Can We Get the 6.9 IDI Running after 20 Years? Project Brutus, Ep. 1
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ส.ค. 2024
- Our first project vehicle! This is a field find (like a garage find, but rustier!) 1987 Ford F350 diesel dually with a 6.9 liter IDI diesel. When I bought it, it had been off the road for 15 years, and the engine was said to be seized!!! We are going to get it back on the road - running and driving - and put it to work towing my musclecars from point A to point B!
Thanks for your interest, and please do not forget to like and subscribe!!!
Scott - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Very rare bird if it is a 6.9 mated to a zf5.
I had a single cab 350 in that combo that guys on the forum swore up and down never existed cause ford never built them.
They got quiet when I showed them the door tag.
I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a 86 f250 idi that's gonna be an in depth build project.
Thanks for the video!
It's a one year only combo - the last year for the 6.9 IDI was 1987 and the first year for the ZF-5 (it was optional; 4 speed was still available). Thanks, Scott
Awesome truck my 17 year old son just bought a 1988 f250HD 4x4 diesel extended cab long bed with the 7.3 idi . I’m helping him bring it back to its former glory . So I too am hooked on you’re content please keep it up . I am a big fan of these old trucks .
That sounds like an awesome truck, Eli! The 7.3 IDI is an easy one to work on!!!
I'm captivated. I can't wait for this build. I love a vintage dually.
John - thanks for checking in and commenting! I loves me a vintage dually, too!
In running the options you mentioned about the engine around in my mind, I came up with the option of buying a running 6.9, & running that one in the truck for now, and, as time and $$ allows/permits, rebuilding the now seized one, (If, of course, you can get it loosened up,) and having this one as a spare, in case the replacement one goes down. This should also help to save you time and “hopefully “ $$ ,in the meantime, so you can hopefully get back to working on the rest of the truck! If it was me, that’s what I would try to do! My best wishes for the best turnout with the whole project- that’s one sweet truck! Congratulations!
Thanks for the detailed input, Ken! Scott
I have the same thing but an 86’. Last year of the bull nose front end.
6.9 idi, dually crew cab long bed XL package. Has the C6 automatic transmission but, I installed the gear vendors under/over drive unit. 4 : 10 gears in the rear.
Same story. Sat 15 years since 2008. Only 118k miles. Complete solid truck.
Replaced fluids, glow plugs, filters, tires, brakes, shocks and lights. Converted the AC Freon.
Everything now works on it.
I take this truck anywhere and everywhere. Minor little dings and a little surface rust in the bed.
I recently sanded it down, primed and painted it.
Best part of this story is the 500 dollar purchase price.
And my name is also Scott.
Hello from TX.
Hey Scott - I checked out your video -- you STOLE that truck for $500!!! Gear Vendors OD is pretty much a must with the C-6, isn't it? Must go down the road pretty good now. Where in Texas are you? My home base is San Antonio; I'll be back for good in a few months. Scott
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE Thanks. Yes I did get it very cheap.
The lady obviously didn’t think much of it.
I picked the truck up in CA.
We live in the Sherman / McKinney area. Small town called a Trenton
The OD unit is one of the best things I upgraded. Cruises 70 mph with low rpm’s.
I’ll upload another video I took before it came out to Texas.
I like how you’ve documented your trucks journey.
@@scoieb - ok, so you're north of Dallas, right? About 6 hours from me. Glad to hear the OD unit is working for you; with a C-6, you either need a trans swap or an OD unit. Let me know when you post your next video. Thanks, Scott
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE Yeah. Looks like quite the distance.
I put a couple more videos on my channel. The cold start one is with the new paint. I painted it right where it’s smoking. LoL.
@@scoieb I saw the cold start video! Definitely not a happy camper! Do you have a block heater? Scott
Thank much 4 the video brother 🙏
You're welcome, Joey!
Awesome! I’m hooked! Can’t wait for next episode!
Thanks, Gerry! I'll be posting another video in the next few days!!!
Fantastic inaugural video. If you get tired of working on your truck Feel free to pop across the street and grab the bronco.
Hey Rob - thanks for checking in! I think I have enough work to keep me busy for a while, but let me know if you need help on the Bronco!
I just finished restoring a 86 standard cab 4x4 6.9. Purchased a 97 4x4 7.3 powerstroke pickup last week about to start that soon
Big difference between the 6.9 and 7.3 PS, especially if the 6.9 is still NA!
I like calm people such as yourself. You would be very easy to work with.
I'm easy to work with but prefer to work alone. Wrenching has always been an individual sport for me, and I tend to take things at a slow pace.
