wanna know about IDIs

[superduty12v]

im in the process of buying some ford diesels. im looking at one IDI for our company and a 7.3, or a 6.0 or 6.4 as my personal truck, havent decided which way im going to go yet. however id like to know as much as i can about IDIs both the 6.9 and the 7.3. what manuals back these engines? what automatics were offered? i know the 6.9s like to blow HGs and i know the 7.3s cavitate if the coolant additives arent up to *****. id like to know what oil these take, is it regular 15-40? can i use IH oil from the tractor dealership? i know these trucks are reliable and insanely cheap to fix. id like to know as much as i can. thanks in advance

 

[hesutton]

Manual tranmissions:
'83-86 Borg-Warner T19 (no overdrive) 4-speed
'87-94 ZF5 (overdrive 5-speed)

Auto's:
'83-???88 or 89?? not sure of the switch over.... C6 3-speed (no OD, non-locking TC)
'89-94 E4OD "computer" controlled 4 speed (OD, locking TC)

15W-40 oil. 10 quarts with standard filter, 11 with FL1995 PSD filter.

There is a tone of stuff about these IDI's in the FAQ's and the tech section. You can spend a good amount of time there, and it grows all the time.

Heath

 

[icanfixall]

Welcome to the forum. Most here will run 15W40 with a psd 1995 filter. They fit just fine. An injection pump is around $250.00 to $350.00 all day long on the web but.. Read where not to buy from in the Hall of Shame section. Most will only run a new set of Bb code injectors because they work better than any other codes. The turbo G codes are about the worst for power and economy. Figure around $250.00 for a set of new injectors. At the time all the Bb codes are on back order and thats a sad thing too. Seems Delphi isn't making them til Feb this year... Any non turbo idi engine either 6.9 or 7.3 have the same exact internal parts. The cranks, rods, cams, gears, and oil pump are the same parts. That makes it easy to locate parts. We can buy new 7.3 heads that are made overseas and they are much better than oem. They are heavier in all the right places. Only run motorcraft Beru ZD9 glow plugs. Other brands just don't hold up. Mostly the burn out and swell making it nearly impossible to get them out. then the heads come off.. Not fun. Many here had fixed the head gasket issues by running ARP studs and running a quailty head gasket. I like fel pro but others like Victor Reinz. Both work very well. All idi engines had Mahle pistons as oem parts. Now Mahle makes a hard anadoized top piston with a better ring package. We never have issues with pistons. Never ever install an oil pan gasket.. The factory used rtv and many here do the same with no leaks. Any of the big three turbo companys have a kit that really wakes up these engines. Make sure you install a boost gauge and a pyro so you can watch whats going on. 1100 degrees is about the safe limit on pyro but some feel they can push that and get away with it. Its a personal choice. Fifure around 300,000 + miles if taken care of. These engines just keep going and cost very little to keep up. Around 125,000 miles for the injection pump and injectors. Some egt more and some get less. The 6.9 glow plug controller was not very good but the solid state 7.3 controller works great .. Its easy to convert too. Some members are testing the new 6.9 controller but its early yet.. Just about 3 months on the test trucks....

 

[superduty12v]

well ive been on here on and off for a while now, but can i run anything through these? waste motor oil? ATF? i mean id probably do a mix of WMO and fuel, after i filter it. im looking to pick one of these up cheap, and i found a few in my area which is good, but if anyone can point me in the direction where to get parts, that would be great.

 

[gdhillon]

well ive been on here on and off for a while now, but can i run anything through these? waste motor oil? ATF? i mean id probably do a mix of WMO and fuel, after i filter it. im looking to pick one of these up cheap, and i found a few in my area which is good, but if anyone can point me in the direction where to get parts, that would be great.

Not to to sure but i rember reading never to use engine oil in fuel?.....2 stroke for lubrication is ok

 

[wmoguy]

Not to to sure but i rember reading never to use engine oil in fuel?.....2 stroke for lubrication is ok

Many on this site burn waste motor oil (WMO) for fuel in our idi pickups. They do it very well and the idi is probably one of the best platforms available in a light duty truck for burning WMO

To origin poster: check out the alternative fuel section for more info on burning WMO blends. As for parts, what kind of parts are you looking for?

