Going to look at a broke truck

[Copracr]

I'm thinking about going to look at a 99 dually that the owner says blows white smoke but otherwise runs fine (that's all I know for now). It's super cheap and I have whole spare motor if I need it, but I'd rather know what I'm getting into so I know what's a fair offer on the truck.
I need some advice for things I could check while I'm there.
I've read some posts that say to pull the oil fill cap and check for "puffing" to tell if it's bad compression - true?
does unplugging the ICP to see if it stops work?
I have a snap on mt2500 but it only has a generic cart so i cant do contribution or buzz tests, but can I monitor for anything specific?
Any other things I could check?

 

[Justin@DP-Tuner]

I'm thinking about going to look at a 99 dually that the owner says blows white smoke but otherwise runs fine (that's all I know for now). It's super cheap and I have whole spare motor if I need it, but I'd rather know what I'm getting into so I know what's a fair offer on the truck.
I need some advice for things I could check while I'm there.
I've read some posts that say to pull the oil fill cap and check for "puffing" to tell if it's bad compression - true?
does unplugging the ICP to see if it stops work?
I have a snap on mt2500 but it only has a generic cart so i cant do contribution or buzz tests, but can I monitor for anything specific?
Any other things I could check?

Yes, setting the oil fill cap upside down on the oil fill tube while the truck is running is a way to check for blow by. If you pull the connector off of the ICP sensor it will only tell if the ICP sensor is bad. The truck will go into default mode instead of picking up signal from the ICP. The truck should not die either way. If the truck runs better with the ICP sensor unplugged than it is likely that the ICP sensor is bad.

Just use your better judgement on the truck. Thoroughly inspect everything. Check for any codes, pull the fuel filter cap and look in the bowl, pull the intake off and feel for play in the turbo, do the oil filler blow by test, make sure everything functions, and check the body lines on the chassis to make sure the truck hasn't been seriously wrecked.

Again, just use your better judgement. Talk with the owner and base part of your decision off of his attitude and personality. Quiz him on important things that any PSD owner should know. If he seems pretty knowledgeable on how the 7.3 engine works than chances are he took decent care of it.

 

[Vader's Fury]

I'm thinking about going to look at a 99 dually that the owner says blows white smoke but otherwise runs fine (that's all I know for now). It's super cheap and I have whole spare motor if I need it, but I'd rather know what I'm getting into so I know what's a fair offer on the truck.
I need some advice for things I could check while I'm there.
I've read some posts that say to pull the oil fill cap and check for "puffing" to tell if it's bad compression - true?
does unplugging the ICP to see if it stops work?
I have a snap on mt2500 but it only has a generic cart so i cant do contribution or buzz tests, but can I monitor for anything specific?
Any other things I could check?

If the part in red is true, I would worry more about the rest of the truck. Then if the rest of the truck is up to your standards I would look at the motor. Seems at worst if the price is right and the rest of the truck is in good shape all you will need to do is swap in your other motor and you will be good to go.

 

[Racer X]

White smoke from the exhaust is normal when the engine is cold. White smoke from exhaust after engine has been warmed up to normal operating temperature, indicates coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber.

If the white smoke is just blow by, all 7.3L's with 50,000 and up miles make some you'll see when removing the oil filler cap. All Diesels will have more blow by than gas engines due to the higher compression ratio they use for ignition instead of spark plugs. If it's excessive it will push an oil film out at the oil filler cap. Normal blow by causes an oil film or oil slobber at the crank case vent only over time. It's common on 94.5-97's to have oil film on the valve cover from blow by in healthy 7.3L's. Some eliminate valve cover oil slobber by plumbing it into the exhaust.

Good luck with your find.

 

[Copracr]

OK, i'm going to look at this truck in the morning. He seems to think the injectors are bad. This is not what my truck did when I had a bad injector.

Any comments?

 

[TRUBBS]

brothers truck did the same thing when he bought it, we ended up swapping complete motors so dont klnow for sure but it did in fact have a bad number 8 injector/cup....

 

[Copracr]

Also, should I check the fuel filter on the top of the motor? What can I tell from doing that. I understand if it blackish then I have bad injector o-rings?

Also, I dont want to use parts off my spare cause it's going in my project excursion next summer. But I will if i have to and then later buy better parts for the excursion.

 

[Ron's Power Stroke]

may need injectors and also has white smoke?? could it be injector cups gone bad??

 

[Copracr]

OK, I went to look at it this morning. It runs a little rough, and the smoke smells like it never warms up even when it warmed up. I tried the oil filler cap trick and it blew right off. It was bouncing 1/4" with every puff. Sound like the compression is gone?

There was also a lot of little stuff wrong with it - the windshield is cracked, the wiper blades are frozen about halfway up, the windows have cheap tint that's peeling up, the tailgate doesnt open, the power door locks are inop, the antenna is bent, and the interior is blue. BUT, it is rust free! Might be worth fixin up just cause its rust free and that's rare around here.

 

[Justin@DP-Tuner]

How much is he asking?

 

[Copracr]

3500, with no title.

I'm thinking I dont want it though. Whoever had this truck obviously didn't take care of it. And for the money i'd put into just the body I could have a running gas motor version with bettter options.

 

[Justin@DP-Tuner]

Pass on it. Not worth 3500 for that piece.

 

[Copracr]

I passed on it. He did sell it to someone else for 3000 but i doubt he told them the motor was pooped out. Around here anything without rust is worth something, lol