Calling all IDI owners.

[Joejohn]

As most of you know I have developed a new head stud kit for the 7.3IDI I called cometic today to see "what it would take for them to start making gaskets for the 7.3IDI". They want a minimum of 150 piece order and I would have to ship them a block and a set of heads. I would take care of the heads and block, but I need 150 orders. I would bet they would cost somewhere in the 200.00 -250.00 range. If someone knows anyone with enough grunt to push this kind of deal please let them know. I don't have the kind of funds for this.

As for why this is good, you could run your daily driven IDI at over 30-35psi with cometic head gaskets and head studs, also you could order them in different thickness's which would allow better machining on the block, like squaring and easy compression changes, which would probably push these old motors up in good graces with even the newest diesels and the power would be reliable. Making 400hp would then become an option that would be attainable on a daily driven IDI.

I would be happy to offer a stud kit with the gaskets if someone was willing to work with me.

 

[Ironman03R]

Joejohn, I am interested in this, but with the possibility of being out of work in the very near future I cant spend that kind of cash right now. Keep us updated and I may be able to come up with some funds if the time is right.
I would hate to give you an "I'm in" then back out later.

 

[riotwarrior]

Well that sounds like good HP levels in theory. I would love to see the engine pull like that. I know I am awaiting pull stress data on those studs before I make any further plans as to increased HP.

Hope you can pull it all together and get enough orders to fullfill that obligation.

 

[Dirtleg]

One thing you should know about Cometic is that most likely once they develop the gaskets and you buy 150 of sets of them they will probably start to sell them as well.

Don't get me wrong I love Cometics products and use them on my car. I had a pretty catastrophic engine failure which melted a piston and cracked a cylinder wall. It was a detonation issue that caused the meltdown. The head gasket survived the whole episode in great shape. I wouldn't use it again but it didn't fail.

I mention this because it happened to someone I know very well. Just be prepared to not be the only game in town.

 

[sassyrel]

One thing you should know about Cometic is that most likely once they develop the gaskets and you buy 150 of sets of them they will probably start to sell them as well.

I mention this because it happened to someone I know very well. Just be prepared to not be the only game in town.

i hear ya--you pay the upfront costs--and then they make big bucs on it competeing against you--typical big business---

 

[h2odrx]

so you'd throw in the studs if we buy the gasket????

 

[Dirtleg]

I re-read my post and thought perhaps it was a little too much buzzkill for this issue. I applaud what you are doing joejohn. The reason I found out about the Cometic double dealings is because I was asking this guy, who had had one developed for a different engine, what it took to get it done. I was inquiring because I have been thinking along the same lines for the IDI and figured he would know what it took.

I was needless to say "shocked" when he explained his experience. Yes he still sells them, I have a new one coming when I put the car back together next month.

I think the idea is worthwhile I just thought you should know what could happen. Perhaps a period of time could be negotiated before they started their own sales?

I would be interested in a set. I couldn't fund this project but am interested.

 

[FordGuy100]

Yeah, you can sign me up for some as well. But getting 150 orders is going to be crazy hard. Talk to some diesel performance shops that sell/install turbo kits for our IDI's, and see what they say. Give DPS a call, see if he can buy some off of you to sell (actually that might actually work).

 

[riotwarrior]

Perhaps a license agreement with Cometic may have to come into play....where you would may be able to get royalties ????

NOT likely going to happen but eh...

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Its simple, they are only doing tooling and production. There are ALLOT of companies that job out their products for tooling and production at a completely different company. THere is no reason whatsoever that Cometic is continuing to produce and sell the products out from under the developer.
You get them to sign a contract stating that they are to only tool and produce the parts, you are the sole owner of the product.
Trust me, they will still produce the parts. They will still want to make money, even if its just to produce the product.
I make aftermarket parts for classic camaros, and I've been there done that with this kind of thing.

 

[Joejohn]

Well that sounds like good HP levels in theory. I would love to see the engine pull like that. I know I am awaiting pull stress data on those studs before I make any further plans as to increased HP.

Hope you can pull it all together and get enough orders to fullfill that obligation.

The studs are at the lab, I am just waiting on the results.

 

[Joejohn]

so you'd throw in the studs if we buy the gasket????

No the studs could be sold with the gaskets as a kit for running super high boost or as a full gasket set for rebuilds. But you wont be seeing any free studs...lol

 

[icanfixall]

If the gaskets and studs are marketed as a kit that will handle 20 lbs of boost(I use that number because you used it first) the buyer would have to know that boost pressure will not work very well without an intercooler. So there is another marketing idea but that needs to be stated up front. You don't want some buyer getting said kit thinking that he will be making 20 lbs of boost and mucho hp as well. The intercooler needs to be talked about. Things need things to work together.

 

[93turbo_animal]

well these pieces need to be marketed as supporting hardware not horse power parts as they don't do a thing for making more HP

 

[FordGuy100]

well these pieces need to be marketed as supporting hardware not horse power parts as they don't do a thing for making more HP

Exactly, I doubt our turbo's would last long at 20psi. You would have to swap housings to get it back into its effieciency range if possible. Otherwise you will have to fab up a custom turbo setup. You have my backing 100%, I'm in.

And you have to tell customers that they will need some serious fuel mods to get there turbo to spit out 20+psi of boost. Moose pumps, and DPS pumps should probably be standard.