Just recently as of the last 3 months did a 6.9 turbo install. It went pretty smooth, made my own up and downpipes. However, I did put new head gaskets, and ARP head studs. As of last weekend, I had some downtime and got a little intoxicated while at a tractor pull, and when I got home decided we were pulling the IDI out of the 1984 F350 we had it in, to build it more. When I say build it more, redo the bottom end. While intoxicated I forgot that I wouldn't be able to reuse the head gaskets that I had just put in the truck not even 2 months prior. So now I am essentially putting a new bottom end in the truck, new rings, new bearings, the full 9 yards. Wish I would have done this 2 months ago so I didn't have to buy the new head gaskets, but overall it was pretty solid for being over the 150k mile mark with the bank's turbo that I threw into it.
While I was at it this week, I also took the bank's turbo apart, couldn't get a new gasket for the turbo, so used some black RTV and it actually has a better whistle than before. It had no shaft play, forwards/backward, or side to side, had the turbo serviced at my great uncle's machine shop and they said for its age it was in pretty decent shape. That being said, I'm going to run the turbo till it takes a crap. The motor itself should be ideally brand new after this coming Saturday, so if you want I can shoot you some DM's with updates. The only thing not being changed out would be the cam, crank, and old pistons, they're still in good shape.
THE PYROMETER is a must though when running these turbos on these NA's, like the guy above me said about the 1100 degree mark. I think I read somewhere a few months ago that the 1100 degree mark has to be stated below, that you're playing with fire past that point, being that the pistons are aluminum and aluminum melting point is 1221* (Don't quote me, but if my memory serves me correct that is correct).
I've had pretty good luck at the local yard near me, they have quite a few old ATS turbos on their old internationals, and they only want $50, plus you pulling it. Tried to offer the guy $100 for him to pull it, and he countered back $50, you pull it and you get the full exhaust and pipes setup. So, therefore, we're in the process of obtaining a 1993 7.3 nonturbo, which we will need a turbo for, and will probably run a low boost ATS on it.