1985 Ford F-250 Diesel Review - Why The IDI Diesel Is So Important!

[@Ben-jz3mt]

A naturally aspirated diesel. You just don't see those any more. Not even in Europe where diesels are still pretty popular.

[@stoneylonesome4062]

There’s little point to making a naturally aspirated Diesel, other than for the sake of simplicity. Diesels work better with turbochargers, it makes little sense to have a vehicle (especially a utility vehicle) without one.

[@tedfreakinray]

I fell these were perfect the way they are. Newer diesels definitely need the turbos. But this specific one is great without one.

[@madcat4563]

​@stoneylonesome4062 Slow as f**k but last forever and also simplicity.

[@DiscGolfDom23]

Man I miss the days when trucks were TRUCKS and not glorified family haulers that weigh 7000 lbs

[@TullmoreDew]

YEAH

[@SkylarSpooko]

hell yea brother

[@thatcarguy1UZ]

I miss real trucks like this. I'd rather have a "new" one of these than any of the modern trucks on the market. Just make mine with an NP-435.

[@stoneylonesome4062]

⁠ I used to work/live in Japan… can confirm that 99% of Americans who want a pickup truck, would be better off with a Kei Truck, let alone a Ute (Coupé utility, eg; El Camino). Back in my home country (Albania) the only people who even want to buy a body-on-frame truck, are people who live and work on cattle farms.

[@thatcarguy1UZ]

@@stoneylonesome4062 I absolutely love those things! I wish that they were legal to get here in the us, but they won't let that happen because the American manufacturers don't want us to be able to buy small efficient and practical trucks. They want to sell us their giant insulin chariots so they can make $70,000 profit and have us have to replace it after it dies in 5 years.

[@ColtonHogue]

Generaly the older the truck the better the truck

[@Drewcardello]

Upvoted.

[@drewzero1]

My neighbor had one of these when I was growing up... The 80s F-series was and is my idea of the perfect truck.

[@Trenton-om9qs]

We need to make trucks like this. Trucks that don't have a crap ton of features and stuff you dont want or need. Just a workhorse that gets the job done

[@roughneckmp]

My grandfather had an ‘84 Ford F350 crew cab, long bed, non-dually, red. It has a 351 Windsor that had been hopped up mated with a four speed manual & two wheel drive. He used it to pull my grandparents’ fifth wheel camper. While I have always been a Chevy guy I absolutely loved that big red Ford of his.

[@truckfreak1027]

Reminds me of elementary school. We had old f700 ish busses with motors. The sound of it struggling up and down the hills of Massachusetts... Ah nostalgia

[@t.b.6600]

Damn, that's a real work truck that survived all these years. No "lifestyle truck" BS here.

[@dave11686]

Love the shot of you starting that bad boy up. My dad had an 85

[@bobchandler-m3e]

That tank switch location is the exact location for the rear window down/up on the full size bronco

[@pieswimmer1]

Man I love the sound of that diesel idling. Reminds me of my grandparent's home.

[@Jonathan-bk3dq]

That a/c isn't removed, compressor is still there under the hood. Probably just does not work anymore.

[@tedfreakinray]

Well the refrigerant and the some of the lines 🤣 only the compressor and evaporator remain.

[@wrecked_chaos]

Wow, my heart skipped a beat when I saw the thumbnail. First vehicle I ever drove was this exact same truck with the paint in the exact same condition. I got teased for it because it wasn't new, but I sure loved that truck.

[@mikekokomomike]

Dad bought one to pull a fifth wheeler. At the time diesel was cheaper than gasoline, but a couple years later diesel was more expensive. He had trouble with the injector pump leaking, an oil pressure sensor went bad, caused a big scare, no oil pressure. Later on a few glow plugs went bad. It had some coolant leak or consumption that was never diagnosed and fixed. I drove it and pulled his trailer. Around town, the truck with no load was skittish in the back end when turning and crossing bumps like railroad tracks, this I think because of being nose heavy. It was a 2 wheel drive F250 as I remember, maybe a 1982 or 83.

