UJOR Build Thread

[cjken]

I'm really interested to hear about Alphavan's 7.3.
425 to the wheels would be nice in my van!! I assume a whole driveline upgrade would be needed to handle that!

 

[DzlToy]

You will need some deep pockets to start and yes, a transmission build will be on the list of upgrades:

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/99...-power-levels-300-500-above-whp-write-up.html

Diesel Power had a similar article (parts list for certain power levels), but I can't put my hands on it right now. These motors have been around for almost 20 years now in pickups, so there are many shops with experience to build them properly. You do not get the performance for your $$ that you get from a Cummins or Duramax until you get to the newer Ford diesels. Then, simple "bolt on" mods can yield 500 RWHP with relative ease. That is more difficult and expensive to obtain from a 7.3L Powerstroke according to the tuners I have spoken with.

PS: Chris, I am happy to remove this if you don't want it in here.

EDIT: CPP sells their 7.3L longblock for about five grand. Quite a few parts still need to be added obviously, so depending on your budget, 20k - 25k for a complete engine and trans would be pretty easy to do IMO.

 

[tgreening]

I'm really interested to hear about Alphavan's 7.3.
425 to the wheels would be nice in my van!! I assume a whole driveline upgrade would be needed to handle that!

Geez, greedy! . Since I'm lucky to be seeing about 145 or so at the wheels right now, I'd be happy to see 250.

 

[ujoint]

More serious note... Where are you going for your 7.3s Chris? Factory, reman, rebuilt salvage ? If factory, how far back are they available, all the way to the idi era? How do they come... long, short, all the way to fully dressed? And the bigee...iffen a guy was to head to the Ford stealership for say a standard long block typish, how far (approx) could he expect to be bent over for the service?

Its a ground up build and will overbuilt for the power we'll make to ensure reliability. Thats our #1 priority besides some extra go power. I have an 8 page quote for the parts and will be going there to see it on the dyno and bring it home. We compared many options for this build and decided this was the best route. A Ford reman long block 7.3 is right at ~7k.

I'm really interested to hear about Alphavan's 7.3.
425 to the wheels would be nice in my van!! I assume a whole driveline upgrade would be needed to handle that!

I'll post a full spec sheet once its done. Super stoked!

You will need some deep pockets to start and yes, a transmission build will be on the list of upgrades:

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/99...-power-levels-300-500-above-whp-write-up.html

Diesel Power had a similar article (parts list for certain power levels), but I can't put my hands on it right now. These motors have been around for almost 20 years now in pickups, so there are many shops with experience to build them properly. You do not get the performance for your $$ that you get from a Cummins or Duramax until you get to the newer Ford diesels. Then, simple "bolt on" mods can yield 500 RWHP with relative ease. That is more difficult and expensive to obtain from a 7.3L Powerstroke according to the tuners I have spoken with.

PS: Chris, I am happy to remove this if you don't want it in here.

EDIT: CPP sells their 7.3L longblock for about five grand. Quite a few parts still need to be added obviously, so depending on your budget, 20k - 25k for a complete engine and trans would be pretty easy to do IMO.

Thanks for posting, there are so many options and I feel its best to explore them all depending on how deep someone wants to go and how deep their pockets are of course.

 

[ujoint]

Happy new year, just got home from 2 nights camping with some buddies. Good weather (finally COLD!) good food, good beer and fires. The site was pretty wet from all this rain we've had and I was dragging a trailer full of pallets, tried to go around everyone else and the clay said nope! All 4 spinning. Dumped the trailer, still couldn't get traction. So instead of destroying this beautiful spot I just pulled myself up. We still fixed my tracks the best we could.

 

[patoz]

Chris, I wish more people thought like you do when it comes to non-destructive camping.

 

[350outrage]

That clay mud is bad stuff. That what I got stuck in when my van got flooded in the torrential rain. No traction.

 

[Bbasso]

Yeah, I'm sure you loved cleaning up afterwards LOL!

 

[ujoint]

Chris, I wish more people thought like you do when it comes to non-destructive camping.


View attachment 322582

Yea this is a nice place that we frequent, don't want the authorities to see any abuse.

That clay mud is bad stuff. That what I got stuck in when my van got flooded in the torrential rain. No traction.

Yep, 4 wheel drive and lockers don't stand a chance!

Yeah, I'm sure you loved cleaning up afterwards LOL!

Luckily one of my buddies that came had some landscaping tools with him so it only took us a few minutes.

 

[cjken]

Thanks for all the 7.3 info. Reliability is probably my top priority. I've learned a lot about the motor in the time I've had it.

Geez, greedy! . Since I'm lucky to be seeing about 145 or so at the wheels right now, I'd be happy to see 250.

Haha. Yes I should just be happy with what I got. It's fine for just about anything I need, but some day......

I always like reading this thread and seeing all the projects and conversions.

 

[tgreening]

I hear ya on the projects. If I can ever get my stinking gear change done I'm ready to move on to the turbo conversion but good lord, getting a gear shop around here to get a move on is almost impossible.

 

[350outrage]

I hear ya on the projects. If I can ever get my stinking gear change done I'm ready to move on to the turbo conversion but good lord, getting a gear shop around here to get a move on is almost impossible.

That's amazing. We have some country boys around here working out of their little shop, who'll swap gears for you in a couple of days.

 

[ujoint]

Van on the life, van off the lift. On & off. On today was the low mileage 7.3 for a "soft" tear down and spring hanger drilling. Tomorrow we start a major 6.0 job by yanking the body.

 

[Corneilius]

whats up with the xj in the background?

 

[mk216v]

Yeah, is that a special ops project we weren't supposed to spy? <shifting eyes>