What is the best way to turbocharge a 90ish 7.3? Banks?($2000) ATS?($2000) Stock (used) Ford parts?($????)

 

I don't have any experience with either. There are a few people on here in the 6.9 and 7.3l IDI forum running them.
If I recall correctly, the ATS was the preferred system, but not sure.

 

I would suggest just putting headers on it from Stan's Headers. He claims that they gain you 80hp. I think the Banks kit only gains you something like 87hp. Also much easier on the engine. My dad and I belive the man because we put them on his truck. the truck has much more power and the engine runs cooler. They are also much cheaper than a turbo at under $500 plus cost to buy or make a daul exhaust. I know he is on the internet.

 

web site for Stans is www.stans-headers.com they are under the header section not the Diesel header section.

 

I would be very hesitant with a claim that a set of headers could gain you 80hp on a 7.3l IDI.
The reason I say this, as a lot of our 4.2l NA diesel Toyotas we used to have used to run headers to improve performance, cooling and economy.
From a base of 105-115hp (depending on model) it would up it to 120-130hp...
Certainly not the relative increase this gentleman claims. And if you saw the original Toy exhaust manifold it is MUCH worse than the IDI one.
I am not saying it isn't true, but I have grave reservations.

 

That claim was with turnning up the injector pump like we did on my dad's 7.3 idi. It isn't too far it only throws a slight bit of black smoke when you really hammer it. I must say even if the claim isn't true the truck has much more bottom end and has alot more ***** to it. We didn't belive the claim either when we ordered them maybe it is right maybe it is wrong we never had the truck dynoed. Just putting out an alternative.

 

I've seen this question come up many times but what I did was just keep saving while my 89 CC dually did its job I did the math,2k for the turbo, forget the used junk on ebay then you got labor I just don't have the time to do the install and my truck cannot be down to long. I scored a 94 idi factory turbo CC dually on ebay for $3300. I was planning to spend more but waited and got a good deal. The truck is the same as my 89 a 5-speed with 4:10's eccept 5 years newer and much better cond and factory turbo. I sold my 89 for 2 grand which was what I paid 2 years earlier so the upgrade cost me $1300 plus maybe $300 for registration, sales tax ect. So for around $1600 I got upgraded to the 94 turbo. I do alot of towing and with the turbo makes so much difference.

 

The banks kit gains you much more than 87 horsepower, it gives at least a hundred, I used to have one. And some prefer ATS and some prefer Banks, but I don't think there is much difference.

 

go to the idi forum, and look at my banks sidewinder review.

headers are no replacement for a turbo, go turbo, don't go back.

just because they may have an 80 hp gain with headers, it doesn't make it a turbocharged diesel engine.

turbos create different power than a set of 80hp (if that is even true) headers.

ATS, banks, both are good systems, as i have heard at least with the ATS. I went with Banks because it came with the required gauges for hopped up diesels. I didn't have to drill and tap any holes for the pyro sending unit, nor the boost gauge.

Dude, spend the money on a turbo. its worth it, trust me.

 

Yes, the turbo is worth it, now this is just an example, but if you were to gain 80 hp with the headers and 100 with the turbo, why not go both.

 

because the turbo kit comes with turbo specific exhaust hardware