buying a truck advice

[HorseHauler]

Hi all,
Dare I say it? I guess I will. I have a 1995 Dodge for the Cummins engine, which I run vegetable oil in. My Dad loves the fact that it runs free so he is looking for a truck as well. He really wants more room than the Dodge extended cab is (at least in the years we're looking at). And I've always loved Fords. So we're looking for a 94-97 Powerstroke, 4X4, Supercab, preferably CrewCab with a reasonable amount of miles on it.

I've found two with a manual 5spd, 140K each- they seem great. Both 97's. Is there anything to be wary of? The transmission seems great (we test drove some 5spd Dodges before deciding on Fords and they drove like crap), nice and tight. One has manual 4X4 hubs and the other auto. Of course the engines feel fine, but what do I know. One was a bit louder, but its all relative. I will be taking it to a mechanic first.

What gear ratios do these have? I've heard of 3.55 and 4.10. I think I was just over 2,000 rpm at 70, starting in 2nd lugged it a bit but first seemed awfully low. Any idea what these have?

Also, how do the water in fuel sensors work on these things? I was test driving and the light went on. I would've pulled over right there and figured out what the problem was but the salesman said to keep going "we'll get there." They claim the filter just needs a replacement and it will go away.

Thanks.
Maybe a stroker will soon be added to the family.

 

[Crumm]

Welcome to the site

The water in fuel light sensor is in the bottom of the filter housing. There is a drain lever on the side of it to drain it. Rig might have been sitting for a while and have some condensation in the tank?

The manual hubs seem to be a little more dependable than the autos.

Here is a little reading for you:

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.

Tranny:

If you buy a truck with an auto tranny, finding out if it's been maintained is essential, as the E4OD 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.

 

[95_stroker]

HorseHauler,

Welcome to SDD, glad to have you here and maybe we can help answer some of your questions and put you on the road to PSD ownership.

If youre looking at 5 speeds the thing you want to be aware of is the dual mass flywheel. They can and will come apart. Simple fix is to go to a beefed up clutch with a solid flywheel. If you have a choice between auto hubs or manual hubs, I would go with manual hubs. Much stronger and more reliable.

The PSD is a good solid engine, mechanically speaking you shouldnt have much to worry about with a rig that has 140K on it , check the SCA level in the coolant, cavitation isnt a huge problem with the PSD but if it was neglected it could be a problem. Injectors may need some attention in the next 20,000 or so miles, but again thats not a major concern. You can get a rebuilt set for at or around a $100 a hole. If youre a DIY guy, then you can get it cheaper than that even.

If you were doing 70 at 2000 RPM I would assume the 4:10 gears, is this an F 250 or F 350? The water in fuel light can sometimes be problematic, there is a lever on the front right side of the fuel filter cannister used to drain it down. Sometimes crap can build up in the bottom of the cannister and make the sensor go off. And draining it off will make it go out, but if not, youll have to pull the lid off the filter and remove the filter and wipe the bowl clean. There is a ton more info on buying used PSD's, Im sure others will chime in here.

Good luck and let us know what else we can help you with.


Heres a link with more info than you can shake a stick at --------->Clicky da linky.

 

[HorseHauler]

thanks very much to both of you for the responses. I now have a lot of good vehicle specific info to go on! I know a bit about diesels and cars in general, but you gave me the specifics.

Problem is this is a dealer, and they don't know jack about it. I believe they changed everything, including the coolant. So, I have no idea whats been in it for the last 140K. It is an F-350, and drives tighter and nicer than any vehicle I've driven in a while.

Thanks again! And anyone with anything else please put it down.

 

[happeetxn]

Howdy Horse hauler,
I have a 95, and had a problem with the coolant hose rubbing on the passenger side frame at the front of the engine. I re-enforced the hose with some thick rubber material and then zip-tied it away from the problem area. I have 310K miles on my truck and other than the normal things that go wrong I have had no major complaints.
Just for grins I would ask the dealer to pull the fuel filter out and take a look at. If they forgot to change it when they did the servicing on the truck you might gain some idea about the condition of the fuel system.
I think 1997's have a different valve cover harness, others can chime in on this but on my 95 they are prone to short out. If you have them pull the valve covers you can look at the connections and get an idea of their condition. Hope this helps.
Good luck,
Craig

 

[Crumm]

It is an F-350, and drives tighter and nicer than any vehicle I've driven in a while.

And it will for years to come

Did you pick it up yet??

 

[MUDWHISTLE]

Take the oil filler cap off when the engine is running and see how much blow by it has. should just be a steady light haze coming out.

 

[HorseHauler]

thanks again for all the advice.

We have made an offer on the truck, and if it falls through there is an F-250 that looks nice in South Carolina. I hope we get this one though. The dealer is waiting us out.