Used F250 Diesels

[Stocker Steve]

I have been trying to avoid sticker shock by shopping around for a lower priced farm truck. I found two older rigs with less than 100K miles on them. Both autos...

86 F250 with a 6.9L
91 F250 with a 7.3L

Any trade offs or chronic problems I should be looking for with a 6.9L or a 7.3L?

Is 12 mpg really all you can expect with a Ford diesel?

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Agboy]

I can understand your concern. These diesel trucks arnt cheap. Personally if I was in your situation. I would go with the powerstroke trucks built from mid 94 an up. If your looking for something to pull a trailor or such you wont be dissapointed. Plentyoff power for that. I have a 2003 7.3 PSD. An coming from a 150 to that is a night an day difference. The power will just blow you away. I regularly get 18-20 MPG on my rig. Thats just hwy miles. With a trailor about 12-15 depending on the wind an load. The 6.9s are a great truck as well. Lots off those go200 to 300,000 easy with no problems except for maintenace items such as glow plugs. It might be hard to find a powerstroke truck from the mid nineties era with under 100,000 miles but if you do take a hard look at it. This truck off mine has spoiled me. I just love the power. Good Luck.

 

[flaboy+]

Agboy is right. 94 and up and you won't be disappointed. ;-)

 

[norriscathy]

I have been trying to avoid sticker shock by shopping around for a lower priced farm truck. I found two older rigs with less than 100K miles on them. Both autos...

86 F250 with a 6.9L
91 F250 with a 7.3L

Any trade offs or chronic problems I should be looking for with a 6.9L or a 7.3L?

Is 12 mpg really all you can expect with a Ford diesel?

Thanks for the tips.

I'm still running an '84 F250 diesel! A little rough looking now but still gets good milage; 19 mpg running empty or pulling a trailer. Does Ok pulling a 20' cattle trailer with 8 cows, but that's about it. Don't try pulling mountains with a loaded trailer etc. It's my understanding that because of EPA; diesel milage has dropped quite a bit in recent years. Glow plugs no problem (as long as you can teach your teenage son to listen to the radio with the key in the accessory position and NOT in the on position!). '84's had a problem with the master cyclinder attached to the firewall. Firewall would actually crack. IF you buy the 6.9L make sure the Ford recall modification has been done to reinforce the firewall.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I'd go with the 6.9, as they seemed to be the tougher of the two naturally aspirated engines and I never saw a big power difference. If you can afford it, I do second the notion of finding a 94+ with intercooled turbo diesel. Much better power.

And posting this in a message thread with nuthin but Ford guys may lead to me being burned at the stake as a witch :lol: , but have you tried to find an 89 - 91 non-intercooled Cummins? Usually pretty cheap, as they weren't intercooled (they were turbo), but tough as nails and they generally get outstanding fuel economy (my father had one that regularly got 26 mpg). The Ford will be a MUCH more comfortable truck. Pre-94 Cummins Dodges road like lumber wagons.

Rod

 

[flaboy+]

I had both the 6.9 and 7.3 naturally aspirated. The 6.9 was great new but as it got older it lost power quickly. The 7.3 never did. Just my experience though. My 96 7.3 was stronger when I sold than when I bought it. :lol:

 

[cfpinz]

If you're going to be pulling with it everyday, I'd say look into a Powerstroke. I have a 97 and wouldn't trade it for anything. Also have 2 old 6.9s, an 86 and 87 that we use everyday for the other work. The 86 has 201k and the 87 has 325k. The only thing the 87 has had done to it is a rebuilt injection pump, a couple new lift pumps, some glow plugs and valve cover gaskets engine wise. The 6.9s are weak but they start good in cold weather and get good fuel mileage, the 87 still gets 16/17 everyday. And yes, my firewall busted on the 87 where the clutch master cylinder bolts up, was sitting in traffic about 50 miles from home. You should have seen the look on the driver in front of me at the light! :lol: But nothing a MIG welder and a fire extinguisher can't fix. (Set the truck on fire welding it back together)

 

[norriscathy]

If you've found a good clean '84 with less than 100,000 miles and the price is right, I'd go for! Bear in mind that the International 6.9 was used in Army 2 1/2 trucks for many years before Ford put them in their pickups. They're pertty good engines and have stood up to millions of miles of use and abuse by GI's all over the world. Make sure the price is right! I tried to trade mine in when I bought my new V10 but the dealer informed me that the most valuable thing on my '84 was the four tires on the ground. It does look rough but still runs good.

 

[whiskyb]

I had a 89 with a 7.3 until about a year ago. Only problem was head gaskets around 200K. Caught fire though as the original owner never fused the electric trailer brakes. Replaced it with a 2001 F350 cab and a half dually Lariat with the powerstroke 7.3 turbo. Hauls my 30' trailer down the highway no problem, in the left lane! Milage is dependant on your right foot though. Can't say nothing bad about it.Alot of good info on them at http://www.freeautoadvice.com/powerstroke/

 

[Medic24]

Got a 92 super duty with a 7.3.........had it rebuilt twice this summer..........once should have done it, but not sure of the mechanic's competence on that one....son of a gun charged me twice for the same job too! I paid for one...not sure I am gonna pay for the other.

