anyone made a idi pulling truck?

[Greenbeast6.9]

im putting my truck back together (hopefully if $$ allows) and was wondering if anyone has used their old idi for pulling. I have the hypermax pulse turbo new injectors and a pump. What would i need to do to make this thing a puller? What kind of egt could i run for the short amount of time? I see black smoke spewing from pulling trucks all the time, would i need an intercooler? I just want to use this truck for pulling. I have pulled it once already (with no turbo) and did get LAST but not by far, only like 10ft. I got edged out by my friends 99 dodge . What are your thoughts? any ideas would be helpfull.

 

[Mikes91]

You'll find you don't have nearly the power of the newer trucks... and it'll be pretty ******* your truck.

That said, it looks like pulling is largely technique. If your friend knew how to drive, he'd have had you by much more than 10 feet...

 

[Greenbeast6.9]

id say your right, i wont have the power the newer trucks have, but i like the idea of doing something different for FUN. Like local pulls not nationals or anything ;p

 

[aaklingler]

A kid I know pulled his stock idi, until he put a cummins in it. I'm planning on building my 89 so i can pull it. Your gonna need the intercooler, drop the compression to about 16:1 and anything else you can put on or in the motor, drugs would be good. I wouldn't look at the pyro. Your also gonna need to do some work to the truck, more springs and traction bars would be good. weight bar for the front if your allowed.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Yup, I did last summer and probablly do it again this summer. It was a blast. No I didn't have the power of some of the hot rod PSD's but I did beat a number of them Out of 30 trucks I think I was around 13th place. Not bad for a first timer!

 

[82fordtruck]

last one I went to, it was an IDI that kicked ass. I think it's more technique than power, but I've never done it.

 

[Freight_Train]

hee hee hee,Yea,YO KEN!Where you at boy!Ken(What the BLEEP is his last name??!?!) built a monster 6.9L.

 

[Diezel_Cowboy]

Yeah I've pulled too!

 

[Diezel_Cowboy]

Here's a couple more:

 

[Agnem]

I think if you want to build a pulling truck, your better off not using your daily driver to do it. As was mentioned, horsepower alone won't get you there. Don't even think of hooking to the sled without a high dollar clutch, lockers front and rear, and a suspension that won't end your run in a bounce. Driveline cages are a real good idea too. It is rumoured that hypermax got 600HP out of an IDI for a VERY short time. The HP is there, but the mods to claim it are extensive and not cheap.

 

[OkieGringo]

Go to Kens website and order 8 ceramic coated pistons. At $38.00 each there're cheap and will accomodate higher EGTs. OkieGringo

 

[Freight_Train]

Go to Kens website and order 8 ceramic coated pistons. At $38.00 each there're cheap and will accomodate higher EGTs. OkieGringo

Actually that is just to coat your pistons.If that price was for actual pistons I would be broke as a joke!Gimme 100.

 

[Diezel_Cowboy]

I think if you want to build a pulling truck, your better off not using your daily driver to do it. As was mentioned, horsepower alone won't get you there. Don't even think of hooking to the sled without a high dollar clutch, lockers front and rear, and a suspension that won't end your run in a bounce. Driveline cages are a real good idea too. It is rumoured that hypermax got 600HP out of an IDI for a VERY short time. The HP is there, but the mods to claim it are extensive and not cheap.

It sounds like GreenBeast is only using this particular truck to pull with, not as a daily driver.
As far as not thinking about hooking to the sled without a special clutch lockers or suspension..........nah dont need any of those to go out and have fun, which is just what i was doing in my pictures! Sounds to me like GreenBeast just wants to compete a little.
The advice i would give is just to find stock classes, they are not as popular but you can run with a turned up pump as long as the pump is stock usually. The nice thing about stock classes is they are fun and you can still be competitive.
All the big guys have too much money to try to compete with. So if you just want to have fun find a pull/class that fits your truck instead of making your truck fit the class!
I have pulled my truck twice in RWYB classes and of course there are lots of souped up slodges that take the trophy but I still wasnt last place and one of the guys I beat was drivin a chevy. It is also a good testament to the integrity of the truck. Not only that but it is nice to see that a million dollars in truck pulling might only be worth a few feet, even the best pullers have bad days!
I would recommend pulling in a class that your truck already qualifies for to anybody......it is a fun experience!

