Dave S.
Is there a chart showing HP requirements for each % of grade. For example 6% grade. What would the additional HP required be? I haven't been able to locate one.

 

Timing requires use of an expensive meter, which if the dealership has, they don't have anyone that knows how to use in most cases. If it ain't a computer it can't be done.
Check with your dealership or see if there is a International dealer in your area. Otherwise, the ear method is OK if you can hear slight differences in your engine. I checked this out with a timing meter, so I know it's good info- with the engine cold, you should have a slight preignition knock when you step on the accelerator, after the engine warms up and the cold advance cuts off, that preignition rattle will be gone. Mine is at 8.3* BTDC with the pulse timing method, and thats how it sounds.

If your truck smokes a little at idle, even when warmed up, that is a good sign that your injectors are worn out. They do not pop closed when they get that way, as a result they dribble fuel when the shouldn't, open too soon, and end up burniung more fuel than is optimum.

Good air flow in and out is what a diesel is all about.

 

I think there are different opinions on power and the "ability to pull a hill". I guess the newer engines with all the computers and power have spoiled us. Has anyone ever driven an old cattle truck or an older dump truck? They were all powered like these idi trucks. I used to drive an old 60 some model cattle truck that had a 292 six cylinder in it. Was the engine big enough to get the job done? Yes. Were you going to get there in a hurry? Definitely not.

I was also not too long ago driving an mid 70's Ford F700 with a 391 cu in v8. Top speed in that was 55mph.

In other words, if you are driving a loaded truck, and it slows down on a hill, going by the older standards of hauling and power, it's normal.

 

yeah...bnig difference when you get in a new dually and mash on it and it goes without a problem.


I took my exaust off today at the y-pipe......made a little difference. I think my next step is the ATS kit

And I never get any smoke from it......I use a block warmer most of the time, and I only use it to tow my race trailer....nothing else

 

Yes early in my driving career I owned a 1960 Autocar semi tractor.
220 HP Cummins engine with a 10 speed Road Ranger transmission.
That was in the early 70's, and I was running the entire east coast with it as far west as St.Louis.

Back in it's day, the Autocar was one of the kings of the road running coast to coast pulling as much as 80,000 pounds gross.
Was it fast? no.
Did it get the loads delivered? Yes

So then fast forward 26 years to 1986, and Ford was selling the 6.9 in a pickup with 35 less HP than 1960 model semi's were sold with.

Now jump forward to today, I don't even know what the latest numbers are, but pickups are over 300 HP.

Still goes back to the old speed shop question, "How fast do you want to go, how much money do you have?"

If going fast with a load is so important, run down to the local dealer and buy the latest greatest pickup on the market.
50,000 dollars for the truck
Higher insurance premiums.
Much higher maintenence costs.
Much higher tax rates.
And much higher operating costs.

I am not in that much of a hurry, I choose to leave that money in my pocket.

There is no magic speed pill for your truck.
To go faster, you have to spend money, same as any other vehicle.
And same as any other vehicle, the faster you want to go, the more it will cost you.
As a racer, you already know exactly what I am saying.

How much does it cost to shave 2 seconds off your ET at the strip?

 

All the new diesel p/u are 350-360 HP and 650-660 ft.lbs.
I think they cost from $100 per horse power up to $100 per ft.-lb.

 

Well I understand, and considered getting something else/newer but I only use it for towing so I didn't want the extra bill.....

I hate to start messing with this old truck b/c I can't stop....just like racing.

So I just want a little more out of it......so I want a turbo kit now

 

A turbo kit, with a good free flowing exhaust with fuel injection amounts and timing adjustments can increase the engine power output close to 50%.

That will put you about 40 HP over what the first generation Power Stroke engines put out.

The next big step after that requires shaving pistons to lower the base compression ratio, head studs, bigger injectors, modified IP, ram air to the turbo, wastegate adjustments and adding an intercooler.

Right now I have everything except the intercooler done to mine.
I am right proud of how well it runs.

 

Well I will just try the kit first and see how I like it.


I build quite a few engines so If I blow it up I will get a custom set of pistons made.

Where do you buy modded injectors, IP, and the head studs? I search for alot of stuff and its not easy to find.

 

HEY DAVE SPONAUGLE, I know you said it before probably, but what is your fuel milage with that "not exactly stock" 6.9 running empty

 

where do you buy bigger injectors? ive looked it up on Google for 7.3l idi injectors, nada, just powerstroke stuff.

 

Since a PSD has a 40-75 horse advantage over your truck its hard to compare the performance. But the price difference between your truck and buying a newer one is worth what it would cost to turbo it and do a few other mods to even it up.
I just looked at a low mileage '01 PSD this week. I've been thinking about trading up, but for the $10K+ price difference, I can make mine run with most of the diesels on the road. And I know the history on my truck and I'm not buying into someone else's problems.

Jason

 

My mileage averages around 10.5/11 MPG.

But I am always towing or hauling something.
And there is no flat ground here unless someone made it that way.
Plus my empty weight is 8,000 pounds, a bit heavier than normal.

If I stand on the smoke pedal, I can easily see single digit MPG numbers.
If I try and cruise easy, 14 or so.

DPS Stage 1 Injectors.
The pump I am running now was done to my specs at a local pump shop.

Summit Racing has head studs for the 6.9 engine.
7.3 engines, DPS is the only one I know of.

ARP may make them, I have not checked them out for 7.3 studs.