Performance?
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Banned
Joined: Jun 2005
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Performance?
I have a 1991 F350 with a 7.3L IDI, and was wanting to upgrade the performance considerably. I was looking to put some highflow headers, freeflow exhaust, cold air intake, and maybe a turbo later. The trouble is, I can't find any diesel headers (other than OEM replacements), exhaust systems, or cold air intakes for the IDI, only for the powerstroke. Any ideas?
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
For the first thing there is a place, Stan's headers, that has diesel headers.
But if you later want to go turbo, the headers have to go.
Not sure how your intake is routed, but it is way to small for the engine.
I cut out my radiator support on the drivers side and made an intake for mine. Made a big difference.
Also you need a 3" exhaust from the manifold downpipes back. The stock exhaust is to small.
There are other things that can be done, but a pyrometer is needed before you do them. No sence in getting your truck to run good and burn the engine up.
You have to make a lot of the cool stuff for your engine that they are manufacturing for the power stroke engines.
www.atsturbo.com has some exhaust, turbo and intercoolers for the IDI diesel.
But if you later want to go turbo, the headers have to go.
Not sure how your intake is routed, but it is way to small for the engine.
I cut out my radiator support on the drivers side and made an intake for mine. Made a big difference.
Also you need a 3" exhaust from the manifold downpipes back. The stock exhaust is to small.
There are other things that can be done, but a pyrometer is needed before you do them. No sence in getting your truck to run good and burn the engine up.
You have to make a lot of the cool stuff for your engine that they are manufacturing for the power stroke engines.
www.atsturbo.com has some exhaust, turbo and intercoolers for the IDI diesel.
Thread Starter
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Banned
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 139
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Originally Posted by Dave Sponaugle
For the first thing there is a place, Stan's headers, that has diesel headers.
But if you later want to go turbo, the headers have to go.
Not sure how your intake is routed, but it is way to small for the engine.
I cut out my radiator support on the drivers side and made an intake for mine. Made a big difference.
Also you need a 3" exhaust from the manifold downpipes back. The stock exhaust is to small.
There are other things that can be done, but a pyrometer is needed before you do them. No sence in getting your truck to run good and burn the engine up.
You have to make a lot of the cool stuff for your engine that they are manufacturing for the power stroke engines.
www.atsturbo.com has some exhaust, turbo and intercoolers for the IDI diesel.
But if you later want to go turbo, the headers have to go.
Not sure how your intake is routed, but it is way to small for the engine.
I cut out my radiator support on the drivers side and made an intake for mine. Made a big difference.
Also you need a 3" exhaust from the manifold downpipes back. The stock exhaust is to small.
There are other things that can be done, but a pyrometer is needed before you do them. No sence in getting your truck to run good and burn the engine up.
You have to make a lot of the cool stuff for your engine that they are manufacturing for the power stroke engines.
www.atsturbo.com has some exhaust, turbo and intercoolers for the IDI diesel.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
The turbo has to have the stock manifolds to hook up to. Headers would not get the exhaust back up on top of the motor.
The stock intake manifold is all you get, the turbo also needs the stock manifold to hook up to.
Diesels have little in common with a gas motor as far as hot rodding it.
Air is the thing you need in a diesel, lots of it in and out of the motor as easy as possible.
That is why the turbo is the biggest single performance mod there is.
You already have an oil cooler.
You are already running 22.5 to 1 compression.
When you get a turbo and put about 15 pounds of boost to it on top of that, play with the timing, tweak the fuel settings, put big intake and exhaust on it, install an intercooler, do propane injection it will run.
No need to do pistons and heads and cams and all that stuff like the gassers do.
The stock intake manifold is all you get, the turbo also needs the stock manifold to hook up to.
Diesels have little in common with a gas motor as far as hot rodding it.
Air is the thing you need in a diesel, lots of it in and out of the motor as easy as possible.
That is why the turbo is the biggest single performance mod there is.
You already have an oil cooler.
You are already running 22.5 to 1 compression.
When you get a turbo and put about 15 pounds of boost to it on top of that, play with the timing, tweak the fuel settings, put big intake and exhaust on it, install an intercooler, do propane injection it will run.
No need to do pistons and heads and cams and all that stuff like the gassers do.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,221
Likes: 17
Originally Posted by jcfb
The intake, I was wondering if I could do something similar to a gasoline engine, where you bolt on a whole new intake manifold, maybe a highrise, full flow intake manifold. I was also planning on putting in a transmission cooler, oil cooler, and larger radiator. Later I also want to upgrade to 4 wheel disc, and hardline everything. Maybe, a few decades down the road I will add performance heads, headbolts, and pistons. But nothing that costly for now.
Your truck is stock with a tranny cooler, oil cooler, and large radiator. You see, the boys that built the trucks in the first place did all that stuff for you already.
As far as heads, headbolts, and pistons I doubt you could improve what's already in there.
Remember, diesels are great engines, but they are low-revers, you are not going to get the same performance out of them that you would out of a gas burner.
New User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Considering the costs of all your listed possible mods, you do know that a Banks turbo is ~$2500 and will include all the neccesaries including pryometer, boost guage and full replacement exhaust?
I used to think that my truck didn't really need a turbo 'cause it drove pretty good before. I added the turbo at >90K and wish I would have done it sooner. My truck has better throttle response and acceleration then the new ones.
I used to think that my truck didn't really need a turbo 'cause it drove pretty good before. I added the turbo at >90K and wish I would have done it sooner. My truck has better throttle response and acceleration then the new ones.
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New User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Allentown, Pa
I have the Banks Sidewinder Turbo system on my 88 F250 and it made a huge difference and I only run about 9 lbs. of boost at full throttle. The kit came with everything.
Jason
Jason
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