Crewcab8469
Registered User
hey guys!
first post so i wanted to introduce myself.
im a long long time lurker and used to have an account on here from years ago where i posted my first 6.9 truck build (suspension related) but i cant get back into it so here we are starting fresh. little bit of background for me, im a certified diesel heavy equipment mechanic running a field truck in arizona. been working on equipment for a little over 6 years. im going to focus on engines specifically since this is the topic. ive done many overhauls and repairs from large diesels (cat cummins liebherr izusu ect.) in equipment to performance gas engines (usually SBC or LS, some older ford small blocks and big blocks) one of which is in my tube rock buggy (im also a fabricator as a hobby). i have a deep love for the idi engines and always will.
Now for the build details and questions!
im starting with a running 6.9l i pulled out of my parts truck. it appears to be a reman engine bored .040 over with low run time as i have stripped it down and there is literally no crud anywhere in the motor. it doesnt appear whoever did the reman did a great job based off some observations ive made from the tear down so its getting a full rebuild, but more on that later. i am attempting a goal of 350-400 crank horsepower and 650-750 flbs. the engine is getting felpro head gaskets, pistons shaved and ceramic coated, arp head studs slightly over torqued (delivered tomorrow!), powerstroke rods with arp bolts, still figuing out the IP because everyone is behind or out of stock so probably a maxed modded stock pump to get it going with the mods TheWespaul has posted, fabricated turbo hot side similar to justin & R&D makes (unless he makes more stock before i fab), turbo TBD still doing my research, injectors im going to mod shim and match stock ones myself until i can find stage 1's, and possibly a main girdle, and lastly either a type4 cam or an r&d cam. target compression will be 19:1 or so. not worried about possible hard starting but don't want an ether baby so ill stop there. the whole goal is to get it to survive with boost and have the supporting structure to handle the power with room for improvement when i can get my hands on a db4 pump.
now for the questions!
i have a set of powerstroke rods and between my machinist neighbor and i were going to do all the machine work to adapt them to the idi crank like justin has. my biggest question is what grade of material should be used for the wrist pin bushings? i was thinking aluminum bronze but i have never got into the metallurgy on wrist pin bushings before so i dont know what grade or if there is a better material for our idi's.
second question
does anyone know what arp studs will work for a main girdle thats 1/2" thick? ( i know R&D makes one but hes very busy and out of stock, plus i like fabricating)
third question
does anyone know what arp studs will fit for the intake? ill be machining the intake flat, plating, and tig welding a v band on.
fourth question
how much have you guys shaved off your pistons and what worked best for you? ive scoured this forum and read anything from 10 thou to 110 thou but never got a solid answer. id like to run some stuff through the comp calc a few times before i fire up the mill.
fifth question
is an s366 a good size turbo that will allow me to grow from a modded stock pump to a mod db4 pump in the future? if not what are some good options? smaller turbo?
shout out to thewespaul and justin with r&d along with a few others im missing. your info is irreplaceable in this community and i appreciate you guys sharing.
first post so i wanted to introduce myself.
im a long long time lurker and used to have an account on here from years ago where i posted my first 6.9 truck build (suspension related) but i cant get back into it so here we are starting fresh. little bit of background for me, im a certified diesel heavy equipment mechanic running a field truck in arizona. been working on equipment for a little over 6 years. im going to focus on engines specifically since this is the topic. ive done many overhauls and repairs from large diesels (cat cummins liebherr izusu ect.) in equipment to performance gas engines (usually SBC or LS, some older ford small blocks and big blocks) one of which is in my tube rock buggy (im also a fabricator as a hobby). i have a deep love for the idi engines and always will.
Now for the build details and questions!
im starting with a running 6.9l i pulled out of my parts truck. it appears to be a reman engine bored .040 over with low run time as i have stripped it down and there is literally no crud anywhere in the motor. it doesnt appear whoever did the reman did a great job based off some observations ive made from the tear down so its getting a full rebuild, but more on that later. i am attempting a goal of 350-400 crank horsepower and 650-750 flbs. the engine is getting felpro head gaskets, pistons shaved and ceramic coated, arp head studs slightly over torqued (delivered tomorrow!), powerstroke rods with arp bolts, still figuing out the IP because everyone is behind or out of stock so probably a maxed modded stock pump to get it going with the mods TheWespaul has posted, fabricated turbo hot side similar to justin & R&D makes (unless he makes more stock before i fab), turbo TBD still doing my research, injectors im going to mod shim and match stock ones myself until i can find stage 1's, and possibly a main girdle, and lastly either a type4 cam or an r&d cam. target compression will be 19:1 or so. not worried about possible hard starting but don't want an ether baby so ill stop there. the whole goal is to get it to survive with boost and have the supporting structure to handle the power with room for improvement when i can get my hands on a db4 pump.
now for the questions!
i have a set of powerstroke rods and between my machinist neighbor and i were going to do all the machine work to adapt them to the idi crank like justin has. my biggest question is what grade of material should be used for the wrist pin bushings? i was thinking aluminum bronze but i have never got into the metallurgy on wrist pin bushings before so i dont know what grade or if there is a better material for our idi's.
second question
does anyone know what arp studs will work for a main girdle thats 1/2" thick? ( i know R&D makes one but hes very busy and out of stock, plus i like fabricating)
third question
does anyone know what arp studs will fit for the intake? ill be machining the intake flat, plating, and tig welding a v band on.
fourth question
how much have you guys shaved off your pistons and what worked best for you? ive scoured this forum and read anything from 10 thou to 110 thou but never got a solid answer. id like to run some stuff through the comp calc a few times before i fire up the mill.
fifth question
is an s366 a good size turbo that will allow me to grow from a modded stock pump to a mod db4 pump in the future? if not what are some good options? smaller turbo?
shout out to thewespaul and justin with r&d along with a few others im missing. your info is irreplaceable in this community and i appreciate you guys sharing.