I found a truck on craigslist that is a '96 f350 7.3L powerstroke with a 5 speed manual. However it says that the base oil pump failed. I'm not really sure what this means or if it could have possibly caused other bigger problems. Just wondering if I should stay away or if its not that big of a problem.

 

It all depends.in most casses IF the lpop went bad the hpop doesn't get oil.then the injectors quit firing.it just stops running...no big deal...

 

Is it a difficult or expensive repair?

 

Is the base oil pump the lpop?

 

Yea that's the base. It is external.behind balancer ..no big deal..

 

In the not so most cases the bottom end can seize. I saw it on a school bus that was going down the highway. He let the motor slow the bus down and bobs your uncle. I would attempt to turn the motor over with a breaker bar on the crank first. Lpop is easy to change but they don't fail often

 

Saw many at the dealership.mostly sd tho.never seen one seize.

 

The one I saw was a ih school bus. There was no hope of turning that motor over, period. It was pretty impressive. I didn't see the inside of it though. Hindsight it would've been cool to open it up but the owner swapped it out with a used and kept the core.

 

If the batteries are still good couldn't I just bump the key to see if it would turn over?

 

I wouldn't want it to turn that fast or far, personally!

 

I've never turned it over by hand, and this truck is about an hour and a half away. What will I need to be able to do this and how?

 

All you need is the correct size socket (15/16" on my '97) and a breaker bar. A ratcheting breaker is helpful, but not required. Turn the engine so the fan blades "pull" air through the radiator.

Edit #1:
Make sure the 5-speed is in neutral. You'd be surprised how many times I forget to check that on other vehicles. And, welcome to FTE. Ask all the questions you want. There is no maximum limit.

Edit #2:
I find it easier to access the crank bolt by reaching up from underneath the front of the engine. Someone else might need to watch the fan blades, but if your breaker bar is long enough, you can reach the crank bolt from the top and watch the fan blades yourself.

 

My concerns would be:
1) If it is the LPOP, I would wonder how much cranking they did with dry bearings before they figured it out.

2) 1/2 the oil pump is aluminum (front cover) and is not at all durable and usually the first thing to wear out. So you would be looking at pulling the motor, drop the pan and replacing the very expensive front engine cover.

Do some more serious diagnosis before jumping on the deal.