7.3 IDI is a turbo worth it?

[Thewespaul]

Theres no easier time to install a turbo than with the engine out. I have a complete kit for sale $850 shipped to your door, I also have head studs kits in stock and engine reseal kits. I could work out a package deal for you if you wanted to knock it all out at once, more than likely your trans is fine and you just need to replace the front seal. Put a better cooler in and get a temp gauge for the trans, you wont have that issue again.

 

[typ4]

DO NOT TOUCH THE FREEZE PLUGS.

 

[faaiish]

I will leave them alone. The E40D shifted hard at times, was a dream at others (especially after a new TPS and tach sensor). It did feel weak going into overdrive so I figure unless I got it rebuilt with all the updates its just a matter of time. Its better ti do it at home than to be stranded and have to tow it home from out of state. Had to do that last week what a pain.

 

[Cubey]

My 87 F250 HD (1 ton rear, 3.55), C6, NA 6.9 ... in high wind when pulling a 27ft aluminium frame old travel trailer (pretty short vs modern ones), I could barely stay at 50mph in high wind conditions on flat roads with the pedal to the floor. Turbo would have helped a lot. I never towed it in the mountains thank goodness. That would have been miserable. The truck without a trailer in the mountains is slow as all get-out as it was.

Now I'm driving a brick of a motorhome with 6.9 ATS 085, C6, 410 Dana 70 dually, and there is a definite difference. It's taller than the trailer was by a good several feet so it's a bigger wind break from all sides. There's no way I would have wanted this thing if it didn't have turbo. I keep my foot out of it mostly for better MPG and since it's unlikely to have head studs from when it was installed back in 1985.

If you can afford to add turbo, do so.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

They are known for leaking when hot, then will seal back up.

This was the first thing that I thought of too.

Theres no easier time to install a turbo than with the engine out. I have a complete kit for sale $850 shipped to your door, I also have head studs kits in stock and engine reseal kits. I could work out a package deal for you if you wanted to knock it all out at once, more than likely your trans is fine and you just need to replace the front seal. Put a better cooler in and get a temp gauge for the trans, you wont have that issue again.

X2 on the extra trans cooler and the temp gauge. I would do the head studs FOR SURE since you'll already have the heads off. This would be a good time for the cooling mod as well. Especially since it's absolutely free when the heads are already off. If money is an issue, like it is for me, I can understand if you want to hold off on the turbo for now. Although Wes is right about the turbo install.

 

[faaiish]

What is the coolong mod you mentioned?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I did a write up of how I did it a while back under the title "7.3 cooling mod". Basically, 7.3 heads and blocks have some ports blocked off that 6.9's didn't have. In short, you remove these plugs and use 6.9 head gaskets (yes, they will work) in order to have better coolant flow through the heads. It won't make your engine run cooler. It won't make a temp gauge show cooler. It probably wouldn't make any differences that a non-contact thermometer would show. What it does is get more coolant flowing around the valves to cool them better. 7.3 heads seems to be more prone to cracking between/around the valves while the 6.9 heads don't seem to have the problem as bad. My opinion is that it may also help (a little) with the problems that 7.3s have with wearing out the exhaust valve guides by keeping them cooler. I could be completely wrong on that part, but it seems to make sense to me.

 

[Alwaysreadyrob]

front water pump seal ?

 

[faaiish]

It was the front pump seal on the transmission that was leaking. I went ahead and bit the bullet on this one, I got a remanufactured E04D with all the updates. I pulled the old trans out and this still has the factory stamped torque converter so I don't think it has had any updates since it was bought in 1989. I am currently pulling the motor and replacing the head gaskets and seals, updating the entire A/C system, I did the conversion last year but it didn't seem to work well. Hope to have it back together in a week or two and update you on how it turned out.

 

[faaiish]

Ok, I know it has been a bit but I got the old girl together after doing an on the frame restoration. It has new ss brakelines, blasted and painted frame. New tanks, trans and a pretty banks turbo. Test drove it today and all I can say is wow. What a difference... This thing runs like a scoulded dog. Havent got to tow with it but I think she will do fine. It was the best investment I made in the old girl.

 

[ZWilson07]

Ok, I know it has been a bit but I got the old girl together after doing an on the frame restoration. It has new ss brakelines, blasted and painted frame. New tanks, trans and a pretty banks turbo. Test drove it today and all I can say is wow. What a difference... This thing runs like a scoulded dog. Havent got to tow with it but I think she will do fine. It was the best investment I made in the old girl.

What no pics lol?

 

[faaiish]

I will load some as soon as I figure out how too. Lol