[@1320fastback]

I daily drive a Cummins 12valve that's had some work done and I've never had it at full throttle. Such a difference in engines!

[@lawrenceoliver9813]

I worked on so many of these when I was a kid. The company my dad was the head mechanic at had an entire fleet of them.

[@1320fastback]

I daily drive a 1992 Dodge diesel with a 5spd. Dont think ill ever get rid of it.

[@wac2013]

I drive the 7.3idi as my daily. Love it. 6.9 and 7.3 are incredibly solid! It makes me so happy to see you cover this!

[@gaufrid1956]

Great patina on that truck, Zack. Back in the eighties, my late dad had a Ford F-150. It was a six cylinder gas engine, and a generation from the seventies. He had it to tow around my younger brother's horse float. My brother bred, trained and drove harness horses in races. It was a more reliable truck than the Jeep Grand Cherokee my dad bought when he retired in the mid nineties.

[@marlinmr7]

I would take this older real pickup any day over the new garbage as looking @ it in 2024 says a huge amount about how reliable and yet simple they were. This truck is prime for restoration. How fast it goes - do not care. Only thing that would make it better is if it were a manual vs. automatic but by no means is the automatic in this a negative - unlike the new ones. Have the 1981 version of this in an F150 w/302 automatic and the dual tanks 4X2. Amazing how the 40 year old non-turbo charged minus all the elctronic whiz bang w/only a 4 speed automatic and a carb can achieve 25-30MPG all day long.....🙂

[@cub1009]

This is the greatest era of Ford trucks. You just can't kill them no matter what engine or transmission.

[@shnorth888]

A local bus company in my area in the late 80s and early 90s used to have several 15 passenger Ford Clubwagons and a couple of mini buses on the Econoline E350 chassis equipped with the 7.3 IDI diesel motors. I always like the sound of these.

[@raymond_sycamore]

I have a 1995 F250 with the 7.3 PowerStroke. Great truck, better engine.

[@michaelbenoit248]

IDIs are slow but gets decent mpg. 12-20 depending on optioned gearing.

[@ViperReApErR]

I get 12-15 with my 92 crew cab dually 7.3 idi with zf5 and 4.10s, took getting used to since my 95 cclb with 460 e4od and 4.10s only got 12 on a good day and usually got 8😂

[@MrChickenspit]

The intro music with the the truck key noise low key creeped me out

[@SkylarSpooko]

stayed for the f250, liked for the rc cola

[@bazilwreckerloughead]

I remember my uncle used to have an 85 Ford diesel 4X4 auto; he said top speed was 55, up hill, down hill, wind behind you or whatever, it would pull a house at 55 though!

[@AllanMontoyaVillegas]

That's a proper badass American Truck!

[@grndiesel]

Try to find a lariat version of that truck if you can. Surprisingly plush for the era. I love mine and have no plans to sell it.

[@thevduber]

Seeing that pop up of my old 87 Made me miss it haha. I want another!

[@levyoliver5363]

The engine of that F250 is an International Harvester diesel engine

[@ModelA]

You can always tell when you're behind one of these IDI diesels in traffic. They all have such distinct (eye burning) exhaust. Pretty sure they were responsible for the "acid rain" crisis.

[@tedfreakinray]

I would be lying if I said this didn't do that haha

[@infernoking7504]

Nah a properly cared for one shouldn't be that bad ive been by a few as for acid rain yeah sulfur Im pretty sure causes that.

[@ModelA]

@@infernoking7504 No, it's nitric oxide.

[@Hobotraveler82]

Nice truck. Used to own an 84 IDI when I lived out in northeastern Utah. Bought it from a rancher in Colorado. The only thing it had was power steering and brakes. Everything else was manual including the transmission. White with red interior. Used it alot for Overland camping and hauling firewood on occasion. My Uncle bought it from me to use on the farm in Missouri. After he passed. It got parked out in the field. Awesome video. Love these old diesel trucks. 😊

[@mattt198654321]

It's amazing to think that Ford's partnership with International started with this truck and lasted 25 years. Culminating with the absolutely garbage 6.4 powerstroke. Sad ending to a great relationship.

