what do I need to know?

silveradoss

SDD Junior Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2006
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Guys,thanks for your replies to my longevity question but I have another for you.What info do I need to know about a truck before purchasing?,I am going to look at a 2002 f-350 7.3 crew cab diesel xlt.Sorry the gear size is not known but it is a automatic with 126,000 miles for $18,500.I believe lift pumps are a concearn,but I am totally new to diesels.Thanks again and I look forward to join the fold.
 

oi8228oi

another 99
Joined
May 18, 2006
Messages
1,011
Reaction score
0
Location
OB NJ, land of traffic, stop lights, stop signs, a
there was a great write up done a while back i wish i knew what it was under... well ill give you what i know...
run the truck and take the oil fill cap on and check for blow by... check the tranny stick for how burnt the tranny fluid.. 2 or 4 wd, if 4x4 check to be sure it engauges....srw's are usually 3.73's i think, drw's are 4.10 i think... where you located, if somewhere w/snow check for rust on undercarrage, and especially on the bottems of doors.. take the tube that goes into the turbo for the air cleaner and make sure its not oil fouled ect and that the wheel spins freely... run it for a new mins check for leaks, try the ac make sure it works wish i could give you more good luck


the new diesel world mag has a big write up on what too look for when buying a used diesel...
 

95_stroker

Jefe
Joined
Mar 28, 2005
Messages
6,809
Reaction score
3
Location
Cora, Wy
Here is some info, it pertains to the 94-97 models but it is still very good info and can be applied to SD's as well.

Buying Used Power Stroke Diesels

Things To Look For When Buying A Used Power Stroke Diesel
Turbo:


You might take the air tube off the back of the air filter and look inside of it. If there is dirt build up, that is a very bad sign, so are the turbo fins looking sand blasted or bent. A little oily film is normal since the valve cover breather exits inside the tube.

Airbox:

Check the two bolts holding down the airbox lid. If they are plastic with a square recess, it is a recalled part. The recall is expired, but without the updated lid the risk of dirt infiltration is greater, the lid was updated with more supports and the updated bolts are metal with a straight slot. If it is the old style, you spend around $80 to update it.

Tranny:

If you buy a truck with an auto tranny, finding out if it's been maintained is essential, as the 4R100 is an expensive transmission. Also, (if auto) seeing if the truck has an auxiliary transmission cooler would be worthwhile. For sticks, listen for clunking when shutting off or small vibration while operating. It could be an indication of a dual mass flywheel going out. Many have replaced them with single mass units.

Rear Gear Ratio:

4:10 will pull better, get slightly lower mpg’s and run a higher RPM compared to 3:55.

Coolant:

Ask the previous owner about the coolant - have they been adding FW16 or DCA4 to keep a proper SCA level? It is very important for stopping cavitation. You can get test strips to check the SCA level from NAPA, International, or Ford. I would test the current condition while looking over the truck, the SCA level should be between 1.5 and 3.0. Also, see if it has a block heater (it was an option on 97's).

Front end:

Check the front end for wear, or have an alignment shop check out the ball joints and steering linkage (tie rod ends). If they are shot, it is spendy (all four tie rods are around $400 just for parts, ball joint labor is also very spendy)

Oil:

The questions to ask are how often the oil was changed (at least every 5,000) and what kind of oil they used (diesel rated)? An oil analysis could tell you if there might be an engine problem or not.

Aftermarket stuff:

Seeing if the truck has got an aftermarket downpipe would be nice, a chip, or gauges (pyrometer, trans temp, etc.). Ask about any added items and who installed them.

Glow Plugs/Relay:

Find out if the glow plugs are in good working condition as well as the relay. Ask if either has been changed and when. You can check the glow plug resistance through the valve cover connector if needed , and the relay should have power to both large terminals on top when the key is turned on, and one of the terminals should go out before ~2 minutes.

Injector o-rings:

The injector O-rings have been known to be a problem. The new o-ring sets have a pink middle seal. If the truck has an o-ring problem, one of the signs can be a discoloration of the fuel in the filter bowl. There is a drain on the passenger side front of the filter bowl for draining water (the filter is also the water separator) and you can catch some of the drained fuel in a jar – it should be dingy yellow and not blue or dark.

Leaks and Drips:

You can check the valley between the heads of the V8 for moisture and/or fluid. It should be dry not wet. Most leaks will run through this valley and down the back of the motor dripping off by the tranny/engine coupling.

VIN number:

If you take the VIN to any dealer, they can tell you when it was built, when it went into service, and some of the work that might have been done on it. You can also run prospective VIN's through Carfax.com to see the title history.

Run an Oasis report on the vehicle as well.
 

jopes

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
Messages
235
Reaction score
0
Location
Wyoming
not to be braggin but we got our 01, supercab with 61k for $21.5k.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
30,506
Messages
266,043
Members
14,622
Latest member
rhensonsr
Top