Hey, I'm new to the Turbo scene. I've had 7.3's and 6.9's before,...but I just purchased an 89' F350 Crew Cab that has the 7.3 idi with an aftermarket TSA Turbo.

A few questions:

1.) I don't have that whistling turbo sound that I hear from other 7.3 turbo engines, like PStrokes. Should I hear a turbo sound or is this normal ?? It's <NOBR>audible</NOBR>,...I mean I can hear it slightly, but it's not Loud like I thought it would be.

2.) I have a boost guage in the cab, but I don't think it works. Could there be something wrong with the turbo,...or more than likely just the gauge ?

3.) Is there a manual or online anything that would show me how to properly connect or repair the boost gauge ?

4.) I've heard that you should try to turn up the fuel and that would make the turbo put out more,...but how do I know what boost I'm running ? I need this gauge fixed. I've also heard that when you mash the gas, you should see black smoke. I did it one time on the highway and didn't see any smoke at all.

5.) When I do get to that point of knowing what my boost is,...I've been told that 8-10 psi is about as much as I would want to throw at an idi. Anything more than that could destroy the engine.

6.) Also, my oil pressure guage is reading halfway,...SOMETIMEs,...and then sometimes it will drop. Is this a concern or just a guage issue that could be fixed by replacing the guage.

The truck runs great. It seems to have good power, and definitely more power than my other 7.3 idi non turbo. Like I said,...it may sound dumb but I'm new to the "Turbo" thing. I'm pretty mechanically inclined, I just want to know what to check for and try to make sure everything is functioning the way it should before I drive this thing too much.

It's a really Nice and well maintained truck with only 88K documented miles on it. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank You !! <!-- / message --><!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig --><!-- END TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig -->

 

You might mean ATS turbo. The guys on here like the ATS systems.

1. Does the truck still have a muffler? Most of the trucks that you hear a lot of whistle are straight piped and do not have mufflers. Typically, the turbo does enough "muffling".

2-4. Don't know, I don't have a turbo.

5. 10 psi of boost is plenty to keep you smiling because your engine is still together. After 10 psi, the stock head bolts begin to stretch, which leads to head gasket failure. It is possible to run up to 20 pounds if you install ARP Head Studs, and mill down the pistons to reduce compression. Stay around 10 pounds to be safe.

6. Factory gauges are unreliable. As a matter of fact, I think I've read in a recent thread that the '87 and up gauges are actually "idiot gauges" that only show if you do or dont have whatever is being metered. Get a nice set of aftermarket gauges so you know what's going on inside your engine to keep yourself happy.

88k miles, that sounds great! Be sure to read through some of the threads on here about Antifreeze SCA's and engine cavitation. The 7.3's are more vulnerable than the 6.9's because the 7.3 has thinner cylinder walls compared to the 6.9. Use the search feature and you'll learn all about cavitation, and how you can prevent it with preventative maintenance.

 

Unless the boost guage itself is bad, it just has a plastic line going to the intake with a ferrule on each end, real easy to replace.
You don't want the fuel turned up until you see smoke at wot but a slight haze until your turbo spools is about right. Do you have a working pyro, it is way more important than the boost guage.