New Truck Questions

[dapepper9]

I live in the north. the truck is originally from the south.. I'm not looking to add too much power if any.. I'm just looking for a daily driver that turns heads going down the street.. thanks all for the help

I would probably pass on a 53 block here in iowa where i live. Its very common for the temp to be -20F here when i go start my truck to warm up for work on the morning. That extreme cold of metal that is now going to have small hot explosions inside of a thinner walled block that is well known for cracking...sounds like I'm going to be a little late.

That's my OP there. You gotta decide what's best for you. If you can get it cheap enough, new non 53 block motor could be swapped in if the rest of the truck is nice or you can find another without the 53

 

[NightMares]

To be honest, if I were looking for a DD, I'd pass on anything with over 300k on it. You'll hear the diesel craze of "oh 300k is nothing for a Cummins" which yeah, could be true. BUT, there's no vehicle that makes it to 300k without having some kind of problems. Steering/suspension like tie rods, ball joints, track bar, steering box, pitman arm, sagging springs, shocks, etc. Drivetrain such as axles and seals, ring and pinions if they've never been done, transmission, transfer case, if it's an automatic then torque converter, if it's a manual then clutch. Random things start to fail at those miles. Brake booster, master cylinder, injectors, pumps, hell even turbo's have wear items in them. That's not to mention the interior from 2nd gen's. Seats, dash, trim pieces.

Sure, the truck could be a diamond, or it could be a diamond in the rough. Having a reputable shop check it out is smart, but with that kind of mileage that truck is best left to a farm where it'll spend the rest of it's lift living in the fields.



I just don't understand the diesel craze I guess. People willing to spend money on trucks with 300-400k on them for daily drivers, 90% of the trucks never see trailers hooked up to them. Why spend the extra money? More expensive to fix, more expensive to maintain, I can have 3 oil changes done with my 360 for the price of one diesel oil change. They do NOT get better mileage than gas engines without quite a bit of money put into them. People pay more money just to "roll coal" and put 8 inch lifts, 33 inch tires stretched onto 22 by 14" wide wheels. If you're building a performance truck, you're not buying something with almost 400k on it.


Again. I'd pass. Not my opinion, just facts in this case.

If you want my opinion; if you have no use for a diesel, don't buy a diesel. Reading through this thread tells me a couple things: You don't have a ton of money to spend since you're considering a 15 year old diesel truck with almost 400k on it. If you're that tight of a budget, then once parts do start to fail, you'll have a hard time keeping up with replacing those parts. 53 block or not, that's a ton of miles for any vehicle. That motor more than likely doesn't have that much life left, and once a diesel goes, it's not a quick cheap fix.

That's my opinion about this. Sorry if it hurts any feelers, and of course I could be dead wrong about the truck, and you as well. Let us know how it works out, and if you do wind up with the truck, we'll help you out along the way, whether it's customization, or repairs.

 

[zmartin]

no you're not too late haha.. I've heard of lock and stich too but I'm not hoping I need to get to that point.. I'm probably going to check out the truck within the next week or so.. I think the truck was listed for 7000 but I'd have to check again

 

[dodge dude94]

**** it. 2 grand

 

[dapepper9]

To be honest, if I were looking for a DD, I'd pass on anything with over 300k on it. You'll hear the diesel craze of "oh 300k is nothing for a Cummins" which yeah, could be true. BUT, there's no vehicle that makes it to 300k without having some kind of problems. Steering/suspension like tie rods, ball joints, track bar, steering box, pitman arm, sagging springs, shocks, etc. Drivetrain such as axles and seals, ring and pinions if they've never been done, transmission, transfer case, if it's an automatic then torque converter, if it's a manual then clutch. Random things start to fail at those miles. Brake booster, master cylinder, injectors, pumps, hell even turbo's have wear items in them. That's not to mention the interior from 2nd gen's. Seats, dash, trim pieces.

Sure, the truck could be a diamond, or it could be a diamond in the rough. Having a reputable shop check it out is smart, but with that kind of mileage that truck is best left to a farm where it'll spend the rest of it's lift living in the fields.



