I've heard about that 1200 HP engine too. Wish I knew more about it.

It never ceases to amaze me how often we hear about wonderful new electric or solid state tech that is supposed to make things simpler and more reliable. I have yet to see such an example. Camless 6.0? Never heard of that. Did some quick reading and it seems that ford abandoned the idea and the 6.0 has a camshaft like any other engine.


I take issue with the assumption that electronics are automatically more reliable than mechanical devices. I've heard that song and dance before, and while it may be true on paper, it doesn't happen in the real world. In the mean time, my 22 year old truck is still getting upgraded year after year. Thanks to the simple design and low cost parts there is no telling how much life it has left in it.

If my truck is so obsolete, why is it still going?

 

You might be an old obsolete driver like me.

That is why my truck and I get along so well, we are both obsolete.

 

I saw a PowerStroke on the '94.5-'97 forum that was split down the middle after trying to run something like 100 lbs. of boost.
Quite info-taining, a true "exploded" view.

I'm assuming lazyscholar's '93 isn't turboed because my '94 IDI will really out-run my '97 PS.

 

you assume correct its a non turbo i really need to put one on there i havent gotten a chance to drive an idi turbo

an aftermarket turbo on a idi produces more hp than a stock 7.3 powerstroke (both generations, i think)

 

My '97 is supposed to be 225 HP and 475 Ft.Lbs. but it sure doesn't feel like it.
It doesn't run bad or smoke or anything it just isn't as fast as the IDI turbo.
It's the only automatic equiped diesel I've ever owned so it could just be the difference between an auto and manual.

 

Notice the first generation Power Strokes had peak torque at 2000 RPM while the IDI was doing peak torque at 1400 RPM.

That was what lowering the base compression did.

I did notice I lost some of my basement torque as well when I lowered my compression.
But the turbo more than makes up for it once it starts spooling, just like it does on the Power Stroke.

 

I chose the IDI over any other light dudy truck for one reason. It's quiet. Quieter than any truck diesel I've ever ran. I've purposly installed the factory muffler and kept my top hat.

I average around 17mpg. I can fix just about anything on this truck in the field. It costs a third to inshure than my 02 ps. Ok yeah, more hp-more torque. But I'm gettin old. I don't care if I get anywhere 5 min sooner. I do care I get there, especially if I'm pulling 28k.

I purposely chose a 2wd auto for the ride. Soon after I bought it I regreted that. Everyone here says how bad and under built the E4OD is. I then decided to flush mine out good, and install an aftermarket cooler. Now it shifts like it's new again. 2nd still a little slugish, but i don't care. 192k on everything but the radiator, water pump, injectors, and starter. The other morning it was 8* out, and my truck still started before the first revolution was over. Kept outside un-sheltered.

My whole point here is what makes a reliable vehicle isn't a specific item. The powerstroke is as reliable as an IDI or a duramax. or a 6.2 It's you the owner that makes them reliable.

Every vehicle I own runs exactly the way ford ment it to. None ran well enough to put on the road when I got them. The IDI smoked so bad at startup and coasting that I thought about starting a second buisness as a mosqitoe fogger. Turned out the IP was off a tooth, and the injectors were worn out. Total cost, 150 and an afternoon.

The difference is who should own what. The E4OD requires regular nurturing, and it will live a VERY LONG TIME. Same with the IDI. The individuals who own these engines and are satisfied with them are also individuals who love to tinker, and understand what their tinkering with. P/S owners tend to enjoy the modern comforts of computer controlled engines. Easier to diagnose, tune and gain power. But at a cost. What makes an engine 'great' is the person maintaining it correctly, how about operation? IDI's require more feel, or anticipation to control smoothly and perform at their peak. Not a stomp on it and go engine. P/s engines are a stomp and go.

Ford ever gets around to making a diesel superduty that is quiet, contains 80% of it's torque under 2000rpm's, cuts back on hp #'s in leu of mielage, and most importaintly quiet it down and give me that ol' fashoned quiet IDI rumble, I'll buy it. Till then, I'll keep throwing parts at mine.

 

I drove a OBS powerstroke once and it had hair trigger response that fired instantly when you gunned it. It did have a bigger downpipe, so who knows how stock it really was. My truck is comparable, but the response is later in the throttle range, and in all honesty it even seems to burn cleaner than that powerstroke did.

I agree that the IDI is very easily field serviced. My truck had its share of problems, but always brought me home, so we get along well. I didn't buy an IDI because I thought I could win a Hp war. Theres more to a good engine than just power.

The cost of parts on PS engines are such that I will probably never own one.

 

I have a 1994 F-350 with a Navistar DI turbo motor according to the Vin # and info from the local Ford Dealer. The only thing the parts guy would say is it is a Turbo diesel. The production date was 8/18/1994. The question is is this a Power Stroke or not?

 

I think your truck should have a plastic engine cover on it if its a powerstroke. If you can upload a picture of the engine bay, we can identify it for you.

 

Where are the Glow Plugs located.

Are they visible or under the valve covers?

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

That late of production should be a PowerStroke.
If there is no cover on the engine BUT there is a big round black thing in the middle of the top of the engine it is a P.S. also. (As David 85 said: if it has a black plastic cover it is a P.S. also).

 

[quote=logan_85;168136][font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 22-Feb-01 AT 05:13 PM (EST)[/font][p]Thank you for clearing up for me that my engine is "rare". Do you know any web-sites that specalive in tuning the '94 7.3L IDI with the ATS turbo? and do you know if the turbo is waste-gated?

Ithought I should add in that I have seen diesel engines converted to run gas. They don't work very well and they won't last very long, not to mention the power/RPMs, on the engines I saw, it would have ben far better to simply keep the engine as a diesel. Remeber GMCs biggest diesel mistake, the 350 diesel? real piece of junk. It might be possible to start an engine with gas, but gas engines run at far lower temperatures than diesels. The idea probbably has passed designers minds before, but I think it is far better to continue starting our engines with diesel.

Logan[/q

I guess you never seen a John Deere model 322 3 cylinder Yanmar? Started out as a diesel and was converted to gas by swapping the head maybe the cam and adding a carburetor and coils. And yes they do work very well, and do last very many hours.

 

This is one of the oldest threads I've ever seen come back. I find it a miracle that people know more about these IDI's than what they knew back in 2001.

IDI's forever!!!

 

Well......The knowledge base in this forum is about 3000% larger than it was in 2001. I can remember when there were only 2-3 new posts per week concerning IDI's.

Heck. FTE itself was only about three years old at the time.