Good first diesel?

[NorthernIdaho]

I have been looking around for my first diesel simply because I want one. Anyways I have been researching the IDI and everywhere I look people say theyre slow. I plan on adding ATS turbo, exhaust, build my own intake, injectors, rebuild the pump and turn it up, and adding water/**** injection. My question is after all of this will it still be slower than molasses or will it be fairly quick? I am not plannin on towing anything or drag racing I just wanna know if it will get out of its own way and be able to climb hills with ease. Thanks

 

[icanfixall]

First offf welcome to the forum. All of what you have posted will give you plenty of power and performance but it will never be what a Cummins, duramax or a psd can make easily. These idi engines are simple and easy to fix anywhere. The parts don't cost near what a psd does. One injecter for a psd is what a full set of injecters costs us. Most every internal part is the same in the 6.9 and 7.3 idi engines too so any oil pump, cam, crank or rods will work across the engines. The only rod differance in the turbo rods with a larger wrist pin but any na rod fits all engines no matter what. You can have a factory turbo engine with standard rods and pistons in it. No issues either. Sorry but no turbo 6.9 pistons available and thats really a sad thing....

 

[NorthernIdaho]

Ya I wish I could get my hands on a 1st gen cummins but the prices for them these days is ridiculous. I was lookin at IDI because theyre cheap, parts are cheap, and they seem to be pretty reliable from what I have read. So would the truck have some get up and go with the planned mods or will it still be sluggish?

 

[rhkcommander]

My tired turbo 6.9 made it up around a mile high and was able to keep at 55 but it wasn't towing. That was with old ip and injectors and some boost leak. In a few months I'll be doing the same trip after having fixed those issues so I'll let ya know how it does

A nice setup like that ought to do fine, plus you could add some propane to give it a nice kick in the butt

 

[94f450sd]

how long do you plan on keeping the truck?sure parts are cheap and all but parts are getting harder to find and will soon be obsolete.

 

[NorthernIdaho]

Probably only two or three years till I can buy another diesel. I want this one first to learn the ropes of diesel trucks and such on the cheap.

 

[bghnkinf350]

Frankly, you might just be happy with it and keep it longer. First thing to understand is these do not act like gas engines. Mine will do 65 at 3000 rpm. I do not push it past that. It is great to have all sorts of power on tap (PSD Cummins...), but you also risk longevity and durability.

Maybe I am just getting old, but I am happy with mine and only plan on adding a turbo. Parts are getting a little harder to find, but when I can get a set of injectors for the price of one PSD injector, I will gladly hold on to mine.

 

[Diesel JD]

It will be totally adequate for your purposes, the only issue you might have is with a NA IDI at higher elevations you might have a problem with out of control EGTs especially if the fuel is turned up. You might also not be able to turn the fuel up s much as you'd like even in a turbo truck but that tends to be a problem at very high elevations. Most of the complaints I've heard here seem to be from guys living at well over 3000 feet. Still the truck will perform adequately, you just maybe can't wring all of their potential out like we can down here at sea level.

 

[94f450sd]

Frankly, you might just be happy with it and keep it longer. First thing to understand is these do not act like gas engines. Mine will do 65 at 3000 rpm. I do not push it past that. It is great to have all sorts of power on tap (PSD Cummins...), but you also risk longevity and durability.

Maybe I am just getting old, but I am happy with mine and only plan on adding a turbo. Parts are getting a little harder to find, but when I can get a set of injectors for the price of one PSD injector, I will gladly hold on to mine.

considering what ive put my psd through i think its plenty durable.psds dont spit out injectors as often as an idi.keep the oil changed and the fuel clean the psd injector will live longer than 4 sets of idi injectors.

do you want that 460 to pass you on a hill or do you wanna pass that 460?

 

[Jake_IN]

My thoughts on this subject are as follows. I take more pride in owning an old pretty much forgotten diesel but knowing every little thing about it to the point it drives myself and others nuts, than owning a newer powerstroke, cummins, duramax what ever is your preferred hunk of metal, but only partially knowing it. I also like this one because of how slow it is. I don't get involved in all the stupid ******* matches a lot of kids my age get into over who's truck is the fastest, pours out the most smoke, or has the most lights. I enjoy marveling at the simplicity that was engineered into this engine, and how it does pretty much anything you ask it to. Sure it wont make a huge show of it but it gets it done. Kinda like a co-worker i use to work with. He was really quiet, easy to forget he even existed, but when you looked at his record he had never missed a day, and anything he was asked to do he did without fuss. Sure he wasn't the fastest worker but when he was asked to do it you could trust that he would do it and do it right. Not trying to bash the other diesels because they are great engines and good for towing, but I'm proud to say I'm not one of those kids that does nothing but brag about there truck and how awesome it is. It's my truck, it gets me from point A to point B and I'm happy with that.

Hope that made sense, my brains fried from working non stop on college papers.

Edit: looked back and realized i just rambled a bunch. To answer the question of will the truck be fast....Sorta kinda....I find that whenever I'm empty i can keep up with most other "Barges" to about the 40-50 mphish zone. Then they usually slowly pull ahead.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

you read about the idi's being so slow,because a lot of people don't keep them properly tuned up.
idi's are the lowest cost per mile diesel engine offered in the trucks and vans,however they still require more $ to tune up than a gas engine,and this is where people fall short.
you can be down almost 50% power id guess with a tired out ip/injectors and timing so retarded it cant think straight.
properly tuned,and then a little extra air in/out the N/A is enough to make me smile fully loaded.

no turbo required, just desired.

 

[93_444idi]

i beat a 351 st cab long bed in mine the other day, before I had the fuel turned up after putting this turbo on. not a great win but it surprised me. with the way it is now i woulda torn that 351 up. dont know how fast we were going, needle pegs at 90. was one of those situations where he flew by and i caught and passed him.

supposedly an idi with a turbo / intercooler / fresh fuel system will keep up with lightly modified psds. 1st gens that is. my uncles 01 excursion with a chip, cold air intake, and exhaust would crush my idi. but mine does make more smoke than his now. and i have less than 3k invested in total in my idi. i like my idi simply because it's unique. i also havn't heard many other diesel pickups with a turbo whistle as loud as mine. i complain about it being slow but every time i drive it i enjoy it.