[@DB-bw5fz]

I don’t believe that cruise control is factory. Factory dealer add on is more likely though. Fords of that era used the steering wheel mounted cruise buttons….including on the bull nose Fords.

[@tedfreakinray]

Sure is. This was a factory add on for the 80s f series. Could actually be had in both configurations. The matri report stated this was an option added to the dso.

[@dragon81heart]

Agreed

[@JC-zg4xe]

Cruise control but no tach is hilarious

[@jasonlovell3934]

Ted must be a big fall guy fan

[@farmyardfab]

Dodge wouldn't be in business if Ford would have used the much better dt360.

[@engineer_alv]

The DT360 weights almost 400 lbs more than a 6.9 IDI and 350lbs more than the T444E that replaced it. It wouldn't have been made any sense in a 3/4 Ton pickup.

[@mumwifeteacher]

It has the John Davis gauges opinion

[@michaelbenoit248]

For those reading this looking at an IDI be ready to take the engine out, & reseal it cuz they’re 30-40yrs old. They’re to the point where they need to be rebuilt.

[@tedfreakinray]

Not this one. Bone dry underneath.

[@riogrande163]

@@tedfreakinray i think he means piston rings

[@RobsNeighbor]

My neighbor has a 1980ish I'm going to review soon

[@raymond_sycamore]

oh hell yeah a real mans truck glug glug lug

[@JordanPeverelli]

No Cosby sauce? Dang.

[@davidp2888]

Very cool truck.

[@thepurdychannel8866]

Whats the 6.9 like compared to the 7.3 powerstroke

[@arcademania7544]

The na 6.9 is diarrhea.. The na 7.3 is a solid turd!!

[@tedfreakinray]

​@arcademania7544 but I love my diarrhea 😂

[@thepurdychannel8866]

@arcademania7544 as in slow? As they have no turbo mechanically I heard the international 7.3 is solid

[@dragon81heart]

Great engines, just not fast Best of the IDI’s are the 1993 factory turbo 7.3 that is actually getting a bit hard to find as they only made them for about a year and a half until the direct injection 7.3 (which is the Powerstroke 7.3)

[@Misteryman321]

I'm an owner of a 6.9idi N/A. They're dogshit slow compared to the modern 7.3 Powerstroke and we all know where that one stands. But I will give credit where credit is due. If you can fit a turbo onto it and feed the 6.9/7.3 about 10psi I've seen them walk a 7.3 powerstroke. Truth be told Ford detuned the 7.3idi turbo to the 10psi, originally 15psi, because it was out performing it.

[@anthonymatute6057]

Cool Truck!!!

[@ChristmasMorning1995]

Were you by chance at a Bucees today? I was in line behind a guy who looked just like you. I started to say hi but wasn’t sure if it was you or not

[@ShootingCars]

I was not :(

[@ChristmasMorning1995]

@@ShootingCars oh okay thanks!

[@JarmelSingsKaraoke]

🔥🔥🔥

[@infernoking7504]

Oh fuck a 3 speed auto in a 6.9 idi 😭 that thing is dangerously slow at least with a manual you waste a bit less power spining it.

[@tedfreakinray]

At 50-55, she's screaming

[@mikeypv6]

Have you reviewed this vehicle before?... I'm sure I've seen your title with IDI before 🤔🤷‍♂️

[@tedfreakinray]

He reviewed a 1987 but that's a year newer generation

[@mikeypv6]

@@tedfreakinray I see... cheers 👍

[@thevduber]

That was my 1987.Same motor but different generation

[@bartholomausallen883]

The patina on that truck is just too much. It's fake, right?

[@tedfreakinray]

It is not. I purchased this from a farmer from Tennessee. This is how I got it from the old man.

[@equalspro]

Please show the power numbers in your reviews thanks

[@SnarkyRC]

Hey look an actual truck. Not a glorified family hauler like you see these days. Those old corn binder engines run forever.

[@michaelhoskins832]

Are you holding your Coke can in a roll of duct tape,Zack?

[@tedfreakinray]

That's my RC Cola haha with no cup holders, a duct tape roll is just heavy enough to hold a can