I am looking to buy a 1996 7.3 and am not sure if they come with a turbo, or if was an option which means some do and some don't, and am looking for advice on whether to buy a 5spd or auto, Thanks for any suggestions, and one last thing, what is a good deal on a 96 kk xlt with 151k in good shape with 5spd and 4x4, I can buy for 6k, is that a deal? Once again, thanks Mike

 

If its a powerstroke ..it has a turbo...

I bought mine with 170,000 on it ,,has been a great truck

($6000.00) 2 years ago ...

 

$6K is a bit high in today's market for that truck, I would say no more than $5K would be a good deal. It depends on the truck though, and how long you plan on keeping it.
Rick- did you have the seller at gunpoint when you bought yours? That sounds like a great price!

 

Yep, they are all turbo's
A stick shift is more desirable than an automatic.
4x4 is more $$
Crew cab (CC) is more $$

If it's in very good condition and previous owner can prove the maintenance
was performed as scheduled then 6K might not be that bad. Look it over real close.

BTW:I bought mine almost 9 years ago (wow, has it been that long),
paid $12K w/ 115K on the odometer, 12 month warranty.
It's a CC, 4x4, auto, long bed

 

Look here for more info on PSD's. Find a comfortable place and do some reading
BAZ's PAGES. Home Page

Quoted form that site above:

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 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 (http://forums.ford-diesel.com/cgi-bi...&f=21&t=005210), 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

 

Online auction ,,,Came with big injectors (not sure how big ),6 pos chip, brand new 33's ,western unimount & a rear blade ..
Item 817930867 (1997 Ford F-350 XL Powerstroke Diesel)

 

In other words....YES, 12 gauge double barrel with 00 buckshot!

 

As long as it doesn't need a bunch of brake, front end work or clutch work I think its a good deal! Bought my truck a year and half ago with 219K on it and dropped $1500 into parts when I got it home. I over paid a bit but it was rust free and exactly what I was looking for.

I prefer an Auto but I don't tow much and I like to go fast (here we go again!)

 

Something I just wanted to add...

I just did all four tie rods in my truck, I don't even know if they were actually bad or not but the adjusting sleeves were so rusty I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get the truck aligned.

I got all four tie rods and new adjusting sleeves off RockAuto.com for around $120 shipped (yeah I bought the cheap ones). Rented a tie rod puller set from Advance Auto Parts, and did the whole job myself in maybe two hours at most.

 

if its in really good shape i would jump on it for that price.

 

Well 6K for what was it 171k on the ticker. Just paid 11,500 earlier this year but truck was in perfect condition and only had 72,000 on it. I would pay 6 as long as the truck was in good shape and engine was taken care of

 

i assume KK is supposed to be CC for crew cab? man if that truck is in good shape i would jump all over that price

 

i paid 7300 for my truck shortly before fuel started sky rocketing, price of trucks have has dropped some sense then the bank said my truck was worth 10,000 when i applied for the loan.

 

No kk means king cab, or xtra cab, it has 151k on it and the seller let me know that it just got a good size dent in the tailgate, bummer.