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Should I buy it?

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Old Jul 25, 2016 | 11:48 AM
  #1  
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Should I buy it?

So I'm looking at a 99 F150 5.4L 4x4 Extended Cab with 139" box. 273K Miles.

Asking price from independent dealer: $1495


Issues I noticed during test drive:

Trans wont shift Into park
-Will tighten shift bar and adjust screw wheel to center

No Parking Brake
-Need to adjust rear park brake most likely

Bad Tires
-No choice but to replace ~$400

Passenger Door doesnt seem to unlock from Key Fob
-Troubleshoot

Rust
-Got a bit of rust in normal spots, some could be bad, didn't look too closely, to be expected

ABS Light Constant
-Will test and replace ABS Sensors as needed $20

CODES:
P0113 - IAT Intake Air Temperature Sensor
-Sprayed it with MAF cleaner, no change. Might replace for $20 after I clean the MAF as well and replace the air filter

P0141 - O2 Sensor
P0161 - O2 Sensor
I'd bet the Catalytic converter is bad if both say its shot.

Buy it or no?
 
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Old Jul 25, 2016 | 02:19 PM
  #2  
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The price seems kind of high to me, considering the problems indicated in what I would classify as safety items.
$100.00 per tire also seems pretty optimistic. Even if they are only $150.00 ea., that's still $600.00 for tires.
 
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Old Jul 25, 2016 | 03:28 PM
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Originally Posted by cryptospook
So I'm looking at a 99 F150 5.4L 4x4 Extended Cab with 139" box. 273K Miles.

Asking price from independent dealer: $1495


Issues I noticed during test drive:

Trans wont shift Into park
-Will tighten shift bar and adjust screw wheel to center
PRETTY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IF NO PARKING BRAKE.
COULD BE THE PLASTIC BUSHING AT THE LOWER END OF THE SHIFT CABLE. NEW SHIFT CABLE = $65.

No Parking Brake
-Need to adjust rear park brake most likely
PROBALLY WILL NEED ALL NEW PARKING BRAKES.
AT LEAST ON MINE THE SHOES WERE COMPLETELY GONE.
ALSO GET ALL NEW HARDWARE KIT WITH NEW SPRINGS.
AND HOPE THE REAR ROTORS ARN'T DESTROYED DURING THE REMOVAL.

Bad Tires
-No choice but to replace ~$400
NEW TIRES, MOUNT/BALANCE/TAX ~$800.

Passenger Door doesnt seem to unlock from Key Fob
-Troubleshoot

Rust
-Got a bit of rust in normal spots, some could be bad, didn't look too closely, to be expected
CLOSELY CHECK THE RADIATOR SUPPORT FOR RUST.
COULD BE $750 - $1000 TO REPLACE.

ABS Light Constant
-Will test and replace ABS Sensors as needed $20
JUST HOPE ITS NOT THE ABS MODULE ITSELF - $200+



CODES:
P0113 - IAT Intake Air Temperature Sensor
-Sprayed it with MAF cleaner, no change. Might replace for $20 after I clean the MAF as well and replace the air filter

P0141 - O2 Sensor
P0161 - O2 Sensor
I'd bet the Catalytic converter is bad if both say its shot.
THOSE CODES ARE NOT REPORTING CAT PROBLEMS.
THEY ARE SAYING THE HEATER CIRCUITS FOR THE DOWNSTREAM SENSORS ARE OPEN OR SHORTED.

Buy it or no?
ONLY YOU KNOW THE ANSWER.
IT STILL HAS 273K MILES ON IT.
ONLY YOU KNOW THE ANSWER!
 
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Old Jul 25, 2016 | 04:30 PM
  #4  
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Offer $1200 and see where it goes. If you like a good project it sounds like a good deal at that point.
 
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Old Jul 25, 2016 | 04:45 PM
  #5  
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Originally Posted by Patriotgrunt
Offer $1200 and see where it goes. If you like a good project it sounds like a good deal at that point.
I offered a grand, but she said that's what she paid for it. Plus she has to recoup her $289 fee for selling the vehicle which is included in the price.

I feel like $1495 is a good price, but it does have 273,000 miles on it. Probably 150k overdue for an engine rebuild.
 
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Old Jul 25, 2016 | 04:51 PM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by pdqford
ONLY YOU KNOW THE ANSWER!
Just noted your inline responses! Thanks for the knowledge bomb. Where should I look specifically for the rust on rad supports, top or bottom usually?

