Buying Suggestion
08-24-2015, 07:34 AM
#21
1994 F150 XLT 5.8L 2wd
What is the CEL? I'm going to assume Check Engine Light. The Check Engine Light was NOT illuminated during the test drive. And I don't have an OBDI code checker, which tells you that I did not check the codes. The fluid levels were low, but maybe I didn't drive it long enough for the engine computer to notice and trip a code? Also, what is the ECC?
https://www.f150forum.com/f10/how-re...es-obdi-10907/
Codes don't always make the CEL (yes, Check Engine Light) come on. Only a handful will trigger a CEL, the rest a just stored until someone pulls the codes and clears them out.
I meant ECM, it's the engine control module. Basically its the computer.
08-24-2015, 08:21 AM
#22
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Another really stupid question here: but what does the engine computer module do, except for driving the fuel injection system (taking the place of a carburetor) and transmission? What does the ECM look like?
How and why would I need to pull the codes if it drove fine and there is no real issues that you can see? Perhaps it will show some more hidden issues I may not see?
How and why would I need to pull the codes if it drove fine and there is no real issues that you can see? Perhaps it will show some more hidden issues I may not see?
08-24-2015, 08:28 AM
#23
1994 F150 XLT 5.8L 2wd
That link gives you a walk through on how to pull the codes. Even if something drives "fine" doesn't mean that there isn't a hidden issue that only shows itself under certain circumstances.
The ECM and PCM are basically the brains of the truck, without going to deep into everything they control just know that when they start to fail the truck becomes undriveable. Hence another reason to pull the codes just to ensure that they aren't starting to fail (steady CEL during code test is usually one of the first symptoms of a failing ECM).
Another thing I always do when test driving any car is to pull the engine vacuum, one of my other posts in this thread has a link to procedure and a video detailing what can be learned from a vacuum test, this will ensure that the engine is operating normally without issues that aren't visible from outside of the engine.
The ECM and PCM are basically the brains of the truck, without going to deep into everything they control just know that when they start to fail the truck becomes undriveable. Hence another reason to pull the codes just to ensure that they aren't starting to fail (steady CEL during code test is usually one of the first symptoms of a failing ECM).
Another thing I always do when test driving any car is to pull the engine vacuum, one of my other posts in this thread has a link to procedure and a video detailing what can be learned from a vacuum test, this will ensure that the engine is operating normally without issues that aren't visible from outside of the engine.
08-24-2015, 08:58 AM
#24
Senior Member
Will do.
I probably won't be able to afford to have a mechanic take a look at the truck with a close eye, but is there any thing I should look at to get an idea of the condition of the truck, mechanically (besides the fluid levels.)
Also, once I get it on the road and I save up enough money, I do plan on replacing the tires and getting a spare wheel and tire (the truck has no spare wheel/tire assembly.) What tire is recommended for everyday driving use but isn't too expensive? And how much would it cost to have tires installed, or is it possible to install tires yourself?
The '89 XLT mentioned also has aluminum headers and dual exhaust.
I probably won't be able to afford to have a mechanic take a look at the truck with a close eye, but is there any thing I should look at to get an idea of the condition of the truck, mechanically (besides the fluid levels.)
Also, once I get it on the road and I save up enough money, I do plan on replacing the tires and getting a spare wheel and tire (the truck has no spare wheel/tire assembly.) What tire is recommended for everyday driving use but isn't too expensive? And how much would it cost to have tires installed, or is it possible to install tires yourself?
The '89 XLT mentioned also has aluminum headers and dual exhaust.
Just got these this past spring for my truck:
http://tires2.costco.com/product.asp...e-4b2b849ea539
I spent about $510 installed at Costco and I've been very happy with them so far.
With our older trucks, the most important thing is to keep up on the maintenance. Regular oil changes, check and fill other fluids too like coolant, power steering, tranny, etc. For the $1500 your talking about, you should be good!
