how much money is in your motors?

[dizdak]

am curious after being on the site for a while and reading many posts of extensive mods some have done, i am wondering how much many of you have in your motors..And also for sake of argument why when engine swaps are out there that seem to net more power and more readily available parts? Thanks fellas...

 

[FordGuy100]

$1500 for turbo, exhaust, gauges, and BB code injectors.

The only swap that could even come close to that would be a powerstroke swap, but even then you would be hard pressed to find a complete engine/wiring in good running condition for that amount.

 

[Hyde]

I have about $200 into my turbo setup and $150 into gauges. It's outrun quite a few first gen Cummins and Powerstrokes.

 

[dizdak]

fordguy - me and you have about the same in $$ in, i have a little over $1k in baby moose, injectors, glow plugs.. even with spending that i had buddies ask why not spend the extra and do a cummins swap..

 

[dizdak]

doesn't appear we have much in our engines yet, not enough to cover a swap... but it seems some of the builds i read on here run into the several thousand dollar ranges..

 

[icanfixall]

I stopped counting when I passed $10,000.00.... I really have not kept track after I melted my first rebuild because the crappy shop didn't install the factory freeze plugs with the special too. so I poped one pulling the famous Grapevine here in ca. I think I had around $4800.oo in it at that point. I really don't recall but I know that shop clipped me over $1000.00 for the turbo pistons. the next set of turbo pistons I sourced for $540.00. The turbo rods were only $42.00 each and no core so I made good on that. I installed a new cam with gear and thrust setp ready to install factory oem that I found on ebay for $99.00 shipped free too. I think the machine work was around $1200.00 but can't really recall. New bare heads were around $300.00. It does mount up when you replace everything and do the machin work I did. Many do not go as far as I did when they rebuild an engine but I wanted all the known problem areas addressed for better rotatiin smoothness of operation. Look at any main or rod bearing. If its showing copper on an edge thats a bent bore if it a rod bearing or its a main web that cut out of true with the crank. Line boring the crank webs straightens them so there is no rubbing to scrub off hp because its resistant to turning the crank. If a bore is made not square to the crank the piston is going up and down but its pushed to the front or back because the bore is not positioned square to the crank. If it was bored towards the back of the block by 1 thous then the piston is putting a bend on the crank of about 1 thous causing a rub. That reduces hp at the crank. when a crank is straight and so is the main webs a tightened crank in the webs torqued down will spin like it was on roller bearings. If it does not that drag reducing your possible hp.

 

[freebird01]

i can tell you from first hand experience....you could set a glass of water on gary's air cleaner and it will not go anywhere it runs THAT smooth.....

 

[hesutton]

For the 6.9 rebuild for the crew cab............ it's listed below. Not all of this is for power, but for reliable hauling of that heavy fifth wheel anywhere I want.

As far as a swap......... honestly, if I wanted another engine (Dmax, PSD, or cummins.....) I'd buy a truck with those engine in it. I like and want the IDI in the 'ol girl. Is it the "best" for all out power.........?????? No. It is reliable, cheap to maintain, and simple to repair/diagnose/work on. Plus, that '86 crew cab is too nice of an old truck to stuff some other company's engine in.


Just as a final tally of parts and their cost, here's the list (it's a little scarey):
Machine work and installation of new cam bearings $1100 ($220 of that was balancing work)
Gasket set and valley pan (Victor Rienz) $250
Clevite 77 rod and main bearings $314.25
Mahle reduced compression pistons with rings, pins, clips $550
"typ4" cam $200
New Ford lifters $90 (eBay find)
Intake vavles (Perfect Circle) $75
Exhaust valves (EngineTech Stelitte face) $105
Comp cam 910 springs $81
Rear main seal with repair sleeve $42
Head work (had to be redone, 1st shop didn't do what they said they did) $410.26
ARP head studs $215
7.3 PSD intercooler $200
Intake hat $66
Intercooler piping/boots $194
Moose pump $689
Moose injectors $1085
Water pump (new Ford) $95
Head dowels $12.50
New 7.3 rockers (Melling) $95.92
Rodney Red Radiator $750
-------------------------------------------------------------
Total = $6619.67



Heath

 

[dizdak]

HOLY CRAP!!!! icanfixall - even to think near $10k just in engine, damn, that seperates the men from the boys i guess.. i woulda bought another truck for that price!! well as long as it was 92-97 bodystyle anyway..

 

[dizdak]

thats a lot of money in yours too hesutton... nice build sheet as well... i just don't see myself putting that kind of money in one of these motors..

 

[Knuckledragger]

I can't remember or find everything, but my total rebuild was around $3300. Including new pistons, gaskets, ARP studs, and a junkyard engine for $125 that turned out to only be a source for a cam core for Typ4 and some spare rods. Machining total was $960 including balancing and installation of cam bearings, rod bushings and align honing of rods and main journals. Also a valve job and magnafluxing several heads before finding a set without cracks. Still running IP and injectors I bought with the truck.

No turbo because I don't haul anything heavy and don't use the truck much except to deliver to my customers. It will go 75 or so on the freeway, I'm not concerned how fast it gets there.

 

[stumiister]

When I built my engine I got a used wrecking yard engine for $850, machine shop work was about $1200 that included honing the block, new rod and main bearing, polshing the crank, new piston rings, rebuilt heads were about $800 each mine were cracked, new o-rings on the oil cooler. new radiator from Autozone.
Check my sig for anything I had missed.

 

[junk]

I bought a drop in reman engine back in 1998 for my 89 crewcab. At the time I paid $4500 plus tax for it. It was a chunk of change, but has been trouble free. When I say it came complete I mean it was dyno ran before I got it. So it was complete from Fuel filter to oil pan.

Now you were also asking why spend big bucks on an IDI instead of a transplant. I agree that cummins swaps can be done fairly cheap if your handy and find a good used engine. I've also seen them be ridiculously expensive. And in a custom vehicle your the only one that can work on it. Not many shops seem to handle factory vehicles well let a lone a custom rig like that.

I would also say that comparing costs of a fully rebuilt IDI against a used cummins swap is not apples to apples. Rebuild that cummins also then compare the costs.

Now if your out for serious horsepower no doubt a cummins is the winner.

For simple reliability an idi will do just fine for me. Has enough power to do what I want and fairly cheap to keep on the road.

 

[riotwarrior]

am curious after being on the site for a while and reading many posts of extensive mods some have done, i am wondering how much many of you have in your motors..And also for sake of argument why when engine swaps are out there that seem to net more power and more readily available parts? Thanks fellas...

For now...I got what I got into the truck into the engine.

IFN situation changes...THEN all bets off.

I can see 5K easy myself. real real easy....

 

[whalebus]

I have about $400 in the turbo swap and another 2-300 in injectors and small stuff. When I find a good cc 4x4 I will rebuild this motor and put it in the cc. I would pay 4k for a good strong reliable motor. $4k is just a drop in the bucket when you start working on newer stuff. My buddy just dropped $2500 on a water pump and a couple of sensors on his D-max. That's crazy.