Hey guys! Some of you may know me from the '99-'03 7.3L forum, but many don't. I've shared what I learned with AE, FORScan, Torque Pro, and other scan tools/gauges/apps - and some of you have dropped in to utilize the information.

I am replacing my engine with an early OBS engine that I plan to upgrade to SD with big sticks and turbo, and my current situation may grow less rare with time, so I bring this up:

Clay is now selling the freeze plugs to fill the mechanical fuel pump hole in the valley on OBS 7.3Ls. He is also selling the whole front cover to work with the SD oil pickup tube, and the water pump housing. To "put a cherry on top", he has it in the works to make an 8-bolt billet intake plenum to work with the SD 3" CAC system - complete with O-ring seal. While the 8-bolt plenums aren't here yet, they won't be made in any significant numbers or even in a timely fashion unless he knows there is interest out there.

So.... Realizing this isn't a common occurrence (yet), I wanted to share with the forum that if you have an early OBS 7.3L Powerstroke, it can be fully ramped up to SD status with bigger HP than stock. If you know of someone in this situation, you might share the info and have them call Clay at Riffraff Diesel.

I looked at the Beans intake plenum, and it's nothing more than a beefier version of the original (for a much higher price), and you still have to use the sealant. It's the sealant that has been a failure point for many when the big boost whacks it upside the head. Many (including myself) have had the sealant fail with a SD stock turbo and a tune. The key element to the Riffraff design is that O-ring seal. I know that on my truck - it's already taken a helluvalot more torture than the original sealant survived.

For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, here's what a 10-bolt design looks like:






For the curious folk, here is my progress so far:

 

VERY interesting!! I like the way you are thinking....following!!

 

I was looking for some as I have leak on mine but I have a stock turbo and those 3 in inlets are too big unless there is a different Y to get

 

What is the benefit of an obs 7.3l over an SD? Forged rods?

 

The obs trucks were the ones with forged rods.

So obs heads take 8 bolt plenums?

 

They used forged rods until sometime in 01. Although there is some blocks in 2000 that have pmr's. Travis did a nice write up about it in the stickies

 

My 2000 SD has forged rods, so that isn't it. It's a simple matter of needing a good used engine that doesn't need a rebuild. All I could find in my area at the time was a 94.5-95 engine with low miles in a junked shuttle. I believe the '96 and later units had the 10-bolt heads, and the HPOP changed design at that time. When I'm done, this will be a full-blown SD engine at 400 HP.

I have two of these early engines (very long story), and both have been stripped of all things OBS (one still has the exhaust manifolds on it). I'm getting ready to liquidate this stuff filling my shelves - Riffraff Diesel will give me $100 each for the HPOP cores. I have the A0 and AA injectors in the engines yet.

 

Sorry i didnt mean to highjack, i am just getting ready to build the 96 PSD i have to replace the IDIT that just gto totalled. So i have to relearn a whole new engine.

I really like your parts supply, does rifraf make a Y pipe for the intake plenum for an intercooler?

 

Ic spider usually is home built,e99 type,banks or c/x racing
As options.

Too bad those purty plenums won't for under my turbo. Just too tall.

 

My friend Cody put an IC in his OBS... but I won't repeat the language he used.

He also took a '73 Ford P/u and slid a 2002 SD 4X4 frame under it with the 7.3L - IC and all. What a beast, but that thing is so BA.

 

Put a 468 in there ...it's awesome!

 

I ran a water/air intercooler on my 93 IDIT with the SX257 turbo, i plan on running this same setup on my PSD. I have pre turbo, post turbo, and post IC temp gauges too where i monitor the efficiency of it. No need to cut radiator core and no boost lag because theres only about 3ft of piping

 

Eek... that's a lot of boots to look for leaks.

Nice job!

 

There's only 4 boots under pressure. All the other couplers are holding thermocouplers to measure temperature before turbo, after, and after intercooler or to protect to the piping where it could vibrate and wear against something.

 

Ah.... I see it now. Us SDers have 6 boots to worry about, plus the intake plenum seals.