TheBossHEMI
03-15-2008, 08:27 PM
How's it goin' folks? Newbie here with a few questions about a truck about to purchase.
My father and I do field and brush mowing as a side job, and as he's about to retire from the Fire Dept., he's going to have a little extra time on his hands. Looking into upgrading to a different truck.
We ran across this 1990 International 4600. We frankly don't have any experience with the medium duty rigs. Tandem axle dumps and semi's, yes, but never owned one, just operated. Long-time friends of our family run a business laying asphalt with laying dirt and landscaping on the side. My father, on his days off, drive their rigs which consist of tandem axle dump, and triple axle dumps, all late 70's International's I believe (forget the exact years really) equipped with L10 Cummins, Dt466, and a 300 Cummins. So not totally inexperienced when it comes to behind the wheel time. More from my dad's side than mine to be honest.
Back on point, we're looking at this 1990 4600, and after VIN checking with International on specifics, and a few facts from the guys that are selling it, it's 7.3 non-turbo powered with a 5-speed manual, and 4.56 rear end, and air ride rear suspension. It originally was a roll back, but the guys we're buying it from are refurbishing it with 4' cut off the frame making it 77" cab to axle, and a 9'+ dumb bed on it. They seem to be doing a very good job of it.
With a 2000 F-350 Powerstroke doing the current duties, I have experience with that engine with bpu's. This 7.3 non-turbo, I'm quite clueless about, and not find much info about it. According to Int., it's 330 trq at 1600 revs, and 170hp at 2700 revs. I know trucks can be geared to work well with less power than expected, yet neither my dad or have experience with this engine, other than his experience with the 6.9 diesel in 1-ton aumbulance's back in the day. From what he remembers, the 6.9 was nothing to brag about by far, and a dog in the amublance application. Kinda hoping this 7.3 in the 4600 won't turn out this way, yet it's an upgrade from the '56 International S-130 it'd be replacing, any way you look at it.
But in the long haul, down the road, I've noticed the newer 4000 series Internationals are equipped with the DT466, and some with a 7.3 turbo diesel. How different are these 7.3 turbo's in the International trucks from the Powerstroke's in my 2000 F-350? If this rig we're gettin' turns out to be a nice truck, down the road, and with 180,000 miles on this 4600, what kinda of options do you recommend in upgrading this 7.3 non-turbo? Or would it be a good idea to get one of these 7.3 turbo's, or a DT466 to replace it? What about the tranny... the tranny in this rig stock, will it work with a 7.3 turbo? Is it possible to quite literally find a Powerstroke out of a F-series and drop it in with little or no hassle?
I also know ATS has a turbo kit for the 6.9 and 7.3 for the F-series. I've mailed them about this truck, the 4600, but no response after a week. I've seen rebuld kits for this 7.3 for about $900 (sound accurate?), so you recommend that route? Rebuilding this motor with a ATS turbo kit (if possible), or just getting a new crate/rebuilt engine like a Powerstroke or a DT466?
I have a lot of questions, and still learning about these rigs, so I apologize for the novel, but I value getting info from an experienced mouth more than a salesman. I appreciate the time of you reading this, lol.
My father and I do field and brush mowing as a side job, and as he's about to retire from the Fire Dept., he's going to have a little extra time on his hands. Looking into upgrading to a different truck.
We ran across this 1990 International 4600. We frankly don't have any experience with the medium duty rigs. Tandem axle dumps and semi's, yes, but never owned one, just operated. Long-time friends of our family run a business laying asphalt with laying dirt and landscaping on the side. My father, on his days off, drive their rigs which consist of tandem axle dump, and triple axle dumps, all late 70's International's I believe (forget the exact years really) equipped with L10 Cummins, Dt466, and a 300 Cummins. So not totally inexperienced when it comes to behind the wheel time. More from my dad's side than mine to be honest.
Back on point, we're looking at this 1990 4600, and after VIN checking with International on specifics, and a few facts from the guys that are selling it, it's 7.3 non-turbo powered with a 5-speed manual, and 4.56 rear end, and air ride rear suspension. It originally was a roll back, but the guys we're buying it from are refurbishing it with 4' cut off the frame making it 77" cab to axle, and a 9'+ dumb bed on it. They seem to be doing a very good job of it.
With a 2000 F-350 Powerstroke doing the current duties, I have experience with that engine with bpu's. This 7.3 non-turbo, I'm quite clueless about, and not find much info about it. According to Int., it's 330 trq at 1600 revs, and 170hp at 2700 revs. I know trucks can be geared to work well with less power than expected, yet neither my dad or have experience with this engine, other than his experience with the 6.9 diesel in 1-ton aumbulance's back in the day. From what he remembers, the 6.9 was nothing to brag about by far, and a dog in the amublance application. Kinda hoping this 7.3 in the 4600 won't turn out this way, yet it's an upgrade from the '56 International S-130 it'd be replacing, any way you look at it.
But in the long haul, down the road, I've noticed the newer 4000 series Internationals are equipped with the DT466, and some with a 7.3 turbo diesel. How different are these 7.3 turbo's in the International trucks from the Powerstroke's in my 2000 F-350? If this rig we're gettin' turns out to be a nice truck, down the road, and with 180,000 miles on this 4600, what kinda of options do you recommend in upgrading this 7.3 non-turbo? Or would it be a good idea to get one of these 7.3 turbo's, or a DT466 to replace it? What about the tranny... the tranny in this rig stock, will it work with a 7.3 turbo? Is it possible to quite literally find a Powerstroke out of a F-series and drop it in with little or no hassle?
I also know ATS has a turbo kit for the 6.9 and 7.3 for the F-series. I've mailed them about this truck, the 4600, but no response after a week. I've seen rebuld kits for this 7.3 for about $900 (sound accurate?), so you recommend that route? Rebuilding this motor with a ATS turbo kit (if possible), or just getting a new crate/rebuilt engine like a Powerstroke or a DT466?
I have a lot of questions, and still learning about these rigs, so I apologize for the novel, but I value getting info from an experienced mouth more than a salesman. I appreciate the time of you reading this, lol.