I just don't understand the diesel craze I guess. People willing to spend money on trucks with 300-400k on them for daily drivers, 90% of the trucks never see trailers hooked up to them. Why spend the extra money? More expensive to fix, more expensive to maintain, I can have 3 oil changes done with my 360 for the price of one diesel oil change. They do NOT get better mileage than gas engines without quite a bit of money put into them. People pay more money just to "roll coal" and put 8 inch lifts, 33 inch tires stretched onto 22 by 14" wide wheels. If you're building a performance truck, you're not buying something with almost 400k on it.


Again. I'd pass. Not my opinion, just facts in this case.

If you want my opinion; if you have no use for a diesel, don't buy a diesel. Reading through this thread tells me a couple things: You don't have a ton of money to spend since you're considering a 15 year old diesel truck with almost 400k on it. If you're that tight of a budget, then once parts do start to fail, you'll have a hard time keeping up with replacing those parts. 53 block or not, that's a ton of miles for any vehicle. That motor more than likely doesn't have that much life left, and once a diesel goes, it's not a quick cheap fix.

That's my opinion about this. Sorry if it hurts any feelers, and of course I could be dead wrong about the truck, and you as well. Let us know how it works out, and if you do wind up with the truck, we'll help you out along the way, whether it's customization, or repairs.

I agree with you on all the repair and wear items stuff. I also agree the whole stretching tires and rolling coal is dumb as ****. However, building a diesel and customizing it for whatever is simply another form of hot rodding. Not much different than building a classic muscle car, which i personally have no interest in. Can race it at the track, drag a sled through the dirt, go get groceries, haul several tons of rock with ease, and still go out on date night! I love diesel and my next truck will be. They do get better mileage with little to no modification, a simple tuner can bump you up to 20mpg on the highway and 15 in town. Compare that to my 360, maybe 15 highway 8-9 in town and 4-5x the power with same amount of money spent on performance. I do think lifting em and putting giant tires on em is dumb because they're too heavy to do the same thing a gasser can do but to each their own. It's like ricers guys and muscle guys, different physically but at the core they're the same.

Again just my opinion. I realize it's unrelated to the post too.

To the op: he's very right about biting a vehicle with 300k+ being very risky. Don't buy into the "300k is nothing for a diesel" ********. Toy don't know what the truck was put through in that 300k. Who knows wtf is gonna fail? You could grenade both diffs within a week of buying it, never know. That much wear is just way more risky than say 150k

 

[dapepper9]

**** it. 2 grand

2k is top dollar for an old truck with 345k. Idc if it's diesel. Honestly not worth more than about 1500, especially up north

 

[dodge dude94]

2k is top dollar for an old truck with 345k. Idc if it's diesel. Honestly not worth more than about 1500, especially up north

The engine is barely worth that. lol

 

[zmartin]

I see where youre coming from.. it's not just for Rollin coal or trying to show off.. its going to be pulling trailer and hauling stuff as well, just mostly a daily driver.. pictures don't always do justice but online it looks to be decent and I'm sure I'll find some things that I wasn't aware of.. thanks for all the help.. I'm just trying to find the right truck for my needs

 

[NightMares]

no you're not too late haha.. I've heard of lock and stich too but I'm not hoping I need to get to that point.. I'm probably going to check out the truck within the next week or so.. I think the truck was listed for 7000 but I'd have to check again

**** it. 2 grand

I didn't catch where you are, but around where I am, dodge dude is in the right ball park. I wouldn't pay more than 3 grand for any 2nd gen with 350k on it. Just browsing on craigslist, within a couple minutes I found 5 or 6 2nd gen 24v's with 150-200k for under $10,000. A few 2wd's for less than 7k. There's a 2wd 01 with only 83k on it for 9k. There's one with 320k that's hammered they're asking 7k for and it's been relisted a ton of times, some of the old posts over a month old.

Want to look "cool" in a cheap diesel? Find an old 8.0 V10. Straight pipe it. Pull the o2 sensors. Sounds like a pissed off 12V and rolls more coal than an 80's IDI with blown seals.