Also IRT tires, I found some Firestone LE's for $86 a piece of tire rack, and I plan to mount them myself at the Norfolk base auto hobby.

Other than what I mentioned, I put it in neutral and switched between 4x4 Hi and 4x4 low and back, not sure of a good way to test it though. Does the 99 F150 still use Ford's KOER and KOEO tests?

I know on OBD1 you used to be able to pin from the engine test harness to put it in test mode.
 
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Old Jul 25, 2016 | 05:17 PM
  #7  
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I just purchased tires so I know your pain. I looked at Tire Rack but their shipping costs turned me off. I honestly found the lowest priced tires at Walmart.com. Some tires offer free installation if ordered online before July 27th. I went this route and got 4 General Grabber AT2 tires for just under $600 which I'm waiting to be delivered at my nearest Walmart.
 
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Old Jul 28, 2016 | 09:04 PM
  #8  
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So I bought it anyway, I just couldn't stop thinking about it and couldn't find anything better.

Figured out the obs sensor, and fixed the rear brakes, parking brake, and fixed the column shifter indicator. Also troubleshot the p0113 to a wiring issue. No voltage or ground at the iat.



Figured out why the obs light was on however those shavings don't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.
 
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Old Jul 29, 2016 | 11:12 PM
  #9  
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pics of the truck?

I wouldn't worry about the metal particles too much, change the lube in the rear end and see what else is in there.
I think mine was like that too but there wasn't anything bad in the diff.
 
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Old Jul 29, 2016 | 11:43 PM
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Thanks for the heads up. Other issues I'm tracking for next week are full front control arms ball joints upper and lower tie rods, and front brakes. I found a 14 piece front end kit on Amazon for $150. Then I need to trace the iat sensor wiring back and find where it's damaged. luckily I'm an electronics technician so that will be the easy part. Then to track down an exhaust leak. I bit off allot but so far I'm only $2000 in including the truck itself.




 
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Old Jul 30, 2016 | 04:27 AM
  #11  
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A 14 pc front end kit? What is in that and what brand?
If you plan on keeping the truck any amount of time, just get some quality parts or you will be doing it all again way too quickly.
You can get Moog Upper control arms, lower ball joints and inner and outer tie rod ends for both sides for under $250 from Rock Auto or Amazon. Another $60 or so for the idler arm (which includes the pitman arm).
Not sure what the other 5 parts would be.
 
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Old Jul 30, 2016 | 08:14 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by blupupher
A 14 pc front end kit? What is in that and what brand?
If you plan on keeping the truck any amount of time, just get some quality parts or you will be doing it all again way too quickly.
You can get Moog Upper control arms, lower ball joints and inner and outer tie rod ends for both sides for under $250 from Rock Auto or Amazon. Another $60 or so for the idler arm (which includes the pitman arm).
Not sure what the other 5 parts would be.
12 Piece Complete Front Suspension Kit For Ford & Lincoln Front Upper Control Arms with Ball Joint, Inner & Outer Tie Rod Ends with adjusting Sleeves, Lower Ball Joints, and Sway Bar links for 4WD vehicles only https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010VWJCXC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_BFkNxb0NFDPCJ

This won't be a daily driver, just a home depot/dump/snowday truck.
 
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Old Jul 30, 2016 | 10:15 AM
  #13  
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-tires x5
-iat harness fix
-front brakes
-front rotors
-lf/rf upper control arms
-lf/rf upper ball joints
-lf/rf lower ball joints
-inner tie rods
-outer end links
-sway bar links
-oil change
-drain/fill front and rear differentials
-new low beams
-coolant flush
-replace brake fluid
-right rear e brake cable replace
-cutout / replace rocker panels
-save up for 5.4L master rebuild kit
-order 4r100 rebuild kit
-use digital osciloscope to inspect coil packs
-disassemble and clean intake iac and throttle body, lube egr pintle
-replace all vacuum hoses
-clean/grind underbody and spray rust inhibitor on everything
 
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Old Jul 30, 2016 | 01:07 PM
  #14  
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I would still get the moog parts, for $100 more you will never have to worry about those parts, but you may get lucky with that kit.

For tires, look on craigslist, you can find some decent tires for cheap many times.
 
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