BUYING A 7.3 IDI

pelky350

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Posts
1,546
Reaction score
382
Location
Springfield, OR
The 2wd lift is what I would be worried about.. but nothing a dana60/4x4 5 speed seal wouldn't fix in the future! It's summer get a job work a ton save as much as possible, use the schools auto shop to your advantage as much as possible, lifts and every tool in the world is something you'll wish you had later on lol also used to have a 50% discount on parts from napa back then! What I would do now for 50% off napa parts lol
 

Sidewinded_idi

Full Access Member
Joined
May 20, 2017
Posts
845
Reaction score
311
Location
Yucaipa ca
Honestly I'm going to go against the grain and say that's not a bad deal for a first vehicle. It's bulletproof and most likely if it's lifted it's simply drop down brackets which keep all the stock geometry. I'd say test drive it, if it doesn't overheat and shifts smoothly go for it!
 

Trevtron

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2016
Posts
269
Reaction score
148
Location
Katy, Texas
If you're going to go look it over, take a lot of pics and a few videos to share with us.
 

riotwarrior

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Posts
14,778
Reaction score
482
Location
Cawston BC. Canada
Without good clear images of front lift I would be extremely wary of the truck in question.

As mentioned NO LIFT KIT IS MADE FOR A 2X F250 2WD....So whom ever and how ever it was done is critical. They had best know about steering geometry and fabrication. Anything welded better be by a competent fabricator. As mentioned why did shock break...well....likely because some part of front end gwometry is WRONG and poorly thought out and executed.

By towcats ride...he has a solid wkrking knowledge of these trucks and if that was for his daughter...YOU KNKW IT IS SAFE!!!

JM7.3CW Eh!
 

CheckYourBuffer

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2017
Posts
56
Reaction score
9
Location
Wildomar California
Dont worry guys, ill take pics and stuff. and i know to check oil because of the cavitation issues, i just need to know what it should look like, anyone got any pictures?
 

jwalterus

Made in America
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Posts
2,550
Reaction score
716
Location
Garrison, ND
I ran across a truck on craigslist, its a 1990 f250 7.3 idi. He was asking 3000$ for it but hes letting me have it for 1500. It has like 186k on it. heres the ad:

CONS: Small oil leak, most diesels do.
Power steering leak, easy fix. Needs an O-ring seal.
Running with no front shocks, coil springs only.
Needs new glow plug wiring harness.
Will need tires soon
No turn signals
Very loud, running straight pipe ( never pulled over for it )

PROS: she starts right up
6 inch lift with 35's
Off road bumper set up, with brush guard.
NO SMOG NEEDED......EVER

its going to be my first vehicle. im 16 in hs.

Sounds and looks like a beater parts truck, I'd give him 800, spend a sat making a pickup box trailer to sell, sell off the cab with a title, sell the engine and trans, and use the money to increase the budget for my truck I was buying to drive...........
 

riotwarrior

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Posts
14,778
Reaction score
482
Location
Cawston BC. Canada
Dont worry guys, ill take pics and stuff. and i know to check oil because of the cavitation issues, i just need to know what it should look like, anyone got any pictures?
Well it appears that sadly despite all the advice your mind is made up...I remember those days...not heading advice asked....usually cost me dearly one way or the other...

Good thing you know about checking oil for cavitation cause all these years I was thinking it was a cooling syatem issue. I mean my understanding was you had to have coolant with the correct additives....imagine my mind being blown and finding oit all this time it was an oil issue..thanks for correcting me.

What oil should I use then to fix my missguided thought process...perhaps you have a better idea than me?

Seriously cavitation is a cooling system issue...plenty of helpful info here just search it out. SCA is critical and no way to knkw by looking...you need special test strips to dip into cooling system....sorta like ph strips...
 

jwalterus

Made in America
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Posts
2,550
Reaction score
716
Location
Garrison, ND
What oil should I use then to fix my missguided thought process...perhaps you have a better idea than me?

Seriously cavitation is a cooling system issue...plenty of helpful info here just search it out. SCA is critical and no way to knkw by looking...you need special test strips to dip into cooling system....sorta like ph strips...

C'mon man.... tell him the truth....

He needs to go to the CAT dealership and put CAT oil in the engine, because then it'll pass smog, you know it replaces the cat in your exhaust system....... :rotflmao:rotflmao;Poke;Poke
 

CheckYourBuffer

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2017
Posts
56
Reaction score
9
Location
Wildomar California
Well it appears that sadly despite all the advice your mind is made up...I remember those days...not heading advice asked....usually cost me dearly one way or the other...

Good thing you know about checking oil for cavitation cause all these years I was thinking it was a cooling syatem issue. I mean my understanding was you had to have coolant with the correct additives....imagine my mind being blown and finding oit all this time it was an oil issue..thanks for correcting me.

What oil should I use then to fix my missguided thought process...perhaps you have a better idea than me?

Seriously cavitation is a cooling system issue...plenty of helpful info here just search it out. SCA is critical and no way to knkw by looking...you need special test strips to dip into cooling system....sorta like ph strips...
my bad, i was half asleep when i wrote that, words kind of got mix around or whatever i was thinking lol. my mind is kinda made up because i have the time to take care of it and work on it to make a nice truck. i appreciate all the advice but for 1500 you really can't go wrong for a running diesel. i know all you said it's probably dangerous, we're gonna look into it and try to fix some ****** before i even try to drive it. the motor itself as he says is clean just a small oil leak after driving which could be a range of things. but thanks anyway for the sarcasm. much appreciated .
 

Fordfan90

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2017
Posts
377
Reaction score
20
Location
Idaho
my bad, i was half asleep when i wrote that, words kind of got mix around or whatever i was thinking lol. my mind is kinda made up because i have the time to take care of it and work on it to make a nice truck. i appreciate all the advice but for 1500 you really can't go wrong for a running diesel. i know all you said it's probably dangerous, we're gonna look into it and try to fix some **** before i even try to drive it. the motor itself as he says is clean just a small oil leak after driving which could be a range of things. but thanks anyway for the sarcasm. much appreciated .

I paid 4500 for mine a couple months ago everything checked out there was a couple little problems. But 4 month later I'm 4000 deep in this pickup and still working on it. It's not cheap to fix one of these specially when stuff starts happening once you get it.
 

Fordfan90

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2017
Posts
377
Reaction score
20
Location
Idaho
Not saying it may need that much and I have invested in all good parts as of now on it. But if your serious about this just check everything over really carefully. My biggest mistake was looking at it in the dark couldn't see the headgakset leaking. Even with a flash light but the rad the t stat and the hoses where bad to and had oil in the coolant.
 

Thewespaul

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Posts
8,796
Reaction score
8,058
Location
Bulverde, Texas
what age group owned it does not matter, what is important is if the truck has been maintained, fluids and filters being changed will affect the engines lifetime more than how hard it has been run just my 2 cents
 
Top