As title says I'm a first time EX buyer, really a first time Ford SD platform buyer. Have a deal pretty much done on a nice '03 Eddie Bauer 4x4 with 6.0L diesel. Clock shows 1203XX on it, clean Carfax, 2 owner, all maintenance done at regular 6K intervals. Doesn't show any extra service visits on the Carfax.

My main question is are there any tell-tale signs to look for to see if a headgasket/stud change has been done, possibly by an independent shop? Or what about any other kind of bulletproofing work? The last EX I looked at had an EGR block off plate installed and I was under the impression that it would throw a code like that? Is it easy to see if a plate has been installed on this one?

I know how to check for the EOT and ECT delta and plan on it during a test drive with my scan tool. Anything else I should check while scanning on a drive?

What else do I need to look for? It appears to be stock suspension wise so I think I will be starting with a clean slate as far as planning for new springs, etc.

Thanks for any input, I should be going to get it Saturday. First trip with it will be coming back from the dealer in OK with our (for sale) Suburban on our flatbed trailer.......

 

Look for a brand new degas bottle. If it is brand new, Run away.

If the degas bottle is old like the truck, get a good light and really look as far back in there as you can. Looking for a film (oil residue) on the inside. Studs are obvious when looking at the heads versus bolts. Watch the video below and FF to the part where he starts pulling the heads. You will see what I am talking about.


Make sure your test drive is at least 30 mins.

 

Look at the head and see if it has bolt heads ( stock ) or a nut on a stud.

 

He sent a video of everything under hood and the degas bottle is yellowed so I'm fairly certain it is original or at least old......they cleaned and shined everything up so I won't know for certain until I put my hands on it.

 

Also, is the factory hitch receiver a 2" opening? Just want to make sure I won't need a sleeve to use my B&W tow and stow.....

 

Correct.

 

Well didn't buy the one I drove 3 hours to OK for.....it was 7/10 exterior, it had been in a wreck but they didn't fix it back 100%, small red flag.
Small under hood fuel filter cap cracked, bigger red flag.
4 codes were the biggest red flag, one for glow plug controller, one for turbo and a couple of others I don't remember.
Drove like turbo was stuck. No smoke but it didn't drive right. Took forever to build any boost.
Stupidest thing was it was missing the second row center seat belt AND the seat belts that BOLT to the third row seat!! GONE, just unbolted and gone. They didn't even want to try and remedy half of the stuff. I walked away from a potential nightmare.
I'm always looking and have a backup plan, so there's one in NB I'm having a mechanic go look at on Monday. We'll see how that goes.....

 

It's hard to not drive that far and not get it, but you did the right thing.

 

I'm not expecting a PERFECT truck but I expect a COMPLETE one. When it is billed as a family vehicle and road trip ready then it dang well better have a way to legally seat my family. And whoever monkeyed the fuel filter cap on there and cracked it without fixing it should be fired. When there is an obvious leak with fuel sitting in the square hole that's a small clue. But also telling me that he towed a boat to the lake and had driven it and it was fine driving when there is no way with the way the turbo and engine were so gutless......I have lost respect for you as a man. Some car salesman........

 

There are plenty of them out there. You will have to settle, but it shouldn't be too much. Be patient and the right one will turn up.

 

Ok, so on to the next Ex, one came up in my search while we were on the way home from the failed purchase and we stopped to look at it. Drove it and the 6.0 drove like it supposed to! Plenty of power and acceleration, smooth.

Now I am calling the local mechanic on Monday who "bulletproofed" the engine 7 months or so ago. He is supposed to be an ASE certified ex-Ford dealership mechanic. All he does is work on Ford diesels so he SHOULD know what he is doing. I'm trying to gauge quality and what all was done to make sure I trust it. I can tell that studs have been done so I know at least that much.

Secondly, the current owner had ball joints done recently as well as a new front track bar and new Rancho 9000 adjustable shocks installed. That's a plus in my book. Now it rode a little different than the other one AND it's sitting on 325/60/20 tires which are 35" tall. I'm fairly certain from all I've read that a spring swap would have HAD to be done to fit those tires with no rubbing am I correct? Given the smoother ride I'm going to venture the owner before this current guy has probably done V/B codes. Also, did a factory Ex rear leaf pack include a spring in the bottom of the pack with a large bumper in it? Like to prevent spring wrap?

Other than some minor cosmetic stuff, it's a lot cleaner than the other one, just some small things that I can easily fix on a Saturday with a few Shiners......so I think we have a winner here.

 

Yes, factory stock 4X4 EXs came with a slapper style traction bar that looks like a half leaf on the bottom of the spring pack, it extends forward of the axle and has a rubber snubber on the end that contacts the front of the pack under hard acceleration.

 

Ok, then how can I tell if springs have been done or not? I was under impression tires of that size won't fit a stock EX?

 

The best way to check for the amount of lift is to measure from the center of each hub to the bottom of the wheelwell arch above it, this method removes and tire/wheel variation like a measurement from the ground would include. This thread includes measurements from many rigs with various suspension mods and combinations. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...easurents.html


Many times owners will change out the front springs for taller, heavier pickup leaves and just add some taller blocks to the rear stock spring pack. The factory EX 4X4 rear blocks are about 2" tall and the popular F-350 blocks are about 4" tall, an easy way to gain 2". None of the pickup rear spring packs came with that traction bar setup, it was unique to the EX, so if it still has it then odds are it still has the stock rear springs, look for a taller block under there.

 

I understand that value is in the eye of the beholder but the bank doesn't always see it that way. I'm trying to figure out what to offer these people and how to convince them that an '04 Limited with 142k on the clock isn't worth the $21000 they are asking if the book values don't give it that.
My bank won't give 110%+ on a vehicle that old and I sure don't want to pay a premium for something that old. Yes it is nice and all but are Excursions REALLY holding that kind of value?