 

[icanfixall]

These engines will burn anything... Jet fuel.. Kerosene... Coal oil... Engine or hydarulic oil.. Waste fry oil but... Your exhaust will smell like what you are burning. Waste oil from a donut house and you smell like a dozen donuts driveing down the road.. That"ll get the cops following you too...

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

Not to to sure but i rember reading never to use engine oil in fuel?.....2 stroke for lubrication is ok

Just my .02 worth: I have run engine oil, hydraulic fluid, two stroke and ATF in my truck, lots of it when fuel was really high. My truck really likes ATF, almost as much as biodiesel. As long as you filter it, anything that helps lubricity for the IP is good in my book.

 

[Kevin 007]

All the idis I had love bio diesel, and I to will be burning ATF as soon as I have a filter setup to trim it out before I dump it into my tank

 

[gdhillon]

I was very wrong then glad you guys cleared that up for me!.....i will def look up using wmo

 

[seawalkersee]

If you get the 6.9, step up to the 7.3 (not powerstroke) oil cooler bundle and do not use a water based solvent to clean the pressure relief valve. If you spend the money now on injectors and an IP, you will not have problems down the road. If you use Breu style (bullet style) glow plugs, you will need to use the 7.3 contorller. I converted to it and the only prolbems I have are with air intrusion. Be sure you get a NEW lift pump so you are sure not to push diesel/fuel into your crank case.

With all other things I can think of being covered, I would not walk away from a 6.4, I would run. The 6.0s are okay, but have problems with the EGR and OIL coolers. If they go, you will also have to replace the HGs and head bolts/studs. If you run into cold start problems, the FICM is what is usually the cluprit and can give you a glow plug code if it gets bad enough. Those are the main problems with the 6.0. There is such a problem with other things on the 6.4 that I have not even delved into it to edeucate myself on the problems.

SWS

 

[Kevin 007]

My factory 1984 6.9 manual briefly refers to bypassing the GP system and why one shouldn't do it. It states that the 6.9 glow plugs are 6v and failure to bypass the controller correctly may result in giving the GP's 12v...thus frying them. Are the 6.9 GP's in fact 6v? Am I missing something here?

 

[Knuckledragger]

The 6.9 GPs are indeed 6V, hence the heat when they are fed 12 volts, as usual. The problem is timing. If you install a manual GP switch, you risk burning the GPs out if you keep the button pushed a second too long.

 

[Knuckledragger]

what manuals back these engines? what automatics were offered? i know the 6.9s like to blow HGs and i know the 7.3s cavitate if the coolant additives arent up to *****. id like to know what oil these take, is it regular 15-40? can i use IH oil from the tractor dealership?

The early trucks had a t19 4 speed, later ones had a ZF 5 speed. 83-90 had C6 three speed automatics, after that the E4OD was installed.

6.9 HG problems were mostly a result of faulty gaskets from the factory, and there were plenty. You can almost count on blowing the HG on the pass side rear two cylinders at between 60,000 and 100,000 miles. Studs help, but the new gaskets are the real fix. After changing out, they are good for 300k.

15w-40 HD oil will do it, but you can put most anything in you want. I'm sure the engines will be just fine with IH oil, since IH designed them for Ford.

 

[superduty12v]

If you get the 6.9, step up to the 7.3 (not powerstroke) oil cooler bundle and do not use a water based solvent to clean the pressure relief valve. If you spend the money now on injectors and an IP, you will not have problems down the road. If you use Breu style (bullet style) glow plugs, you will need to use the 7.3 contorller. I converted to it and the only prolbems I have are with air intrusion. Be sure you get a NEW lift pump so you are sure not to push diesel/fuel into your crank case.

With all other things I can think of being covered, I would not walk away from a 6.4, I would run. The 6.0s are okay, but have problems with the EGR and OIL coolers. If they go, you will also have to replace the HGs and head bolts/studs. If you run into cold start problems, the FICM is what is usually the cluprit and can give you a glow plug code if it gets bad enough. Those are the main problems with the 6.0. There is such a problem with other things on the 6.4 that I have not even delved into it to edeucate myself on the problems.

SWS

i know all about the 6.0 lol and from being down at ford, and powerstroke.org everyone seems to like em more and more.