thinking of getting a 7.3 ?
 

i have some questions first. can you modify these engines to actually make power? or is it beating a dead horse like a gmc 6.5 td. i have a duramax rightnow that am going to be selling to go back to school and every cummins i look at is junk for ridiculous money.

Yes you can build some power out of these trucks... It isn't cheap though...

What kind of power are you looking for?

maybe like 300-350 hp . i know it isnt gunna even compare to my duramax but i also dont want a slug either

Some AC injectors (stage 1) 1000
tunes 500
gauges 350
Tranny mods

That should put you right around 300...

The limiting factor on these trucks is the factory injectors... Once you get something a little bigger, it opens them up quite a bit.

what about a turbo? and what tranny mods?

No need for a turbo with stage 1 injectors... Stock turbo will handle that just fine. Stage 2's and you will need to start looking at turbo options...

If it's a manual, you need an aftermarket clutch. If it's an auto, it won't hold up long in factory form... Getting a valve body and a larger tranny cooler would certainly help... An aftermarket torque converter would help also.

so in general what im asking is i dont have to pay a astronomical amount for a cummins when i can make some power with a psd? also will STAGE 2 injectors and a turbo hold the power down low internally?

Yes... But with stage 2's, to fully utilize them, you would want an HPOP, e-fuel, intercooler, gauges, tunes, built trans...

So there is a bit of a cost difference. It's up to you. OBS trucks have forged rods so you're good there.

No you definitely don't have to pay a lot to get a cummins.. Powerstrokes are good trucks, just takes more than turning a screw on a IP to get some power out of them...

every cummins i see is overpriced too. what i'd pay about 500 for they want about 3500. also just to get some more info on it i read somewhere that the factory turbo size changed at some point to i believe .84? is that true and if so when was it? i know mine is a 1.15. also what is an e-fuel

what does OBS stand for? and about how much will a built trans run?

old body style. for the built trans someone else will have to answer. i drive stick

They switched in the SD trucks. All OBS trucks come with 1.15... E-fuel is electric fuel system...
Old body style meaning 94.5-97 and depends on how built you want it... The best one out there is a BTS which runs about 4500 when all said and done... That means you won't need to worry about it every again.

and for a tuner who would you go with? also what is the deal with the oil pumps? do they go bad or not supply enough pressure

Any of the following...TW, PHP, Gearhead, Swamps, Beans, Tyrant... It's really up to you. I have a TW and I am happy but I can't imagine I wouldn't be happy with any of the others.

HPOP's can wear over time... The issue is that our trucks come with 15* pumps and don't supply enough oil to big injectors so that is something to consider when modding.

94 to 94.5 what is that called
 

what is that called

As far as how much a built tranny will cost, my local diesel performance trans shop will remove my trans, install an upgraded steel tc, modify the vb, and install steel gears for 1500$. THAT is a built trans that will last (in combination with an upgraded trans cooler)

GET A CUMMINS
:c:

Been there, done that. Much happier with the Fords.

You couldn't pay me enough to drive a dodge

Dodge is Junk..... but the Cummins is the best Diesel engine built.

idk about the best. the bigger cummins yes but idk about the 6bt. i wont get into the engine argument though lol

What's so junkie about a dodge. I have owned everything, I have a 97 powerstroke right now. Fixing to sellto get back into a dodge. I have owned a 90 dodge auto, 96 dodge, 05 dodge. Never had a problem. I take that back the 90 model dodge around 357,000 miles a washer in first gear finally went down. The only reason I haven't, and will not get a duramax is because its a jap engine.

Because the dodge is built like a POS. My 12v with 250k had so much blowby it would wash out an entire intersection at idle. It finally threw a rod bearing at 255k. Biggest pos truck ever. It just didn't feel solid like my Fords have. Plus it got HORRIBLE mileage, even when babying it.

I agree, screw the isuzmax in the chebbies.

I don't know what what wrong with that cummins. Don't get me wrong my 90 dodge had blow by not that. When it over 500,000 when I sold it. Now my ford gets about 15 mpg on a good day. That's bad mpg.

