turbo IDI longevity

vegas39

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So we hear guys on this site mentioning that their NON turbo IDI's run three and four hundred thousand miles before they wear out.

We also know that ford did some internal changes to the 94 IDI when they offerd a turbo option.

What about us that are running aftermarket turbos on our trucks. How much will they shorten the life of an engine that wasnt meant to be turbocharged?

My 86 had the turbo installed just after it was new but I only have 115,000 thousand miles on the truck and it was never driven hard until I bought it, just a little over a year ago.

How many guys here have been running a turbo on the same engine for 200,000 plus miles with no ill effects? Not counting 6.9 head gasket replacements, I know they are finicky without head studs.

Thanks.
 

Danoflapper

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My factory turbo has got 225k and counting. No blowby to speak of unless Im checking it wrong. Still starts great in the cold.
 

vegas39

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My factory turbo has got 225k and counting. No blowby to speak of unless Im checking it wrong. Still starts great in the cold.

Yeah but according to Ford, they beefed up the bottom end of the turbo engine, among some other changes.
 

1320Cummins

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Mine is happy and healthy at 235,000 and I am pretty sure the bottom end will make it to atleast 400,000. but im not going to be the one to see if it makes it or not.
To check blow by you need to remove the CDR hose that runs into the air filter housing.
 

1320Cummins

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Yeah but according to Ford, they beefed up the bottom end of the turbo engine, among some other changes.

Turbo engines had these internal changes...
Inconel exhaust valves
Heavier fire rings on head gaskets
Hard anodized piston tops
Keystone ring groves and rings
And a 17% increase in wrist pin diameter
 

icanfixall

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Ford nor International did anything to the bottom end of these motors. They are the same crank from the 6.9 to the turbo 7.3. Franklin Auto made a claim that the turbo blocks were 110 thousands wider in the block crank webs... I don't see this a possibility. How would the crank fit into the block?? I have been "looking" for a turbo block so I can post what I find. My oem motor in my 89 crewcab went 275,000 miles before it was opened up for coolant leaking into a cylinder. Never did find it either. I built test plates so I could pressure test the block for leaks like cavitation... Found none... Must have been a head gasket leaking into a cylinder on the drivers side. I think number 5 or 7 piston was really clean...:sly At 89,000 miles I drove it up to Banks and had them install a sidewinder wastegated turbo. At around 200,000 miles it cavitated on number 7 cylinder... Sleeved same and replaced the piston and rings and rod bearing. The passenger head never did come off...:eek: That head gasket was the oem and it came off tuff too. No evidence of any leaking of anything... Nuff said for stock head bolts and gaskets....I ran that motor hard towing as much as 16,000 lbs gross weight boosting at 12 psi...
 

7bicks

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Either way mine has 344,000 as of today, and many of them are not easy miles but there are some highway miles.
Same transmission, rear end etc...
 

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