I was thinking about doing a diesel project in the future and was trying to find a viable diesel motor to use. Now I was thinking I could use a 5.9 cummins but, everyone does that, so I was thinking about the 7.3 idi. I think it would be cool, get good mileage, be unique, and have the wiring complexity of a hammer. My biggest issue is that I`d like to get around 400 horse power and don`t really know if that`s possible persay? Just figured I d see if anyone had any ideas.

 

Without some advanced auto, and fabrication experience...I'm going to say no. If you have money, time, and can be creative, I'll say yes

 

Theres a few around here working on it as we speak....

 

do a Cummins and go for 600.

 

I share youre goal of 400whp as well, were getting there, stay tuned.

 

Once i get some things paid off im going to start building my engine and im shooting for 350 or 400 horse. I can definitely see where your coming from with the cummins thing. A 600 horse cummins isnt really that exciting because they are a commonplace thing. Now a 400 horse IDI would be exciting because its something you never see.

 

you are correct, what ever floats your boat. power or uniqueness. what it boils down to is, what your going to do with it after you build it?

 

either are going to cost ya several thousands.just don't forget to post the pics & dyno slips for us.
you can turn that 400 in your '79 into a idi turbo eating machine very cheap and easy.

 

Like was said before, there are some guys working on it. RacinNdrummin is working on a Db2 that will make around 300hp and both he and NMB2 are working to get a Db4 pushing enough fuel to get to 400hp. The newly upgraded pump will push somewhere around 160cc of fuel. When he dynoed 292/614 he was only pushing about 120cc so now he should be quite close to his goal. Also right now 91dirtydiesel is building a shortbox single cab drag truck that will be around 400-500hp. It should be a pretty unique truck too.

 

But at that token wouldn't half as unique as 79 IDI. There aren't a whole lot of 70's idis around. Let alone built ones...

 

Thanks for all the responses so far. Its interesting to hear and good to know there are people out there who aren`t just settling for a 5.9 cummins, although it`s a great motor.



I`ll have to keep an eye on those guys and their progress. My brother was saying that a big issue with these motors is that there incapability to handle sufficient amounts of boost, along with the lack of fueling abilities?

Any ideas on what all it is RacinNdrummin and NMB2 are doing to get near 400hp?


I`d like to put one in one of my 70`s FORDs and just have something cool, with enough power to run some vehicles off the road.


That would probably be the cheapest and easiest idea, but I`d like something "different".


My point exactly...

 

I'm pretty sure it'd be twice as unique. 400's are junk (flame suit on), and good luck getting one to live trying to hang with a 400rwhp/800rwtq diesel in the same chassis.

Yer killing me Jerad. Posts like this is why I get crazy PM's.

The pumps are individual projects between Racin' and I.

He is doing a .400 plungered DB2. I am "recreating" my DB4, so to speak.

We have shared a few ideas, such as him finding an EDM shop, and me finding upgraded cam pins.....

We use the same EDM shop, and different pump builders.

His DB2 will be somewhere in the realm of 130-140cc's.

My new DB4 is approx 145cc's. My previous DB4 was 128cc's. This is enough extra fuel to support approx 65rwtq. Its hard to say what type of HP it will make because my standard 2.4-2.6rwhp/cc doesn't apply in this situation. My truck should of peaked HP in the range of 2800-3000rpm, but it peaked below 2500.

This is because the previous pump started defueling @ 2300, and pretty much fell off @ 2500. This is not my speculation... this is data from the flow bench.

With the modifications I did to the "new" design, I *should* be able to hold max fuel to the 3000rpm range.

I just wanted to clarify these points because I get PM's almost on a day to day basis and I have no idea where people are coming up with the rumors. I don't mind questions and interest... in fact I love it... just trying to publicly set the record straight so to speak.

 

I would say it could be done for a "few" thousand, likely no more than what it would cost to make a 400 worth more than scrap.

Youre brother is right... kinda. In stock form an idi will not stand up to what most people will consider "alot" of boost, however "alot" is a relative term, and in a stock 6.9 10-12lbs is "alot" whereas a stock 12v 60lbs is "alot". He is right about fuel, a stock pump isnt good for much if any over 200whp, as cited above there are a few who have found, and continue looking for solutions. To add a little speculatoin and curiosity, ive had a little breakthrough and unless ive been BS'd somewhere along the lines, having the fuel and rpm for about 500whp may not be that hard a thing to accomplish. As for boost, mill some stuff, stud some stuff and should be good. Im shooting for 17.5:1 or so and plan to be able to run 50+

 

thats what the FE guys used to say.
(probably some still do,i dunno lol.)

 

Lol. That is why I said you guys are still working on them. I haven't ever told anyone that they are for sale yet. Only that there is a possibilty after testing. Just trying to support you guys and your work.

As for the numbers that those pumps will produce, those are the las numbers that I had heard so I went with that. I d look forward to see how high in the rpm the new one will go though. Also those are some damn big plungers that Racin is using!!!