At the moment I am not real happy with the 7.3.............but I guess I might just have a bad taste in my mouth over the bad rebuild. :x :x

 

[BC-Mike]

I'll throw in my 2 cents worth, I have owned 2 7.3s, a 88 F250 and 89 F350 and been around a few at work. Like anything with proper maintance they can take a lot of abuse and keep on going. I sold the 88 with over 200,000miles on it and it still ran strong and went through about 1/2 a quart every 3000miles.

As mentioned previously, the firewalls on the 5spds up to 91 can be a problem, I had to re-enforce both of mine. Ford has a kit to do it depending on how broke it is and my local dealer printed off the service bulletin directions to use with their kits for me. If you push in the clutch and the steering wheel moves, you probably have a problem.

Fuel return lines will always leak a little and expect to go through a few glow plugs every year if its cold out, but ive started mine unplugged to -25C and plugged in below -40.

Parts are cheaper than a powerstroke (glow plugs, injectors etc), and with no computerized anything they are simple to work on. With an aftermarket turbo an older 7.3 will run with an early powerstroke.

If its a 4x4 you're looking at the TTB front on the F250s is a pain in the neck, and with the weight of the engine most are just about sitting on the bumpstops, the F350 is harder to find but came with a Kingpin style axle that is tough but rides like a tank. The F250s also came with 2 different front axles, a Dana 44 and a Dana 50, the 50 can be spotted easily by larger hubs. Also the brake calipers are held on by small metal clips, which have a habit of breaking with any sort of pounding, leading to a constant rattling of the brake calipers while you drive. Cheap to fix but still annoying.

On the highway with a 5spd and 4.10 gears I am in the high teens and had as high as 23mpg (Canadian gallons 4.54L per).

I have been pleased with mine, but have heard of problems with cavitation on a number of older 7.3s. Definitely check for oil in the coolant and get a coolant test kit.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Hauled my first big load with the Ford 6.9. A Powerstroke was not in the budget. The 6.9 did not have a lot of power at highway speeds but it got the job done for 14.5 mpg. Mostly we using it for local work.

A couple Ford questions -

I don't see any reinforcing - - what does the factory recall firewall repair look like?

The glow plugs were replaced a year ago but it seems a little cold blooded. How do you know when it is time to replace glow plugs?

 

[cfpinz]

Hauled my first big load with the Ford 6.9. A Powerstroke was not in the budget. The 6.9 did not have a lot of power at highway speeds but it got the job done for 14.5 mpg. Mostly we using it for local work.

A couple Ford questions -

I don't see any reinforcing - - what does the factory recall firewall repair look like?

I've never seen the factory repair setup, I just migged the snot out of mine when it broke. Was setting in traffic an hour from home, should have seen the look on the guy's face in front of me when it let loose. Also it's not much fun driving home with no clutch, stoplights are fun. A word to the wise, if you have to weld yours, the insulation on the inside is extremely flammable, speaking from experience here. You may never have trouble with your firewall, I have an 86 now with a little over 200k and no troubles so far.

The glow plugs were replaced a year ago but it seems a little cold blooded. How do you know when it is time to replace glow plugs?

Pull the connectors off the top of all the glow plugs. Take a test light and hook the alligator clip to the positive post of your battery. Touch the probe end to the spade connector on each plug, if it lights it's good, if not it needs replacing. The ends of the glow plugs have a habit of swelling up and not wanting to come out of the holes sometimes, soak them with penetrating oil and work them out gently with vise-grips. If the tip breaks off you have to pull the head, been there. The glow plug relay also goes bad quite often, check to see if it passes current when it clicks on after you first turn the switch. The 86 and olders have a control unit in the back of the block behind the intake, 87's have an integrated setup below the gpr. There's also some fusible links but I've never seen them go bad.

Any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

cfpinz

 

[NamVet_Farmer44]

I've got 2 old non-turbo 7.3's... an '89 and a '91...make great farm trucks...the '91 has about 291,000 miles and still runs like she ought to...still has plenty of power also...the '89 has about 315,000 miles...and she ran great until recently she cracked a head (I did have the fuel turned up on her though, so i'm suprised she lasted that long)...without the fuel turned up, they averaged in between 14-16 mpg loaded with a 26' gooseneck

 

[Moocow11]

i get 24 off my 7.4 deisle and and we use it to go back and forth to the sale barn with a full load of cattle

 

[Stocker Steve]

I seem to have a small oil leak on the top front of the block. What would be the typical 10W-40 oil usage for a good 6.9 engine that doesn't leak?

 

[cfpinz]

I seem to have a small oil leak on the top front of the block. What would be the typical 10W-40 oil usage for a good 6.9 engine that doesn't leak?

I've got one now that uses a quart every 3k or so, and I just sold one that used a quart every 300 miles, I could have gotten a contract with the townies to spray for mosquitos with that thing!

The rear mains are famous for leaking, along with the CDR valve on top of the motor behind the air intake. They can affect blow-by also.

cfpinz

 

[Stocker Steve]

Got a 92 super duty with a 7.3.........had it rebuilt twice this summer..........once should have done it, but not sure of the mechanic's competence on that one....son of a gun charged me twice for the same job too!

Around here a gas engine rebuild is about $2000 and a diesel rebuild is about $4500. They will give you a warrenty for that kind of money.

I briefly looked for a "good" used diesel engine, and found one 6.9 and no 7.3s. Don't diesel trucks every get in collisions or do they just always win?