1972 F-100 7.3 IDI Build

Bakersk896

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Hey everyone. I would like to introduce my project to the community. I have a ‘72 F-100 that started out as a 300cid 3 on the tree 2wd truck. When it’s all said and done, it will be a 4wd 7.3 IDI 5 speed truck on a 1988 F-250 frame with 1 ton axles. So far, I have basically every major part standing by for cleaning and coating prep.

Using all the research I’ve done on this site and lots of time in the machine shop major changes to the original setup will be:
-PSD pistons, rods and bearings
- 02-03 PSD Factory garret turbos with upgraded cartridges
-relocated oil cooler and filter setup.
-custom aluminum intake
-stainless manifolds
-shop secret head gaskets

I know some things on that list are still being debated and are under scrutiny but the will work. I have a fully capable machine shop available for my use.

Also, for this project and for my crane truck, I’m designing steel injector covers for the return lines and I’ll make that file available if the turn out to be successful to make on the cnc mill.

Please add any input you guys have and any suggestions. This truck will be a one of a kind from the ground up and I would love to have the community along for the process
 

Thewespaul

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Psd pistons? Your compression is gonna be like 12:1 with DI pistons, and several people have tested the modified head gaskets with no luck, I would stick with fel pro 6.9 head gaskets, they’ve been fine for well over 55 psi of boost. What’s the reason for eliminating the stock oil cooler?
 

Bakersk896

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@Thewespaul after getting the block and heads decked it should be around 17 or 17.5 to 1 which works with plans to run about 25 psi from what I understand
 

Thewespaul

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@Thewespaul after getting the block and heads decked it should be around 17 or 17.5 to 1 which works with plans to run about 25 psi from what I understand

Thats very low for these engines, 25 psi is nothing for a bone stock engine with just head studs. You probably got some outdated info in regards to dropping compression to run only 25 psi, and I would be seriously concerned with running a DI piston in an IDI engine, it could really mess with the swirl out the prechamber and hamper performance.
 

carsonlhammond

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Wes wouldn’t even let me drop mine to 19.7:1 for the reason that high compression equals high efficiency without needing assistance. If you want to take more boost simply add more beef around the pistons. In a naturally aspirated 6.9 or 7.3 they are actually quite strong. Wes also said in that thread about me dropping compression that the majority of pistons he’s seen crack are IDIT pistons. I’d say stock N/A rods and head bolts are going to give you the most trouble with your plans. Oh and as a heads up to everyone the 6.9 in my highboy blew a head gasket this past weekend so that will be getting rebuilt/super built up because I’m parking the truck to do some work to the truck itself as well, so no rush to get it going again.
 

IDIBRONCO

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Oh and as a heads up to everyone the 6.9 in my highboy blew a head gasket this past weekend so that will be getting rebuilt/super built up because I’m parking the truck to do some work to the truck itself as well, so no rush to get it going again.
Oh boy! Another build thread about a custom truck!:Thumbs Up Lots of pics please!
 

carsonlhammond

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Oh boy! Another build thread about a custom truck!:Thumbs Up Lots of pics please!

I know I should have posted more pics and had my own thread when I built it last year but I was new to the forum and wasn’t sure how well received that would be, now I know, haha. I’ll start one for it when I tear into it this weekend. There’s a few pics in my media gallery of it being swapped. If I did it again I’d do it different but hey it sits in there straight and doesn’t hit anything around it.
 

Bakersk896

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@Thewespaul maybe I did get dated info. From what I was reading, these motor are only handling like 15 psi at stock compression. I have no issue with learning and testing things out. Honestly, the more boost I can push and the more torque I can get out of her the better. This isn’t my first over the top build, but it is my first IDI build. The plan is to push this engine to its max and if I’ve got to engineer parts and designs, I will.
 

Bakersk896

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Also, I will be posting pictures as I take them. I’ve got some good ones I can take of the sights I saw when I started tearing the engine down yesterday
 

Thewespaul

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Yep that’s really not accurate info, I’ve put 35 psi through my daily drive plus nitrous and it’s a stock engine with just studs and 6.9 head gaskets.
 

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