Any thoughts on what I should look at when I see this truck tomorrow? The dealer is asking $7250. Hoping to get out the door at $7000. Exterior/Interior is very clean looking at the pictures. Power windows, seats, etc. One owner according to CARFAX. Just sold my 00 F250 PSD due to wanting larger cab. Thanks for any advice.

 

auto or manual? I'm guessing auto.. listen/feel for any potential trans issues and inquire of any trans work. My original auto went out at 236k.
Normal stuff, look for any leaks etc. My injectors (7 were original) needed to be replaced at roughly the same time as trans. You'll love the OBS. I had the opportunity to upgrade to a SD 7.3, but kept mine. I get lots of people complimenting and commenting on it- CC is where it's at!
Post some pics!

 

Thanks, it is an auto. The injectors is what worries me and one of several reasons I gave up the 2000, but mostly that was due to small cab. Here are some pics...

 

that's beautiful!
Worst case you GET TO do new injectors. $1270 from Rosewood. Really wake it up. If you haven't done them yet, they take a little time but not too bad. I did mine in my driveway of my APT. See if the shop can use a scanner to buzz test/pop test the injectors. Won't tell you all you need to know but will give you an idea if there are any current problems. That's a sweet ride!

 

It sure is... I feel like a kid about to go on a first date just to go look at it tomorrow... not sure what that means lol. I will ask about testing the injectors, but really don't want to spend another $1200 or so right after I buy it. My gut tells me that the one owner who had it took extremely good care of it, just by looking at the drivers carpet, but you never know...

 

btw, how do I set a profile picture??

 

Welcome to FTE!

That truck is beautiful! Hopefully you can make a deal.

It may be as simple as injector o-rings. I did mine at 360K or so, fairly certain the injectors are original. It was easy, and it helped wake it up.

One other thing that comes to mind, if you can, ask them not to start it untill you get there, so you can see if theres any cold start issues (worn injectors or bad glow plugs) I know mine has more than likley worn injectors, it smokes a fair amount untill warm, but then runs great.

I'm not sure on the picture, its been a while since I have changed mine.

Once again, welcome!

 

When you go to look at it, look under the hood before you let them start it up. Feel the turbo to see if it is warm, which would indicate that they had it running before you got there (potentially because it has starting issues). Take it for a test drive and see how it shifts and runs. Check all 4 power windows to be sure they all work (rear passenger side especially). I tend to be less a stickler for the minute details than some on here are, but I look closely for the truck to be a good foundation to build upon. Injectors aren't cheap, but I'd rather put injectors into a rust free truck than to have a fresh motor in a rust bucket. It certainly does look as though it was well maintained, but what the heck is up with that hitch on the back, lol!?

If they're not dealing like you'd like with you on the price, this is what you do. You climb up on the bumper and reach your finger down in the valley under the fuel bowl where there is undoubtedly a puddle of goo, dip your finger into it, and then ask the salesman, "How long has it been leaking like this?".

For the sig and avatar pics, you click on "User CP" and then use the links along the left side of the screen to set all that up.

Good luck tomorrow, it looks like a pretty nice truck! And yeah, Crew Cabs are where it's at!

 

Yeah whats up with the passenger rear window on these? Mine worked when I got it and it has since quit. Which reminds me I need to look into that.

 

It's an OBS Crew Cab thing... lol. Its probably either broken wires in the whip between the door and the b pillar or a bad window regulator motor. Both are REALLY common on these for some reason.

 

When buying a used PSD
Turbo:
You might take the air tube off the back of the air filter and look inside of it. If there is dirt build up, that is a very bad sign, so are the turbo fins looking sand blasted or bent. A little oily film is normal since the valve cover breather exits inside the tube.

Airbox:
Check the two bolts holding down the airbox lid. If they are plastic with a square recess, it is a recalled part. The recall is expired, but without the updated lid the risk of dirt infiltration is greater, the lid was updated with more supports and the updated bolts are metal with a straight slot. If it is the old style, you spend around $80 to update it.

Tranny:
If you buy a truck with an auto tranny, finding out if it's been maintained is essential, as the E4OD is an expensive transmission. Also, (if auto) seeing if the truck has an auxiliary transmission cooler would be worthwhile. For sticks, listen for clunking when shutting off or small vibration while operating. It could be an indication of a dual mass flywheel going out. Many have replaced them with single mass units.

Rear Gear Ratio:
4:10 will pull better, get slightly lower mpg’s and run a higher RPM compared to 3:55.

Coolant:
Ask the previous owner about the coolant - have they been adding FW16 or DCA4 to keep a proper SCA level? It is very important for stopping cavitation. You can get test strips to check the SCA level from NAPA, International, or Ford. I would test the current condition while looking over the truck, the SCA level should be between 1.5 and 3.0. Also, see if it has a block heater (it was an option on 97's).

Front end:
Check the front end for wear, or have an alignment shop check out the ball joints and steering linkage (tie rod ends). If they are shot, it is spendy (all four tie rods are around $400 just for parts, ball joint labor is also very spendy)

Oil:
The questions to ask are how often the oil was changed (at least every 5,000) and what kind of oil they used (diesel rated)? An oil analysis could tell you if there might be an engine problem or not.

Aftermarket stuff:
Seeing if the truck has got an aftermarket downpipe would be nice, a chip, or gauges (pyrometer, trans temp, etc.). Ask about any added items and who installed them.

Glow Plugs/Relay:
Find out if the glow plugs are in good working condition as well as the relay. Ask if either has been changed and when. You can check the glow plug resistance through the valve cover connector if needed (http://forums.ford-diesel.com/cgi-bi...&f=21&t=005210), and the relay should have power to both large terminals on top when the key is turned on, and one of the terminals should go out before ~2 minutes.

Injector o-rings:
The injector O-rings have been known to be a problem. The new o-ring sets have a pink middle seal. If the truck has an o-ring problem, one of the signs can be a discoloration of the fuel in the filter bowl. There is a drain on the passenger side front of the filter bowl for draining water (the filter is also the water separator) and you can catch some of the drained fuel in a jar – it should be dingy yellow and not blue or dark.

Leaks and Drips:
You can check the valley between the heads of the V8 for moisture and/or fluid. It should be dry not wet. Most leaks will run through this valley and down the back of the motor dripping off by the tranny/engine coupling.

VIN number:
If you take the VIN to any dealer, they can tell you when it was built, when it went into service, and some of the work that might have been done on it. You can also run prospective VIN's through Carfax.com to see the title history.

 

Perfect! Couldn't agree more. I'd rather do injectors than deal with rust etc (the little things that add up).

 

My main concern would be the trans. Looking at the hitch I'd say it spent its life towing. With 239k on it id say it has had on trans already and could be due for another

 

x2

check fluid level, condition etc. On the plus side that looks like an excellent condition truck. If it's relatively rust free though, it's worth working on.

 

I thought the same thing. In another pic it shows fifth wheel rails, which saves me installing mine. That rear-end hitch is the first thing that changes. Thanks for posting that checklist. I saw in in another post, but wondered if it was all still accurate. Good to know it is. You guys have all been very helpful. Good community, no matter what they say about you in the Powerstroke forum... just kidding. I will be sure to add more pics if I bring it home.. which i certainly hope to do at this point.