On another forum in a discussion about towing, a guy I know posted the following

Ummm, do these numbers look right to you guys? I've always heard all this talk about how DIESELS are the bomb for towing because of their torque (the numbers for the 6 cyl Cummins are a good example). Towing is what I bought my truck for. However, in recent thread in this forum, here are the numbers posted for my motor

Ford 6.9 (420 CID)......175 HP and only 315 ft/lbs torque.

So WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THESE 6.9 FORDS?!? Why are the numbers so low? From the comparison, it looks like I'd be better off towing with an old 77 Chevy 1/2 ton with a 350 than with the 86 F250 I just bought!

Well, all except for the fuel mileage thing of course.....<!--QuoteEnd-->

 

THat's gotta be a modded 350 i don't think they were that much stock.

 

Here is some info.....

First year for the 6.9 - 1983
Last year for the 6.9 - 1987
By 1988 all production 7.3

6.9 - Max H.P. 175 Torque 318 ft. lb.
7.3 - Max H.P. 185 Torque 338 ft. lb.

6.9 max torque at 1800 RPM
7.3 max torque at 1600 RPM

Both max HP at 3300 RPM.

Is yours a high altitude engine/IP........

 

I doubt that those are the stock torque numbers for any of those GM engines.

 

Nope, not a high altitude model as far as I know.

Not quite sure what you're trying to say. Whether its your numbers or mine, the 350 still has a 115 HP and at least an 8 ft/lb "edge" on the 6.9 - with 70 CID less displacement. Sure the torque is developed at lower RPMs, but is that really a good thing for towing on the highway? At 1800 RPMs the truck will only be doing what, 45? 50?

That's a recipe for getting run over on the freeways around here these days.....

 

Well, you know, I questioned that too. He assured me that they were. Maybe they are the numbers for the late model versions with electronic ignition and MPI systems?

 

I can see that for some of the newer electric injections. A friend of mine owns a 1983 Camaro with an electronic injection V6. He is pulling 300hp at the rear wheels but that is after he did alot of tweaking on it. Good ol' Wyotech taught him well

 

That is the numbers for the crate motors. You must remember that you can get the crate motor in differnt configurations. The bottem line 350 is the 2bolt main and has in the negihborhood of 290 hp(this motor is hard to find anymore, but less than 10 years ago it was very common) The ZZ4 crate has 355 hp going for $3779.

 

So then these numbers are accurate. DANG, looks like I would have been better off towing with an old Chevy - if I could afford the fuel!

I have to admit to being quite dissapointed. I thought this thing was going to be a stump puller. Now I find that it isn't going to tow any better than a garden variety gasser.

So, I've seen lots of info on boosting the HP. What about boosting the torque?

 

I don't know about you CheaperJeeper, but I can pull stumps with my 1991 F250 7.3L with only 2wd. Heck, I've pulled firetrucks out of snowbanks with mine. Try and do that with your old chevy. Also, those are crate motor numbers, you won't find those hiding under that chevy hood. I have said it many times and I will say it again, "I would rather drive an ol' Ford than a brand new chevy".

 

Your 6.9 will pull just fine, numbers don't mean anything really. Plus they are a lot less hassle, and really and big gassers DO pull better, but they also get 3-5 mpg while you could possibly see 14-16. If you want more torque, a Turbocharger is an excellent choice. THere are three brands, ATS(around $2500), Banks($3000 or so)and Hypermax$1600) Although the Hypermaxx is cheaper not many use them, they are less known and I'm not sure if they are anywhere near as good.

 

about the truck pulling out of snowbank, almost any full size truck with traction could to that. gear down a geo metro and youll get the same result! about chevy's they have one of the best drivetrains in my opinion. Ford bodys last longer than chevy's any day, but chevy has ford beat in the fuel consumption to power ratio and the price. My dad has owned several fords and several chevy's. fords are the better work truck since they can handle the load, but we have blown so many ford engines its not funny. 85 351, dad blew an 84 6.9 ford, on our 3rd motor in his 98 ford f150(truck has total of 240,000 miles) etc. etc. and the list goes on for our fords. (to each his own and people claim the same about chevys, dodges, etc. I know it's just my opinion) every chevy we've had we've traded for the next while still running. our 95 s10 has 250,000 miles on the same engine and tranny and trust me, my dad doesnt maintain that thing at all! ever since new, he would wait till it ran funny till he would pop the hood and add oil. he beat the p*** out of it.

my ford is the first ford I bought, only because it was a diesel. 351 cleveland(not the 302 tall deck type i think) , 400 big block, 390, and the 4.9 I6 are the only ones i would ever buy. I would take any chevy engine except a 307 and would get a 305 if it was rebuilt.


