The Ford Power Stroke diesel is rarely used as the foundation for a competition diesel truck these days. But Zane Koch of Sandy, Utah, is out to prove that with the correct combination of modifications, the 7.3L Power Stroke is just as capable of winning as the more popular Cummins and Duramax engines. It hasn't necessarily been an easy road, but Zane's F-350 is now one of the quickest Ford diesels in the country, the result of many years of testing, tuning, and developing engine performance parts for the Power Stroke.
Zane's drag truck began life as a '97 F-350 longbed, regular cab pickup that has been modified for drag racing over the years while still retaining its street legality. The interior has been stripped out and the factory bench seat was replaced with a pair of Corbeau race seats complete with four-point harnesses. Zane's shop, Wide Open Performance, built a six-point rollcage that protects the driver and passenger and extends into the bed. Weight is the biggest enemy of quick quarter-mile runs, so the heavy factory fuel tank was replaced with a small fuel cell mounted in the bed. With this setup, Zane can carry the minimum amount of fuel needed.
Who says Power Strokes can't...
Who says Power Strokes can't be built for racing? Zane Koch's 7.3L features compound turbos, dual high-pressure oil pumps, nitrous, water injection, billet connecting rods, and fire-ringed heads.
Compound Turbo 7.3LClearly, the real jewel in this truck's crown is the engine that powers it. The motor uses a custom long-block with a Wide Open Performance girdle in the bottom end to stiffen the engine so it holds together under the stress of competition. Billet connecting rods and custom modified Mahle pistons work with custom valves and springs. Fire-ringed head gaskets help to keep the heads from leaking under boost.
One of the reasons the 7.3L engine is not as popular for competition as the Cummins and Duramax is because of the injection system it uses. Where the common-rail Cummins and Duramax use a single CP3 pump to create the fuel pressure required at the injector, the Power Stroke has a fuel pump and a high-pressure hydraulic pump that work together to bump up the fuel pressure at each injector. This high-pressure electronically controlled unit injection (HEUI) setup has advantages, but it's harder to get it to flow the amount of fuel needed to be competitive in drag racing and sled pulling. Zane made modifications to the injector nozzles and added two high-pressure oil pumps from Brian's Truck Shop to improve the injection system's performance.
 A Hypermax water-injection...  A Hypermax water-injection system and a TS Performance nitrous kit work with the intercooler to cool the intake temperatures after the two turbos. |  This F-350's days of hauling...  This F-350's days of hauling are long gone, so the bed is now home for the nitrous bottle, water-injection tank, and a single exhaust stack. |  This limiting strap prevents...  This limiting strap prevents the passenger-side front suspension from unloading and losing traction. |