Since you're so concerned about cost, let's look at things a little closer. What is most likely to fail on either engine? The injection system.

If you have a mechanical Cummins motor, a brand new set of injectors is $400. They are about as easy to install as spark plugs. An injection pump is about $700-900 BUT with proper care they should last the life of the motor. If they do go bad they aren't hard to change.

The Ford motor has EIGHT injectors that cost about $150 each with core for rebuilds. To replace them one must first remove the valve cover and everything else on top of that. Lord help you if your HPOP blows, it's not really a DIY job, unless you're really good. It cost roughly the same as a Cummins injector pump but they aren't known to last as long. tjc transport confirmed this with his experiences. Then you have the whole high pressure oil system that can leak. It also makes the engine very sensitive to oil issues.

Cummins motor does not have glow plugs. It has an intake grid heater, which is eight times easier to change than glow plugs. On top of that, you don't even need the intake heater until about 15 degrees. If your glowplugs are out on your Powerstroke it will not start at 15 degrees, period.

Some generations of Cummins motor have almost no electronics. The only electrical parts are the starter and the fuel cutoff solenoid to turn it off. I don't know exactly how many wires a Powerstroke requires, but it would be referred to as a "harness" and plug into a computer.

The bottom end on either motor is equally reliable. Either will get you 800,000 miles with proper oil changes. The Powerstroke will take more pumps and injectors to get that far. Both motors could be built to give you 500hp and 1000ft lbs in a daily driver.

How is a Powerstroke better? Please do tell.

A stock Cummins powered Dodge is a POS, that is not valid comparison here. He is not building a Dodge. Or even a stock Ford.

 

As a moderator you are expected to set an example. That means not starting pissing matches. This isn't the first time you've argued with me for no reason.

Actually, he did.

 

Whoah, I'm not all that interested in the pissing match going on here. But to be fair you cannot compare mechanical Cummins with computer controlled Powerstroke. It's apples and oranges. The fair comparison is 12V Cummins vs. IDI and 24V Cummins vs. Powerstroke.


To my mind in this context in the money debate the IDI has the edge over the 12V. Though this edge isn't really in parts, it's in original costs. Much cheaper to get buy or build an IDI Ford then build a 12V Ford.

 

Well, if we're only talking about IDI engines, they still have more injectors, and glow plugs. More cylinder drag means less efficiency. The most power the turbo IDI ever made was 190hp and 388ft lbs. Dodges of the same era are 440 torque and more horsepower too. I don't think the Ford would be running many circles around the Dodge, until the trans in the Dodge blows.

Of course, both of those numbers are lame by today's standards, the Cummins is going to be cheaper to get more power out of if you don't want to get passed by an old lady in a prius.

Honestly the cheapest thing to do would be to junk the truck he has and buy a used Ford IDI truck. For whatever reason he doesn't want that, and I can't blame him...

 

No not all of Snohomish is exempt, only out lying towns. They are required at the address I live at but the truck is registered to a family members address that is exempt. Supposedly WA state is getting rid of emissions due to the cost of a 4% failure rate isn't practical. Politicians and practical in same sentence lol

 

No I don't want to junk my 94 cause I got it cheap originally ( like 2800 I think ) about 7yrs ago and it still has about 250k-260k on it. It's a beautiful 2 tone blue with grey cloth interior, extended cab, no rust or body damage.
Engine, trans, D60 and yes I know it is an easy swap and a 4in lift. So no cost isn't an issue, just time lol

 

ummmmm, no!
a stock 88 5.9 was 160 HP and WITH A TURBO.
a stock 88 7.3 naturally aspirated IDI was 180 HP.
throw a turbo on it and turn up the fuel 2 flats and it will kick that same engine over 230-240 hp.

 

Nope, totally wrong as usual. The turbo 7.3 IDI was 190hp and 388ft lbs.
7.3L IDI Diesel

Also the Cummins in the Dodge was never sold without a turbo. The Cummins always had more torque for every year of production than the IDI engines. You can get a STOCK mechanical Cummins engine with 215hp and 440ft lbs. Throw some injectors on it and turn up the fuel and you've got DOUBLE what the IDI was ever rated at.

I thought you were done here?

 

i never said turbo idi, i said naturally aspirated 7.3 IDI.
i am aware the 5.9 was not offered without a turbo, i was simply showing that the turbocharged 5.9 made less power than a non turbocharged 7.3.
put a banks turbo on that engine, turn up the fuel, and open the exhaust and they will make 240-250 hp with no problems. same thing with the factory turbo IDI. get rid of the restrictive exhaust and you kick power output 40-50 hp.
the exhaust on these engine choke them. let them breathe and they make very good power without dumping money into them.
even the non turbo engines wake up quite nicely by just getting rid of the restrictive exhaust.

 

Do that to a Cummins 6bt and you will have closer to 400hp. WTF are you still going on about? Nobody here wants an old IDI but you.

 

I do, I have my reasons and I'm not going to bicker with you about it.

 

But would you go through the trouble and expense to swap one into a newer truck?

 

Define newer truck?

This thread is about a 94, 94 was the last year of the IDI.

In general no, but not cause of the IDI but cause I don't want a "newer" truck. The IDI was stock in plenty of Ford trucks, there's little reason to swap an IDI in many unless you want something unusual, it's more cost effective or something like that. For example a diesel Bronco, a short bed regular cab, or a centurion 4 door bronco and can't find a diesel, etc.

I told the OP what I would do in his shoes and that was an IDI swap.

I'd put one in an older truck, or other make/model. I think a 4WD IDI powered ranchero would be awesome. As would an IDI powered M715, Hummer H1, or full size Wagoneer/Cherokee.

I got a 7.3IDI from a parts truck that I haven't decided what to do with it yet. I got a 87 F350 4WD CCLB SRW with a 460 that needs work it might go into. Or I have a 86 F350 2WD CCLB DRW that it might go in along with the D50TTB from that parts truck.


EDIT
I would seriously consider an IDI Excursion. that's "newer". It'd be more along the lines of an Excursion body on a bricknose F350 frame and drivetrain though.