Well, I got rid of my 2010 F250 with the 6.4 Powerstroke a few months ago. It was a nice truck, but I missed having a crew cab too much (the F250 was a supercab) so I sent the F250 down the road. I replaced it with a 2011 gas powered crew cab because for 2011 the gas engine equipped trucks were rated to tow what I needed. I missed having a diesel rumble though so I kept an eye out for a 7.3 Powerstroke at a good price to have as a work truck. Well, a couple of weeks ago I found that truck. I picked up a 1997 F350 XL 4x4 regular cab, Powerstroke, with the ZF S5-47 5 speed AND an 8 foot Western Unimount Pro plow for $3300. The truck had the bed, front fenders and one of the doors replaced last year and repainted so there is no visible exterior rust on the truck (the paint job isn't bad either, but it's not factory quality either) and the undercarriage looks good too. It's only got a little surface scale on the undercarriage, the shackles are all solid and the oil pan and oil cooler were replaced by the last owner. Oh and the truck runs strong (previous owner used it as a daily driver) and only has 135,000 miles.

I'd like to do a few things to make the truck even nicer and I already plan on sand blasting the plow, patching one small hole, and repainting it. I was also planning on wire brushing the frame and cleaning the under carriage really well and painting the frame and bottom of the floor pans, inner wheel wells, etc. with some POR 15 to keep them nice. Power wise, I'm ecstatic that it's a stick instead of an auto and don't want to do anything crazy BUT I'd love to have a little more power. I have no interest in getting into bigger injectors, or anything too involved. I would like to keep things pretty close to stock in fact. However, I would love to get this bad boy to the power levels that the '03 Super Duties had before the 7.3 was retired. Ideally I'd love to be around 275-285 horsepower (no more than 300) and about 550 lbs ft of torque (I think the 2003 was rated for 275, 575?). I plan on plowing with this truck and using it to tow my tractor or dump trailer so it needs to remain streetable and not wreak havoc with my clutch and tranny.

I know that all engines will behave differently and there is no guarantee for anything. However, I'm wondering if the following mods would most likely get me in the ballpark of where I want to be: Intake, MRBP 3" downpipe and 4" exhaust, and a TS chips style 6 position chip on one of the milder settings? I don't want to spend more time tuning and wrenching than driving so I want to keep things at levels that Ford would have been comfortable selling the truck at. Should I at least be close with the aforementioned mods. Eventually (when I refill my fun money pool) I would probably also like to add an intercooler (probably a Banks because I want to be able to get everything I need in one shot and just bolt it up). What does everyone think of my recipe? My 6.4 Powestroke was really more than I needed at its factory stock 350/650 so I figure if I can get to the 290/600 area and keep the highest level of reliability then I would be ecstatic. Thanks

 

Just need stage1's, IC, Exhaust, Intake and chip.

If its an Automatic, the 4r100 was a bit better trans than the e4od.

So a shift kit would help you out there.

With the banks kit, the IC isn't as nice as a 6.0 kit and more expensive, but its a bolt up system like your looking for.

You can order your injectors and chip strait from Jim at Rosewood Diesel, who is our forum sponsor.
And you can pick up the exhaust and intake from Clay at Riffraff, and whatever other goodies you'll want like gauges and kits.

 

I agree with what both have stated, but I think you're going to have a hard time reaching that power level without putting bigger injectors in it. The Super Duty trucks have 130cc injectors. Unless your OBS is a Cali model, it has 90cc injectors. You're just going to have a hard time getting more than about another 50-60HP out of those stock sticks.

If you're okay with only getting another 60 HP out of it, then you're right on track. Go to Riffraffdiesel.com and get yourself a 6637 air filter setup, a MBRP or Diamondeye 3" downpipe, a 4" exhaust system (plenty of different options there). For the chip, I would recommend you look at a TS 6 position chip with custom tunes on it. You can get that in any one of a bunch of places. The IC is, IMO, optional unless you end up with bigger than stock injectors.I would, however add a set of gauges to your list if I were you. You will want to watch the EGT's. If you don't have trouble with them the IC isn't really necessary. It will depend a bit on whose tunes you end up with. Or you can do the IC anyway and not have to worry about it.

That should get you close, but I don't think you're going to break the 290 mark without bigger injectors.

