Was thinking of a 5.9 Cummins build hooked onto my 4r100 transmission in my 2000 Excursion V10 4x4. I am a horsepower nut though so want to build something outrageous like 1000hp. But then thought about how much that might cost compared to something less but still substantial. Maybe 700-800hp would do the trick for a daily driver and pulling a trailer around or boat every once and a while? I'm not planning on sled pulls or competitions, but may do a 1/4 mile here and there. So I know I would need to rebuild the trans to beef it up and a 6.0 cooler. Wondering what the axles are rated at for hp? And the 4wd gearbox?

From what I've found online so far, getting up past 700hp in the 7.3 takes a lot of effort $$. And the 6.0 I've read gets a little finicky with higher hp and parts failing. I met a guy with a 650hp 6.0 Excursion and he said he was getting nickel and dimed by $150 parts constantly. (met him at the Ford Parts counter in the dealership actually!) So that is why I am leaning towards the Cummins 5.9. I hear they are more reliable in the higher hp range.

I'm at the start of this project planning phase and will be showcasing it all on a youtube channel called BBQ & Bolts. (currently on Instagram and FB) 1000 hp sounds better for the show IMO More fun to drive too

At what point in horsepower for Excursion V10 chassis do you guys think one would need to start beefing up the transmission and axles? Whats the max before you start shredding things and getting unreliable? Whats the most cost effective maximum hp in an EX? I don't have too deep of pockets but will be doing mostly everything myself besides the destroked parts. And anything else I may be missing? Would love to hear about your high horsepower builds! 7.3's, 6.0's, 6.7's or Cummins projects!

 

Can't wait to see the build.

 

Pro: 700-1000hp diesel

Con: Literally everything else

Matt knows the struggle and is getting out!

 

I am also building a cummins powered X. After a lot or research 450-500 hp can still be reliable on the street. There are some that can go to 750 as well. 1000 hp though would give you over 2000 lb ft of torque and be not streetable. Plus the transmission wont handle it for long, even built.

 

I am roughly 600hp and 1100lb.ft. 1/4 mile is high 13s. It has been almost 2 years since being on a dyno. Maybe I will make it sometime this summer.

I don't want to do anything else to the truck in fear of having to make more repairs.

 

Same as Twitch, only with a 7.3 and a minuscule amount more power but less gears. It's the rest of the rig that starts becoming an issue, and unless you can tweak tunes via computer for say, a daily tune and a race tune, it's almost pointless going for that much in a daily IMO. In the end you'll have something that can keep up with a mildly modified Mustang... the weight is ridiculous on these things, so it takes absurd power to make them really hussle

Not saying don't go big, but that much HP and TQ isn't going to cooperate very well from a longevity standpoint. Plenty of high HP oil burners in Houston, and they rarely last longer than 3-4 weeks without something coming up. The ones in the 6-700hp range have substantially fewer problems, so if it were my build I'd shoot for that range. Trans will appreciate it as well, regardless of the build

 

You should look at a 03-07 5.9 and do a pump upgrade, valve springs, compound turbos, injectors, and exhaust. Its a standalone so it would work well. That way you can tune it as required. Once you get to around 500 hp or 35 psi you are going to have to fire ring it as well. I see these getting 700-1000 hp with enough air. Probably going to spend 10-12K, plus the trans, adapters, etc.

 

I'll watch

 

I'll make the popcorn

 

You think the bottom half of that engine would take 700hp?

 

Scoot over, I want some of that

 

Apoc, this thread is not for you lots of diesel talk going on here

 

That won't be a problem, though I might add a girdle and some arp studs, top and bottom throughout

 

True, and I'll never have a diesel Excursion

 

I figure most would pay $15-20k for a diesel Excursion at least on the West Coast where I'm at (no rust). Instead buy a really good shape V10 drive it while you save. Then stick about 10-15k in the engine and have a BEAST. Same amount of money with all the fun work.