So, I found a truck on craigslist. 1995 F150 Eddie Bauer 4X4 5.0

I called the guy, and he says the engine has a bad front bearing. He's no mechanic, by any means. Said that's what people have told him that's what's wrong with it. Says it makes noise in the front of the engine. He changed the tensioner, with no improvement.

I've been driving OBS trucks for years, and have never heard of a 5.0 with a bad front main bearing???

Is it possible that there is something else going on?

Idler bearing?

Distributor gear?

The truck is 150 miles from home. The body is in good shape for up here in the rust belt. So it would be worth it to have to fix something, and then drive it home. I don't know if it's worth towing it that far.

Any opinions would be appreciated

 

You don't generally "hear" main bearings failing unless you're hearing the knocks associated with main bearing failure, and have corresponding loss of oil pressure.


Probably something with one of the pulleys on one of the accessories. Take the belt off and run the engine for a minute or two off the battery and see if the noise goes away. If so, it's narrowed down....

 

Did anyone run the engine BRIEFLY with NO belt, to see if the noise persists (or not)? Just swapping the tensioner doesn't rule out a possible belt-drive issue.

 

Yeah Guize, my thoughts exactly.

I don't want to tell him these things, because I'm sure the price will go up if he finds it's just an alt bearing or something.