So to answer your original question GreenBeast dont spend much money just turn up the pump, block off the waste gate, install a K&N filter put in a pyro and boost gage and go have some fun!

 

[Cowboy_Customs]

I deffinatly agree with D_C. All I have to add to the whole thing is just this.
I dont care how much power you have, but if you aint got traction, YOU AINT GOIN NOWHERE!! pulling is simply all about traction. Yes lots of power will get you there quicker, but with out traction, it aint happn'n. To get a good balance of both. Seems how not much info is being passed on about the original question, I'll give you what I know.
The fundamentals of a good pulling truck are all a combination of these:
*Ladderbars: to keep axle wrap, and wheel hop to a minumum.
*Lockers: some sort of either, locker, limited slip or even a spool. At a minimum, something in the rear to get both those tires moving.
*Leaf springs: heavier, or more, leafs in the rear. Simply to hold more weight on the rear, to add to, Traction.
*TIRES: A good set of, I'll say mudd'n tires. Why? TRACTION! I couldnt give you specifics on whos tires, and which ones to use, so use your best judgement here.
*Those are simply for traction, so I'll list some other things here:
*Ceramic coating: OkieGringo mentioned having your pistons coated, EXCELLENT idea! Our pistons being aluminum, the last thing you want is to melt one down in the middle of a run! $$$
*Pistons: A lower compression piston. from what Ive heard this will alow for more boost, and lower EGT's.
*GUAGES: I personaly gotta have em, the more, the better. (for me anyway)
I like to know whats going on with my truck, obviously if something is failing durring a run, I want to know, so im not wasting a 4 thousand dollar motor!!
*Propane: IF ALLOWED, this allows for a more efficient, powerful burn of the diesel fuel. hehe also like i said POWERful. check the rules first!!
*Tranny stuff: I see you are using a C-6, so.... A better Torque converter will help but the power to the ground. And anything to help that thing hold up internally, kevlar bands, ect. (consult a local race shop or trans shop, for very heavy duty racing, pulling, towing items.)
*Driveshaft hoops: for safety purposes these are a good idea, IF a U-joint should fail, these will help keep the flailing driveshaft contained!
*Weights: Some sort of bracket to carry some tractor weight on the front end to help keep that planted on the ground for more, TRACTION. But only if allowed, (check the rules here too)

This is just a list of things that I can think off right off hand, Obviously the stronger you can make things the better, axleshafts, u-joints ect. use your own judgement, and learn a few things from the other guys. But just remember to HAVE FUN doing it!
Oh and on the Intercooler, I have heard of guys disconnecting it, and running straight into the manifold, reason being the loss of boost through the IC, and seems how your going to be going at most 25 MPH (thats on the extreme high side) that IC isnt going to cool the air charge much for a puller.

 

[Greenbeast6.9]

wow, these are the answers i'm looking for!! a few things to let you guys know my plans:

1 this is not my daily driver
2 i have plans on pulling in the stock class, i do not want to spend as much as the cummins&power stroke guys.
3 i am doing this for fun, i use to pull a john Deere B with my dad back when i was 15-17 before he sold it.
4 i will probably trailer it in so if things happen i can just load it up


so as far as mods go I'm thinking about:

-blocking the rear so it will only squat like 2-3"
-some sort of latter bar
-as far as a locker goes I'm thinking cheap/Lincoln locker( i have done this numerous times on my offroad rigs)
-tires I'm thinking all terrains instead of mudders, so the pile of dirt in front of the sled does not slow me down
-as far as propane goes i have it hooked up already
-my c-6 has been rebuilt with the good stuff in it as well as a FIRM shift.
-lastly i need to fab up some sort of weight bracket,

last time i pulled i weighed in at 6900 so i have a lot of room to play with weights, I have a question how would lowering the compression ratio help me achieve Moore boost? would that not lessen it, if not do i just take it to a shop and have them shave some off the piston then get it coated? I really want to get something going before the pullin season comes, man now I'm just excited!!! thanks, lets keep the ideas coming!