7.3 IDI Questions

I am (hopefully) going to resurrect my 83 f250 that I blew up about 6 years ago but I have some questions about the engine I am going to put in.
Im trying to do this as cheap as possible, but will spend money within reason where it is needed. This is an old rusty farm truck.

The truck:
83 F250 RCLB
A Block 6.9, ARP Studs, 3G alternator. Popped a headgasket (or something?), possibly bent a rod trying to start it.
ATS 093
3" straight exhaust
T19
TTB
85 (or 6?) 10.25, Disk brake conversion, 3.55
Still sitting in a snow bank. Tanks full of sludged up Bio blend.

Engine:
92 7.3
160K according to PO
Stripped
Dirty
Looks like it has been apart, lots of black silicone everywhere and a tattletale on the RH head.
Paid too much for it and actually not real impressed.

Questions:
My 6.9 has V belts and the 7.3 has a serp belt crank pulley. the 7.3 is stripped, do I simply unbolt the 6.9 accessories and bolt them onto the 7.3 or is there something that is going to kick me in the ass?

Assuming that it has been apart before, and that the headgaskets (at leas on the RH side) have been changed, is there any sense in pulling the heads off? Im leaning towards no unless I see something suspicious.

Should I retorque EVERY bolt on the engine, including head bolts?

Do I just use my old 6.9 clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate to bolt to the T19 or do I need to do something different?
No, Im not buying a ZF5, unless someone wants to give me one.

Will a single stud post 31 be sufficient for starting in cold winters down to -15 ish?
Are the cheap ass $100 OSGR starters still recommended?

What do I do about the Bio sludge in the tanks? Im thinking drop them both and pressure wash with 200* water until clean, air blast all of the fuel lines, and then run an algicide and fuel system cleaner for a couple tanks?

Whats the best way to demouse a truck?

Im sure I will think of more questions, but thats all for now.

Un bolt what you want off the 6.9 and bolt to the 7.3.

For the heads, if they currently do not have studs, no better time to do it than now. I would also reseal the engine while it is out.

Coolant mods( head gasket) and oil cooler mods also.

Clb said:

Coolant mods( head gasket) and oil cooler mods also.

Click to expand...

Whats the oil cooler mod?

Nero said:

Un bolt what you want off the 6.9 and bolt to the 7.3.

For the heads, if they currently do not have studs, no better time to do it than now. I would also reseal the engine while it is out.

Click to expand...

Even the flywheel? I thought there was a balance difference.

Im considering doing the head gaskets, RMS, valve covers, and pan. Not sure if I will do the IP gear housing or front main.

I would like to do the studs but theres a 99% chance Im not going to. Too much money. Im planning on less fuel and boost than I had on the 6.9.
Honestly Im kinda considering this engine a temporary solution just to see if I can get the truck going again, so I can use it to move. I would like to get the original 6.9 back into running condition eventually.

CDD sells a stainless oil cooler that has a better cooling capacity, designed after the IDIT oil cooler.

I beleive the only flexplate that is different across all IDI's is the IDIT one. I think all N/A engines all use the same balance.

If you aren't pushing more than 12ish psi, you'll most likely be fine as is without studs. My personal preference is 7.3 mostly due to larger head bolts.

6.9 coolant passes in the hwad gasket for the 7.3
Just cleaning the oil cooler and new seals.
But if you're doing a down and dirty swap till the 6.9 is done , then slam that 7.3 together and send it...
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Where’s those dunes at? Looks familiar,

Silver Lake, MI

Havent made any progress on this. Went out and looked at the truck AFTER I bought the engine and it is way worse than I thought... The bed is almost completely rotted out on the drivers side. Gonna have a frankentruck/ship of thesius type deal. Have to steal the bed off of my black truck which has been sitting for 12 years but somehow is perfect, a set of mismatched fenders, and probly some doors. It will need a cab swap eventually but I will just patch the floor for now. I just want the thing to be reliable enough to make a one way 500 mile trip.

Are the above pictures from Silver lake dunes?

VanGo said:

Are the above pictures from Silver lake dunes?

Click to expand...

yes

Since this thread got bumped... What does it take to convert to hydroboost on an 83 manual trans truck?

I never have done it but did a quick question on google AI. I think you can get a pretty good idea what is needed and where to look for parts.

It’s a good start…

I am west of Detroit you in west Michigan area?

I guess I missed the previous posting asking where the dunes where

I just got a 93 f250 7.3 idi n/a yesterday its my first diesel and i need to get new batteries and 2 new tires for it but its been sitting for over 6 months and the guy had gotten a full service done to it when it died but he said he was driving it and then it just died on him and he mentioned something about putting a multimeter to a fuel relay? And it sending power to the relay but it not going through the relay and that it cranks but wont start any help please oh and it has 227k on the clock and i looked at the dipstick and theres no oil on it and the radiator has these white little egg things shaped like balls and that are stuck together sitting in the radiator on the metal inside but there wasnt any fluid in the radiator from what i could tell the radiator and oil are bone dry