I didn't even read this whole thread, but i know i saw plenty of people bashing on the 7.3 as not being a high power engine when they are WRONG!!! All the guys saying this just don't understand how to set up a 7.3 AND make it run correctly.. then you couple that with setting it up to not blow out the block and you really screw those guys up.
There is much more to it than this but i will touch on it a little bit....
It's not as easy to get a 7.3 to do what a 12v or a duramax can do, but can it be done? YES, it can. it will cost money, but it can be done. to start it off decide what kind of power you want to see from it on the sled track. from there you need a lot of research to decide what kind of boost you think your going to need to see for that kind of power. lower the compression ratio depending on how much boost your going to run. there is an equation running around out there somewhere and i know there have been posts on what the cylinder pressure limits are around for the 7.3. with more boost equals more cylinder pressure so you gotta lower the ratio. there is an equation out there that gives cylinder pressure by boost and CR. get some strong azz rods, BALANCE the rotating assembly!!! the 7.3 bottom end can be around 200g or more out of balance i have read.. cryo the block and fill it as well.. girdle or bed plate w/ studs, H11's up top, port the hell out of the heads, hardened seats, heavy azz springs, possibly even cryo the heads for fun, WOE roller rockers, pushrods, Twin HPOS, melling LPOP, dieselsite HPO rez spacer, huge injectors, huge turbo(s), etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc......
It's all in how you build the truck and of course.... TUNING, TUNING, TUNING!!!! if it's not tuned worth a damn even setting it up correctly you will pop it. you must have good tuning on these engines or bad things will happen FAST. Mike O has gotten his 7.3 over 1000hp on the HEUI injection system and he has kept his tuning in check the whole way. if he was to get a little wild on his tuning it would likely blow to pieces very fast.
It will also help to think of it as a system. changing one part of the engine is going to effect the whole system. It's not bad to build one of these, just HAVE to use your head. a powerstroke is definitely not for any other dodge guy or duramax guy to build.. you can't be a caveman to build a PSD AND make it live. :rockwoot: