Old Ford trucks will always hold massive appeal for hard-core diesel fans wanting simple, rugged mechanical platforms. Taking an original OBS 7.3-liter Power Stroke and pushing it past modern standards, KC Turbos completed a massive towing upgrade for Ben Hess.
Stripping The Factory Engine
Arriving with a completely stock setup, the pickup produced a baseline dyno run of 284 horsepower. The shop planned out major upgrades featuring a Gen 3 Stage 1 turbo, an E99 conversion, a Stage 1 HPOP, and Full Force 180/30 injectors.
Pulling the factory turbocharger took the crew exactly five minutes. Demonstrating the teardown speed, Lewis notes, “I’m telling you guys, it literally does not get easier than this. Literally 5 minutes and I have the turbo and pedestal out.” He then removed the mechanical fuel pump, keeping the steel pushrod from falling.
Upgrading The OBS 7.3-liter Power Stroke
Transferring fittings to the fresh high-pressure oil pump, the team dropped the new unit into place. They then aligned the long slots on the upgraded injectors toward the engine center. Seating them carefully, the crew tapped each injector with a dead blow hammer until a distinct sound change confirmed they bottomed out perfectly.
Completing the layout, the shop bolted on a Marty’s electronic fuel system and set the regulator pressure to 65 psi. Fresh engine oil and a clean filter finished the assembly phase.
Dyno Tuning And Filter Testing
Taking the truck for a shakedown drive, the exhaust burned off residual oil inside the downpipe. Strapping the pickup onto the dyno, the first heavy pull maxed out the factory manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor and reached 383 horsepower. After installing a boost fooler, output climbed to 410 horsepower.
Testing a popular 6637 intake filter on the dyno resulted in a strict power drop. Lewis says, “So, if you want to lose 20 horsepower at home, you too can make sure to bolt on the 6637 filter. You too can lose 20 horsepower.” Hitting the streets later, Hess notes, “And this thing runs like a champ… It just feels reliable, powerful. I can’t wait to tow with it.”
Ready for Heavy Towing
Building a highly reliable OBS 7.3-liter Power Stroke requires carefully matching turbo airflows with precise fueling modifications. Pushing past the impressive 400 hp mark gives this classic rig enough muscle to drag heavy fifth-wheel trailers up steep mountain grades without breaking a sweat.
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