As a self-avowed Ford hater and Cummins/Dodge fan, this is awesome! Gotta love the old mechanical diesels, and these are actually pretty decent Ford pickups. My dad has had an ‘88 F250 (albeit with a 460) since new, loved that thing. Need to pull it out of the weeds.
460 is a great motor, too! Get it out of the weeds and back on the road! Thanks
Keep looking around for one of these hard to find
You're right - they're not super easy to find!
Bulletproof is a good name
I think so, too, as long as folks don't take it literally! Thanks, scott
Awsome content can't wait to see how it turns out!👍
Thanks for the input, David!
I purchased my 1986 Ford F250 6.9 IDI from a guy in Tn, for $1,000 has just under 300,000 miles, yes I have had my share of problems, but I will Not give up on it, and it must have been a Michigan truck at one time, whole lot of cancer, but between oil changes, it is barely down a quart
Sounds like it a great project! Good on you for keeping it going. Scott
Holy cow!! Talk about taking on a big job. Very interesting sir. Will keep checking back....
Hey Tim - thanks for subscribing and commenting. If you go to the channel and browse the other videos, you'll see that we've made a LOT of progress since this video was posted. Scott
Just discovered your channel, and I’m really enjoying the 6.9 idi content. I own an ‘86 F250 XL with the 6.9 so I have subscribed to the channel. Keep the great content coming. 👍🇺🇸
Hey Diesel Wrench - Welcome aboard! Lots more IDI content on the way! Thanks, Scott
Cool! You are a natural in front of the camera. Hope to see some of your other cars in future videos.
Thanks for the kind words, Denise! The other cars are coming up soon!
Great video Scott, I have 1 of these trucks I need to get going
Thanks, Steven. They're awesome trucks, aren't they? Scott
Keep it up!!
Thanks!
Nice video well narrated I enjoyed
Thanks, Mike. Glad you enjoyed it. Scott
I have 3 trucks the first one is a 93 f250 73 manual transmission. I work it extremely hard pulling tractors and hay and cows. It has 392,000 mi on the original engine transmission and rear end.
The next one is my wife's truck it's a 94 f350 four-door single wheel with a 7.3 idi and an automatic. It has 230000 miles (not the original engine) I bought it with a bad engine. The third truck is a 1986 f350 dually regular cab was a gas burner and automatic now it has a 5.9 Cummins and a 5-speed.
Not finished with it yet but will have it on the road soon. I love all three of them.
Nice video I look forward to seeing what you do with the truck
T.S. Tractor Work Stickland - that's an awesome lineup! I'll bet that 5.9 Cummins and 5 speed will be a huge upgrade over the gas engine/automatic drivetrain. Thanks for the comment! Scott
Just found your videos, I'm going to revive a 90 f350 this winter. Just subscribed!
Excellent! Sounds like a fun project! Scott
New sub, looking forward to this build! 👍👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🙏🙏🙏🙏
Welcome, Simple Man! Be sure and check out the rest of the videos on Brutus!!! Scott
Nice find on the BULL NOSE , always wanted one myself..
Jessica - Thanks! I think Brutus was a great find, too! PS - Brutus is actually a first year brick nose. Scott
Liking the project. This was a very good video👍. Justin Anderson that owns and operates R&D idi performance took a 7.3 idi block and sleeved it to use a 6.9 rotating assembly. This gives you the 1/2” head studs instead of the 7/16” 6.9 studs. This is what I’ve been kicking around doing. Also cummins is not “dodge” there were many f700 trucks with the 5.9 cummins. And at one time ford owned a decent percentage of cummins. I believe 22%. Keep videos coming👍
Thanks for the comments, Chuck. I saw Justin's video on the 7.3/6.9 that he did; very interesting and informative. That course of action is an option, but I don't think I will need to do that unless I decide to try for max hp/torque. Good point on the Ford trucks using a Cummins! I had forgotten about that. Scott
10.8%. Which is fairly irrelevant
Nice truck. Thats the best year of the IDI. 6.9 has thicker cyl walls + Zf5. Would be a good truck for a turbo. Or just drive slow as is. I've got two of these trucks an 88 and 94 turbo.
Thanks for the comment, Hendrik. I agree -- the '87 6.9 has the 7.3 valvetrain and a few other upgrades, and the ZF-5 is tough to beat. The problem is that the engine will need a lot of machine work before it's ready to go, but that's not the end of the world. Scott
Gees you're good nephew! So interesting even though I know zilch about mechanics.
