# 89' 7.3 IDI to 94.5' and up 7.3DI turbo "power stroke" swap



## nilzlofgren (Oct 1, 2008)

Is it possibe to swap an 89' 7.3 IDI with a 94.5' and up 7.3DI turbo "power stroke"? Planning on a new motor in the summer of 09', and just trying to get my ducks in a row. Will stick with the 7.3 IDI if I have to, but would like more HP and torque. Is it possible?


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## Marco (Oct 1, 2008)

wouldn't it be easier to turbo the idi engine, maybe add an intercooler


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## nilzlofgren (Oct 2, 2008)

Wouldn't the engine need to be set up for the turbo though? I think turbo charged engines have different compression ratios than their non turbo counterparts, among other things. I don't want to tear the engine apart, I would like to just do a swap.


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## spacemule (Oct 2, 2008)

The idi is a lot better engine than the power stroke.


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## boostnut (Oct 7, 2008)

You may want to contact Banks, i think they make a turbo kit for that engine.


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## nilzlofgren (Oct 7, 2008)

I was just on their website, The turbo kit looks promising.


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## epicklein22 (Oct 7, 2008)

spacemule said:


> The idi is a lot better engine than the power stroke.



You really think so? I know a lot of people that swear by the 7.3ps. Those older diesels are pretty reliable but lack in the performance department as the newer diesels.

A banks turbo would be sweet and cheaper, a good idea to me.


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## STLfirewood (Oct 7, 2008)

If I was going through the pain of a swap I wouldn't swap in a Power Stroke or turbo the IDI. I would swap a Cummins 12v in that things. They make the adapter plate for the tranny and the motor mounts to make it work. Then you would have a real diesel in that thing.


Scott


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## woodchuck361 (Oct 7, 2008)

STLfirewood said:


> If I was going through the pain of a swap I wouldn't swap in a Power Stroke or turbo the IDI. I would swap a Cummins 12v in that things. They make the adapter plate for the tranny and the motor mounts to make it work. Then you would have a real diesel in that thing.
> 
> 
> Scott



You got that right! Now if they would make a plate to bolt that to an Alison trans in a Ford truck with the 12valve motor you would really have something.


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## berry5 (Oct 7, 2008)

i done that to my truck its not that bad ill send you a pm with my phone number


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## custom8726 (Oct 7, 2008)

I have two non- turbo 7.3 long blocks complete w/ low miles if any one is in the market for one there just sitting in the garage taking up space.


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## spacemule (Oct 8, 2008)

epicklein22 said:


> You really think so? I know a lot of people that swear by the 7.3ps. Those older diesels are pretty reliable but lack in the performance department as the newer diesels.
> 
> A banks turbo would be sweet and cheaper, a good idea to me.



The newer power strokes do have a boatload of power, but they've got an exotic fuel system powered by engine oil pressure and extremely expensive parts and don't seem to be as reliable. The old 7.3's had sufficient power, got better fuel mileage, were cheaper to work on, more reliable, and would go a lot more miles than the truck would hold together. They drove like a diesel--not like a gas engine. You had to build up the rpms and get going, but they would hold speed pulling a lot of weight.


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## Madsaw (Oct 8, 2008)

Lets see, take a 7.3 IDI add a banks or others turbo. then atleast a 3 inch exhuast no muffler. Then turn the pump up 15 % then advance the timeing a few degrees. Also make a cold air intake for it. This will get you to the factory PS engine. If you want to pass that add water injection and a inter cooler.
I ran a 91 with the pump mods and 3 inch exhaust. That alone made that engine wake up. I would pull loads of hay in the range of 6to 7 ton. The truck never had a problem with it. I also ran a fuel milage of about 17 to 18 hwy and 11 to 12 short runs and pulling. The truck had a E4OD with 4.10 gears. I hope by spring it will have a 4 spd manual with 3.23 gears. maybe the nexy step after that will be a gear vendor over drive. That should push it up to 27 mpg on the hwy.
I love the old trucks with out must electronincs to bug with.
Bob


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## Madsaw (Oct 8, 2008)

Also go to Fordforums.com regsiter tehre and go to the diesel board for the yr of truck you have. Them guys are real gear heads there.
Bob


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## Ten_Bucks (Oct 9, 2008)

X2 on swapping in a 12V Cummins. Here's a couple of websites that will help you with that.

http://destroked.com/

http://cummins-conversion.com/

Scott


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## nilzlofgren (Oct 9, 2008)

Maybe I'll just stick with 7.3 IDI.


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## Steve G (Oct 9, 2008)

It wouldn't be worth it to put a stroker in your IDI... I have a 92 idi and I have been researching the banks and ATS turbo systems for a while as I am planning on putting one on my truck. Here is a link to the banks system.
They actually increase your fuel economy and give you alot more power!
We just blew the tranny on our truck haulin' a tractor up a heep of a grade.
Before that we overflowed the tranny haulin' logs up another hill... and after that we overflowed it while haulin' a heep of wet dirt in the bed.
So I am thinking of putting the Banks turbo on my truck to give it alot more power than we have now.
Btw, they go for around $3500.... a heap of money but I hear they're worth it!
I'm planning on installing it myself but they say you can have it installed if you want.

Steve


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## gink595 (Oct 9, 2008)

spacemule said:


> The idi is a lot better engine than the power stroke.



Yeah right, the PSD's were so bad that they basically drove the popularity of the diesels to what they are today. We used to have a 7.3 IDI. Though I always enjoyed the character the motors had, it is no where is comparison to a PSD in power or reliablity, a glow plug drops and it won't start, they didn't like cold weather starts and we had to replace a motor at 125K. I have 250K on a 97 and the only real failure I've had is the tranny but no big news with a Ford, some common problems with the GenI powerstrokes were the glowplug relays(about every couple years) and cam sensors, some of the earlier ones had injector O-ring problems but they came up with a upgrade kit and I haven't had a problem since. Injectors are expensive but the first failure I had with one was at 150K some of the original injectors are still plugging away. I would definatly own another Gen I PSD, Or do the swap for a cummins in the Ford chassis. I'll X that bridge when I get there.


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## gink595 (Oct 9, 2008)

spacemule said:


> They drove like a diesel--not like a gas engine. You had to build up the rpms and get going, but they would hold speed pulling a lot of weight.



Now how is that typical to a diesel, building RPMs to get going? You should be making good power at a low RPM.


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## nilzlofgren (Oct 9, 2008)

gink595 said:


> Yeah right, the PSD's were so bad that they basically drove the popularity of the diesels to what they are today. We used to have a 7.3 IDI. Though I always enjoyed the character the motors had, it is no where is comparison to a PSD in power or reliablity, a glow plug drops and it won't start, they didn't like cold weather starts and we had to replace a motor at 125K. I have 250K on a 97 and the only real failure I've had is the tranny but no big news with a Ford, some common problems with the GenI powerstrokes were the glowplug relays(about every couple years) and cam sensors, some of the earlier ones had injector O-ring problems but they came up with a upgrade kit and I haven't had a problem since. Injectors are expensive but the first failure I had with one was at 150K some of the original injectors are still plugging away. I would definatly own another Gen I PSD, Or do the swap for a cummins in the Ford chassis. I'll X that bridge when I get there.



I never had a PSD, so I cant vouch for them. As far as your IDI having those problems, I'd says thats a rare case. My IDI is the most reliable engine I've ever had. Never a problem. And it pulls 10 tons. So, Maybe I'll just replace the 7.3 IDI with a 7.3 IDI. As far as the Cummins, nothing against Clessie and the boys, but I'd rather try to stuff a small Cat in there.


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