Anyone know how to decode Dana markings?

 

just noticed a "Black Rock City" 2014 sticker on the windshield. Home of Burning Man. Does that bump value? ;-)

 

Based on this guide, it seems my back end is a Dana 80. Other sources suggest front end is a Dana 60. Ratio is 3.73, which seemed to be the most common ratio then?

 

Being white and dusty motor, I'd say a business truck. With a little enthusiast kicked in. Other than the AFE intake and missing fan shroud, doesn't look too monkeyed around with under the hood, which to me, is a good thing. I'd try to sort out the motor condition than make a decision. For its age, 200k says it still had some life. Being relatively rust-free would be a boon to those of us in the Northeast.

 

I think the first thing I'd do is listen to it crank. That can tell you things you won't find out from the sensors until you get it to run, and might convince you to not try to get it to run at all.

As to the business decision - you've made the same "mistake" I've made a number of times - buying a "parts" truck/car, then finding it to be too nice to part out. I had 7 Prius for that reason. I bought one of the shuttle buses I have for that reason. I have whittled down to 4 Prius, but still got the bus. It's not a bad mistake, as long as you can unwind all the investments successfully.

You've not said what you paid for it, and rightfully so, but I'm thinking you're in a no-lose situation. Best result is for the engine to be salvageable and you sell the whole thing for a great profit. I've done that quite a few times. Second best, IMHO, just based on the truck being a manual dually 4x4 diesel, would be to sell it as is - assuming you bought it at a salvage auction-type price. Prolly a quick double of your money or more for doing nothing but cleaning it up. Parting it out is the worst option, it appears to me. I think you can find a cheaper, worse off truck that will still have the parts you want in good condition. Look for a burned-out truck; you should be paying close to scrap metal prices for used running gear parts.

SYK, when you remove those parts, it turns the carcass into a hunk of metal that has to be winched onto a truck to go anywhere - you only want to do that once. Ideally, you find a wrecked, burned, scrap-metal truck that still has running gear, and remove your parts right on the trailer you winched it up on, then continue on to the metal recycler with the carcass and get dang near all your money back, or if it's not burned out, remove a couple of other easy to sell parts to ensure your break even and dump the carcass. Lots of the burnouts still have the cat - that's literally all they sell for - cat value plus scrap metal value minus running gear should be a break even..

 

BTW, I just found out that Copart is now charging a fee to bid on their auction cars. Lowest membership is only like $60, but it's always been free before. grrrrrrr That lets you bid on a minimum number of cars, maybe even 1, I forget, at a time, and only up to $1200 without a 10% deposit, but that might be enough to buy a burnout. Just set an alert and wait for one to show up near you. Oops, not sure if you have a trailer. Bid on one of those too, lol.

 

this might be one right here: https://www.copart.com/lot/43104771/...ty-mn-st-cloud

 

I actually have this one on my watch list, although I think it'll go for more than I want to pay for the few parts I could use from it. But, I wouldn't need the running gear at all. If you were closer, we could split it.

https://www.copart.com/lot/47428671/...duty-tx-lufkin

 

Wow. Great analysis, and pleased to learn of copart. I think if engine resurrection is under ~$2,000, truck may be too nice to part out.

EDIT: would enjoy co-sharing a copart purchase, but shipping probably kills the economics, right?

 

Yeah, kinda tough 2000 miles away, lol. But, I did sell one of my carcasses to a guy in Indiana, and he paid me to deliver it. It had a clean title and the VIN numbers, which is what he wanted I expect.

 

Welcome to California, you can't buy anything from Copart or IAAI auctions without a broker. This doesn't apply if you go out of state but still be ready for a fight if you try and secure a Reg 262 in CA on your purchase and are not a dealer. For this you have to use autobidmaster.com or one of the other approved brokersike salvagebid.com.

Here is the guide on CA purchaseshttps://helpcenter.autobidmaster.com...in-California-

 

Well, looky there, I'd never noticed that. It's not just vehicles, nothing in California shows up as not requiring a broker license - forklifts, trailers, dirt bikes, boats, nothing.

Dang, I admit the state is pretty and have spent a lot of time driving around it the last several months, but stuff like this is too much and why I could never live there.

I do suppose that one could claim to be exporting the vehicle overseas and be authorized to bid. If you're going to chop it up in pieces and sell the scrap to a metal recycler, no one would ever know.

 

SYK, the brokers charge a few hundred dollars. Pretty sure you only pay if you win the auction, but ask.. Some try to charge a percentage, but you can find some flat rate brokers. At least in Texas.

 

Back to your original question. If the electronics check out to be within operating specs, you will need to check out the base engine. Do a compression check and listen for noises while cranking. Disconnect the belt for cranking to rule out frozen pulleys. Steam clean it and keep it as it is, Transplanting engines usually decreases the value of the truck.

 

Looks like it to me. I also don't see an EGR throttle plate either.