How should I build my 7.3?

PABowhunter · May 30, 2013

Debating on how best to build my truck and looking for some thoughts and opinions.

My ultimate goal is a 450 hp daily driver.

As my truck sits right now it has 151,000 miles on a 2001 pmr motor. I have the typical intake, exhaust, and chip tuned by gearhead. I know my injectors are not performing as they should be. They have a high duty cycle at WOT runs. Here comes my dilemna. Should I go ahead and put injectors in this engine (thinking of 238/80s), and not push it too hard. Or should I just start building a forged rod motor outside the truck and let my current setup take me until I can get a new motor. My buddy has two forged rod motors right now.

Obviously I would at some point have to add a turbo (thinking 38r just for ease of drop in capability) and a fuel system.

Also, I figure at some point I'll have to address the transmission. Seems to be holding up just fine now. A fully built bts would be awesome, but for money's sake, would I be ok at the power level with just a valve body and a torque converter?

I'm not in a big hurry for this and I plan on keeping the truck for a long time.

Thoughts, opinions, or other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

7.3 Whitey · May 30, 2013

Watching. Same dilemma^^^

PowerstrokeJunkie · May 30, 2013

238 or 250/80's is an awesome combo with a 38r or a 62-66mm t4 mount turbo setup. Dont let anyone sway you away from the 80% nozzle if you're not looking for more than 500hp. From experience, 500-550 is about the upper threshold of where with a decent certainty, guarantee a good chance of reliability out of a stock bottom end engine. Forged rods of course. Don't do anything to your PMR engine now, it's running good so don't blow it up. You can't sell a blown up engine for as much as you could now- Build your other forged rod engine with a set of head studs (not removing the heads), shimmed comp 910 valve springs, push rods and a upgraded HPOP such as a SRP1.1. Address the fuel system with a regulated return, larger (3/8 or 1/2") fuel feed line with a pump such as a walbro gsl392, (Marty's fuel system is what i run and i'm happy with it, i've installed a few kits actually). An upgraded torque converter and a valve body will more than likely suffice for you if you drive sensible and don't do WOT shifts in the hot tune often, and you'll more than likely use no more than 350-400hp at any given point in daily driving. The 38r will suit you just fine at this power level, however it will be pretty much maxed out, and if (which you will eventually) want more power, you'll have to sell it and go with a t4 turbo setup which you should go with in the first place. the standard s366 without a wastegate is a pretty performance and cost-effective turbo to use, i used one with a wastegate (had more airflow in and out of the engine with ported heads, headers and a cam) and it supported 550hp pretty damn good although you werent getting much more from a 66mm wheel.

bad12jr · May 30, 2013

I'd do the above as well. Trans first.

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DocBar · May 31, 2013

PowerstrokeJunkie said:
238 or 250/80's is an awesome combo with a 38r or a 62-66mm t4 mount turbo setup. Dont let anyone sway you away from the 80% nozzle if you're not looking for more than 500hp. From experience, 500-550 is about the upper threshold of where with a decent certainty, guarantee a good chance of reliability out of a stock bottom end engine. Forged rods of course. Don't do anything to your PMR engine now, it's running good so don't blow it up. You can't sell a blown up engine for as much as you could now- Build your other forged rod engine with a set of head studs (not removing the heads), shimmed comp 910 valve springs, push rods and a upgraded HPOP such as a SRP1.1. Address the fuel system with a regulated return, larger (3/8 or 1/2") fuel feed line with a pump such as a walbro gsl392, (Marty's fuel system is what i run and i'm happy with it, i've installed a few kits actually). An upgraded torque converter and a valve body will more than likely suffice for you if you drive sensible and don't do WOT shifts in the hot tune often, and you'll more than likely use no more than 350-400hp at any given point in daily driving. The 38r will suit you just fine at this power level, however it will be pretty much maxed out, and if (which you will eventually) want more power, you'll have to sell it and go with a t4 turbo setup which you should go with in the first place. the standard s366 without a wastegate is a pretty performance and cost-effective turbo to use, i used one with a wastegate (had more airflow in and out of the engine with ported heads, headers and a cam) and it supported 550hp pretty damn good although you werent getting much more from a 66mm wheel.

:whs:
except for the Walbro fuel pump. I would suggest looking into dual stock fuel pumps or a FueLab. Do a search on Walbro pumps on here or call Dennis @ Strictly Diesel for more info.