anyway, back to the topic. my 1973 chevy had 145 hp and 345 torque. you wont find hp in the 70's or 80's in vehicles because of emissions standards. my camaro has a 305 with 140 hp and 240 torque. it moves good and gets 24 mpg highway and it only has 3 gears...cough cough 2.41 rear end cough)

sure you will have to do a few things for your engine to pull the hills, but in my experience your Ford F250 is the best towing vehicle for the time. Chevy's are good, but the body's dont last. your lucky if you find a dodge of the same year, and only if it has a cummins is it decent. I went to a junkyard and found that every 3/4 ford of our years has trailer breaks, tow package, and half had 5 wheel adapters of some kind. mines got a 5th wheel even. Your truck just lacks the power. throw some headers and intake to wake it up. turn up your pump a little and watch her go. throw a www.gearvendors.com overdrive and you'll have 6 spds to tow with( 8 if your a manual truck)

I think you got a good truck and the engine will last. Just maintain it and it will take care of you.
P.S. boosting the hp of a diesel is definitely boosting the torque! 30hp in some applications could mean 80+ torque.

 

this is a copy and past of what I wrote earlier.



on the regular forum index page scroll down and you'll see the 6.9 and 7.3 IDI page.

I also have the identical vehicle and I'm looking into the getting headers and full exhaust, and then modifying the intake ducting. I believe that is all I will need. Between the gains here and the ease of modification, I believe my engine will get over 20 mpg, have 40+ more hp, and will last way longer than an engine with a turbo. I dont think you would need more than what these few mods could give to get good gains. our trucks are a little lighter than the newer ones. my 4x4 truck, check my sig, gets up and moves pretty good. I can keep up with my friends straight exhaust 6spd 2001 ford f250. i know mines and auto and his a stick, so some differences there, but my truck holds its own.

Then a www.gearvendors.com overdrive to get my mileage. between the mods and the overdrive I should get more power, better mileage, better gearing, better towing capabilities, etc.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum117/ go here to do all your diesel stuff. check the headers threads and I think that you'll do that instead of the turbo. the turbo is spendy and only really needed if you race or if you tow a 5th wheel all day every day. for the price of a turbo kit, you could have your exhaust done with headers, performance intake setup, and the overdrive that would give you an overdrive for each gear. 1st, 1st over, 2nd, 2nd over, 3rd, and 3rd over which is your overdrive. all for around $4000. you get way better mileage, and you could to it all in an afternoon with total satisfaction. (my claims are estimated guesses. do your research and you will probably come up with the same conclusions.) no od and your setting about $1000 for intake and full exhaust. Add propane to my whole setup and your going to have a screaming fast truck that gets probably 25+ mpg.

WELCOME TO THE FORUM
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I have been pulling big loads with my 6.9 since it was new.
I pulled loads just as big when it was bone stock and naturally aspirated as I do now with a turbo on it.
I put 300,000 miles on the original engine and all I ever did to it was change the oil and filters every 3000 miles.
I do not live in flat country, I have a hard time finding a flat place anywhere around.
The flattest street leaving my house is over 20% grade, I have been up it many times with a gross weight well over 20,000 pounds.
The street right beside my house is over 31% grade, I have also pulled that hill grossing over 20,000 pounds.
Yes I was in low range 4x4 and I have posi's in both axles, the problem was not power to pull the hill, it was traction on the blacktop. Yes I did tear the street up a bit one warm summer day.
I have pulled a 73,000 pound loaded semi up a 5% grade to get it out of the middle of the road.
I was never the first person there, but I always got there.
And I usually took several tons of stuff with me when I went.
Tomorrow morning I am going out and do it all over again.

I can tell you from experience you have more than enough power to explode U joints, twist driveshafts and break front axles. I have even twisted the yoke off the rear axle and broke a stub axle in the front at the same time. Once I split a transfer case in half.

My truck is 21 years old, it has worked very hard for all those years.
I am 51 and I think it has more years left in it than I have left in me.

If I want to go fast, I have a 150 HP Kawasaki drag bike that goes fast way better than my truck does.

 

The max power on these motors is like 3000 rpms, while the gassers have to spin way faster to produce that power. Lower rpms are where the longer engine life and better fuel efficiency are found. With the right gearing, and overdrive, you will cruise the interstate at those rpm's. The Cummins only likes to spin 2400 or less, many are runing down the road at 1800. I can run double overdrive on the Cummins, and it is practically idling down the road, at least that's how it sounds. To run 70, my 6.9 spins pretty fast, but it will pull 20,000 down the road quite nicely, may not clear the hills at the same speed it started down it, but I don't know any small blocks that will either. Loaded that heavy, even the big blocks will lose some speed. On average, I lose about 5 mph on hills, but could hold the speed better if I wanted to, I just would prefer to not pay the pump for a little loss on the hills. I have found that if you step into the throttle a little right before it loads up, and just hold it there all the way up the hill, it pulls just as good as if you stood on it all the way up, just less smoke and better fuel efficiency. I liken it to spooling my imaginary turbo...