'96 Ford Powerstroke To buy or not to buy?
 

Thanks for reading my post! My neighbor is selling a '96 ford 3/4 ton Powerstroke for 2K. The good: it's a 2WD manual and he says it runs fine. It has some miles, but he only used as a daily driver and for hauling a project car on occasion. It is a brown extended cab long bed. The bad: the tires only have about a hundred miles left. I plan on just getting a set of highways for about $500. You have to jump the starter to make it start, but once it starts, he says it runs fine. It is running with only one battery right now.


I can handle replacing the starter and battery at home myself, but I do not want a major project. I plan on installing a cold air intake, and then leaving the rest stock. None of this will happen until I replace the fluids and install some better tires and fixing anything mechanically wrong. My question is this: besides any knocks or grinds, what should I look and listen for during the test drive? What are some common problems with these? I will be using this as a daily driver and to haul a round bail of hay every few months and take our 2 horses to the vet once a year.

Look for leaks of course, I always check the oil level, transmission level,anti freeze level, see how the clutch feels, how the gears are? Whenever I test drive a standard I get on it kind of hard to see how it handles, check stopping power and shakes or alignment when driving, pretty sure these trucks are made to have two batteries constantly not one ask him why there's only one? If he needed one in a pinch for another car etc. Good luck


Strokin' Away

Make sure it's cold before you start it... Then start it and look for smoke out the exhaust...

I know it shouldn't make any white or blue smoke, but if it lets out a puff of black smoke and then stops, thats good right? I know it should not continue to smoke.:humm:

Also, what are some common problems with these besides what 1999stroker said? And I forgot to mention in the original post, he took off the battery for another vehicle in a pinch and did not have it replaced.

Also, if I do get it, I get half a tank of diesel with it!:yeah: I plan on installing trans temp, EGT, and boost gauges on the A-Pillar, straight pipe exhaust, Pioneer stereo, full replacement Ranch Hand bumpers, chrome racing pedals, an in-bed toolbox and a few other knick knacks.

Anyone else?

There's not much else you can look for just the basics, but like someone else said start it when it's cold if it's difficult to do so, you can almost bet either the glow plugs or relay is going bad.


Strokin' Away

Or bad compression, or injectors...

As for the smoke, it shouldn't smoke hardly at all when first started... A cold diesel will smoke but it should clear up pretty quick if everything is in working order.

Just remember, you get what you pay for and a 2k dollar truck isn't going to come in perfect condition. You say you don't want a project but buying a cheap high mileage truck isn't going to come with no added costs.

I do get a second set of seats with the truck, so I can sell those on craigslist. That will pay for the starter. I know what you mean, 95powersmoker, in your last line, but what I meant for a "Major project", was that I did not want something like a smoked transmisson or shot injectors. The windshield also has some cracks going along the bottom of the windshield, so I know it will need to be adressed soon. I have figured out that with the purchase price, tires, windshield, batterys, starter, fluids, etc., I will be spending about 3-5k for all of that, plus a few things like exhaust, pipe bumpers, A-pillar gauges, toolbox, Ford floor mats, shifter knob, cold air intake and AFE air filter, and a few other knick-knacks.

P.S.
I meant a little smoke when its cold, but as usual I did not proof read my post. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

The Kelly blue book value of this truck in good condition is $5,742. After tax, title, and license, that gives me about $3,500 to get it in running and driving condition and have it be worth it. If you look in my previous post, that is about what it will take to do so as long as I don't find a surprise.