 

[MagSport]

I didn't catch where you are, but around where I am, dodge dude is in the right ball park. I wouldn't pay more than 3 grand for any 2nd gen with 350k on it. Just browsing on craigslist, within a couple minutes I found 5 or 6 2nd gen 24v's with 150-200k for under $10,000. A few 2wd's for less than 7k. There's a 2wd 01 with only 83k on it for 9k. There's one with 320k that's hammered they're asking 7k for and it's been relisted a ton of times, some of the old posts over a month old.



Want to look "cool" in a cheap diesel? Find an old 8.0 V10. Straight pipe it. Pull the o2 sensors. Sounds like a pissed off 12V and rolls more coal than an 80's IDI with blown seals.

V10 is the opposite of cheap. But it is a lot more fun.

 

[BBartow]

V10 is the opposite of cheap. But it is a lot more fun.

 

[NightMares]

I agree with you on all the repair and wear items stuff. I also agree the whole stretching tires and rolling coal is dumb as ****. However, building a diesel and customizing it for whatever is simply another form of hot rodding. Not much different than building a classic muscle car, which i personally have no interest in. Can race it at the track, drag a sled through the dirt, go get groceries, haul several tons of rock with ease, and still go out on date night! I love diesel and my next truck will be. They do get better mileage with little to no modification, a simple tuner can bump you up to 20mpg on the highway and 15 in town. Compare that to my 360, maybe 15 highway 8-9 in town and 4-5x the power with same amount of money spent on performance. I do think lifting em and putting giant tires on em is dumb because they're too heavy to do the same thing a gasser can do but to each their own. It's like ricers guys and muscle guys, different physically but at the core they're the same.

Again just my opinion. I realize it's unrelated to the post too.

To the op: he's very right about biting a vehicle with 300k+ being very risky. Don't buy into the "300k is nothing for a diesel" ********. Toy don't know what the truck was put through in that 300k. Who knows wtf is gonna fail? You could grenade both diffs within a week of buying it, never know. That much wear is just way more risky than say 150k

My reference to the gas mileage was referring to newer gassers vs diesels, sorry if that wasn't clear. My dad has a 13 F-150 with the 5.0 in it for his DD and a 12 F-250 with the 6.7 for work. The 5.0 pulls about 26 on the highway and the 6.7 pulls about 21 unloaded, loaded about 18. He has a tuner on it and exhaust, but that's it. The 5.0 is stock. Both CCSB 4x4's.

I understand the performance aspect, my point about that was if you have the money to build a "hot rod" diesel, you won't be buying a truck with 350k on it unless you're planning a frame off rebuild.

I feel there's 3 different kind of diesel builders in my opinion.

1) WORK. Usually a tuner, cold air, exhaust, etc. Used for hauling, towing, practical means for a diesel.

NightMares stamp of approval.

2) HOT ROD. Heavy engine mods, emissions deletes, lifts or leveled, 20" or smaller wheels. Dyno runs, track times, daily driver duties, occasional towing (loosely based on toy hauling of such ATV's, UTV's, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, etc), grocery getters.

NightMares stamp of approval.

3) FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE. Tuners, cold air, exhaust, some emissions delete. 8" plus of lift. 22" or larger wheels, minimum of 14 inches wide. 35" maximum height tires, 12.5" maximum width. Underglow lights in blue, red, green, purple, or pink. Minimum one 50" or larger light bar across windshield (ideally at least two light bars stacked, but one will suffice). Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line playlists on non stop. Flat brimmed hats, color coordinated clothes. iPhone users.

NightMares objected.

V10 is the opposite of cheap. But it is a lot more fun.

Hmm. Some of the older ones go for about 4-5k around here.

 

[BBartow]

V10s are cheapest out of the 3/4 & 1 tons in my area.

 

[dapepper9]

My reference to the gas mileage was referring to newer gassers vs diesels, sorry if that wasn't clear. My dad has a 13 F-150 with the 5.0 in it for his DD and a 12 F-250 with the 6.7 for work. The 5.0 pulls about 26 on the highway and the 6.7 pulls about 21 unloaded, loaded about 18. He has a tuner on it and exhaust, but that's it. The 5.0 is stock. Both CCSB 4x4's.

