Howdy,

For the past six or so months I have been looking into buying a truck. I have decided that I want some kind of diesel and I have been leaning towards the F250 and F350 diesels. I think the reliability is there and so is the value. I have a $2000 price point, so my options are somewhat limited.

Strangely, I probably know more about the 7.3 PSD than I do my own car. I have been researching them for the last six months and I think I have a pretty good understanding of how the engine runs and the direct injection system. I am not a fan of anything computer/electronically controlled but the PSD has proven itself over the years. That said, I would not turn away a good running 6.9 or 7.3 IDI. I want a truck for three main reasons: so I can move my stuff without needing a rental, etc., I am planning to buy rural property and livestock in the future, and I want a dang truck! Chicks dig guys in trucks right!?

Anyway, what I am looking for from y'all is what I should be expecting when I walk up to, say, a $1700 1995 PSD and if I should buy it or not and based on what reasoning. I am also looking for the same advice on the IDI trucks. If the thing needs new injectors, I have no problem offering the seller $1200. I know how to diagnose the average diesel issues, so no need to point me to the troubleshooting section. I just want to know what I should look for besides the obvious; namely, things that would cost me big money that I may not see. I don't expect perfection but I also don't want a $2500 parts/repair bill in the first month of owning the thing.

Thanks much!

 

For that price, if it were me, I would suspect I would end up with more options out there with an IDI, then a PSD. A PSD for that price would have me concerned, likely high milage or needing some serious repair.

I bought a totalled 97 F-250 PSD for 2k, and it was TOTALLED! The motor and drive train were good, but there was no putting that thing on the road, and this was the best deal I could find. It did have low, low miles, but again was involved in a wreck. I bought it to transplant it into my truck, as I just couldnt find a deal down here in the southwest, nor in the midwest. Most of what I came across was priced over 4k, and had 400,000 miles or more in that price range.

As for the IDI, I seen plenty around the price you are looking for. They are not my thing, but havent heard anything "negative" about them. My dad had one once, and it was a work horse.

I was set in my ways about getting my hands on a PSD, and wasnt going to change my mind about it. The PSD has lots of power thanks to the turbo, but that can be added to the IDI pretty easily from what I have heard.

Good luck shopping!

 

Most of the trucks I am seeing in the DFW area that are PSDs have 200K+ miles on them. To me, that is injector time. The deal seems too good to be true and that is kind of what I want to get out of this post. For all I know, people could be selling perfectly good PSDs at low prices but I tend not to believe that. I'm just not that familiar with the market I am looking in.

What I know about IDI vs. PSD performance is not related to a turbo, but the computer controlled direct injection (HEUI) system. The 7.3 turbo IDIs have slightly better performance but nothing close to a PSD. I think the performance is gained primarily by the high-pressure atomization of fuel from the HEUI injectors combined with timing. I could be wrong but that is my understanding of the two.

I really do like the simplicity of the IDI and for my purposes, it would suit me well. I think the High Pressure Fuel Pump is the way to go. Maybe for the same reason newer engines are going back to a HPFP.

I am sure by saying this, people here will hate me but: I would be open to a 6.2/6.5 or a Cummins. I just have not seen anything that caught my eye so far that was in my price range. That and I think I am more comfortable with the Ford offerings.