1970 2wd to late model f250 4x4 diesel

[bswedb01]

Can it be done? I want a 7.3 diesel.

[averagef250]

Anything's possible. There are 7.3 NA, 7.3 turbo and several generations of the 7.3 PSD. The non-turbo will fit the easiest.

You might want to consider something else. Cummins, Isuzu, perkins, yanmar, Kubota, john deere and even Navistar make many other turbodiesels that are far better engines than the throwaway IDI or PSD. It's very common to replace an IDI or PSD with a better Cummins or Isuzu inline motor.

[jeepermc]

Anything's possible. There are 7.3 NA, 7.3 turbo and several generations of the 7.3 PSD. The non-turbo will fit the easiest.

You might want to consider something else. Cummins, Isuzu, perkins, yanmar, Kubota, john deere and even Navistar make many other turbodiesels that are far better engines than the throwaway IDI or PSD. It's very common to replace an IDI or PSD with a better Cummins or Isuzu inline motor.

Yer kidding, right? I've seen some stupid remarks but... Like most other diesels out there, if you take care of a 7.3, it will last for a very long time, and like any other diesel out there if you abuse it, it can come apart. Cummins are a good motor but it's not all that common of a swap in place of a PSD. Cummins motors have their own quirks to deal with.

[averagef250]

They're not a POS, but I can't see why anyone would waste the time to swap one.

Swapping an IDI is a far more difficult swap than a 5.9 Cummins and for what? an engine with glowplugs, 1/2 the torque, 1/2 the lifespan and 2/3 the mileage?

A PSD is a swap nightmare. If the novelty of it attracts you, go for it. If you have common sense sell the PSD and buy a 5.9 for likely less money.

Seriously, work on these engines and swap a few dozen of them. The PSD fit is poor at best in it's stock ford application. The 5.9 fits in a Ford engine bay better than the Binder engine ever dreamed of. Yes, I've ridden in some hot PSD and IDI trucks and the owner of the impressive IDI truck had 20 times the money anyone would have invested in the lowest rated VE 12 valve to get the same power while the PSD owner wished he'd went with a hpcr Cummins.

I have an ex IDI truck that had the p*ss run out of it for 900,000 some odd miles. It had good maintenance and 4 engines in that period and was in a lot of 5 other identicle trucks with similar miles and had the same track record for N/A IDI replacements. 200K miles is a good life for a throwaway Binder engine that's been worked at all. At the same time, I've had dozens of mechanical 5.9's with much harder lives, crap maintenance and abuse that had over 400K on them untouched, not even a valve adjustment on many of them. Upon teardown they're fine inside.

As for Cummins quirks- the VP44 is crap, if you buy a truck with one you better know what you're getting into in advance. The earliest dodge motors crack heads and have bad main thrust bearings, but the funny thing is even though most of the early engines have thier thrust bearing sitting in the oil pan they're still out there running around. The 053 blocks are swiss cheeze, this is well known. And as far as I'm concerned the KDP is a tiny little issue that was blown way out of proportion.

I've seen too many people buy a wrecked PSD and try to swap it into something or body swap onto it just to waste a ton of time and scrap the project. The same person could have just as easily bought a driving didge for under $2K and swapped the mess in in a weekend.

[mljjones67]

Well put Dustin.

[michealamxamc]

Seriously dude don't listen to those dodge boys i plan on swapping a turbo 6.9 idi diesel into my 67 F100 and converting it to four wheel drive i don't know whats all involved but be diffrent and your truck will stand out and some times the easy way out cough cough cummins isn't always the best way your trucks gonna be sick stick with a 7.3 and you won't regret it

[mljjones67]

to each his own. Good luck with your project. I like both diesels, but i am going with a cummins just because its different. The power stroke is a good engine to so either way your truck will be unique.

I am no Dodge boy!!! But I am a Cummins MAN!!!

[averagef250]

Seriously dude don't listen to those dodge boys i plan on swapping a turbo 6.9 idi diesel into my 67 F100 and converting it to four wheel drive i don't know whats all involved but be diffrent and your truck will stand out and some times the easy way out cough cough cummins isn't always the best way your trucks gonna be sick stick with a 7.3 and you won't regret it

This is just the kind of close minded thinking that gets people dumping money into an IDI. I'm glad you have an IDI and like it. I have four Cummins powered Ford trucks and only one of them has an engine from a didge. One is from a Case tractor, One is From a Ford E350 Grumman van, one is from a Clark forklift and yes, one is from a 91 didge. None of my engines have any dodge accesories or transmissions, most of them have accesories on them from Cummins engines that were in FORD trucks. The fact is Ford uses more Cummins engines in thier pickups, medium duty trucks and heavy duty trucks woldwide than dodge ever dreamed of. Ford is a very big and successful automaker in south america. In that market the Navistar engines are not sold in pickups because unlike Americans most everyone in the world lacks any sort of fixation with V8's. Down there most of the Ford trucks made Come with Cummins engines. The bottom of barrel no-option 2009 F350 superduty comes stock with an emissions compliant 250HP 550 lb/ft of torque (at 1700 RPM) 16V 4.5L HPCR 4 banger turbodiesel that gets 20 MPG driving it like it was stolen and mid to upper 20's driven conservatively.

