I’m a college student. Lets start there. A college student who will be fairly well off as far as college students go, but also one who wants to be careful with his cash. That caution has led me to a 1994 F-250 with 148,000 miles in the body style, condition, color, and trim that I have dreamt about since I was old enough to think about owning a vehicle. It has the 7.3 IDI, turbo’ed, and I want to know what to look for when I go look at it. The guy says he had the coolant 1,000 miles ago, the E4OD was rebuilt 1,500 miles ago (with paperwork to prove it!), and the fuel lines and shocks have also been replaced recently. Claims it starts with no issue in -30 degree weather, and as much as he hates to sell it, he just doesn’t drive it enough to justify owning it. Asking price is $10,800.
I know about the big bad C-word, and that they can eat through glow plugs like no other, but is there anything else I should be checking for?

 

There’s wiser guys than me on buying, but I’ll at least bump this thread to the top.

Cavitation isn’t a real big deal imo. It’s still a possibility, but it’s rare. If the PO took care of the coolant, it will most likely be okay. Make sure to test it, and then add an additive when needed. I think Motorcraft VC8 is what I use.

When guys use cheap parts house glow plugs they burn up quick. Only use Motorcraft glowplugs, they’ll last the longest and wont cause problems. What also helps, is to wire them to a manual switch. Once warm they don’t need any glow. I can go and wander around home hardware for at least half an hour and come back out and fire up without glowplugs; in -20C January weather.

It is rare to find exactly what you want in a used vehicle this many years later. These are good trucks, but like everything else they’ll have problems related to age more than anything else.

 

Make sure you budget a hundred bucks a month or so for stupid little stuff that WILL break along the way on a 28-year-old vehicle. If it's being sold due to lack of use, I guarantee there are at least a few latent problems no one knows about yet, but that you will find out about when you start DD'ing it.

I happen to like your choice though, to me, a factory turbo IDI is the coolest pickup truck engine ever sold. Enjoy the ride!

 

I would try to find a knowledgeable mechanic or member in your area to check it over, your location isn't shown so no clue what's available to you. That aside: Insist that it sat over night without being started before you get there and verify that it starts without issues and minimal exhaust smoke. The rest is pretty much 'normal' pre-purchase inspection stuff.

 

go buy a used honda /toyota with that money, it will get you through college and into your first job, then when you want a play toy you'll have the cash to get what you want and the cash to pay for diesel to drive and parts to fix it,