Good to see you here, Aunt Diane!
Looking good Scott. BTW, I love the FCA T shirt.
Thanks, Karl! I've been a Fairlane Club of America member for many years. All time favorite car is a '66-'67 Fairlane hardtop!
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE Fordguy1964 should ring a bell. You're following my wagon build as well. Your channel looks good. I subscribed.
@@karlrussell6765 - I'm envious of your metal shaping and rust repair skills!!! Wish you lived closer!
Love vid buddy! Awsome. Old idi is way to go...just ask pegleg lol
Nathan - I've had powerstrokes before so I figured it was time to try an IDI. I hope I don't regret it! Scott
Idi or powerstroke...can't go wrong. Both have their hick ups...but so does all hood emblems. Also videos buddy. I subscribed and loving em. Great job !
@@nathanbeckelhymer7031 - thanks! Glad you enjoy the videos. Lots more content coming!!! Scott
Got a 6.9 too I was lucky still running but with a bunch of smoke and overheating I made it home, I changed heads because they were cracked and new head gasket also put arp head studs and runs amazing I'm hoping to put a turbo on it and saving for a zf5 transmission I have a 4 speed now
ARP head studs are a smart upgrade. There are two different ZF5 transmissions - S42 and S47. Worth doing a bit of research before you decide which one you want, but most folks will go with the S47 because it's stronger.
I always clean the cylinders up first thing run a home down all the cylinders, then tickle it with a block and hammer, but that's just me
This one needed plenty of tickling!!!
Cool.
Thanks, Wesley.
I work on ships for a living you should put a pipe on that and go back and forth in both directions with a straight breaker bar with no ratchet it makes it a lot easier I work on 20 cylinder diesels and break them like that
Hi Lucky Hit - I don't think that would have worked. If you watch the following episode, you'll see that there was a lot of rust in the cylinders that probably would not have compressed. Thanks
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE It's a lot less strain on arms the whether it works or not 😆 the extra leverage may not break the motor, but it won't overwork your body. I'm 55 I've tried to simplify things. Great video!
@@jimmyz003 I hear you! I'll be 55 in a month. Thanks, Scott
Also don't throw away the intake manifold gasket I could not find a new one anywhere
Correct. They are super difficult to find. I got lucky and found a new one.
Do a 7.3 IDI Turbo with the fuel bowl delete. I drove a retired E-350 ambulance that was a support vehicle and that thing was a beast and purred like a kitten. It was torque monster and had great throttle response. If you can find one of these out of an ambulance or rescue vehicle they are very well taken care of and typically serviced on an "extreme use" service interval. Love the channel sir!
Thanks, Calfee Farms! I think a 7.3 IDI Turbo is what we will end up with! I'll get started on that as soon as I'm done with the transmission and transfer case. Scott
"Very well taken care of"!?
Yeah, maybe if it was a county unit. In the city where transport times are relatively short, we beat the snot out of em. Start it up, hammer down for 5-10 mins, idle for 10 mins, hammer down again for 5-10 mins then shut it down. We get rid of em with low mileage cause their beat by the time they get 80K.
Well, it appears that it was taken care of but there are still plenty of things (read: just about everything) that need attention. Thanks for the input! Scott
@@jy9862 yes I'm talking about ambulances being serviced in regular intervals. A pre-shift checklist is required for each state and if done correctly includes a fluid inspection (color, correct level etc.), emergency lights and other lights etc. This pre-trip inspection can tell alot about the engine health. The ambulance engines are fitted with a heavier duty alternator and cooling system and the rear ends are geared better for higher speeds and fuel efficiency. My main premise for suggesting a diesel engine out of an ambulance or rescue vehicle was because they are typically fitted with heavier duty parts which makes for less trouble down the line potentially.
Just subbed.
Welcome, Weslee!
Marvel is a marvel and it smells so good
Jamesa - it is marvelous, isn't it? But tops on the list of best smelling automotive lubricants has to be Kroil - that stuff smells great! Thanks for your comment, Scott
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE Mener tries it but I will 95 dually 460 here
@@jamesa9lpiopatton419 - excellent! fuel injected 460 is a pretty darn good truck engine.
Great.
Thanks for your comment, Gary!
I wish my 94 idi had crank windows and rubber mats
I'm a huge fan of manual stuff!
I used to own a 91 with a 7.3 naturally aspirated and it was a pretty fast truck with a five-speed and I currently own an 86 with a 6.9 and a C6 automatic and it has a bank's turbo on it and it's actually pretty quick and has power I guess I never thought them to be weak in a sense but most guys said they suck I think they're fantastic.
