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new to PSN, hopped up IDI.

708K views 3K replies 183 participants last post by  887.3DirtyD 
#1 ·
whats up PSN? I noticed there is a decent sized IDI section over here, so I thought I would bring my current build and the new build (starting next week) over here to share, and hopefully help people revive their old motors.

I bought this truck last june in hopes of using it to replace my 2001 Chevy 2500HD w/ 6.0. The chevy was a great tow rig, but the gas mileage flat out sucked. I owned 94 PSD a few years back and was never impressed with it (stock), liked the idea of the mechanical IDI's, and refused to hear that they wouldn't make power.

So... $500 later I brought this truck home - (see it in the background)



I started by tearing the engine down to the block, and no further. I had custom MLS gaskets cut for it, used ARP head studs, modded x-over and up-pipe, built my own 3" exhaust housing, and used the 3" banks downpipe. 4" straightpipe from there, DPS turbo cal pump, and DPS stage 1 sticks. I later upgraded the compressor side of the ATS 093 turbo, which helped alot, but is still not good enough, as the exhaust side of this turbo is an issue as well.

this is what I started with:



and this is what I ended up with (picture taken months later)



I put a PSD ZF5S47 trans behind it with SMF conversion and 12.5" southbend clutch.

Now, this truck is an absolute rust bucket, I dont particularly care for the slantnose body style, and it is a HEAVY pig... 8,000lbs with a full tank of fuel and driver. I added as many nice things as I could, because it is my dedicated tow rig, but it was mainly a "tester" to see what kind of power and efficiency I could pull out of the IDI.

Here is its purpose:

14,720lbs with 60 of 100gallons of fuel.



I have put 13,000 miles on it since about november, 2600 miles of that was recently done when I PCS'd from Ft. Polk, LA to Ft. Lewis, WA.

I learned alot about my setup during the trip, as most of it was in high elevation, and pulling 3 separate mountain passes. Here is a shot I snagged (notice 7200ft elevation on my gps speedo.)

This was pulling one of the grades through utah



The GPS speedo is nice, but the needle accells slow, and the final readout is a couple mph low. Speedhut says this happens sometimes, and I can send it in for a free reface (100mph) and recal on them. I will probably do this before I sell the gauge cluster.

Go pedal extremely limited by EGT's... I could only safely push around 14-15psi tops on grades without getting EGT's out of control, or the turbo starting to surge (remember I said the exhaust side still sucked)

here is a video of the flatbed pulling roughly a 7% grade here in washington....



here is a ride along video


and finally a dyno video


the dyno was a mustang dyno... Now, there was a little bit of a "controversy" started by members on another board about the validity of this dyno run because I didn't have RPM readout. The dyno shop did not have a crank probe, or the right software to calibrate RPM through the rollers, so we only had an accurate torque readout, hp readout is just randomly generated, as the machine doesnt know the RPM to calculate it off of torque.

The pull was from 40mph-72mph in 4th gear, and I guestimated the RPM range (on the road after the pull as well) to find that its roughly 1600rpm - 3200rpm, so I calculated the HP in with the formula on my own, it may not be dead nuts perfect.. but its close enough to have a good idea.



So at this point IMO the IDI power rumors have been completely squashed by putting in a good fuel system, modifying the exhaust, and swapping to a better compressor on the still ####ty stock ATS turbo, and I was able to create this power. It certainly has room for much improvement in the efficiency side, but overall was a success.

So, I purchased this:





7.3 Turbo, power everything, a/c, air seats, 5spd, blah blah blah. A MUCH nicer cruiser, but gutless.

I will be selling a bunch of parts including a complete ATS 093 kit (minus stock air box) with 3" exh housing and DP, as well as many other parts...

because....

starting next weekend the flatbed is being torn down, engine pulled out, parted out, ect.... to be repowered and placed in the new truck.

I'm not laying all of my cards out now, but a few hints and teasers would be that I am using an S300 chassis turbo, d-max style exhaust, a custom-hybrid 4-plunger injection pump, intercooled, water injected, and a bunch of other goodies that I will post and document as I start the build up. For anyone that has ever possibly seen my builds on Pirate or any other websites... I build fast, so you wont be waiting for months to see the results!!

