The Gasser Plan
To be fair, our budget buildup did cater to each engine's strong points. As the best way to make power with a diesel is to increase fuel supply, the best way to make gains with a gas engine is by increasing airflow. With this in mind, the plan for the 5.8L small-block Ford was an Edelbrock Performer intake, Performer cylinder heads, headers, a set of Crane Cams 1.7 ratio rocker arms, and ARP head studs.
Diesel build vs. Gas build
One of the best parts about modifying our Power Stroke was the fact that the only internal work required was installing the injectors. This benefit allowed us to stay relatively clean when working on our F-350. Obviously, the same couldn't be said for the gasser, as the intake manifold, cylinder heads, and factory rocker arms had to be removed. An experienced do-it-yourselfer could perform the diesel modifications relatively quick, and we proved just that when we took both vehicles to Diesel Tech in Hemet, California. Just as we suspected, our Power Stroke was easily finished in a day and a half, while it took nearly three days to complete the work on our gas-powered Ford.
 We made sure to put a fresh...  We made sure to put a fresh coat of oil on each injector's rubber O-rings by simply dipping them in a tub of oil prior to installation. |  It's a good thing we had extra...  It's a good thing we had extra sawzall blades with us when removing the factory downpipe. |  The most time consuming part...  The most time consuming part of the exhaust removal and install was attributed to the downpipes, as the original takes time to cut out... |
 ...and the new 3-inch diameter...  ...and the new 3-inch diameter unit required cutting, beating, and prying on the firewall for proper fitment. We should also note that we had to re-work our transmission cooler line in order for the new downpipe to fit. |  Once the 3-inch downpipe was...  Once the 3-inch downpipe was on, the rest of the MBRP exhaust system install was a breeze. We're hopeful that this system will keep EGTs at a manageable level, being that our Power Stroke is non-intercooled, and we aren't upgrading from the stock turbo. |  The wiring harness for the...  The wiring harness for the computer is located under the brake master cylinder along the driver side of the firewall, and is closest to the fender. We removed the wiring harness, and used a prybar to push down on the fenderwell in order to pull the computer out. From there, we cleaned the computer's circuit board thoroughly and attached the TS Performance chip. Bean's provides detailed instructions for the chip install on its website, which came in handy. |