Hi Anthony - a '91 7.3 IDI from the factory is supposed to make 175 hp and 338 ft/lbs of torque. That's not bad for 1991, and a 5 speed with the right gears helps, but it's not a lot of power for what I want to do - 4x4, dually, capable of towing well over 10,000 lbs. Having said that, I still haven't decided whether I want to turbo my 7.3 or run it NA but I'll have to make up my mind soon. Thanks, Scott
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE turbo 7.3 idi would probably do the trick with 4:10 gears and the ZF5.
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE with p235 85 r 16 tires would put it at about 2600 rpm at 65 mph in fifth on the highway.
@@sabbath7081 I do have 4.10 gears. 4.56 or even 4.88 would be better, but 4.10 will work.
@@sabbath7081 - Yep, but I'm going a bit bigger on tires. Hoping to go with 35's. They should fit with no problem once I have the 4x4 swap done. Thanks
Just saw this over on Oilburners in your tag. Definitely a cool truck for sure. IMO I'd keep it Ford like your gut it saying. Don't get me wrong the Cummins is great but to get all the other support mods done to make it work would cost way too much and too much time considering you were more than happy with the IDI and just getting it running. If the 6.9 isn't salvageable and needs new cylinders/pistons I'd look towards a running used 6.9 or 7.3 mainly because it's got more power and and can be had with a factory turbo which I'd think you'd want to move that behemoth around. X2 on no 460. I have one of my own with a C6 but the fuel mileage is horrendous for 2022. They just aren't practical when you drive it daily IMO. With your skill set I bet you could get her back up and running with something used for way less. Possibly doing your own home brew bottom end refresh with pistons rings and crank bearings/rod bearings. Or if you just want to do a compression test and run it! Subscribed!
Hey Aaron - thanks for checking in! I'm pretty sure this is going to stay all Ford, and I like the idea about finding a running engine that I can hear run before I buy it. I hear what you're saying on backyard refresh - I like to call it the Redneck Rebuild - rings, bearings, gaskets and send it! Be sure to check Episode 5 in about 5 or so days; I think your questions about the engine will be answered! Scott
Actually the 7.3l power stroke is a lot easier to work on in a 1994-2004 International 3800 school bus then it is in a ford truck just so you know but I agree on the ford trucks %100.
I love a Powerstroke, too, but I'm anxious to build my first IDI. Thanks for the comment, Scott
Rebuild it! See how many might as wells.
What happened with the low miles truck?
I agree. No cummins swap. Wouldn’t do one with a free new engine.
Hey Randy - the "might as wells" are what I'm worried about, but a rebuild of the 6.9 just might happen! I do have a theory on why the truck was taken out of service; that will be explored in a future video, so stay tuned!
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE will follow along!
@@randysrestoration - Thanks, Randy! What's up next on your channel?
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE i dont know how to edit. So much to do i simply don’t have time to learn editing. Started work painting rainbow 🌈 ranger. Hoping to paint it in next few months. N Crew coming along very slowly but 100 deg temps here now. Not much room in shop. Current 8.00 per month in earnings. Not worth it.
@@randysrestoration - I love the Rainbow Ranger, but it's going to be out of my price range when it's done, unfortunately. Basic editing isn't that difficult; took me about 30 minutes to figure out how to stitch together the clips and cut some footage here and there.
Keep it all Ford, if you can find a "good " used engine that might be the way to go.
Hey Roy - check out the later episodes - I sourced two more IDI engines and I'm rebuilding one now. Thanks for the comment, Scott
I just picked up a 1992 f250 7.3 idi single cab long bed last month out of South Carolina I’d give it a 75% out of a 💯 needs some TLC to the motor but it does drive down the road. The wiring in the cab is a rats nest. Does anyone know where I can get some directions for the wiring?
Joseph - best website for IDI's is oilburners.net - sign up there and visit the IDI forum. Lots of helpful folks there.
If it was my build I’d build a 12 valve Cummins for it, as the parts needed for install arnt super expensive, you can find a motor running for like 1500-2k, or as you said keep it a idi, I think building a 6.9 with a custom turbo setup would be very cool as it’s not very common too build
chris seidel - I thought about a Cummins but decided to keep it all Ford. I'm going with a 7.3 IDI turbo. Check out some of the more recently videos for more details. Thanks! Scott
Put a caterpillar engine with a 13 speed spicer transmission
Warren - maybe for the next iteration, but this time around it will be a 7.3 IDI turbo diesel and a ZF5 transmission. Thanks, Scott
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE great engine
@@warrenksanbornjr.6643 - I think so too! Thanks, Scott
It's not all ford it's international engine,but I see what your saying
Correct, it is indeed an International engine. Thanks!
