Looking at a 90 F250 7.3 IDI, have 2 hours to make decision, please help!

[abacuschicken]

Hello all,

I am a single woman looking at purchasing a truck today. I am specifically wanting a mechanical diesel and have decided on the 7.3L IDI. Been looking for right truck for 6 plus months. This truck is a 2 owner truck with original 98k miles. It has never been used to haul anything heavy or over hills. Just local small boat launching. The first owner had it for 3 years. 2nd for 23 years. Both are long time police officers with a small department. The maintenance records and history are all available to me. I took it to a diesel shop and had a buyers inspection done on it. Items found: the fuel injection pump is original and due for a rebuild per manu. recommendation. It needs a fuel line return kit, it has stupid 16.5 tires and rims on it that are due to be replaced, needs front brakes soon but not emergent, and the leaf spring bushings could use replaced but also not immediately. I haggled him down to $4800 from $5500. Motor and tranny are tight and no issues, exterior and interior excellent condition (picture attached in my profile). Please anyone with an opinion on a pro or con on pulling the trigger would be helpful. I have have had 3 mechanics say go for it but the last truck I bought was a disaster and now I am terrified of going down the rabbit hole. I will be using it to pull a 5k horse trailer and some dog camping and road trips in Washington State. I have 2 hours to make the call!

 

[wildbillcody97]

Do it

 

[IDIoit]

the price is pretty steep but my wallet is jewish.
it appears to be well taken care of.
IP and return line kit is not hard.
when you change IP, you should also do injectors.

if its as clean as you say, go for it!
these are great trucks and will not have an issue towing. altho if you do long drives on steep inclines, i would add a turbo.

welcome to the site!
you came to the right place.

 

[abacuschicken]

ok, thats 2 votes yes plus 3 mechanics, one having done the inspection...any naysayers??? I live in Western Washington and these older diesels with low miles are hard to come buy and sell quick. There are buyers in line behind me with his asking price of $5500. I get that it's kinda $$$ on paper but the market seems to support the pricing. Going to pull the trigger in....30, 29, 28.....

 

[Golden Helmet]

It looks like a nice truck, just keep in mind the cost of admission and budget accordingly. A rough idea of what you might be looking at:

IP, injectors, return kit, glowplugs: $1500-ish
Tires: $800-$1000
Wheels (if you want to ditch the 16.5's): $400+ new, peanuts used

Unless the transmission is unhappy, anything else wrong with the truck should be dirt cheap and caveman simple. If the truck fires up fine after it's been warmed up, your IP is probably good enough to ignore for a while, it'll let you know when it's time to be replaced. The GP's I'd do no matter what, just so you know for certain they're the right ones and not Autolite's (do not trust PO's on this, you don't want to pull heads). The rabbit hole doesn't go too deep with these trucks; if the engine runs, the transmission shifts, and the front end doesn't sound as bad as mine, it should be a good truck. I would try and get that $4800 price down some more though, that's a steep price for a truck that may need another $3k put into it.

Also, you didn't specify, is the truck an auto or stick? And is it 4x4 or 2x4?

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

What color coolant is in it? Did they have documention or any mention of regular sca testing? Those engines can suffer from cavitation issues. Though rare it can happen. If it hasn't recently had the oil cooler rebuilt it will probably go out at some point. Age of the orings and not mileage is what determines that. I'd check coolant overflow tank for any oil or bubbles when running too

 

[IDIoit]

Going to pull the trigger in....30, 29, 28.....

never pull, always squeeze

 

[ironworker40]

If there is no rust on the truck, it appears in the picture to be rust free, BUY IT. Don't worry about the ip pump some will last 200,000 or more miles. Performance and milage starts to drop off usual around 100,000 miles thats why they told you that, but it is not going to stop running at 101,000. Injection pump and injectors are cheap for these trucks anyway, just don't buy one until you ask us here or you will be wasting your money. Just don't expect to be able to run down the interstate at 90 mph like you can do with the new diesels. The idi will do what is asked of it, it just does it slow. On the up side there is no computer, unless its an auto trans then the trans is computer controlled but not the engine, the other exception is the abs brake computer which is like $100 to replace. You will need trailer brakes so if it does not have a electric brake controller get one installed before pulling those horses. $4800 is nothing to spend on a truck. My buddy stopped by Saturday and he just lost his wife to cancer and he made a decision to buy a new truck, a new F-150 crew cab 4x4 v-6 with that real short bed, loaded. Sticker price was $69,000. Welcome to the forum. We here can help you with anything you need for that truck.

 

[abacuschicken]

Automatic E40D, 4x4, Lariat XLT package, bright and shiny maroon paint, no sign of cavitation issues when checked at diesel shop (I asked about this when I brought it in). Found 16" 10 ply 8 lug tires and aluminum rims for $450 mounted and balanced with 60% left on them (I only average about 8k miles per year on a vehicle), got quote for IP and return kit from reputable warranted diesel shop for $700. Will be doing work as needed because thats how I can afford it. It currently has no IP issues showing but may replace that sooner rather then later for a long trip to California...

 

[abacuschicken]

Holy crap, 70k for an F150??? WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you guys SO much!!! I like this truck. NO rust, no dings, nothing...totally immaculate interior and exterior and the dogs can jump from inside the cab through the back window and canopy window into the bed which has a liner and custom rubber matting for doggies

 

[ironworker40]

The tires look like 31x10.5x16.5 That was a common size back then and their have been millions and millions of miles put on them without problems. 16.5 tires have a shallower bead than all others but were used from the 60's on (to my knowledge, maybe earlier) but don't let it stop you from buying the truck.

 

[abacuschicken]

Gentleman, the deal is done. Money sent!!! Will stay active on this forum and be in touch soon thank you all!!!

 

[madpogue]

^^^^ That's ($70k) almost as much as we borrowed for our HOUSE.

Look again REAL close for rust. The chrome-y stuff on the bottom, plus the absence of a 4x4 sticker, suggests the truck has had some cosmetic work done. Check the core support, spring hangers, shock perches, etc.

Price seems a bit stiff for an automatic, but < 100,000 is definitely a plus. I always thought IP/injectors were good for 150,000, but : .

Tire/wheel deal sounds pretty sweet, as long as they're the tread type you want and not dry rotted or some cr@ppo discount brand. Shoot, you might get $200-ish for those 16.5s on CL, esp. if you leave the tires mounted.

 

[ironworker40]

Congrats. Please check in here before you replace anything. Your local shop may not be the best place for a ip pump there is a guy an hour from you R&D Performance, plus two others on here, Type4 and Mel from Conestoga Diesel, that you can buy it from and have your local guy install it, but competant rebuilders for these are rare nowadays.

 

[abacuschicken]

They are aftermarket 16.5 x 12.5 x 33s with aggressive tread and are weather worn a bit on the sides. Wouldn't trust them with a load or long distance...I am happy downgrading to a 16" good hauling tire. Better fuel economy anyway.