Why haven't we had these engines in pickups in the states for the last decade you might ask? More than likely because big oil really likes automakers putting out trucks with huge innefficient engines.

Just to clarify, Cummins is it's OWN entity. Ford puts Navistar engines in thier light duty trucks and uses Cummins engines in thier medium and heavy duty trucks here in the states with Cummins engines in thier entire lineup except rangers outside the US. Outside the US the "powerstroke" is a mechanical direct inject 4 banger used in the Rangers and is not a V8.

[tybob81]

I heard a rumor that the cummins is going to replace the 6.4 stroke in the next couple years. Im not knocking you for wanting a 7.3. I have had excellent results from my 7.3 stroke I had ,but the main problem I had was the heads and after the second time I had to have them done the truck went down the road. The 6.9 was decent at best in its day as was the 7.3 non turbos. The Cummins of the same area was a far better, simpler longer lasting motor. When the 7.3 psd was replaced with the 6.0 and now 6.4 ford realy messed up. I work on cars on the side to make ends meet and every time I'm at my local ford dealer to get parts there is a 6.0 or now alot of 6.4's in there. Bad thing with the 6.4 is if there is a problem the body will need to be lifted off to work on them. Even the new complex cummns doesnt have to have that complexity to be worked on. Good luck with the 7.3 swap tho it will involve a larger amount to work to get everything lined out, but is do able.

[fireguywtc]

I heard a rumor that the cummins is going to replace the 6.4 stroke in the next couple years. Im not knocking you for wanting a 7.3. I have had excellent results from my 7.3 stroke I had ,but the main problem I had was the heads and after the second time I had to have them done the truck went down the road. The 6.9 was decent at best in its day as was the 7.3 non turbos. The Cummins of the same area was a far better, simpler longer lasting motor. When the 7.3 psd was replaced with the 6.0 and now 6.4 ford realy messed up. I work on cars on the side to make ends meet and every time I'm at my local ford dealer to get parts there is a 6.0 or now alot of 6.4's in there. Bad thing with the 6.4 is if there is a problem the body will need to be lifted off to work on them. Even the new complex cummns doesnt have to have that complexity to be worked on. Good luck with the 7.3 swap tho it will involve a larger amount to work to get everything lined out, but is do able.

There are a lot of Ford guys that would love to see the new super dutys come with a cummins in them, but I seriously doubt it. I heard recently that Ford was going to make their own diesel named "scorpion" which would be a 6.7, and the latest rumor I have heard was Ford and International had kissed and made up. But all are very much rumors.

I have had two 6.0s and 04 and my current 07 and both have been great trucks. The 6.0 does have some weak points that can be addressed, but mostly if a 6.0 is left stock and treated well they are very dependable and I like them. Again I like the cummins but dodege makes a crappy truck imo. The 6.4 is a good motor as well and the only real problems I have heard about since they have come around had to do with the new emissions, but the 6.7 cummins also has the same problems. Buddy of mine had an 08 Dodge that went to the shop weekly for plugged exhaust filter.

I have also had a 97 with a 7.3 and it was a great motor. Did a little upgrading to it and it was even better. But all and all I think the different diesel motors a good with each having strenghts and weeknesses. My favorite is probably a 12 valve cummins because of the way they sound and the way they build power. For a custom swap I think personal preference should be key to motor selection. Throughout the years, horse power and torque ratings have been close amongst the diesel engines and beyond that it is purely perspective on which you like best.

[michealamxamc]

Hey average F250 Yeah ik Ford used cummins in there trucks but when everyone hears the name cummins alot of people think of dodge im just sayn that the cummins motor is the 350 chevy of the diesel market there a good motor the aftermarket does alot for them and there easyer to swap than other diesel motors but if everyone did the same thing it would just be boring close minded thinking leads to the same builds and no diversity

[tybob81]

The 6.0 would have been a great motor if they didn't cut cornors on head studs and such. Each year it was out it did improve.

[bswedb01]

Great feedback! It gives me something to think about. What I was exactly thinking about doing was taking an old 70 f100 body and bed and putting it on some diesel 4X4 chassis. Then I want to fabricate a cap for the bed, create two more doors and make a 1970 Excrusion type vehicle out of it. It would be lots of work but really cool!

[michealamxamc]

That would be badass i havent seen anything like that before

[averagef250]

Great feedback! It gives me something to think about. What I was exactly thinking about doing was taking an old 70 f100 body and bed and putting it on some diesel 4X4 chassis. Then I want to fabricate a cap for the bed, create two more doors and make a 1970 Excrusion type vehicle out of it. It would be lots of work but really cool!

It's a bit of work, but several people have used 73-79 crew cab trucks with the top and rear portion of a 78-79 bronco grafted on. It's the exact same thing as what Centurion has done for a long time.