Altering odometer on '93?

[DrCharles]

I am suspicious that my '93 F250 IDI has significantly more than the 186k miles showing on the odometer. (It has the 6-digit LCD display so at least I don't have to worry about how many times it's been around like the old mechanical ones!)

Since the IDI has no computer, is there anything to prevent a previous owner from swapping dash clusters, or just the PSOM itself? I seem to recall there's a removable chip that actually stores the mileage. Is the VIN encoded into the PSOM anywhere?

My state has "mileage exempt" on the previous title and on the one I was issued, since it's an over-8500 GVWR truck, so that won't help in tracking it. Not sure if Carfax is worth trying.

 

[chillman88]

Carfax might be worth trying. When I looked up my 91 it had the recorded mileage from each time it was registered. It might leave you guessing still but if it says 2xx,*** on it somewhere you'll know your odometer is wrong. It's worth a shot.

 

[79jasper]

Iirc, the digital obs clusters only go to 299,999 or 399,999. I don't knoww if it starts all the way back over, or the previous 100,000 unit.

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[chicken bones]

I have 390000 Km on mine, I will be upset if it goes to zero in 9999 Km. I was looking forward too watching it turn over 500000 Km. Wait and see,hope your wrong on this.On the upside if your right I am going to have a very low mileage Truck soon.

 

[79jasper]

I have 390000 Km on mine, I will be upset if it goes to zero in 9999 Km. I was looking forward too watching it turn over 500000 Km. Wait and see,hope your wrong on this.On the upside if your right I am going to have a very low mileage Truck soon.

Okay, clarified. It won't go over 399,999.
Copy what I did here.
If you look real closely at the first digit, the upper left side doesn't show. So a 4 isn't possible.
This was 2 years ago I think. I'm at 232,*** now. Lol http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5a63c2655e56d/20160413_124106.mp4

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[chicken bones]

I wonder if there is any difference between trucks made for US/Canadian markets. KM/vs Miles.?

 

[79jasper]

I would doubt it. Lol ford is cheap.
Do the test, see if it shows up on yours.

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[chicken bones]

My Odometer looks the same as yours, top left missing .

 

[DrCharles]

Thanks for the info. When I get the truck back from the shop I'll look closely with a bright light at the upper left corner of the display. But I don't think it's worn enough to be 486k miles or worse.

Back to my original question: Could the PSOM or dash cluster just have been swapped for one showing fewer miles?

 

[Thewespaul]

Thanks for the info. When I get the truck back from the shop I'll look closely with a bright light at the upper left corner of the display. But I don't think it's worn enough to be 486k miles or worse.

Back to my original question: Could the PSOM or dash cluster just have been swapped for one showing fewer miles?

Yes this is most likely the cause

 

[Macrobb]

My Canadian '93 had 39x,*** KM when I got it. It now has 310,*** KM.
It rolled from 399,999 to 300,000 KM in August. A.K.A... I have absolutely no clue how many miles it has on it. I know the engine wasn't factory, that's for sure.

Now, someone could also swap in a PSOM with lower mileage. These trucks are all basically exempt at this point - I recall that 10 years and 100K miles is the cutoff, at least here.

But, why does it matter? Whether it has 150 or 400K, it doesn't really make a difference. What matters is how it runs now, and what needs to be replaced.

 

[icanfixall]

Swapping the dash cluster is the easy way to "rool back" mileage on any truck.Sadly the dash screws are not sealed with the tamper paint like our injection pumps are. About 38 years ago I wanted to change some circuit breakers SAFELY.. So I felt I could remove the power company meter from the box but.. It had that lead seal with the copper wire crushed in it to keep guys like me from tampering with it. So a pair of needle nose and regular pliers and tugging on the wire I was able to pull out one side of the wire. Bingo..I had overcome the tamper proof. Then I used a very small drill bit in said hole thru the lead and never again had an issue with working on the beakers hot. Way back then we had the old analog meters with the spinning aluminum wheel. If you removed the meter and installed it backwards the meter ran backwards. Our electric company paid the meter readers a bonus for "catching thief's doing this too.Smart meter now have changed all that..No more meter readers..No more turning around the meters. No more fun...

 

[DrCharles]

But, why does it matter? Whether it has 150 or 400K, it doesn't really make a difference. What matters is how it runs now, and what needs to be replaced.

True. It's all mine now! It just nags at me because I paid somewhat more due to the allegedly low mileage and I hate being "taken". Just one example: The seller never delivered the tailgate either which was part of the deal, finally claimed the salvage yard "can't find it". One day I stopped by the yard coming back from the big city, and they showed it to me, said he'd never paid them for it, and they were tired of his BS. I asked how much, they said $50 so I paid and they slapped it in place. Naturally, no response to my polite request that he reimburse me. That's when I knew he was less than honest. And I started worrying about things like the odometer...

Other than the small coolant leak from the head gaskets, the basic engine appears to be in good shape. So maybe it's real miles although a lot of maintenance was obviously neglected from the appearance of the fluids and the large number of smaller things broken/rigged/missing.

Anyway I have done a lot of fixing already and starting to feel like it may be a usable truck soon If the shop doing the head gaskets will ever get it back to me (tomorrow will be 1 week).

 

[79jasper]

How do the pedal pads look? Really worn, used but great, or brand new?

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[Macrobb]

I currentky have 6 idi trucks in my stable. /none/ of them have a useful odometer. 4 are bricknose and have rolled over 1+ times, and my two OBS trucks are already at 3xx,*** miles/km... and may or may not have rolled over. Oh, and niether of them have the original engine. '92 was a rebuilt at some time in the past, '93 has an '88 vintage motor in it of unknown mileage and rebuild status.