I understand the performance aspect, my point about that was if you have the money to build a "hot rod" diesel, you won't be buying a truck with 350k on it unless you're planning a frame off rebuild.

I feel there's 3 different kind of diesel builders in my opinion.

1) WORK. Usually a tuner, cold air, exhaust, etc. Used for hauling, towing, practical means for a diesel.

NightMares stamp of approval.

2) HOT ROD. Heavy engine mods, emissions deletes, lifts or leveled, 20" or smaller wheels. Dyno runs, track times, daily driver duties, occasional towing (loosely based on toy hauling of such ATV's, UTV's, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, etc), grocery getters.

NightMares stamp of approval.

3) FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE. Tuners, cold air, exhaust, some emissions delete. 8" plus of lift. 22" or larger wheels, minimum of 14 inches wide. 35" maximum height tires, 12.5" maximum width. Underglow lights in blue, red, green, purple, or pink. Minimum one 50" or larger light bar across windshield (ideally at least two light bars stacked, but one will suffice). Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line playlists on non stop. Flat brimmed hats, color coordinated clothes. iPhone users.

NightMares objected.

Completely agree. Approval as well for both first 2 and object to 3.

Don't forget #4.

4) Coal Bros. Rusty old 12v, 6.5, or 7.3 (idi or PS) straight pipe exciting through 8" minimum tip on 3-4" pipe OR 7" minimum stack. Pump turned up so truck coughs on startup. Hydrolocks when cold and too much throttle applied. Soot covers truck and has haze when following. Driver claims it makes 600hp minimum.

Dapepper9 does not approve

 

[NightMares]

Cheapest for a "clean" truck is the 360 around here. Then the V10's, and then the diesels.

 

[NightMares]

Completely agree. Approval as well for both first 2 and object to 3.

Don't forget #4.

4) Coal Bros. Rusty old 12v, 6.5, or 7.3 (idi or PS) straight pipe exciting through 8" minimum tip on 3-4" pipe OR 7" minimum stack. Pump turned up so truck coughs on startup. Hydrolocks when cold and too much throttle applied. Soot covers truck and has haze when following. Driver claims it makes 600hp minimum.

Dapepper9 does not approve

Ah, I forgot about the classics. Owners are typically still living with mommy and daddy in the suburbs, always wearing dirty wrangler jeans and flannel shirts, half a can of long cut in the lower lip, enjoy listening to The Lacs, Jawga Boyz, and other country rap artists.

 

[BBartow]

Cheapest for a "clean" truck is the 360 around here. Then the V10's, and then the diesels.

Can't find any v8 3/4tons here and if you do they're asking diesel prices.


I guess everyone just holds onto them.

 

[dapepper9]

Ah, I forgot about the classics. Owners are typically still living with mommy and daddy in the suburbs, always wearing dirty wrangler jeans and flannel shirts, half a can of long cut in the lower lip, enjoy listening to The Lacs, Jawga Boyz, and other country rap artists.

I like The Lacs...

 

[dodge dude94]

I didn't catch where you are, but around where I am, dodge dude is in the right ball park. I wouldn't pay more than 3 grand for any 2nd gen with 350k on it. Just browsing on craigslist, within a couple minutes I found 5 or 6 2nd gen 24v's with 150-200k for under $10,000. A few 2wd's for less than 7k. There's a 2wd 01 with only 83k on it for 9k. There's one with 320k that's hammered they're asking 7k for and it's been relisted a ton of times, some of the old posts over a month old.

Want to look "cool" in a cheap diesel? Find an old 8.0 V10. Straight pipe it. Pull the o2 sensors. Sounds like a pissed off 12V and rolls more coal than an 80's IDI with blown seals.

You nailed that last part for sure.


I live in East Texas where finding a clean 2g can be hard and you have to pay accordingly.

 

[dapepper9]

You nailed that last part for sure.


I live in East Texas where finding a clean 2g can be hard and you have to pay accordingly.

Come to iowa. 2g are everywhere bit NONE are clean and if they are 98% chance its had body work