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Diesel truck, should I buy it???

2K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Henry Highrise 
#1 ·
I have a chance to buy a non running diesel truck, its a 1996 F-250 4x4 extended cab, long bed with the 7.3 turbo diesel. I have not seen this truck but its my neighbors best friends dads truck. He (my neighbor) said its in very good shape, compared it to his personal truck, even if it's close to his truck it is in veeery good shape.

From the story I got from my neighbor is the guy was driving it stopped at the fuel pumps and filled up, got into the truck and it was crank no start. Towed it home and now bought a new F150 truck. wants to sell the Diesel truck for $2000.00

The only down side is the truck has 260k miles on it. Mostly highway miles and very well maintained.

What do you guys think of this deal? Is it too high of mileage? What about the price?

Steve
 
#2 · (Edited)
Buy it up and have it towed home...

and if it's got dual tanks on it check the switch in the dash that allows either tank to be selected. I have forgotten how many Fords I have changed out the dash switch because they go bad.... check the switch connector too for corrosion/burned terminals...

The swith is a DPDT switch On-On style. One set of contacts switches the pumps in the tanks, the other set switches the sender wires for the correct pump/tank selected.
send1- - pump 1
gauge- -+12volts
send2- -pump 2

You can try manually jumping the switch connector with wire, the center switch terminals are dash gauge and pump power feed. Find which middle terminal has 12 volts with key on and jump it to an outside contact on the same side. Likewise with the other middle to see what the tank is reading. Listen at the filler neck to hear pump running when trying to start. No pump noise with battery voltage applied = bad electric pump in tank.

Another thought is that if he filled both tanks and flipped the switch maybe it has air trapped in the fuel system that has to be bled? Dunno if these need the diesel fuel system purged manually or if they do it OK by themselves...

Mileage a bit high but OK. I have seen these go 500K
 
#3 ·
could be several things..fuel injection pump..fuel pump..bad connections..ect..but if its something simple..its well worth 2000.00..i have an 86 F250 4x4 6.9 with over 450k on it..still starts right up & pulls trailers loaded with cars..the newer 7.3 turbos are alot better & stronger & get reasonable fuel economy for a big truck..ive been keeping my eye out for a newer 7.3 turbo donor truck for a 66 ford full size..put the body on the whole chassis & it'll be my daily driver..cant go wrong with the diesels as long they were maintenanced right
 
#5 ·
I have had that happen before........it turned out to be a bad check valve on the injection pump where the return line attaches.........the valve stuck open when the engine was shut off all the fuel in the injector lines etc. drained back to the tank...then it had so much air in it , it would not start. We gas ragged the intake..got it running ( rough) loosened all the injector lines and bled it out. drove it home, replaced the check valve, bled the injector lines again and was good to go.
 
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