Which is better to build and why?

[Snowmanw900]

@snicklas , thanks for posting that.

 

[jayro88]

Travis and I talked about the shop here in Greenfield, which is the shop that did all the head and machine work on his SBC in the Red Square Body. Travis mentioned needing to get the heads looked at on his other truck, just in passing while the SBC heads were there, and the guy asked what it was, and Trav said an 86 Ford with a diesel... the guy at the machine shop's eyes lit up and he smiled and said that's an IDI, I have the tool to cut the heads WITH the cups in them..... they had a long discussion about them after that, and Travis said that is where he was going to take the heads off the Grey truck when he tore it down. Many people in Greenfield/Hancock County said if you want good machine work, go to this machine shop, there are other shops that are known for their tuning so you can go fast, but they said for machine work, go to this guy....

The shop is:
Whetsel's Automotive Inc.
43 Hough St.
Greenfield, IN 46140
(317) 462-9461

He is just off Main Street (US-40) not far from Dairy Queen here in Greenfield.

If I need machine work, he is who I plan on using.......

IIRC Greenfield was where I went to get my van timed......although I am not sure if it was the same shop you talked about. They had a tech that drove an IDI and still had the luminosity probe timing equipment.

I am up by Ft Wayne. There is a local machine shop that I used for the rebuild I did on my '94 SHO, but I never talked to them about my IDI.

To the OP. If both engines were in the same condition, I would rebuild the 7.3. With the right SCA the 7.3L are plenty durable and the added thickness of the head-bolts can really help.....but either one could be built to do what you want.

 

[freebird01]

I've talked with C&P machine here in Fort Wayne. they seem to have a handle on idi diesel heads. the other one ive been told is a good shop is Hart's machine in Cecil,OH

 

[3Kp]

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Tonight a decision has been determined. After attempting to hone the cylinders one has a big as pit in it. So with that happening going to build the 6.9 motor.

 

[Snowmanw900]

Wow. You can see that spot plain as day. Sorry to hear that.

 

[teletech]

I've actually had better luck and read more love for the 6.9 than the 7.3. The thicker cylinder walls might just matter if you don't know how it was treated in a past life. My 6.9 with a turbo pulled just fine and always got much better mileage than either of my 7.3s. Different trucks so not quite apples to apples but I've heard it from others.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

@3Kp , i live over around dayton/ Columbus Ohio area.

Im still trying to find a good machine shop i trust since the old one i used closed down.

Will you let me know if you find a good machine shop. Im bout to have a set of 1994 7.3 idit rebuilt to complete an engine build im doing now

I have a friend in the C'Bus are that rebuilds motors for his customers professionally. The machine shop he uses now is http://www.fowlerperformance.com/index.html

Nick