Current IDI Projects (need advice/come looksee for fun)

Ethan Smith said:

I hate to backtrack but howd the engines on both of those puppies sieze? You get em that way?

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I got the brown f250 sight unseen for free with a seized engine as a parts truck with the hope of being able to use the heads off the engine to rebuild the 6.9 in my red one that I had been driving until it snapped a piston ring (the head gasket was bad the entire time I had it though it wasn't really prohibitive so I didn't care, and i'm pretty sure previous owner cranked the injection pump up way too much). Had sent red truck in for a head job and then heads went in for resurfacing but they were both cracked so my truck has been sitting since last summer while I've been looking for a decent price on usable heads or an engine. I didn't know the brown parts truck was a 4x4 until it showed up so after we decided to not use the heads off of it we pulled the cab and bed off of it and I'm now still looking for a 7.3 to drop on it it before we swap my red can and bed onto it.

What I really want is this I just need to come up with the money

https://www.promarengine.com/engine...&year=1994&make=Ford&model=F-250&submodel=XLT

Wow that long block looks really nice. Wish i saw that when i had the money. I take it you already have a turbo your gonna put on there? Ill bet that thing would run sweet stock.

No turbo yet. But used banks kits run 600-800 bucks all day urry day

Free stuff is always good. I got some great advice from my Grandma Charlotte when she said "If someone gives you something take it even if you are going to take it home and throw it out on the back porch." I've done that ever since and have saved myself a ton of time and money with having little things on hand that I wouldn't otherwise. My Dad hasn't always followed her advice and has many time regretted not taking something that was offered that he later realized he really could have used.

I pulled the my 1972 34’ Avion camper with my 93 when it was non turbo, even with the upgrades I had done on the truck every hill brought it to its knees. I was able to maintain 35-45 up the steepest hills and cruise at 65 on flat ground, but that’s with a zf5.

update: I got a really awesome running 7.3 IDI with an ATS turbo kit on it for my pickup project about a month ago
Just got to setting it on the frame the other weekend and cleaning up this patch of dirt on the block under the exhaust manifold....
yeah that's not dirt. that's JB weld. which I picked off to reveal an actual (horrible looking) weld on the block because it apparently has thrown a rod in the past
and been rebuilt since then which is why it runs so perfectly
WHY WOULD YOU REBUILD THE ENGINE ON THE BLOCK WITH A HOLE IN IT INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT ON ANOTHER BLOCK
I am not pleased. Seeing if the yard I got it from has another engine to replace it with since they said they'd still honor my warranty even though it was like 3 days past expired when I called.
So that's on hold again at the moment which is irritating, especially given how excited I was about that engine.

But to cheer myself up I finally went and bought the 91 E350 ambulance van pickup "The Bullhauler" which is so freaking cool I can't even handle it
probably going to pull the cab off to do the glow plugs and valve cover gaskets and belts and pull that tranny and swap on my spare

It's too bad you are on the other side of the country as I'm trying to sell my truck and spare engine. You can get a cast iron kit Muggy Weld to fix that block correctly for a lot less than a new block though.

You may want to rethink the ProMar build. Bad things on internet on them. Read the warranty contract

I wouldn't "****" that bullhauler. More like borrow parts and intentionally not give it back. It does look like a bull dog. Cool ride to have or borrow parts from.

To the OP...if I may inquire...what axle/final gear does that Bullhauler have? Axle code?

riphip said:

You may want to rethink the ProMar build. Bad things on internet on them. Read the warranty contract

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Better reviews for them by far than Jasper, their main competitor. or Carmonkeys that seems to just be outright frauds.
I don't see anything wrong with their warranty contract.

will post again tomorrow with some questions and some answers

Axle code for the E350 is E2 - which google says is Dana 70 HD – Limited Slip w/4.10 gears. Should have it running here this week just have to deal with replacing the glow plugs which is a pain on the two frontmost cylinders.

I'm really curious what everyone thinks about my welded block dilemma. My F250 could be back on the road here at any moment as soon as I hook up this engine, replace the valve covers and oil pan that I crushed >< and slam my cab back on it. But I don't really want this this stupid weld to fail and my block start leaking the moment I get it all back together after it's been dead for over a year. Been trying to shop for someone good at welding blocks but so far haven't found anyone willing or able to do it and the general consensus is that it's more trouble than it's worth to do it properly. I've uploaded a video showing the weld patch...it did have JB weld over it which was peeling off and I scraped most of it off, there's still some remaining, but you get the idea.

I've been advised that doing any welding on the block at this point is dangerous because i risk warping internal things especially the cylinder sleeves, and that all I can really do is grind the rust off/grind some grooves into it and rub some block weld goop on it for good measure and run it as is, and obviously not crank the turbo way up and blow the weld out. Don't really have a choice. So here's hoping the guy who welded it did a decent job despite sloppy appearances. Time to put my truck back together.

Going to find a backup block and keep it on hand in case it gives me problems and I end up needing to rebuild it and then I can build it on a block that doesn't have a damn hole in it, or I can use it all as a core towards the promar reman if I decided to go that route at some point.

Hmm well distortion is always a risk when welding especially something like cast iron however if care is taken and you don't attempt to do everything all at one time (weld a bit then let cool) it is possible.