Hey all this is my very first post and I'm hoping you guys can help shed some light on a truck I'm interested in. A friend of mine has had me do some random work to his 2004.5 crew cab 4wd Laramie edition cummins (brakes and a stereo and some other small maintenance items) and asked me if I'd like to buy his truck. It has 210,000 miles and told me he'd take $7,000. Body is straight and interior is perfect, just told me that the truck was making a horrible noise and that he just wants to be rid of it. The noise turned out to be the gasket between the turbo and manifold but he doesn't care and says the deal still stands.

He let me take the truck over night and this morning I started noting all the problems. I pulled the oil cap off and it does have some blow by, if I un-screw the cap and leave it on loose it will blow the cap up but not off. An engine rebuild doesn't concern me so much, but when I started it cold this morning it billowed white smoke like a $10 hooker and idled rough. It cleaned out after it warmed up and ran nice and smooth. When I'd park the truck and let it sit for it wouldn't smoke at all but if I'd leave it for a few hours it'd smoke a little then clean out real fast.

I did some research and it sounds like It has an injector or two that's bad.

I'm thinking this is an amazing deal but I don't know a thing about diagnosing it and don't want to be in over my head. I'm mechanically inclined and have a modis to help me. Any input would be appreciated

 

IMO that's a great deal- injectors you can install yourself and buy NEW ones for about 2k. How's the trans shift? Check front end to make sure it's tight. Even if you were to put some $$ in it I would say it sounds fair

 

thats a pretty good deal even though it has blow by. you might have a broken ring causing the blow by. i wouldnt drive it any more since you score the cylinder wall deep enough that it cannot be board out. you are looking at a rebuild and i would put new injectors in as well.

 

Trans shifts great actually. So my next question is if you can compare injector balance rates like you can on a duramax to help find the bad one(s)? Besides ohming them out is the only tests to visually inspect the tips and have them flow tested?

 

Yes you can with the right software- not sure what dmax spec is but you want them within 4% of each other tops. You can definitely have them flow tested. I'd just find a reputable shop and have them check em out. Are they original?

 

I'm assuming they are original. Anyone know of any shops that flow and rebuild that aren't completely outrageously priced? I'm starting to really like this truck, it wasn't plugged in and I had to move it and it fired right up at -17. My duramax I had would not have done that without some effort and don't even get me started on the powerjoke we had.

 

Don't waste your money on getting injectors rebuilt. Remanned injectors have a high failure rate and not worth buying. If you think the injectors are bad don't waste money on getting them tested when that money to get them tested can go towards new injectors.

 

That sounds like a great price , even if it needs a few minor repairs.