Guys,
New to the forums. I've been reading in the shadows for a while now as I have been looking for a new play toy/ project to get my feet wet with a diesel. Funny how every question I've come up with and google searched has landed me here. I must say I have learned a ton already. I love the OBS trucks. My first truck was an 88 F150. I've been in love with them since. I've done a lot of reading and the thing that really intrigues me about the IDI trucks is that they seem to be widely unloved save the few die-hards here. From what I have gleaned so far, the cons for these motors seem to all relate to what is a percieved performance ceiling. The fuel economy seems to be there. The longevity seems to be there. There is not a lot aftermarket support but the parts seem to be available and reasonably priced. So what am I missing? Based on what I have read so far and the dyno charts and etc. I've seen, it seems that 400 ft/lbs at the rear wheels is attainable for a modest investment. I know it's not 600-700, but really, do most people need that? My puny 4.6L V8 only had 285 or so new and gets the job done most of the time.
Anyway, I guess now that I've rambled along, my point is this seems like a reasonable platform to get my feet wet. The things are pretty simple really compared to the new monsters and the investment in finding one compared to an OBS powerstroke is significantly lower for not a ton of difference in performance (after a little work). Would you guys generally agree with most of these observations?
Now the questions....
1. 6.9 or 7.3? I know they are about the same but have some possibly important differences.
2. What is the fuel economy like for an upgraded Moose pump and injectors? (I suspect it has more to do with the loud pedal than anything else.)
3. Are internal upgrades (head studs etc.) required for a moderate turbo/pump/injector upgrade?
4. Dollar wise, any feeling for what a relatively clean, ~100k mile truck should cost? I have seem them on CL and Ebay for 3-4k.
5. I really want a manual 5 speed 4x4. Any special gotcha's in converting these guys from auto to manual? I know a lot of them have the infamous E4OD that I definitely don't want. I've done a couple other gassers over the years.
6. Gear ratios. My gut would say typically you want a taller gear in a diesel but 3:55 seems to be really common and would match up pretty well with what I have seen for torque curves. What say you?
That ought to be enough for now.
Thanks in advance.
New to the forums. I've been reading in the shadows for a while now as I have been looking for a new play toy/ project to get my feet wet with a diesel. Funny how every question I've come up with and google searched has landed me here. I must say I have learned a ton already. I love the OBS trucks. My first truck was an 88 F150. I've been in love with them since. I've done a lot of reading and the thing that really intrigues me about the IDI trucks is that they seem to be widely unloved save the few die-hards here. From what I have gleaned so far, the cons for these motors seem to all relate to what is a percieved performance ceiling. The fuel economy seems to be there. The longevity seems to be there. There is not a lot aftermarket support but the parts seem to be available and reasonably priced. So what am I missing? Based on what I have read so far and the dyno charts and etc. I've seen, it seems that 400 ft/lbs at the rear wheels is attainable for a modest investment. I know it's not 600-700, but really, do most people need that? My puny 4.6L V8 only had 285 or so new and gets the job done most of the time.
Anyway, I guess now that I've rambled along, my point is this seems like a reasonable platform to get my feet wet. The things are pretty simple really compared to the new monsters and the investment in finding one compared to an OBS powerstroke is significantly lower for not a ton of difference in performance (after a little work). Would you guys generally agree with most of these observations?
Now the questions....
1. 6.9 or 7.3? I know they are about the same but have some possibly important differences.
2. What is the fuel economy like for an upgraded Moose pump and injectors? (I suspect it has more to do with the loud pedal than anything else.)
3. Are internal upgrades (head studs etc.) required for a moderate turbo/pump/injector upgrade?
4. Dollar wise, any feeling for what a relatively clean, ~100k mile truck should cost? I have seem them on CL and Ebay for 3-4k.
5. I really want a manual 5 speed 4x4. Any special gotcha's in converting these guys from auto to manual? I know a lot of them have the infamous E4OD that I definitely don't want. I've done a couple other gassers over the years.
6. Gear ratios. My gut would say typically you want a taller gear in a diesel but 3:55 seems to be really common and would match up pretty well with what I have seen for torque curves. What say you?
That ought to be enough for now.
Thanks in advance.
