ok so i am about to buy my neighbors 89 7.3 diesel has about 120k on frame and about 20k on new engine but the problem is his father got sick 10 years ago and passed and it has been sitting since. i figure its a diesel and after a little work it would start right up. what are things to factor in when starting and what shall i do to help it. also he wants 600 for the truck as it sits but if he gets it running he wants 1500 so i think i should buy it and even if i dont get it running i think it would be a great truck to fully rebuild. anything will be helpful thank you.

 

10 years of sitting? Yikes. I'd drain the old fuel, change the fuel filter, change the oil, check the coolant, put two new batteries in, make sure it has brakes, and say a little prayer when you turn the key.

Look for obvious signs of animal intrusion, and be vigilant for smoke or burning smells when you put power to it. Kinda hard to bar over a diesel by hand to see if it's free, otherwise I'd suggest that as well.

 

With all due respect, no need to change the fuel. Diesel won't go bad in 10 years. But change the fuel filter and everything else said above.

Rats/mice love to get into the blower motor under the hood and ratpack it with twigs/insulation/newspaper etc. Happened on every long time sitting Ford truck i've ever bought out here in SoCal anyway. Blower motor resistor is probably bad as well. $32 for a new one. Heater/AC Fan will only work on high if it is bad.

Water pump may be seized up. Usually you can break it loose with a wrench to get it running. If it is stuck you'll have major belt squeal. Just cause you break it loose doesn't mean it does not need replaced. YMMV.

Hopefully the cooling system had plenty of coolant/antifreeze in it, but i would run a flush and cleaner through it after you get it going. Then fill with coolant/a-freeze and distilled water. Do not use hose/tap water.

It wouldn't hurt to pour a quart of ATF in the fuel tank. Check GPs. (Glow Plugs) Make sure they are working.

Air filter may have ratpack in it.

Just put new batteries in it and clean the bejeezus out of the terminals. (upgrade to Mil-Spec terminals when funds allow)

Main thing on these old dogs is good GPs and good batteries. And some good luck.

 

10 years is a long time on any motor...I can't imagine that the rings haven't set into the walls yet. I'm sure it's going to need work, obvious things for sure, filters, fluids, check the brakes over good. That's a shame that it sat with a low mileage motor in it though.
My uncle bought an old one ton with a 6.9 in it a couple months ago that sat for 12 years and she was locked up tight. He got it broke loose (he was just going to put a 7.3 in it so he didn't really care from what I could tell) and she smoked like hell, burnt up oil about as fast as you could put it in. So I guess pray that you're not in the same boat as that motor.
The rest of the truck should be fine and all, it'd be smart to check any rubber (bushings, hoses, that sort of thing) and any kind of connections like tie rods, but the motor is going to be the most likely source of problems if you ask me.

 

ya i know 10 years is a long time for an engine to just sit but i think itll be fine after i change the oil and check the collant and all that good stuff. its been sitting under a deck for 10 years so it hasnt had snow or rain in 10 years as the deck has a run off under it. it doesnt have the typical for rust which is really why i want it. i wanna restore it since it is so nice and even if the engine is screwed then ill drop another 7.3 in it and let her eat! i will put pictures of it up as soon as i get ahold of it since i am at diesel school now. if there is anything else i should be worried about please tell me because i want this to go as smooth as possible.

 

almost forgot...whenever I get an older vehicle, esp one that's been sitting for a while, I go through every electrical connection, pull it apart, clean it and fill it up with dielectric grease. I also pull all grounds and clean them, put the dielectric on them and re-install. Do them now at home while the tools are out, and do the hardest to get to ones for sure. B/C when you are out on the road with your family and a ground fails, trying to trouble shoot the problem is the opposite of fun.

Happy Trails, DC2