Okay, I'm not going to pretend that I know something that I don't. What are the coolant additives that you're talking about, and how do I check them?
Some more questions if yall don't mind. How clean is clean when it comes to a truck that's 15 years old?
Does the factory turbo make that much difference? I know that manufacturers specs are normally just advertising, but the 7.3L turbo only looks to add 10 hp and 10 ftlbs of tq. That doesn't seem like much to me, but I don't know anything about them (as if you couldn't tell by the coolant additives question). The only two diesels that I've driven before were Mercedes cars. Neither had a turbo, and they both were a little sluggish getting up to speeds on the CA freeway, but other than that they were fine. The truck that I'm looking for is already somewhat specific (harder to find) so I'm not sure if its worth waiting to find one with a turbo too, or if maybe an after market turbo would be better to begin with.
So much to learn, so little time left before my truck dies....
Great information!
Thanks again!
Mark
Go to the driest area of the country you can find, and find the cleanest one you can find. I'm in the Midwest, like you, and bought all my trucks (unless it was a super deal) from down South. Two trucks from Florida, one from Texas. Eliminate one hassle by buying something that does not need much bodywork or chassis work. The IDI's are not priced very high, no matter the chassis, just because of age and demand. If they have been taken care of they perform adequately stock; they won't set the world on fire. A tweaked pump and injectors really wake them up, and the turbo takes it that much further. But it will not run like a PSD, and as long as you are good with that you won't be disappointed.
The turbo system that was fitted to the Fords was an ATS system, and there are still plenty of IDI Turbos out there. The engine was strengthened to handle the boost, and there are some key differences between the NA and Turbo versions. Read the stickies and it will be the best primer about these things.
The other thing to do is drive all three style trucks (naturally aspirated, IDI Turbo, PSD) and decide from that. If it were my money, I'd get an IDI Turbo, one of Agnem's pumps (the milder version), a set of injectors and a really good timing and tune. It'll run almost as strong as a stock PSD but without the high bills.