Ford did up the power in 1997. My 1997 is rated at 225HP and something like 480 lb/ft. That being said, if you're looking for a truck to make huge power numbers you can easily and cheaply get over 400HP with the 12v Dodge.

 

No, I don't need HUGE power #'s, but IF I buy the Dodge, it would have to be turned up just to get to the HP #'s that the PSD is turning out stock! So I would want the Dodge to have similiar power output ASAP after I make the purchase. It is nice to know that the Cummins can make serious HP if you want it to, but that would not be my goal. Just to be close to what the PSD does stock or with a small chip.

 

If that's the case, then by all means get the PSD. As I posted earlier, the 1997 manual PSD's (I don't know about the auto) had higher numbers than the 1994.5-1996 models. I've never had a complaint about the power of my truck and I run stock except for a Tymar intake and no muffler.

 

Like johndiesel said the 1997 have 225 hp. My dad's is an auto and has the 225 rating, so I guess all the 1997's have the higher number. I am not sure what they did to add 10 more horse power over the 1994.5-1996 models. Our truck has a Tymar intake, strait exhaust, and the ATS chip, intercooler, and turbo housing. It has plenty of power, even grossing around 28,000 pounds witht the trailer. I think you would enjoy a Powerstroke.

 

For aftermarket power. Bang for the buck. Cummins is the best. Especially the 12v. As for the Dodge its in. Not a big fan of Dodge especially if their history is reviewed as far as reliability. The PSD will be a great engine and the truck will not let you down. My dads old 89 has been to hell and back on the farm and road and he has never touched the tranny in the 225.000 miles he put on it after he bought it used. I say that becasue I belive the tranny is the same in the 89 manual and the 97 manual. Body is the same.

 

So the HP on the 1997 Ford is 225? What is the stock torgue output and @ what RPM?

So are ya'll running manuals?

 

Oh and what's a tymar intake? Ram air or cold air induction like a car? How's the strait exhaust sound?

 

I don't remember the rpm, but it puts out 480 lb/ft of torque.

 

The Tymar intake is an open element intake that uses a Donaldson filter and replaces the poor factory air-box. They filter alot better, flow more air and give you a wonderful turbo sound.

 

The only thing bad thing I've heard about the Ford 5-sp is that it wears out the first gear syncros fairly fast (about 200,000 miles... )

OTOH, Dodge's brakes and auto trans are both known to be weak points for that truck.

I'd buy the Ford.

 

Our Powerstrokes are 7.3 liter (at least until this year) whicle the Cummins is a 5.9 liter. In the same state of tune, you should expect more power from the PSD. But if you ever saw the connecting rods of the two engines held side by side, you would not believe the difference. It looks like David and Goliath only David forgot his sling. The main beaing survace on the Cummins is twice the area of the same bearings in the PSD. The crank diameter under the connecting rods is again larger by a factor of 2. (which makes it stronger by a factor of 4).

In a word, the Cummins is overbuilt. I think the 97 was around 175 hp stock. That is a laughable figure for an engine built as stoutly as it is. That same engine can be made to crank out over 750 hp and 1000+ ftlb of torque while still remaining completely drivable. It isn't cheap to do so, but it is certainly doable. The same power levels in our PSDs might be possible, but they would certainly bring the word grenade to mind.
The Cummins, at sane power levels, properly cared for will last forever, while our PowerStrokes under the same conditions will only last half of forever.

 

I'll throw my two cents in here.

If you want a manual, don't buy a dodge with an auto, you'll never like it. I would suggest finding a 96 or 97 dodge with a 5 speed, that way you will get the 215 pump. With that pump, you can easily have more power than a chipped 94-97 PSD without spending much.



Matt

 

Funny thing is, I don't really want a manual at all, but it just seems like the "safer" route to go w/a used diesel.

 

My family & friends are swaying me towards the Dodge because the dealer is giving up a 2yr aftermarket warranty.

I can't get this PSD off my brain, even though its a 5 spd!!

So I go to look at the Dodge again after it's been thru inspection, and the front tires are so messed up you'd have thought the front end was going to bounce out from under the truck!! The wheels are bent. The steering pulls a little. The wimpy class III hitch has to be torched off to make way for my class V. The tires are scalped, and it was a factory buyback at 1000 miles in 1997.!! (Of course now it has 82k on it). Whew....

So, I'm going to meet the Ford dealer halfway between DC & Tenn, and just going to give the F350 a shot. It can't be any worse than what I've seen thus far!! There is just no warranty on the Ford, it's guaranteed to pass my safety inspection...

 

Carfunkel, your visual assesments are correct, but your logic isn't completely correct. Please don't miss understand me. I'm not knocking you at all, but look at it this way. Both the Cummins & PSD put out approx. the same power. However, the Cummins is only 6 cylinders in leau of 8 for the PSD. Therefore, the Cummins parts MUST be more "beafy" to account for the additional stresses that they must take, per piston, than the PSD. Even though the theoretical load is only 33% more, the actual stresses can be 100-200% more. It's all a mathmatical function that I really don't have the time to get into.

Again, don't get me wrong. The Cummins is one hell of a motor. All in all, I would never get a Dodge Ram. They're just not a truck. A Ford IS a TRUCK, and always has been. If Ford ever drops their contract with International & decides to go with Cummins, for everyone it should be a no brainer.