Really?! 15mpg? My 6" lifted automatic 33" tire's OBS gets 15mpg when I run the entire tank offroad in the mud or pulling people out. When putting around-town and going easy on it, 18mpg. I've never ran a straight highway tank yet, but I'd imagine 20-21mpg highway.
My old 6spd powerstroke got a consistant 21mpg in the city, and 18mpg city if I was really harping on it.

The cummins are great motors, the dodges just really suck.

well everyone likes differnt things in life. thats what makes the world go around. Dont get me wrong I do like the ford I have, but its weak, and cost to much to turn up compared to a 12v. Give me one reason why you think the dodge sucks. dont say because of the front end. anything with a straight axle wheres parts out. just like my ford it has a straight axle. the wheel bearings where replaced around 200,000. you cant say the auto tranny is bad, because most people dont even know how to check the fuild. Thay check them in park, which will show over full. therefore its low of tranny fuild and burns up. Then you have people pull in OVERDRIVE it says in the manual dont pull in OVERDRIVE. Which if you do, do alot of pulling even on the ford its a must have on a tranny cooler. thats were dodge messed up putting them in the radiator.

dodge wiring. quality. just had a lot of friends break their dodges when my ford kept going. my dad bought a brand new dakota back around 01 and from day 1 the check engine light would never stay off and they couldn't figure it out. my friend lost a transmission at 70k with perfect fluid. checked in neutral. the wiring is my big thing. just see a lot of electrical issues in dodges and jeeps. i drive a ford because i love it. if i could afford a brand new truck though it'd be a duramax. short of brand new the 7.3 is where my heart is. that's just me though

thats the first I heard on wiring problems. Ill have to check into that, and for a duramax noway. Iam not helping the japs out.

i was just impressed by the dmax when i drove a friend's. that would only be my business truck and daily driver but for workin hard i stick by the 7.3. as long as you can diagnose the electronics they're great. if ya cant then go mechanical lol my powerstroke has so many wires i couldnt imagine having anymore wires but it improved my electrical skills a lot. if emissions hadnt come along i think we'd still have the original 7.3

Ford auto's are tougher than dodges; I've heard of MANY input shafts breaking on the auto's AND 5spds on cummins, I *never* hear of input shafts breaking on Fords. Just the dodge feels chintzy to me; it doesn't have a durable feel to it. Plus the dashes are crap hehe.

Ya screw that. I wouldn't bail GM out, just like I wouldn't send over money to the japanese.

well since your a ford guy,and fords auto dont give problems like a dodge auto. Iam having a PROBLEM right now with the auto in my ford. I knew I shouldnt have bought this junk. oh well live and learn not to ever buy a ford again. The tranny is slipping, and never had a box on it or pulled hard.

don't knock it yet. are you the first owner? how was maintenance on it and such? if it was beat before you got it and not maintained it goes the same just as you defended dodge on it. i drive stick so i've never had to deal with it except for at work where an rv couldn't keep an e4od behind a v10 which was partly the owner driving it wide open non-stop through hills and possibly a poor cooling design

Iam the 2nd owner. I bought it from a man in his early 50's. I have all the paper work that was done on it maintenance wise. He pulled a camper. I know he wasnt hard on it at all. Prison you need to drive a 2010 dodge, you will like it. Must have for one though is a egr delete.

hmm dunno what to tell ya. i own a zf5 :tu:

Well my cousin has a '97 12v and just got the truck out of the shop from having the 4th transmission installed; this time he built it up. I didn't say Ford auto's have NO problems; lets face it, you bought a diesel that already produces too much torque for an auto; if you bought a diesel to do work with it, you buy a straight drive. But the Fords have FAR fewer auto issues than the dodges; I've talked to numerous diesel shops that agree. I've owned 5 Fords; not one of them had less than 200k on it when I sold them (minus my l99 f250, it only had 150k).

Of course a 2010 would be nice compared to a 14yo truck.... but I would personally buy a new powerstroke if I went new.