Just another power question...

[jperecko]

I am just about done with my transmission and the engine will be coming out in the near-ish future and I think I should start planning.

Goals-
Like everyone, I want the most power that can be had but I also want reliability, which trumps power if it comes to that. This truck is being built as an "expedition" type vehicle which means that it will be offroaded to remote locations which requires simplicity and reliability.

Limits-
Money is not too much of an issue. I can afford to spend a few grand on the engine but would like to save where I can.
I can and will fab things that need to be. Machining will require me taking things to a machine shop but when it comes to other stuff, I can fabricate a lot of specialty parts which may be needed.
Time is also not too much of an issue. This build has been drawn out so much already and if it takes a few months or more, that is not terrible.


Plans-
What I had planned on was the works, twin turbos, custom manifolds to accommodate the turbos and maybe twin water to air intercoolers as well. This would be a plumbing nightmare but would yield fast as well as big boost. I was also considering **** injection.
When it comes down to researching the specifics, I was thinking dropping the compression to maybe 18:1 to accommodate boost without hurting cold starts too much. Mahle pistons with 7.3 turbo rods and 7.3 valves and such since they are supposed to be stronger. Also porting the heads similar to what icanfixall has been doing. Oh and obviously studs

Now I am getting a little more grounded and am worrying that doing all this junk is going to be putting too much stress on the engine and jeopardizing reliability. Maybe I should just stick to a simplistic approach of a single Banks or similar turbo kit with an intercooler to "keep it simple, stupid". This setup should make good power without jeopardizing parts.


So, what do y'all think should be done? Also, what are some good sources or does anybody have any of the following parts for sale?
-Mahle pistons
-the stronger connecting rods
-the stronger valve parts
-offshore heads with more room for machining
-any other parts you think I should consider for such a build?

Thanks all and I appreciate anything on topic or not that you have to add.

 

[icanfixall]

A single turbo from any... Of the big three. Water-methonel injection(window washer fluid)... A Moose pump and the Moose Mister injectors. Balance down to less the 1/2 gram. Deck the block... Line bore the crank in the block.. Hypermax sells the inconel exhaust valves and Diesel Direct in Florida sells the Mahle pistons 1441800WR... Sleeve the 8 cylinders is a must... Finally, finding a machine shop that can do the proper machining correctly is the tuffest part. The head porting is going to be fun....

 

[jperecko]

Thanks for the prompt and thorough reply. You did not mention any IC, is there some reason that I should not consider one?

Decking the block- is this grinding it down? Wouldnt that increase the compression? Or is this only to take enough off for a clean surface?

Line boring... what exactly is this and how would it help?

exhaust valves. I saw that hypermax had them but did not know if they were the "good" ones. Thanks for confirming that. Does that mean there is no need to get new intake valves if the old ones are good?

Concerning machine shops... since you are local-ish, know of a good one? I would be willing to drive to the coast if it meant that it was somebody who knew their way around an IDI.

Sounds like my build would mostly mirror yours... nothing with tried and true.

 

[dyoung14]

are you building a 6.9 or 7.3? if i were to build a idi for power i would start out with a good 6.9 block take it to a machine shop get everything looked at abd make sure everything is in spects, if needed to bore out then go minimumal amount to clean the cylinder walls up, then i would order a set of factory replacment pistions take .80 off the tops then have the valve reliefs cut back into them another few thousands deep and then have them ceramic coted on top and friction coated on the sides, i would go and get a custom cam ground and get me a set of custom valve sprins made that could take more rpm then stock ones, use either new stock rods or turbo rods, all new internals a set of rebuilt heads with a really nice port job with hypermax valves, set of arp headstuds with felpro gasket, then intake and exaust manifold studss so i can keep them on with copper coated exaust connections from the manifolds to the turbos, for turbos i would use a twin compuound system using a non wastegated psd turbo, and a wastegated ats 093 turbo with a 6.0 liter intercooler, and for fuel of coarse moose pump(but it wouldnt go on the engine till its broke in) and mooseinjectors, with a custom 4 inch downpipe off of the psd turbo then 5 inch exaust all the way back with a double layer of header rap on all the pipes between th exaust manifold and turbo with ceramic coated exaust manifolds, when the engine is ready to run i would put the stock fuel system back on it keep boost det at 5 psi with stock fueling, at 5000 miles i would max the fuel system out but try to keep boost below 15 psi which shouldnt be too hard with a stock fule system, with 10000 miles on the engine i would put the mouse pump on, with a rev limit set to higher then 4000 and turn the moose pump up to as much as the engine can take and find out what it will do i would think that would be good for somewere around 400 hp at the crank

 

[jperecko]

This would be my 6.9...

