Hey guys! I have a 1992 F250 w/ a 460, auto tranny, and 4wd. I have always liked the 6.9L. Not sure why? I guess its just the nastalgic part of it! I like my 460 in terms of power. Itll flat out HAUL! If I put the time and effort into a 6.9L, Id want it to make more power than my 460. Im not sure what all thatd entail though? A simple turbo? Internal work? Will I have to swap out trannies? I know the E4OD came on diesels but do they use different flywheels and such? Will my front/rear end handle it and are 3.55 gears enough? The 6.9 isnt exactly "popular" so I should be able to pick one up at a decent price. How much do you guys think itll cost to build it to "respectable"? Thanks guys! Any info is helpful info!

 

A 6.9 isn't exactly a powerhouse. Even the 7.3 idi with a turbo isn't really tough. A 351w has as much torque as a 7.3 turbo. And a 460 has more power than both. It'll be hard to beat the 460 except in the area of fuel economy. Personally if I were to swap in a diesel id use a 7.3 psd.

But anyway. Yes you're truck will handle the 6.9 no problem. I don't know about putting an e4od behind it though. I'm sure somebody knows more on that issue. If you plan to work the truck, id use 4.11 gears.

 

I was readin on the internet and the engine options that came on a 1992 F250. A 460 wiped em all off the map in terms of hp and torque lol. I was just thinkin that a 7.3L IDI makes about 350 ft lbs or so and a PSD makes 500 ft lbs. And (correct me if im wrong) the only difference is a turbo. If thats true, then a trubod 6.9 should make in the neighborhood of 450 ft lbs

 

Well then I'm going to correct you. The 7.3 idi and the psd are 2 different motors with the same displacement. The idi was offered with a turbo for a couple years and matched the 351w in torque. The psd beats all the rest hands down for power. In theory, a turboed 6.9 would have slightly less power than a 7.3 turbo depending on the set up.

 

Ahh gotcha. I figured that was wrong lol.

 

Its a very common misconception since the displacement is the same.

 

Yup. I was reading that website that says hp and tq numbers and it says the 6.9 and 7.3 are identical. I musta mistaked the wrong 7.3 lol.

Anyways, If I did build a 6.9, Id turbo it. Banks makes a trubo called the Sidewinder and says "up to 143 ft lbs of torque". Anytime I see "up to" that means youll never see it. Anyone used a Sidewinder before and what realistic numbers are?

 

One thing to keep in mind with the IDI engines is that you are very limited on the amount of boost you can run. they are typically in the 20:1 CR area while the PSDs are around 17:1. A boost gauge and pyro are required when turbocharging a n/a IDI. The PSDs are a direct injected and use a computer controlled HEUI system. More complex but makes more power and is more precise.

I'm going to catch a ton of flak for this, but people seem to agree that the mechanical injected 5.9L Cummins B series is one of the best diesel swaps for these trucks. There are adapters available so your trans will work, however a stand-alone controller will be needed.

Also- the big block and diesel E4OD share the same bellhousing, however the input shaft, torque convertor, and internal bits (clutches, bands, etc) are different between the two.

 

Im not gonna give ya crap lol. I was actually looking up the parts needed to do a Cummins swap on fordcummins.com. Kinda steep lol. The adapter plate to make it fit to my tranny is $700 alone lol. Thats not including wiring, motor mounts, starter, and a few others to make it work

 

Yeah exactly. And for 700 you could buy a 6.9 and rebuild a whole lot of it. For the cost of the 5.9 swap you could build a reliable 6.9 eith a twin turbo.

 

Since when, the 351w only got up to 340 ft/lbs (stock lightning) whereas the 7.3 N/A was 360 ft/lbs (stock) and the 7.3 IDIT was 388 ft/lbs (stock 4lbs boost and choked exhaust).

The E4OD will work behind a diesel, it will just need a stand alone computer.

 

But even with twin turbos the 6.9 won't touch the cummins. The 6.9 and 7.3 idi engines are very reliable but never were very powerful. My dad still runs a 7.3 with ats turbo in his truck and my 460 will run circles around it. If you just want a good reliable truck with some power build a 6.9 or 7.3 they are both good. but to Match a cummins or a 460 your going to need a power stroke.

 

But where hes getting at is for the same price as a Cummins, I could build a 6.9 and make just as much, if not more powerful. A 12V makes around 450 ft lbs, a 24V makes about 500 ft lbs, and a common rail makes smilar. A 6.9L makes 338 ft lbs. Add a Banks Sidewinder kit which "claims" to add 143 ft lbs and ya got almost 500 ft lbs without doing any other work to it (which I wouldnt stop there). Similar power numbers of a Cummins for half the cost.

 

I was hoping that someone would understand what I was getting at.

 

I understood lol. Half the cost, just as much power and reliability. No brainer! Plus, its a sleeper lol.
"Whatcha got?"
"6.9"
"Whoopdeedoo!"
(black smoke clears and I win) hehe