Originally Posted by Mr4btTahoe
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Like I said in the other thread-are you inexplicably losing coolant? Any white goop in the oil fill cap? Potassium & sodium both going up, in concert with lead, aluminum, & iron-it might be time to start looking for another engine for it, which might be challenging for a 7.3 IDI, too many of them dropping due lack of SCAs causing cavitation & perforating cylinders, plus age. Believe me, if I had a donor 12V Cummins available, I'd make you a great deal on the 7.3 out of my '89, powerless lump!
If you aren't happy with the power... visit
www.IDIPerformance.com
Justin Anderson specializes in IDI goodies... His current rig is making over 475whp (900+ lb. ft.)
I've got a Cummins in my Tahoe... I love the power.. but I also like the fact that the old IDIs will drink just about anything for fuel. We run centrifuged and thinned waste oils on the IDIs... ~$.15 / gallon to produce. The Cummins cokes up injectors quickly on anything heavier than 40% blends. I run the IDI on 100% W80 when at temp without any power loss or issues. Boost definitely helps matters in the power department.
You're right about that, the F-450 IDI will run on almost anything, I've mixed in clean used (non-syn) motor oil, ATF, even clean used mineral refrigeration oil. I could turbo it, but I'm afraid the head gaskets wouldn't like it much. The truck weighs north of 12,000 pounds (all steel Reading steel service body, Lord knows how much weight in parts, and sometimes pulls a trailer to deliver ice cream machines), so nothing is going to make it fast. If I trip over any decent 7.3s, or even a 6.9 IDI, I'll PM you, I'm always on the lookout down here in SW OH & northern KY. If you have Rural King near you, they have Harvest King 15W40 HDEO for $37.99/5 gallon pail, I would run that if I ever run out of Delvac 1300.