I've read lots on this forum about the reliable 7.3L IDI's and am going to look at a 1994 f250 ext can 4x4 turbo diesel automatic with 130,000 miles on it. I know in 1994 you could get the 7.3L IDI with factory turbo Or the Powerstroke. How do I tell which one it is. The guy at the cAmper lot who is selling it( was a trade-in), says it just says "Ford Turbo" on it, so I'm assuming it is the NON-Powerstroke. Says it was built July 1994.

Besides checking for "CSA???" in the coolant what else should i look as far as a diesel goes. I know the 1994 f250 4x4's well, since this truck will replace my old 1994 F250 351 5spd 4x4 gasser.

Thanks
Mat

 

do have the VIN number?
we can tell ya right now which one she is based on that.
sounds like an idi to me so far.
did ya pop the hood? the difference is drastic.

 

um how about is there an IP or not? Is there an IP housing or not? can you see the GP's? The biggest diff is the IP, well at least the most obvious.

 

Haven't seen the truck, going tommorow hopefully.
Thanks

 

this is an IDI non tuurbo but you can see the IP and oil fill cap on the IP housing. The strokes dont have an IP so no Oil fill cap on an IP housing. the turbo on an idi wont change how it gets its fuel.

 

The top of a PowerStroke looks like this

 

Thanks for the pics. New to the diesels.
Mat

 

What you are going to look at is a 7 3 IDI, not a Powerstroke, In 94 you could only get a Powerstroke with a 5sp stick, it was not available with an automatic until the first full production year in 95

 

read my sig, nothing is as it seems. trust me. anyone can do anything to a truck. My truck technically is a 1994 f150 2wd gasser, well thats on the title at least. They didnt make f350 extracab short boxes in that year. It wouldnt be hard to install an auto into a 1994 stroke. Just keep your eyes open and you wont have any problems.

 

they didn't make 4wd dually f250's either?
lol.she probably is a stock idi.chances are.
nice catch and memory there Darrin

 

So I went and checked out and drove the truck on the weekend. It's definetly the IDI turbo. The truck looks and drives great. Zero rust on the body besides some surface rust on the bed. And the underside of Thebes and carb are clean too. The engine was very clean, not too clean like it was just shallows, but very clean for a '94. It's going in for a mechanical inspection today at Cal Tire, and the guy at the lot is emailing me that. Needs new tires and a heater core for sure but other than that in grea shape with the lowest miles I've seen since looking for a diesel up here in Canada.

Ihavent driven many IDI's but this one had nice smooth power, notsure if I noticed a huge power difference with this one being a turbo...
Bit it fires up right away, never got hot. Didn't smoke at all, no black even when I was all the way on it. It was also suprisenly quiet compared to the other IDI's I've checked out. I awoke this is because it's just stock tuned, stock exhaust etc. The turbo also looks like a new or rebuilt one, since it had some grease pencil numbers on it.

I'll see what the mechanical inspection turns up, and will make an offer, with a set of brand new all terai s thrown in. Right now it's on some 255/85/16 Toyo M55's and looks good, any other tire suggestions for mostly pavement but a good month of gravel road driving and lots of rain and some snow year round.
Thanks
Mat

 

Cooper makes a very quiet yet very effective all terrain. It's what i have on my truck.

 

im running goodyear duratracs and they are a strong tire, last quite a while. They do a good job in the mud and snow/ice. They are mountain snowflake rated and are approved for situations requiring either snowtires or chains, like when they do check points. Hope that makes sense! haha

 

Thanks on the tire recommendations, and as far as how the 7.3 with the turbo feels compared to the N/A when driving around empty(like I did on my test drive) is there much of a difference in power?
Really the truck is a bit of an over kill for me, mostly will be a daily winter driver(when the 70, BB Torino is parked), and used to go dirtbiking, and personal home temps and landscaping, bit my old 351 gazer was too much to justify with the fuel consumption so I'm hoping the turbo 7.3 will be a little less thirsty.

Thanks again

 

well as far as thirsty, the turbo'd models can be more effecient, but it all depends on you, how heavy is your foot? If you can keep your foot out of it, you will do nicely. im guessing it has the e4od and if so you will do well.

As for the power difference, that depends on the turbo, exhaust, injectors, ip, etc etc. I know a guy with a idi turbo that cant touch my NA truck but then again he spews an odd color smoke and it shudders at idle, so yeah go figure haha. If everything is tuned right and in good order, you would notice a difference but nothing that will drop your jaw, it wont be like driving one of our idi's then stepping into a 6.7 if that is what you are wondering! hahaha