How much are they asking?

That would help with accessing which is better.

Just remember, truck IDI turbo kits turn up on Ebay and CL regularly for a few hundred bucks, so it's not hard to add a turbo.

 

180k miles on a maintained truck is nothing.
50k miles on a 34 year old truck is a BIG red flag for me.
that means the truck has sat A LOT and will need tires, belts, hoses, batteries, probably brake lines. it probably has mouse nests all over the place, and damage to the wiring and electrical system due to said mice chewing on the wires.

you also need to remember neither of those trucks has overdrive trans, so they both will scream out on the road.

 

 

 

IMHO, $3000 for the 84 with NA 6.9L that doesn't run is way too much. You'll be happier with the 87 6.9L turbo. Plus, you can test drive it. It's not like our trucks are rare, another is bound to turn up eventually.

 

 

Tips for buying a diesel ..

Decide the configuration you want, auto or stick, 4x4 or 2wd.. Cab ect. What you like then search for it, or wait for it.

Be ready, everyone knows fords are the best bodied truck and it if you find 'the one' do whatever it takes to get there first, might sell quick.

Avoid 'got it started once, but it needs a new injection pump' doesn't run.. sales - unless the rest of the truck is A1..

Run the engine, never buy anything without hearing it run unless it's 400 dollars.

Insist the truck be cold started when you arrive, cool to the touch.

My truck sat 10 years before she became my daily Driver, but I understood and accepted nearly 1,000$ would need to be spent to make it roadworthy.

​​​​If it's the condition you seek, and you understand what it needs, but needs work, and you are capable, and the price is right. Go for it.
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Show up with cash, and be eyes open to what it will need and cost...

I have put a lot, hundreds of thousands of miles on my truck in 8 years and it asks for almost nothing. But when the occasion calls you must be capable of doing repairs yourself, or a diesel is not for you.

Everyone said bad idea to me too, but I am still driving my same truck while their disposables come and go and cost money.

If you get a 4 speed it will Rev high, prepare for big tires or you will be staying off the highway. That said I love my t19 4sp.. Perfect tranny big minus OD....

Standard stuff, look for oil in water, look for water in oil. Make sure it's not hacked up by some 19yo hotrod..

Gets good mpg, not a comfortable ride, maybe high dollar shocks would help idk.. But people I don't recognize remember me an my unmistakable Ford. People point and give thumbs up, people ask daily if it's for sale.

Great overall, expensive upfront, lower cost downrange, affordable to drive, easy to maintain.

Look at the interior.. Seats, dash.. Frame.. Wiring.. Hear it run, drive it if it moves, look for a good body. Something we'll taken care of..

Good Luck, happy hunting.

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Because it is turbo and a 6.9 be sure to crawl under the truck with a flashlight on each side behind the front tire and shine up where the head meets the block and see if its oozing oil. It's pretty common, they updated the head gaskets somewhere along the line but I'm not sure when. It's not a big deal you'll just have to keep her topped up on oil. If you plan of putting a lot of miles on it it will get expensive over time. 87 is definitely the most popular year for the 6.9. 83-early85 had the block issues but neither of my motors ever cracked but one day they might..

If it's fairly straight, runs great, not a money pit 4000 is in the reasonable range, I've seen people asking way more, with cash in hand you could probably pick it up for $3500-3750

I also love my four speed, shift every gear without touching the clutch and it never complains, the lack of od is a negative for some but mine never sees over 55 so overdrive wasn't a concern.

I definitely recommend waiting if it's not what you want, I waited over a year before I found the combo I wanted and even got if for a great deal, reg cab/4spd/4x4

Society's only gift to the working man was a bricknose idi

 

 

Fuel return lines are super common to need replacement

Fuel line "olives" they're like a squared oring available separately from ford or in a kit commonly sold as an injection pump install kit

They recommend you replace the injection pump and injectors every 100,000 miles

Glow plugs every 3-5 years depending on your climate, the 87 should have the newer style which last longer so you may very well get 7-10 years out of a set if your in the south