I got what you are trying to describe but I would want to stay away from a compound setup because it would involve throwing at least one turbo underneath the engine and I would want to avoid that for clearance as well as water crossings... I do not think that dunking a hot turbo in the drink routinely would be healthy for it.

Also, I want to stay away from header wrap as if it soaks fuel or oil, it can be an engine fire waiting to happen. Ceramic coatings would be preferred.

This setup seems to be strictly for power... which has its place. But the more complex a rig gets, the more there is to break when I am far from help. And it is not always fun to cart parts to a dead truck on a motorcycle (my backup transportation).

Some good ideas in there though. Thanks.

 

[dyoung14]

This would be my 6.9...

I got what you are trying to describe but I would want to stay away from a compound setup because it would involve throwing at least one turbo underneath the engine and I would want to avoid that for clearance as well as water crossings... I do not think that dunking a hot turbo in the drink routinely would be healthy for it.

Also, I want to stay away from header wrap as if it soaks fuel or oil, it can be an engine fire waiting to happen. Ceramic coatings would be preferred.

This setup seems to be strictly for power... which has its place. But the more complex a rig gets, the more there is to break when I am far from help. And it is not always fun to cart parts to a dead truck on a motorcycle (my backup transportation).

Some good ideas in there though. Thanks.

ok do a single turbo form hypermax moose pump moose injectors o lets say 20 thousands off pistons studded and that should get you plenty of reliable power and it would be easy to start

 

[jperecko]

I am kinda leaning towards that direction but am still open to different ideas. Again, I appreciate the input and do not mean to shoot you down or anything, just saying where I am coming from.

 

[typ4]

I can get you inconel valves, I had some stiffer springs looked up also. I would get new rockers and anti friction coat them, I also ceramic coated my manifolds,crossover pipe and turbo exh side parts. I have my pipe wrapped, good for 1 lb boost down low. Engine is balanced. I have a torque cam that I had ground and it pulls really good. I dont have a before and after but I am going to try and get punkmechanic to put one in his truck for a test.
I have modded the turbo cold side , polished the ports,head studs, intercooler and it is very dependable, 19 mpg on cruise control empty, 12 loaded with the camper and sandrail.
13 lbs max boost so far and 1100 egt and it likes to go hotter but I dont let it.

 

[Black dawg]

type 4. what can you tell me about this torque cam

 

[dyoung14]

I can get you inconel valves, I had some stiffer springs looked up also. I would get new rockers and anti friction coat them, I also ceramic coated my manifolds,crossover pipe and turbo exh side parts. I have my pipe wrapped, good for 1 lb boost down low. Engine is balanced. I have a torque cam that I had ground and it pulls really good. I dont have a before and after but I am going to try and get punkmechanic to put one in his truck for a test.
I have modded the turbo cold side , polished the ports,head studs, intercooler and it is very dependable, 19 mpg on cruise control empty, 12 loaded with the camper and sandrail.
13 lbs max boost so far and 1100 egt and it likes to go hotter but I dont let it.

i would like to here about your cam like cost and maybe specs, and the valve sprins im interested in them to

 

[jperecko]

I can get you inconel valves, I had some stiffer springs looked up also. I would get new rockers and anti friction coat them, I also ceramic coated my manifolds,crossover pipe and turbo exh side parts. I have my pipe wrapped, good for 1 lb boost down low. Engine is balanced. I have a torque cam that I had ground and it pulls really good. I dont have a before and after but I am going to try and get punkmechanic to put one in his truck for a test.
I have modded the turbo cold side , polished the ports,head studs, intercooler and it is very dependable, 19 mpg on cruise control empty, 12 loaded with the camper and sandrail.
13 lbs max boost so far and 1100 egt and it likes to go hotter but I dont let it.

Are you dealing with the factory manifolds still?

 

[typ4]

They wont give me the specs because they developed it for a guy who built IDI's for loggers. They can sell them but not give it up, just measuring it out it has a little more exhaust lift and the lobe center is changed a tiny bit.
189.00 exchange. And that is my cost.
I like the way mine works.
I am going to be there tomorrow and will try to get a lower price for a group buy.
Yes I have factory manifolds. this is after 5k of operation when I had to put in new pistons, one collapsed and had 12 thou clearance. It was noisy. I had reused the original pistons without knowing the engine history and shouldnt have.

 

[jperecko]

That sounds like quite the deal on the cams. I would be willing to send mine in for an exchange tomorrow if I had my engine out.

 

[dyoung14]

what about stiffer valve springs? and i might look into that torque cam one day, problly cheaper than getting one custom ground around here

 

[jperecko]

I see that you added a picture... I always thought that ceramic coated headers would look a little cleaner... not that it matters.

Also any chance that you had that thing on a dyno?
Thanks