Hey everyone, I'm new to the site. REALLY close to buying a '01 f250 with a V10.. Never had a 10 cylinder before, just a 7.3 PS. It's a nice truck at a great price. What should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

Do you have any more details? Mileage, is it a crew cab, super cab or regular cab, long bed, short bed, 4x4 etc. Is it on a dealers lot or private sale.

 

give us a little more to chew on and we can help a lot more.

 

Check the exhaust manifold studs.

Also, see if they have done the plugs recently.

 

Here is an EXCELLENT check list that Monster-4 provided before I made my purchase. I’m sure this will help…I’m still referring to this list today. Good luck and keep us informed if you make the purchase, pictures please. You might try the V10 thread for additional information. All credit goes to Monster-4***


There is not many weak points on the V10 but there is a few.
General V10 issues to check:
1.) Exhaust studs. They tend to break and cause a leak. Inspect both sides and see how many are broken. If they haven't been replaced there will be some that are broke. It's just a matter of how many and if there is a leak yet.
2.) Plugs. They should have been changed at 100K. If not it's time to get them replaced right away. Some V10's (1998 to 2002-?) suffer from plugs popping out of the head but with proper torque and checking it shouldn't be an issue. If one does the head can be repaired while still on and the engine and in the truck.
3.) IAC. Make sure it is functioning properly. Engine should idle smoothly and start without any pedal input.
4.) Belt tensonier. Make sure it's is not making any noise. They tend to go bad and start making a loud squeaking sound.

Now don't be scared of the following list. I'm not sure how familiar you are with Super Duties in general so I made a list of the most common issues I can think of with 1999-2004 MY. Your truck may have some, or all, or none of these issues. It just gives you an idea what to look for.
General issues to check:
1.) Ball joints. Slop can develop in the ball joints especially when you get in the 100K range. Some trucks go earlier some make it longer but it's safe to say at some point they will need to be replaced. To check you need to raise the front end off the tires and use a long board pry up on the bottom of the tire, wiggle it around and watch for slop.
2.) Wheel hubs. The main bearing in the wheel hubs will eventually go bad. They are unitized and "non serviceable". You can still need to maintain the needle bearing (it's the bearing on the back side of the wheel hub that the drive axle spins on when not in 4X4) otherwise they can seize and wear a groove in the drive axle. Typical signs a wheel hub is bad is louder than normal hum when going around a corner. The wheel hub opposite from the corner is bad. So if a loud hum happens in a right hand corner the left wheel hub could be bad.
3.) Brakes. The slid pins tend to seize and cause the calipers to hang. The front and rear suffer from the same issue. Check all four corners for signs of hanging or non functioning calipers.
4.) ESOF (Electronic Shift On the Fly). Not sure if you have it but there can be problems from the auto hubs to vacuum issues to shift motor problems. Check that the 4X4 light illuminates when use the switch on the dash. If it doesn't then there may be an issues with the shift motor and/or fuse, wiring, etc. If the light comes on it still doesn't mean that 4X4 is really engaged. There could be a vacuum leak or the auto hubs themselves could be seized causing them not to lock. Easiest way to check is find a nice gravel or dirt patch and gun it. You should get all four tires to light up (are you can get it up on a lift or jack stands). If not turn the auto hubs to "LOCK" and try again. If you get everything to work that means there is either a vacuum leak, the hubs are bad or both. If you still don't get all four tires to spin then there may be other issues somewhere.
5.) Steering. If you drive down the road and you are wondering all over then you have an issue. The steering box can wear on center and get sloppy. You can do some minimal adjustments to the box itself but eventually the box will need to be replaced. Tie roads and drag links can develop slop as well. You can check for the source of slop by crawling under the truck and having someone turn the steering wheel. First look at the pitman arm and see if it's turning at the same time as the wheel. Next move onto watching the drag link and then onto the tie rods. Whatever isn't moving at the same rate as the steering wheel that is probably the source of the problem.
6.) Front sway bar. The front sway bar end link bushing can go bad and clunck when going over bumps. Find a nice set of bumps and listen for a clunck near the driver or passengers foot well. If you hear one then chances are the end link bushings are bad.
7.) Shocks. The factory shocks general do not hold up well. If the original shocks are still on the truck it's time get new ones.
8.) Rear wheel seals. If the rear brakes where hung up it can cause heat to take a toll on the seals. Check for weepage around the seals. Even if the brakes weren't hung up still inspect the seals. Also see below for other issues with wheel seals.
9.) Rear pinion seal and diff cover. The breather hose can become clogged and cause pressure to build up in the diff housing. The pressure will cause a leak at the pinion seal, from the diff cover or from the wheel seals. Also the diff cover itself can rust out. Check for leaks at all these points.

If you have access to maintenance records check the following. If you don't assume that it wasn't done and needs to be.
General and V10 maintenance items (assuming "normal conditions"):
1.) Oil. Should have been changed at least every 5K miles. Dusty, towing, orlots of idle time it should be changed every 3K.
2.) Coolant. Should have been changed at 45K, 75K, 90K and 105K.
3.) Accessory drive belt. Should have been changed at 100K.
4.) Fuel Filter. Should have been changed at 30K, 60K and 90K.
5.) Air filter. Should have been changed at 30K, 60K and 90K.
6.) Automatic transmission fluid (if equipped). Should have been changed at 30K, 60K and 90K.
7.) Brake fluid. There is no change interval but should have been change a few times or least with every brake change. If it looks brown/green/black then it probably hasn't been changed.
8.) Power steering fluid. There is no change interval but should be changed at least once. There is no easy way to tell if it's been replaced other then records.
9.) Front Diff fluid. Should be changed at 150K however if the axle was submerged in water it should be replaced.
10.) Transfer case fluid. Should be changed at 150K unless it's been used for off roading then it should be changed every 60K.
11.) Rear diff fluid. Should be changed at 150K unless the truck was used for heavy towing. If it was it should be changed every 60K. Also if the axle was submerged in water it should ahve been replaced.
12.) Needle bearing. As mentioned above you can service the needle bearing that are in the wheel hub. This should be done every 60K.