I followed up with the dealership. $2500 to make this truck legal again. This truck is now becoming a nightmare. That price won't include the much needed fluid changes I need done, getting the rear axle lined up, or my brakes that are quite risky with my investment. Not very happy with this truck right now.

 

The condition the truck is in, isn't its fault. Sounds like the previous owner rode it hard & put it up wet!!!!

 

I would bet the $2500 figure is designed to accomplish two things: 1)scare you from having the work done as vacuum & trouble shooting are not fun for a shop rate mechanic unless they are good, and familiar with the product line and its failure spots and 2)sell you a new truck. "We will give you $3400 for your truck towards that $45,000 F150..." And you will have payments for 7 years...
Divide the repair cost by a couple years, and you are at $100/mo to have the truck fixed and on the road. Will it last 2 years? I dunno, I'd have to crawl under and open the hood, too.
I would try to find an indy shop that will fix for less. Lower overhead, and maybe just let you loose with someone looking over your shoulder, saying: "Check that this vacuum line is connected to the frabistulator under the front seat"... or other... and let YOU do the work while they supply the thinking... You never know. But it is up to YOU to find that person, and make the decision to apply some of your time, {turn off the TV, put the beer back in the fridge until it is done & repaired, then celebrate with a suds or two}.
My keyboard skills are pretty good as I used them at work for 40 years, and my mech knowledge is gained at the school of hard knocks, and NO MONEY, where if I wanted to ride rather than walk, my hands got dirty {got looks in HS from fingernails filled with dirt that would not come out with nail file or scrub brush}, and stained, but I got things fixed on a budget. So, the rule I live by is this: "Learn, or pay." Learn how to figure out the problem, learn how to fix it, OR pay someone else who has taken the time to learn, and pay THEM. Learn or pay. That's how it works in the end, anyway.
tom

 

So, $3000 dollars later, the truck is legal with no codes. Still needs a lot of work though. Brakes, A/C, rear axle, all fluids, etc. But I had the front end rebuilt and the truck stops and steers better than it ever has for me. Just praying she'll pay me back.

 

You make some good points, and love to learn new things and gain new skills. I normally would handle all work on my truck myself, but I've been so busy with work, in the end my choices are fix my truck or sleep. Unfortunately, not sleeping is not an option with my job, so I lose money instead when these things happen, in this case ALOT of money. I guess you win some and you lose some. At least I can afford to pay now.