We went to look at a crew cab the other day that was too clean, too rust free, and too cheap. Every truck has a story and its up to the buyer to unearth the story and determine the merits of same.
The truck is rust free and straight. From Colorado, registered to current owner for two years. 186,000 miles, xl, rubber floor mats, good seats, non turbo, 5-speed and did I mention no rust no-where? After a test ride, we just couldn't find any reason to not buy it, except, for the price, it had to be hiding something. Hmmmm, what could it be? Oh yeah, four new tires to boot.
The coolant was full up to the cap (seemed odd), fresh and green as could be. No coolant in the reservoir. No coolant in the oil. No oil in the coolant or jug. But what is that dripping on the front axle? Could it be..... Coolant? Yep. Hose? No. Cracked block? I can't imagine. Then I chased the leak on up around to the water pump. My dad was a mechanic and he used to "let me" change water pumps in his shop. I remembered that they had weep holes and when the seals went bad, they were due for replacement.
Dig some more, sure enough, it's the water pump. I had just read an excellent phototuriol from OOG so I knew what we were getting into. http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?67090-Oog-does-a-waterpump We tell the seller that we'd like to buy the truck but it needs a $400.00 water pump job. We went on to say that we would do the work ourselves so the cost would be more like $150.00 or so. Are you able to make an adjustment in the (already too darn cheap) sales price Sir? How's about I knock $200.00 off?, he replied. SOLD.
We helped him clean it out and drove it thirty miles home and loved every minute of it. The USS SnowBird as she's been christened makes for five Ford diesels on the compound. We're gonna have to sell something soon. That's what momma said anyway.
Thank you OilBurners crew and thank you OOG in this current case.
* The "we" is my nineteen year old son and I. He's his own man, not a kid anymore. I saw the truck on Craigslist, sent the link to him and he didn't object to me riding along. The beauty of Oogs write up is that son can change the water pump all by himself without the old man leaning over his shoulder telling him what he's screwing up. OOG, you a good teacher. Thank you man.
The truck is rust free and straight. From Colorado, registered to current owner for two years. 186,000 miles, xl, rubber floor mats, good seats, non turbo, 5-speed and did I mention no rust no-where? After a test ride, we just couldn't find any reason to not buy it, except, for the price, it had to be hiding something. Hmmmm, what could it be? Oh yeah, four new tires to boot.
The coolant was full up to the cap (seemed odd), fresh and green as could be. No coolant in the reservoir. No coolant in the oil. No oil in the coolant or jug. But what is that dripping on the front axle? Could it be..... Coolant? Yep. Hose? No. Cracked block? I can't imagine. Then I chased the leak on up around to the water pump. My dad was a mechanic and he used to "let me" change water pumps in his shop. I remembered that they had weep holes and when the seals went bad, they were due for replacement.
Dig some more, sure enough, it's the water pump. I had just read an excellent phototuriol from OOG so I knew what we were getting into. http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?67090-Oog-does-a-waterpump We tell the seller that we'd like to buy the truck but it needs a $400.00 water pump job. We went on to say that we would do the work ourselves so the cost would be more like $150.00 or so. Are you able to make an adjustment in the (already too darn cheap) sales price Sir? How's about I knock $200.00 off?, he replied. SOLD.
We helped him clean it out and drove it thirty miles home and loved every minute of it. The USS SnowBird as she's been christened makes for five Ford diesels on the compound. We're gonna have to sell something soon. That's what momma said anyway.
Thank you OilBurners crew and thank you OOG in this current case.
* The "we" is my nineteen year old son and I. He's his own man, not a kid anymore. I saw the truck on Craigslist, sent the link to him and he didn't object to me riding along. The beauty of Oogs write up is that son can change the water pump all by himself without the old man leaning over his shoulder telling him what he's screwing up. OOG, you a good teacher. Thank you man.
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