but they didn't just make diesel bronco's.you have to do a conversion anyway.

if your going with the idi,then they already make a full size idi diesel truck and they are already cheap to buy all running.

 

I am not worried about fab, I went to welding school and I am always building something new so I don't care if it is a lot of work and thinking, that's what I am hoping, I want a nice good project to keep me busy.

If I could get a 4bt for cheap I would, but they usually go for a few grand at least and they are normally paired with (from what I have seen) a 4 speed tranny; I would rather have a 5 speed. I don't know if I have said, but I can get an old idi and complete rotted out truck for less than a grand easy.

 

Well, I put a 6.9 and t19 into my 79 F150, and to me it was well worth it. Different generation I know, but still a half ton. I have always loved the 73-79 Fords and they never put a diesel in this generation OR an F150, so I did both. I like it because it's different, having a short bed dentside with an IDI in it. That being said, I kind of wheeled and deal'd to get my truck... Traded another truck that I had bought for $800 for my F150 that came with a bunch of extra parts that I went on to sell for $850. So at that point, I was already ahead with the IDI already in the truck (not wired up or mounted properly), so I decided I'd just finish it up and run with it. I can't say whether or not I'd have gone with this engine if I didn't already have it, but now that I have one in my truck I'd say it was worth it. Like others have said, most people seem to know about what the 4bt is at this point and won't let them go for cheap. If you can score an IDI and a truck that you want it in for a reasonable price, I'd say go for it.

My build thread is here, if you want to check it out: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-pictures.html

 

Yeah, but everything is literally bolt in, the most fab you have to do is drill 4 holes. Its the same with the half-ton trucks. To save 1000-1500lbs for a driver, Id say swapping it into a half-ton would be worth it.

 

Nice build!

 

I was thinking and remembered there is an abandoned factory near where I live as this monster is there. It is a V16 with 4 turbos. I wonder if one of these turbos would work on an idi? At first I though there is no way it would spool it but then I realized something; that is a v16 with 4 turbos! So, each turbo is only powered by 4 cylinders, I think that a 7.3 could spool that. I don't know what that engine is, or how much displacement there is but I think it might be crazy enough to work. I know project smogie had one from a cat c7 I think? Racin, what do you think?

 

Thanks! Hopefully someday I'll be able to treat her to some R&D products.

Dang, that is a huge beast. Not sure on the turbo, but it sure would be cool to see that thing running.

 

You're thinking about this all wrong. Forget just pulling a turbocharger off that thing, just get it running, pull the generator off the end of it, and drop the whole thing into your truck.....


(It'd fit, right?....)

 

In all seriousness... How much boost can I put into a stock 7.3? I don't want to spend several hundred dollars for head studs, that is my main concern. I tried to find an answer, but I have seen anything with a turbo needs studs, and also 20psi is still ok with stock engine. Of course anything else that would not hold up to a turbo let me know.

I am thinking probably about 12-15 psi of boost, will stick injection pump put out enough fuel? I don't think the turbos on that engine (does anybody have an idea what it is?) have wastegates; how hard is it to put one in?

 

drill 4 holes? what about beefing up the front suspension.the front springs are not built to sustain over 1k lbs of just engine alone.depending on what the f150 came with,it could have the lightest springs for the 300-6.the radiator support needs to be swapped out for the no longer in production diesel support and the diesel radiator swapped in.the rear tanks pickups needs to be swapped out for the diesels with return ports.dual fuel lines of 3/8 need to be run.
then what do you have? a light duty truck with a big,slow,heavy v8 made to tow and haul heavy all day long that the truck isn't rated for.so you've spent all this time swapping in a work truck engine for a toy but it's not fun like if you swapped in a 460 (or even just 351w) and it can't be used to its full potential of hauling/towing torque because the truck you put it in is too light.
ok so it might have been fun to do,but in the end what do you have really? besides something not many else have? what gain did it do for your life honestly?
now put a 4bt in there and what do you have instead? a truck that has an engine matched to it's truck and isn't going to eat front tires and handle like a turd lol plus pull in some serious mpg's.

 

yes.the n/a ip is more than enough fuel.more than required in fact,without an intercooler to see the boost your after.i didn't max out the screws until i added intercoolers.for a toy you might try it but your not going to max out a healthy ip without an intercooler for a daily work truck.you would grow tired of watching the egt gauge and rear of truck like a hawk,trying to play the no smoke show game while hauling/towing all day and you'd never dare lending the truck out,let an employee or someone else drive for fear they melt it down on ya when not supervised.

 

The diesel core support isn't necessary unless you are going to run the diesel radiator. The diesel radiator is only necessary if you plan on towing heavy, which isn't going to be the case in a half-ton. The fuel pickup doesn't need to be modified, Im running a stock bronco sender and pickup in my truck, 3/8" feed, 5/16" return, I just replaced the pump with a hose. I added a dedicated return bung for my regulator into the tank itself, which isn't necessary if your fuel system is going to be non-regulated. The only issue is the weight, and even then the 4BT is still 300lbs heavier than a 5.0 and 200lbs heavier than a 5.8. The IDI is 200lbs heavier than the 4BT, less than the weight of your average person standing on the front bumper. The 4BT will hands down beat an IDI in mileage, but the difference in 20mpg hwy to 25mpg hwy isn't that much, and the price of the 4BT being $2k-$4k not including swap parts is a little steep. $1000-$3000 buys a lot of miles at 20mpgs vs. 25mpgs.


At the end of the day, the 4BT will win for a half-ton swap, there is no question there, but swapping an IDI into a half ton (Which should have been an option from the factory) isn't as bad of an idea as you may think, especially when it is so easy. Worst case, drop a set of 2wd diesel coils in the front, and call it a day.

 

pricey little buggers ain't they.keep watching for bread trucks online and at auctions though.never know what might pop up.

 

ROTFLMAO lolz I was wondering if was the only person who wanted to say that smart *** remark!

 

I have been thinking about it extensively and have a good idea of how I am going to do the turbo. I don't know how the idi exhaust was with a turbo, but I am just going to make a couple up-pipes that go to the turbo much like the PSD 7.3 has. The intake I am going to end up modifying and the turbo will hook directly to the intake. Exhaust and cold side (I think that's the name) intake I will figure out exactly what when I get there, but I don't expect it to be hard. For the oil, do I get a sandwhich plate for the oil filter, or is there a line I can plumb into?