by "Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!" (theduckduck)
Published 12/28/2017 at 16:51
by "Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!" (theduckduck)
Published 12/28/2017 at 16:51
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STARS: 0
Hello fellow Opponauts, I am having a slight crisis. A cousin of mine wants to get rid of a truck for cheaps. It’s a 2001 Ford F-250 4X4 with the 5.4 and an automatic with 150k on it. The bad thing about it is the transmission is bad. I have located used transmissions on the List of Craigs and the Facebooks for $100 to $500. I currently own a 1997 Chevy 1/2 ton 4X4 with 265k on it, a blown brake line, a slowly dying transmission and also the brakes really didn’t work before the line blew. The plan is to fix the broken brake line on the Chevy and use that money to purchase the Ford. I have transmissions that fit the Chevy but would require a lot of work to make either of them work. The Ford is more what I want in a truck. I wound essentially be going from one broken truck to another broken truck with 100k less miles.
Help me OPPO! You’re my only hope!
UPDATE: Thank you everyone who weighed in on this. I think I will just keep the Chevy and go back to the original plan of swapping in the manual transmission I have for it or see what it will take to make the older 4L80E I have work.
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
12/28/2017 at 17:02, STARS: 1
My neighbor has an F250 5.4 like what you’re describing. I cannot help you purchase; sorry. That thing is a DOG.
"farscythe - makin da cawfee!" (farscythe)
12/28/2017 at 17:03, STARS: 0
eh.... assuming money is the main point here....... just do the math... is it cheaper to keep your junker or not?
if the answer is not... take the other truck
"Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!" (theduckduck)
12/28/2017 at 17:07, STARS: 0
Well it’s no better than my Chevy when it is working.
"Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!" (theduckduck)
12/28/2017 at 17:08, STARS: 0
Yeah money is the main issue. I can’t afford to buy a truck right now but really like having one. This would get me a slightly newer truck with a lot less miles and hasn’t been as beat as the Chevy has.
"farscythe - makin da cawfee!" (farscythe)
12/28/2017 at 17:11, STARS: 0
if you think the new one will be as trusty and cheap as the old one get that
if ye dont..fix the old one and run it up to a million..... thats my advise
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
12/28/2017 at 17:12, STARS: 0
Quite possibly true. Anecdotal I know but our 1995 Dakota pulled our 5,500 lb trailer MUCH better than that 2001 5.4 SuperDuty.
"Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner" (gavinharter30)
12/28/2017 at 17:15, STARS: 0
Find an f-250 with the Diesel engine that hasn’t been murdered. Much more reliable engine
"Roadster Man" (roadsterman)
12/28/2017 at 17:19, STARS: 0
Well I think you answered you own question there!
"Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies" (jordanwphillips)
12/28/2017 at 17:25, STARS: 3
Eh, sort of. The 7.3 is reliable, IF you maintain the fuck out of it. On top of that, the buy in cost is WAAAAY higher. They are priced to the point that it would make sense to buy a 6.0, bulletproof it, and end up with a better truck.
Besides, the 2V engine is extremely reliable(there are fleets running them with 3-400k miles), just not very powerful.
"winterlegacy, here 'till the end" (winterlegacy)
12/28/2017 at 17:29, STARS: 0
I’ve assisted with doing a transmission job replacing a 4L60E on a GMC Jimmy with a 4x4 system. Dear god is it a pain.
I can’t vouch for Ford 4x4s, but I don’t expect them to be any easier...
"nermal" (nermal)
12/28/2017 at 17:32, STARS: 0
The problem with buying older pre-emissions diesel trucks is that the good ones are wayyyy overpriced, and the bad ones are beat to death and overpriced. It’s good if you’re selling one, bad if you’re buying one.
"nermal" (nermal)
12/28/2017 at 17:33, STARS: 1
Have you considered doing a 96 month loan on a new one? It’s end of year, you can probably find a weird configuration that’s been sitting on the lot for a while for relatively cheap.
"Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!" (theduckduck)
12/28/2017 at 17:42, STARS: 0
R&R the transmission in the Chevy would okay I had a 4L60E. My problem is I have an older 4L80E that won’t communicate with the truck or I have a manual transmission NV3500 which would require all things related to doing that. I have almost all the parts to do that but it’s so much work for a crap truck.
"Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!" (theduckduck)
12/28/2017 at 17:43, STARS: 1
That’s the problem with every diesel for sale in my area. Too expensive even when they are a total shitshow.
"winterlegacy, here 'till the end" (winterlegacy)
12/28/2017 at 17:44, STARS: 0
Honestly, if the truck feels like it’s going to fall apart on you, and you want to upgrade, go right ahead. No matter which way you go you’re looking at a transmission job.
The real question is, what other truck-based opportunities might there be floating about?
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
12/28/2017 at 18:02, STARS: 0
By all means, repair that brake line. As for the transmission stuff, are you up for a DIY rebuild (or two)? If you’ve got the time, it’ll save you a bunch of $. There are a lot of good videos on YouTube, and guides on forums. IMO, the most difficult part is wrestling it out of and back into the truck. And since you’d have to do that anyway...
"Averyrm - GTI YUP" (averyrm)
12/28/2017 at 18:30, STARS: 0
Few things - (I have an ‘02 Excursion with the V10, similar)
It probably needs ball joints if they haven’t been done recently. Kind of a pain, air tools help a ton.
In fact, everything in the front end probably needs replacing. Tie rods, maybe steering box, etc.
The 5.4 probably needs plugs, if they haven’t been changed. They’re pretty easy to have break off in the head. The exhaust studs are probably broken with a exhaust manifold leak too.
Depending on how bad the transmission is acting, it may just need a flush. Shudders and slips when the converter locks up are symptoms of that. If it doesn’t shift into gear easily after being parked, that’s the 4x4 shift motor.
Haven’t yet replaced the transmission, but there’s a ton of room under the truck, so it shouldn’t be too awful.
As an aside, I had good luck with power stop brakes for the truck. Inexpensive, but have better stopping power than other options I tried.
List of things I’ve replaced in the last 4 years to bring everything to good: Tires, wheel bearings, rotors, calipers, soft brake lines, hard brake lines, shocks, front ball joints, u-joints, tie rods, steering gear, steering pump, transmission cooler lines, plugs, coils, exhaust studs, alternator, battery, master cylinder, brake booster, drive shaft u-joints, all fluids, front leaf springs and hardware, sway bar bushings, and endlinks.
Wasn’t too terribly expensive, just a bunch of work which I enjoy.
"FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com" (alphaass)
12/28/2017 at 18:31, STARS: 1
Isn’t the pre-2004 5.4 the engine that has a reputation for literally ejecting spark plugs out of the head?
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
12/28/2017 at 18:43, STARS: 0
What would you plan on using this truck for? I ask because I’ve driven a super duty of that vintage with the 5.4 (xlt, extended cab, short bed, 4x2), and it was underpowered just driving around empty. A gmt400 1/2 with the 5.7 is vortec motor (like my old Escalade, or the suburban before it) would be a considerably better tow vehicle, or if you really want a 3/4 ton, I’d scope out an early gmt800 with the 6.0. I would slightly surprised if that truck managed double-digit fuel mileage at 80mph.
"Frenchlicker" (frenchlicker)
12/28/2017 at 21:07, STARS: 0
A trans going out at 150k miles isn’t a good sign of how the truck has been treated and what is to come.
"I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker" (qaaaaa)
12/29/2017 at 17:55, STARS: 0
Going from a truck with a broken transmission and no brakes to a truck with 100k less on it and a broken transmission, but does have brakes? No brainer.