Enjoy!
 
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#2 ·
Good to see you over here! I ll be watching your build closely, as I hope to do something similar someday.
 
#3 ·
Good luck on the 4 plunger John Deere hybrid pump. I've been trying to get one built for a long time. It's really hard to find a matching rotor head and 8cyl distribution assy.

I would like to see a dyno with a tach/ optical.
 
#4 ·
There has already been 3 of the 4plunger pumps built, mine will be completed in a few weeks, to make 4. PM me for more info.

As for the dyno, I have found a shop semi-local to me now that has the software to get RPM through roller speed, so when this new motor/truck is complete I will have a dyno sheet with RPM.
 
#6 ·
I'm guessing you either didnt read, or just simply missed what I typed up about the dyno, but that's ok man.

The mustang dyno I ran on didn't have the software to calc RPM through roller speed, therefore I was unable to get an RPM readout, which is why the HP curve is weird and reading is low, its basically a generic readout due to the dyno computer not having a rpm to calculate with. On that sheet, only the torque readout is accurate, but knowing that my pull was 40-72mph - roughly 1750-3200rpm (earlier I stated 1600rpm, I recalced and that was low), one can plot that out along the grid and do the math themselves, to get a close estimate.

torque * RPM / 5252 = HP

Peak HP on that run is in the 300-320rwhp range.

In that engine I have $750 into the fuel system, $200 into my j-yard turbo, $300 in exhaust parts, $400 for turbo upgrade parts, $200 for HG's, and $200ish for studs.
 
#8 ·
Yes, rougly $2k is what I've been saying. The new engine I bid in the $4k range, that was before I got a KILLER deal on my new turbo.... lets just say it dropped my bid down to the $3k range.

.... Yes, I've been on oilburners, I'll just say that they seem to be allergic to outside-the-box thinking and high powered IDI's. Probably better we just leave it at that. However, due to the same reasoning, expect to see 3 more guys over here with their buildups in the very near future.
 
#9 ·
Glad to see you here NMB2. Forget about oilburners, you are correct about them not thinking outside the box. And dont worry about voicing your opinion here, you will NOT get vacations, locked down or banned. I wish you did your build before I got the plans to put a built powerstroke into my 86
 
#14 ·
I need to dyno mine again before i change my turbo and rebuild it.

Im still 100% original never opened. Ive done 1 valve cover gasket in the 6 years ive had it.

I blew the stock turbo and im going to change that crappy to4e i tossed on there just to keep it running.

I did just over 200/400 rwhp/tq through a zf5 stock gears and 37" tires on 100% stock engine stock headgaskets, stock original pump turned up, with the guys from diesel power magazine there to witness it. They did their "project" idi after i ran and put down 98rwhp iirc.


Im going to build my 94 block up once i get a temporary replacement. The 94 has a little better platform to start from.
 
#15 ·
ah so thats you they are doing the article with. Ken had them contact me after I threw down 300/550 but I don't want an article/writeup done with my POS flatbed (really, the truck is a rust bucket). I told them to hold out for my new IDI I'm starting on that will be going into that nice OBS CC DRW.

After I complete this motor depending on interest, there is a possibility myself and a friend (soon to be a member) will start selling our own brand turbo kits for these things.

My motor will be torn into the bottom end, milling the pistons and balancing it out. I will be running the DB4 pump and what not, his truck will have a stock bottom end, running a DPS turbo cal pump. Basically my engine is going to be the "stage 3" and his will be the "stage 2" for people that want bolt on performance numbers, with respects to my current engine being "stage 1" I guess.

I looked into running a 94 turbo block (which my CC has) but I decided against it. the strength difference between the 32mm and 28mm pins is not enough to care about when you take into the consideration the stronger cylinder walls with the 6.9. We looked into boring the 6.9 pistons out to accept the 32mm pins but decided it wasn't worth the risk. Instead my 28mm pins and rods will just be cryo treated which will bring them above 32mm strength anyways, as well as everything in there being coated so the oil will run off faster, keeping the piston cooler.
 