Is that an old Suffolk city sticker I see?
Drew - are you referring to the one in the windshield? If so, I'll have to check. Scott
Yes sir I am. That sounds good. Reason I ask is I'm from the Hampton Roads area and it looked pretty familiar.
@@drewrhea1021 I got it out of Richmond. Looks like it was previously in Lawrenceville and Chesterfield. I'll have to check the sticker, too.
I have an 87 F250 6.9L that Ive owned since 1992 it has about 98K miles. Mostly rust-free here in SW. Just spent the last few months putting back on road. Actually reduced my insurance rates $12 when adding on.
Lucky man! Thanks for checking in.
Yeah but didn’t ford offer a Cummins in there trucks at some point in there past history?
I know they did in the larger commercial trucks.
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE I apologize. I’m still new at the whole diesel world. At one point I googled did ford offer a Cummins in there trucks it said yes. I googled that up because I was thinking about doing a 12V swap into my 1992 f250 7.3 idi. I might go with a power stroke.
@@josephhenderson7044 - Swapping in a PowerStroke sounds like a lot of work to me; I'd be inclined to stick with the IDI and just add a turbo. Good luck with it! Scott
Caterpillar 3208.!👍🏻⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Is that what DeBoss put in his F350? Probably more work than I need at this point. Thanks!
hi
Hello!
Im late to see your video. Now, what credentials do I have to add? I cut my teeth, 30+ years ago, on diesel engines. Ive ran Ford Service departments, as a trouble-shooter and as a service manager. Ive built my fair share of projects for people of all walks. From simple repair to complex redesign, yes I do know a few little tricks. No. 1, NEVER try to turn a seized engine with a crank bolt. You already mentioned why. Ive built more than a few engines in my time, too. A rebuild is ALWAYS the most cost effective way to repower the truck. The IDI engines are, for the most part, bulletproof. Theres no engine thats "ideal" for any use. By nature of where oil comes from, it all wants to eat itself. Oil is, by definition, dirt. Synthetic's are the exception to that. Once youve got it back from the machine shop, use liberal amounts of assembly lube for all of it. Its a roller motor so just replace the lifters. A high volume, high pressure oil pump is vital to it. The basic rebuild kit, when you do your looking, shouldnt be a problem to locate. Youve got all sorts of sources to check with. No matter what way you decide to go, to recoup a lot of your money, rebuild the block. Youre not tue only one with the need for one. When you check the prices for what one of them brings, youll start to understand why Im saying this. I set my shop up to always make some of it back. Lessen the pain, so to speak.
Hey Russ - thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed response! If you check out Episode 5, you'll see that I sourced a running 7.3 IDI for a really, really good price. I chose an 7.3 over a 6.9 because of the large head bolts in the 7.3 which lend themselves more to a boosted application. Thanks again for your comment! Scott
Don’t fuss about cross breeding a Cummins in your Ford. My 1992 F700 has a Motorcraft 5.9 Cummins engine from the factory. It’s painted black and even has a Motorcraft label on the Cummins block.
I want to do a Cummins one day, but wanted to keep an IDI in Brutus. Thanks
Another engine it will be cheaper
Hi Robert - I agree! Check out the more recent episodes for more details! Thanks, Scott
Dodge Cummins
It's a great engine, but I'm going to stick with the IDI diesel for this build. Thanks for the input. Scott
Sweet truck be better with a 7.3IDI Turbo and 4x4! And Cummins is not a Dodge engine, Cummins is an engine company not associated with anyone, Cummins are a blank canvas engine, perfect for Dodge, Ford, or Chevrolet, the 6.9IDI, 7.3IDI, 7.3PS, 6.0PS, 6.4PS, is not Ford engines, they're International engines!
Michael - if you check out the rest of the videos, you'll see that we're going with an IDI turbo and 4x4! Thanks for your comment, Scott
Cummins 5.9 swap 👍
Thanks for your input!
6.9s Were notorious for Head gasket leaks. Nice truck, though the wiring on the 87s got lost in the Quality control page!
Good luck. Personally, I would have pulled the front clip as a complete unit. Then you could have done your diagnosis and top end disassembly with plenty of space. And much more Torque to spin the Engine sitting in the frame. Can't wait to see it's progress. Thank You
I didn't think about pulling the front clip off as a complete unit, but that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the comment! Scott