Diesel Journal

Things To Look For When Buying A Used PSD

Turbo:
You might take the air tube off the back of the air filter and look inside of it. If there is dirt build up, that is a very bad sign, so are the turbo fins looking sand blasted or bent. A little oily film is normal since the valve cover breather exits inside the tube. Also, check the shaft outside of the fins for any signs of scuffing. Too much play in the fins so that it hits the shaft is NOT good.

Airbox:
Check the two bolts holding down the airbox lid. If they are plastic with a square recess, it is a recalled part. The recall is expired, but without the updated lid the risk of dirt infiltration is greater, the lid was updated with more supports and the updated bolts are metal with a straight slot.

Tranny:
If you buy a truck with an auto tranny, finding out if it’’s been maintained is essential, as the E4OD is an expensive transmission. Also, (if auto) seeing if the truck has an auxiliary transmission cooler would be worthwhile. For sticks, listen for clunking when shutting off or small vibration while operating. It could be an indication of a dual mass flywheel going out. Many have replaced them with single mass units.

Rear Gear Ratio:
4:10 will pull better, get slightly lower mpg’s and run a higher RPM compared to 3:55.

Coolant:
Ask the previous owner about the coolant - have they been adding FW16 or DCA4 to keep a proper SCA level? It is very important for stopping cavitation. You can get test strips to check the SCA level from NAPA, International, or Ford. I would test the current condition while looking over the truck, the SCA level should be between 1.5 and 3.0. Also, see if it has a block heater (it was an option on 97′’s).

Front end:
Check the front end for wear, or have an alignment shop check out the ball joints and steering linkage (tie rod ends). If they are shot, it is spendy (all four tie rods are around $400 just for parts, ball joint labor is also very spendy)

Oil:
The questions to ask are how often the oil was changed (at least every 5,000) and what kind of oil they used (diesel rated)? An oil analysis could tell you if there might be an engine problem or not.

Aftermarket stuff:
Seeing if the truck has got an aftermarket downpipe would be nice, a chip, or gauges (pyrometer, trans temp, etc.). Ask about any added items and who installed them.

Glow Plugs/Relay:
Find out if the glow plugs are in good working condition as well as the relay. Ask if either has been changed and when. You can check the glow plug resistance through the valve cover connector if needed and the relay should have power to both large terminals on top when the key is turned on, and one of the terminals should go out before ~2 minutes.

CPS Failures:
Some of these trucks are notorious for eating CPS’’s. They can leave you stranded anywhere anytime intermittedly. Finding out if it has been replaced (maybe more then once) might be a good idea. You never know when they”ll go out, so it is best to carry a spare. These can often be had for under 60 bucks shipped on ebay, and can easily run in excess of 200 dollars at the dealership!!! It is a simple fix that is described in the “tech files” for the 7.3 forum.

Injector o-rings:
The injector O-rings have been known to be a problem. The new o-ring sets have a pink middle seal. If the truck has an o-ring problem, one of the signs can be a discoloration of the fuel in the filter bowl. There is a drain on the passenger side front of the filter bowl for draining water (the filter is also the water separator) and you can catch some of the drained fuel in a jar – it should be dingy yellow and not blue or dark.

Leaks and Drips:
You can check the valley between the heads of the V8 for moisture and/or fluid. It should be dry not wet. Most leaks will run through this valley and down the back of the motor dripping off by the tranny/engine coupling.

VIN number:
If you take the VIN to any dealer, they can tell you when it was built, when it went into service, and some of the work that might have been done on it. You can also run prospective VIN’’s through Carfax.com to see the title history.

Stopped in at Buckstop Bumpers down in Newburg Oregon on my way back from Dyno-Mite Diesel in Monroe, WA. I had arranged for a Front and Rear, Non-Winch bumper painted in white. Buckstop is one of the few aftermarket bumper companies that make bumpers for my 2002 Dodge. I believe that they are the only company that makes a Non-Winch bumper for my truck also. I wanted something that did not stick out much farther than my stock bumper and Buckstop’’s Non-Winch bumper met that requirement.

Buckstop has been making bumpers for Ford, Dodge and Chevy for several years now. Their bumpers have the perfect blend of tuff and show without making trucks look like they need to be completely overhauled to match the bumper.

Installation
I must say, I was very disappointed in Dodge’’s bumper, and even more when I removed it. Half of the stock bumper is plastic and after seeing how Buckstop mounts their bumpers, was very sickened at how poorly the stock bumper tied in with the frame.
The first step is of course removing the front bumper. Not very hard at all. If you look under your truck you will see all the bolts that need to be removed. I believe you may have 8 on each side at the most.

The next step is mounting all of your hardware to the new Buckstop Bumper. Your new bumper will come with all of the nuts and bolts that you need. There are some eye sockets for the 6″ lights that need to be installed on the bumper as well as the Brush Guard if you ordered one. On a sidenote, I very much suggest that you order a Brush Guard. At first, I did not really want one. I wanted my truck to stay simple looking and just have a nice white bumper. Well, Buckstop recommended that I try it out and I”m glad that I did. It really cleaned my truck up, made it look more custom and now I feel like I could hit a moose and live to tell about it.

After your bumper is all setup, which only takes about ten minutes, you need to mount the new brackets onto your trucks frame. No drilling needs to be done. Buckstop uses a few holes in the frame that Dodge did not. I really appreciated how the new brackets tied the whole front end up. After installing the new brackets I really felt like my trucks frame was a lot safer. These new brackets are designed to help hold the bumper while you secure it. Be sure not to to only tighten 2 of the 4 sidebolts on the brackets until you have the bumper installed.

At this point, its nice to have a friend to help you lift and mount the new bumper. I suppose it could be done with one person with a strong back, but I wouldnt suggest it. Once you have the bumper seated, one person can go under and start bolting the bumper to the mounts. After you connect the bumper to the new mounts, I recommend half tightening everything, getting up and aligning the bumper exactly where you want it, and then finish tightening everything. double check and make sure that all of the bolts are secure.

Thats it! Your new Buckstop Bumper is all set up for 6″ lights in the front and tow hooks in the oval slots. Installing lights in the bumper makes it look 1000 times better. These can be purchased directly from Buckstop or at your local Truck Accessories dealer.

Installing the rear bumper is easy. Simply remove the bumper, take out the guts and put the old guts in the new bumper. The new rear bumper will also come with some diamondplate material, custom cut for the top of the bumper. Rivets are supplied to bolt the diamond plate down, all you need is a rivet gun. After you put the old guts back in the new bumper, put it into place and bolt it down. This is also easier done with 2 people. If you are wondering wether or not that plastic piece in the middle that holds your license plate gets removed, it doesnt. The rear bumper is setup for 4″ backup lights, which can also be purchased from Buckstop. I went to the local NAPA, and just picked up some of their $13.95 4″ utility/tractor lights with the rubber sides and they worked just perfect.

I thought the new bumpers would look kinda goofy with my stock 245 tires, but they look great! They will look even better when I get some new tires and wheels.

For more information please contact Buckstop Bumpers and please tell them that Andy with Cummins Forum sent you. Buckstop makes winch, and non-winch bumpers for several different models of Ford, Dodge, and Chevy Trucks.

BUCKSTOP TRUCKWARE
1125 Industrial Pkwy
Newberg, OR 97132
1-800-431-6978
www.buckstop.biz