7.3 Whitey · May 31, 2013

I say redundancy. I was thinking about/pricing out a fuel system. When I find a forged block I want. Almost thinking after balancing/blueprinting a motor for longevity it would be worth dropping a deleted 6.4.

littleredstroker · May 31, 2013

Pmrs blow... Ask me how I know.

Mods in list 458hp.

sent while looking at a hole in my block

vanderchevy18 · May 31, 2013

Stage 1's, regulated return, srp-1, gauges, exhaust, tuning, 1.0 turbine housing and wicked wheel, Bts valve body, aux trans cooler, and done. Its a PMR motor. Stick with stage 1's. Better than stock, as good or better than 2012's, less expensive, and fun. Who needs dual pumps with stage 1 injectors? Nobody. Yeah sure. Redundancy. Who gives a ****? Theyre 160cc for **** sake. You're not taxing the stock pump that much more. It'll handle it fine. You don't need springs or studs or pushrods. Toss some 1's in, enjoy the mpg and power bump, don't worry about **** melting or blowing up, and drive the hell out of it.

Jon it's a stock motor. Why the hell would you balance a stock motor? That's just a waste of money. Want a good forged motor? Go find a wrecked truck and pull the motor out. Check compression, shove it between your frame rails and drive the hell out of it.

Black 02 · May 31, 2013

Yep, don't do more than a chip, exhaust, and intake on a dog crap PMR motor. They will come apart. Doesn't matter whos tuning. Sooner or later, they

uke:

Build the forged rod motor and then get some injectors, turbo, studs, springs, etc.....

Scattering an engine sucks.

7.3 Whitey · May 31, 2013

I meant if you wanted to go large on injectors in a swapped motor. I won't. I'll end up with 160s on my truck.
Now if I see a steal of a deal on an obs single cab...

vanderchevy18 · May 31, 2013

Even then, why waste the money? They're still stock forged rods. You aren't going to go passed the limits of anything until you reach the limits of the rods. Barring head issues which would be adressed by the studs and springs of course.

7.3 Whitey · May 31, 2013

Black 02 said:
Yep, don't do more than a chip, exhaust, and intake on a dog crap PMR motor. They will come apart. Doesn't matter whos tuning. Sooner or later, they uke:

Build the forged rod motor and then get some injectors, turbo, studs, springs, etc.....

Scattering an engine sucks.

They can puke anytime. I have some horror stories about the most unlucky guy at Mt home afb. With a 6.0. 3 motors all warrantied. 3 rods. These rods are way weaker than a stock 6.0 and yet people make a LOT more power out of a stock block 6.0. He had FACTORY.

I dont care what anyone thinks, but anyone can have a run of bad luck on a block. Will they last longer completely stock? Yes. Will they throw a rod? They can. On stock injectors, stock tune. Its all luck.
If you go look up OBS warranty statistics, they had bent rods warrantied too. Its all in how they stacked the tolerances that day in the factory.

7.3 Whitey · May 31, 2013

vanderchevy18 said:
Even then, why waste the money? They're still stock forged rods. You aren't going to go passed the limits of anything until you reach the limits of the rods. Barring head issues which would be adressed by the studs and springs of course.

You ran stock pump on 250/200s?

vanderchevy18 · May 31, 2013

I'm talking about balancing a stock engine.

No but there are a few on here who are right now.

7.3 Whitey · May 31, 2013

Should've put that in another paragraph. If I built a motor it would be balanced. It wouldn't be a stock block.
Yeah but you dont know what its been through (over rev, lack of maintenance, etc). A junkyard motor could crack a piston, bend a rod, throw a wrist pin,etc., as soon as you put on extra power. I would trust the block for the most part, it would be , valves/piston/dusting/heat issues that would cause a premature death, or single part failure.
Again risk and reward. 99% of the motors would probably be good to go and I could save the 1200 for performance parts.

I really want 160s. Then I will continue on another venture.

PABowhunter · Jun 3, 2013

So, after talking to my buddy, I'm going to start building a forged rod motor out of the truck and get it all together before I drop it in. Am i thinking right with somewhere around 238/80 injectors for 450 hp? Would I be better of dropping in an S366 instead of a 38r?

4.0l sahara · Jun 3, 2013

If that is the size injector you want find a good forged junkyard 7.3 re seal it and drop it in. Pm airfish he sells 7.3's all the time in the for sale section and judging by your name you live in PA and he is in DE so it's drivable.

PABowhunter · Jun 3, 2013

My buddy has two long blocks with forged rods so I'll probably just use one of his. I was just wondering what other turbo and injector combos guys were using for the 400-500 hp range.