The other thing you may want to look into is whether the flywheel has been replaced with a Single Mass flywheel conversion. I don't hink you need to worry too much about the clutch holding at that power level unless it is in bad shape already, but you should take a look down there and see if it still has the dual mass flywheel in there. If it does, that will need to be done sooner or later.

Sounds like a fun project! Post up some pictures of the progress.

 

60 hp at the most with stock 90 cc injectors.
Thats with everything perfect.

 

Intercooler might be an important thing because he said he plans to pull his tractor and if running elevated power, may build EGT fast and into danger zone. Instead of intercooler, could do a water/methanol injection kit to keep the intake charge cooler and get a little more power.

 

Intercooler isn't a bad idea but I don't think it would be an absolute necessity with stock injectors. Tunes or no tunes, he is still only flowing 90ccs of fuel. Installing the gauges would tell you right away whether there was going to be an issue with the EGT's.

 

Agreed with them. Here are some links of the order I would do(did) things in:
Riffraff Diesel: Diamond Eye 4" Turbo Back Exhaust (offroad)
Riffraff Diesel: RDP 6637 Filter Kit
92-97 Ford F-Series Truck Custom Gauge Package
Then a TS style 6 position chip with custom tuning of your choice.
Then I would do an intercooler setup which I have no link for since I bought pieces to put mine together.
And then:
Riffraff Diesel: Terminator T500 HPOP
And now that you are safely prepped... injectors!
Rosewood Diesel Shop

With the T-500 and the mods listed previous you should be safe up to stage 1s any bigger and you have to up your turbo... but for sure that all would get you to thuper duty power levels!

Oh and make sure you have a strong built transmission...and your brakes are good.. and all that small but important stuff.

 

Thanks very much for the input so far. I checked and the valve cover lists my engine as producing 225 horsepower. I've done some additional checking and it looks like in 2003 the Powerstroke was rated for 275 horsepower and 525 lb ft of torque with the manual transmission. If I can get 50 horsepower without having to replace injectors, that's probably the direction I'll start in. At least I know that I can add injectors to those mods without really having to back track at all. When the injectors start having issues, then I'd likely move up to the stage 1 package.

If I eventually put bigger injectors in and get it to about 300 horsepower and maybe 575 lb ft of torque am I really at risk of hurting my transmission? Would I be okay by just replacing the existing clutch with a valair one rated for 350 horsepower or so? I don't want crazy power levels when towing, I'd be pleased with 250/500 for towing use. I'd probably only want the higher power levels when not towing as I understand that often times the best fuel economy is achieved at levels slightly higher than what is recommended for towing. Would I be at real risk of damaging the ZF S5-47 with 250/500 at the crank when towing?

Lastly I will eventually want to add gauges too. Heck I think they look really cool as well as being functional, win/win right? Are the recommended 1500 degree pyrometer, 60 psi boost and 100 psi fuel pressure (as recommended from the website in Awitte's link) the best way to go? I wouldn't imagine there's a really good way of putting in a temp gauge on the manual, but if there was I'd probably place a higher value on the temp gauge than the fuel pressure.

Thanks again for all the insight.

 

Stock boost you will see maybe 20psi max. Typically 15 and under

 

I wouldn't worry about the ZF5 they can hold 500hp witha good clutch

 

I've been checking out those same gauges Alex. I'm thinkin about the quad set up. Do you like the Glowshifts?

 

I do indeed like them glowshifts. I really wish I woulda gone the 4 pillar so I could have Fuel PSI... but now after seeing a recent thread where a dude has 17... it looks so BA that I want guages for EVERYTHING! lol between my CB and guages ill have the entire dash covered

 

Csipsd has about every isspro gauge as he tests them.

 

Sorta off topic, but I live in Commi-fornia; do any of you happen to know how much fuel the Cali injectors put out? I actually have very similar goals for my truck as Lt CHEG

 

I have thought about taking the center folding seat and console out of my truck and building a console with the front part toward the shifter made where it would house about four gauges. Either that or get one of these VDP Shelf-It Overhead Storage Shelf — 200 Chevy Z71, Tan, Model# SH1196 | Interior Storage | Northern Tool + Equipment and modify it to house several gauges and my CB.

I'd get one for a Ford though.......oops.