controlled load test.
  5. Inspect high-pressure pump inlet metering and spill valve operation; look for metal debris indicating CP4 failure.
  6. Review NHTSA campaigns/recalls for the VIN; confirm open actions and parts availability before parts replacement.

Parts and tools you may need

Rough cost and difficulty

High-pressure pump replacement and fuel system decontamination can be costly; NHTSA complaints cite multi-thousand-dollar repairs for pump failures on this family.

When to see a pro

If metal debris is found, rail pressure remains low after filter/supply correction, or a recall campaign applies, have a qualified diesel technician perform system decontamination and pump evaluation.

Sources

  1. Curated DTC seed — 6.7 Powerstroke (curated) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Curated DTC seed — 6.7 Powerstroke (curated) ↩︎

  3. NHTSA owner report 10816903 ↩︎

  4. NHTSA owner report 11642508 ↩︎

Watch a repair

Third-party videos, not ours — for illustration. Confirm anything against the factory service information for your truck.

P0087 P0088 P228F 6.7 power stroke fuel system failure — STPDIESEL

6.7 Powerstroke DCR Conversion P0087 Fix / STP DIESEL — STPDIESEL

TROUBLESHOOTING THE P0087 CODE — Duramaxtuner