#19 ·
About to send my pump out to get converted to 4-plunger. To answers a previous question, the pumps are using GM DB4 internals to convert over. I also purchased upgraded dual spring PSD valve springs.

I decided on a cam grind which will be done monday, I am also sending out my cam/valve springs/pistons/piston rings/wrist pins/rods to Dean in california to get put in the freezer!!

I also ordered up the parts to build my exhaust/turbo kit.
 
#21 ·
subscribed! glad to see you made it over here nbm2! i was wondering which forum you would be moving too. cant wait to see the new build!
 
#25 ·
with the proper fueling settings, I think it would be fine. My truck acted fine without being spooled up, not a smokey rattly engine like some have claimed (I think it was due to user tuning) As long as the fueling curve and max fuel match the desired boost level, there is nothing to lose, only to gain by using a pump with superior fueling/timing curves.

Also if you do call and talk to Ken, BJ, or Mike, just let him know you were interested in what you seen on my truck, just tell him NMB2 or Justin.
 
#26 ·
Ok so I got the motor pulled down a little bit more today. I was really tired after I got off work so I came home and took a nap, I know... I'm a lazy bitch. Anywho, I got a couple hours of work, some liquor, and here is where I'm at.






































 
#36 ·
Forgive the stupid question, but what are the scuff or scratch marks on the last two pics? I wasn't quite sure what I was seeing. Also, why do you think there are stress fractures on the pistons?
 
#31 ·
I've been thinking about this for awhile. If you were able to eliminate the swirl chamber and convert the head from an IDI to a DI setup would there be potential for making big power. Like 500+ hp? You would also have to have bowl type pistons as well huh?
 
#32 ·
not worth the money. At that point you essentially have a powerstroke, and that defeats the purpose of building up an IDI. I do think that power level is attainable with IDI though. My last engine was over 350hp at the crank, I think the new engine will be 150hp more, and a CRAP LOAD more efficient.

progress from tonight -

















all of the pistons have hairline stress fractures in the exact same spot around the edge of the valve relief. I don't think the pistons were anywhere close to failure.

However, I bought these tonight -

Ford/Navistar 6.9/420 Silvolite Pistons (cast) .030 OS | eBay

they are spec'd @ 19.7:1 with 4" bore, so they will be slightly lower with the overbore, and I may end up shaving a tad more off. My target CR was 18.5:1, as long as I hit 19:1 I will be in good shape for all of my figures still.

Best part of the deal, $203 shipped, summit and other places fetch $900 for that piston set.

Cam will be going to the grinder tomorrow. I am going to purchase the Comp 910 valve springs, but I am waiting till the cam is done so I can find out what size push rods I need. I have a pretty good relationship with the guys over at Comp cams from purchasing a bunch of SBF stuff in the past, so they can probably give me a better/package deal on the springs, lifters, and magnum push rods.

Block and heads will be going to the machine shop friday. Block will be cleaned, magnafluxed and bored .030 over. Heads will be cleaned, ect and 3-angle valve job.

Here are some pictures of my turbo











more pics to come as parts roll in/progress happens.
 
#34 ·
Sweet build. I wish I would have got an idi now. Everyone but moose said I could never get to 300hp
 
#39 ·
Nice. Looking good sofar. Are the 94 pistons coated from the factory? I read somewhere that they were.


I just bought a 97 powerstroke so the idi is coming out of my bronco and it's going to be used in another project that will be epic.
 
#41 ·
Its a tri coat which involces piston pins and rods. I will tell you more when its done. As for what caused the cracks, heatno doubt. I cant tell you how my times i ran the engine up to 1400* pulling hills, holding 1200* for 5 to 10 minutes at a time.
 
#42 ·
Ya I'll definitely be interested to hear bout the tri coat whenever. And ya 1400* and holding 1200* will definitely do that for sure! Damn heat! Haha. It does kinda show how tough our pistons are though. They didn't look destroyed.
 
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