1989 Diesel Ford F-350 4x4 crewcab longbed in San Diego

humungus

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Let's start with what's wrong with it; there is coolant in the oil.

It started off pretty slightly, and so I rebuilt the heat exchanger. The problem got worse, so I thought maybe it was a head gasket. Now I've had a mechanic look at it, and he's measuring over 25 PSI in the coolant system. According to him the most likely scenario is that cavitation erosion has put a hole into the number 8 cylinder. This means that the products of combustion are being pushed into the coolant system. It is possible it is a head gasket, it is also possible it is just a cracked head. But according to him, the worst case scenario is cavitation erosion. This was not an uncommon issue for these engines, to the point that Ford even put out a technical service bulletin on it. And, even though I always used Penncool or equivalent to prevent it, he thinks that is what has happened.

So here's what's good about this truck; It has just under 140,000 original miles. Yes, it's 30 years old and only has 140,000 miles on it, as I used it primarily to tow a trailer on vacations with my family. It is 4 wheel drive, and has a Dana 60 front end. Probably the best part is that this truck will never need to be smogged. Ever. That means you can do whatever you want with it, and it will be legal in the communist state of California. And because it's been in California all it's life, it has no salt/rust issues.

It has a freshly rebuilt C6 transmission with a Hines performance kit, and the best torque converter I could put in it. Which means nothing if you want to pull the engine and put in a Cummins, with a different transmission.

It is all stock, except for a Banks turbo, which was added in 1991. Which the IDI diesel engine did not need, as it was the original high compression diesel engine. However the turbo increased fuel economy and performance. I always kept the fuel rack turned down pretty low, for better fuel economy rather than for performance. (This is one reason I do not believe that it is a head gasket.) The tires are fairly new with good tread. There is a fifth wheel kit in the bed, which I plan to remove, as well as a brake controller. However you could talk me out of these things pretty easily. The interior is clean, and the seats are original. They show some wear on the corners, but no rips or tears. The passenger seatbelt needs to be replaced because it got frayed, but it's still usable.

I am the second owner, I bought it in 1992. I always took care of this truck with the intent of keeping it forever. And, one might argue, I almost did.

I would totally fix this truck up, but as we bought a motorhome earlier this year, I don't need it to tow anymore. It simply doesn't make sense to put money into something I no longer need.


So here it is, for parts, modification, or repair.

If you are interested, make me an offer.
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Thewespaul

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That much pressure in the coolant can really only be a head gasket, especially with it slowly happening over time and getting worse. Would be a great chance for someone to buy it, pull the engine to stud it and have a really reliable setup, I doubt there’s anything else wrong with the engine.
 

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