Hey all,

I currently have a 97 f250 with the 351w and 5 speed 188k miles. I have had the truck for a couple months after buying it for $800. I’ve put about 2k into it and made it a solid runner and daily driver. My goal all along was to flip it for a diesel though.

I have a guy who is interested in trading my truck and another home defense type item (valued at 2k, I paid $1000), for his 93 f250 7.3l idi with an ats turbo and 180k miles. Same exact looking truck and a five speed, just cosmetically better than mine and a diesel.

he said it has blow by, and he sent me a video showing the oil cap over the crankcase and it doesn’t not even rumble the cap. There is a slight visible smoke coming out though.

he sent me a video of it at idle and the exhaust is smoking white or possibly bluish white. He said he doesn’t think it happens while actually driving the truck.the video makes the smoke appear moderate. You would see it from the cab while sitting in it, but it doesn’t seem to completely smoke out everyone behind it. He Sent me a list of a lot of replaced parts including a recent rear main seal.

KBB shows my truck to be worth about double what his is. But I don’t know how accurate that is for old trucks.

my truck has small things remaining like needing the AC compressor replaced, rear tank cleaned, new front windshield, and the paint isn’t great in one spot. This diesel is way better looking cosmetically.

What are your thoughts? Good trade? Or keep looking? I don’t haul massive loads, so if this truck is just even 20% more powerful than my 351w I’d be happy. I just like diesels honestly. Is the smoke concerning? I think it may be a timing issue. Sounds like this truck does not burn coolant but I take that with a grain of salt.

thanks for any advice.

 

If you think the timing is set incorrectly on the diesel truck, do you or the diesel owner have a piezoelectric timing adapter or luminosity probe to properly set the timing on the injection pump? These tools are easily several hundred dollars and most diesel repair shops are going to tell you to take a hike if you ask them to service that truck.

Stick with the truck you have. You already know what problems it has.

 

I appreciate the input! I don’t currently have those tools.

 

Yes, if timing is off, you'll get a lot of white smoke that is very acrid and burns your eyes.
Typically too retarded.
And these things can make a lot more blowby than what you're describing here and still be in pretty good shape.
Auto parts store will loan you a coolant pressure tester and you can see if there is any coolant escaping anywhere. Also, a coolant leak at the head gasket is usually a compression leak into the cooling system and coolant pressure will rise on its own when still cold due to the compression leak pumping up the cooling system. There are small ~13mm coolant passages next to intake ports under intake manifold. Earlier engines relied on the intake gasket alone to seal them, later engines have little "freeze plugs" sealing them. That can also be a potential source of burning coolant.
Being a Turbo IDI, we also cant count out cavitation of a cylinder wall.
As far as market value of the IDI is concerned, the IDIs are becomingly increasingly rare, the gas way less so.
A lot of us would easily trade a gasser for a diesel.
iDI can run on just about any oil you put in the tank when the rest of the nation can't get gasoline.
Not that I'm saying you should run it too far on untreated oil, but home made Biodiesel is great.

 

Good point. The old IDIs love ATF. I often feel at ease knowing I'll be able to get around during the impending zombie apocalypse. Sure ain't goin' to work when that happens!