LOL
Need opinions
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 48
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From: Minnesota
Need opinions
I'm looking at a 93 f250 4x4 with a 7.3 turbo / 5 speed with 280xxx miles on it. Is that a lot for this vehicle? It runs great and the body is in good shape. What should I look for when I check it out and what should I know?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,501
Likes: 5
From: Faibanks Ak.
Anytime you are talking 280,000 miles things are going to be worn, some may have already been replaced.
Check the general appearance and try to get a feel of how it was maintained.
Make sure it drives and handles good, front tires not leaning.
Try to check it when it has sat overnight for cold start problems.
Be sure to check the sca's in the coolant.
Check the general appearance and try to get a feel of how it was maintained.
Make sure it drives and handles good, front tires not leaning.
Try to check it when it has sat overnight for cold start problems.
Be sure to check the sca's in the coolant.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 698
Likes: 0
From: Guymon
Ask if the motor has ever been overhalled/changed. If not and it has been used alot for work and short trips, it may be starting to wear out some. You might want to see If it has alot of blowby. A worn engine runs good but lacks power and burns oil and can get hard to start.
Also, like mentined above, see how it starts overnight. If its warm when you get there and start it, it defets the purpuse of this. When its cold, that tells you if the glowplug system works and if its leaking fuel back down. This also helps you see how well the starting system ACTUALLY works. (batteries, connections, starter) Expecially if it takes a coupple cranks to start, you can tell if its dragging or working well.
I would also check alot of the U-joints, suspension, brakes and steering parts. tie rods, ball joints and pitman arms can be severly worn at this milage if it has not been properly maintained. When I go look a used vehicles, I actually go under them to check it out. A quick glance from the side just doesn't do it.
Well, good luck.
Also, like mentined above, see how it starts overnight. If its warm when you get there and start it, it defets the purpuse of this. When its cold, that tells you if the glowplug system works and if its leaking fuel back down. This also helps you see how well the starting system ACTUALLY works. (batteries, connections, starter) Expecially if it takes a coupple cranks to start, you can tell if its dragging or working well.
I would also check alot of the U-joints, suspension, brakes and steering parts. tie rods, ball joints and pitman arms can be severly worn at this milage if it has not been properly maintained. When I go look a used vehicles, I actually go under them to check it out. A quick glance from the side just doesn't do it.
Well, good luck.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 477
Likes: 1
From: florida
Any vehicle with 1/3 million miles has to be worn. You can be assured if this truck is in good shape, there has been maintenance. In 280k miles it probably on the 3rd starter and the 3rd lift pump. I'm sure there has been injector and glow plugs and IP all rebuilt. The people on this forum work on these trucks every day, just read the comments. If that truck has a straight rust free body, nice interior then go for it. There is nothing on this truck that can't be fixed. As with any high milage vehicle that is 16 years old you should be getting it fairly cheap. The milage is a killer for anyone trying to sell one of these trucks. Good luck.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Sweet Home, OR
ALL of the above advice is good.
BUT.............I bought my '94 IDI turbo with 369K on it. It was in good enough shape to look like it had 150K on it.
It still had the origional injection pump, injectors AND return lines on it. The return lines were starting to cause problems though.
My point is you CAN get a really good truck with a bunch of miles on it, depending on how it was maintained. Mine has a notebook full of maintenence records with it and mostly all of the work was done by the dealership. Also most of the miles were highway miles between here and Michigan.
The advice given above is going to be true 95% of the time though.
One other thing to check is to pull of the air intake, grab the impeller shaft of the turbo WITH THE ENGINE OFF and see if there is play. There should be NONE.
BUT.............I bought my '94 IDI turbo with 369K on it. It was in good enough shape to look like it had 150K on it.
It still had the origional injection pump, injectors AND return lines on it. The return lines were starting to cause problems though.
My point is you CAN get a really good truck with a bunch of miles on it, depending on how it was maintained. Mine has a notebook full of maintenence records with it and mostly all of the work was done by the dealership. Also most of the miles were highway miles between here and Michigan.
The advice given above is going to be true 95% of the time though.
One other thing to check is to pull of the air intake, grab the impeller shaft of the turbo WITH THE ENGINE OFF and see if there is play. There should be NONE.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Sweet Home, OR
Maybe for everyone else that's standing around trying to dial 911 first on their cell phone!
Exciting can be interpreted sooo many different ways. LOL!
I was stupid enough to put my oil fill cap back on my Cummins one time with the engine running. It sits up on the top, drivers side of the motor, very close to the fan!
I got my thumb sticking out too far and got a BBRRUUUMMMPPP!
I pulled my hand out fast as lightning, I could tell imediately that it was going to HURT for a while, and it did. It split my thumb nail right down the middle but it was still attatched and I could move it, right before it swelled up.
I remember thinking "MAN THIS HURTS! But boy am I HAPPY right now!"
Exciting can be interpreted sooo many different ways. LOL!
I was stupid enough to put my oil fill cap back on my Cummins one time with the engine running. It sits up on the top, drivers side of the motor, very close to the fan!
I got my thumb sticking out too far and got a BBRRUUUMMMPPP!
I pulled my hand out fast as lightning, I could tell imediately that it was going to HURT for a while, and it did. It split my thumb nail right down the middle but it was still attatched and I could move it, right before it swelled up.
I remember thinking "MAN THIS HURTS! But boy am I HAPPY right now!"
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,501
Likes: 5
From: Faibanks Ak.
lol been there done that. One time I was holding a choker on some telephone poles while the dozer took out the slack. Just as I gave him the go ahead sign one of the poles rolled and the bolt for the crossarm caught my finger for a split second. The guy on the dozer never looked back again and I stood there with my hurtin hand behind my back watching the leather finger of my glove leaving. It took awhile before I would bring my hand around and look at it but I just last a nail.
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