08-24-2015, 09:31 AM
#25
There are several concerns with older vehicles in general, the suspension is probably going to need work done soon, the bushings dont last forever and if they held up 20 years you can't expect much more. A lift kit is the best way to go but really, are you ready for that type of work? With few tools it will be really hard to get it done, and when you work on trucks you need heavy duty stuff, big jackstands, big jack, 1/2" ratchet breaker bar and assorted attachments. A 6" x 1/2" extension will cost $30 for a generic one and more for a good name brand one. Don't get me wrong Fords are easy to work on compared to chevys and most dodge products I've laid hands on but without tools....
I would opt for a kia rio or other small newer car. I can take apart a kia rio or ford festiva/aspire with nothing more than a 3/8" ratchet and metric socket set from front to back. Parts are cheap and they are as easy to work on as they come. Rusty suspension bolts are a pain, are you going to be able to drill and tap when one breaks?
Dryrotted vacuum lines and coolant hoses, rusty brake lines that may or may not burst at any moment, corroded and flaky wiring harness ground connections, old wiring. But the f150's were built well so there is no telling how long they'll run. Mine is an 87 2wd all stock with a topper but it has had a head job done and I've replaced the entire fuel system except the injectors. The other day i parked the truck after a 150 mile trip and water started gushing out of the water pump, with no prior warning or signs of it going bad, are you going to be able to fix that at a moments notice so you have a ride to school tomorrow? It could happen with any vehicle but the chances are much less likely with a newer model.
When I got my truck the turn signals did the same thing you describe, the dash light stayed on instead of blinking... The relay is in the fuse panel under the steering column, quick easy swap fixed it. The problem now is the left turn signal only works if I push the lever down then up but not back to the middle! Its finnicky like the contact inside is corroded and needs cleaned....another minor issue. The high beams don't work either, not sure if it's the foot switch or a ground issue.
I would opt for a kia rio or other small newer car. I can take apart a kia rio or ford festiva/aspire with nothing more than a 3/8" ratchet and metric socket set from front to back. Parts are cheap and they are as easy to work on as they come. Rusty suspension bolts are a pain, are you going to be able to drill and tap when one breaks?
Dryrotted vacuum lines and coolant hoses, rusty brake lines that may or may not burst at any moment, corroded and flaky wiring harness ground connections, old wiring. But the f150's were built well so there is no telling how long they'll run. Mine is an 87 2wd all stock with a topper but it has had a head job done and I've replaced the entire fuel system except the injectors. The other day i parked the truck after a 150 mile trip and water started gushing out of the water pump, with no prior warning or signs of it going bad, are you going to be able to fix that at a moments notice so you have a ride to school tomorrow? It could happen with any vehicle but the chances are much less likely with a newer model.
When I got my truck the turn signals did the same thing you describe, the dash light stayed on instead of blinking... The relay is in the fuse panel under the steering column, quick easy swap fixed it. The problem now is the left turn signal only works if I push the lever down then up but not back to the middle! Its finnicky like the contact inside is corroded and needs cleaned....another minor issue. The high beams don't work either, not sure if it's the foot switch or a ground issue.
Last edited by zoom zoom; 08-24-2015 at 09:45 AM.
08-24-2015, 11:11 AM
#26
Senior Member
I would say buy the truck under two conditions:
1) I would buy the truck if you took it to a mechanic first, had him spend an hour on it to run the basic tests and inspections, and then gave you the ok. A mechanic who knows what to look at on these older trucks. Heck we could provide a list. This will cost less than $100. Think of it as insurance for your $1500 investment. It really should not be optional.
2) You have an additional fund set aside to deal with immediate problems. It's a 25 year old truck. There is no way it does not have SOME problems. They may be minor, and they may be inexpensive individually, but they will add up quickly. I've learned to keep $500 in a separate account for my "in case **** goes bad with my truck" fund. I have had to tap into it twice in the last 6 months, and if I didn't know how to solve the problems myself, it would have been gone twice over.
I'm not trying to scare you. I think it is awesome that a young man like yourself has shown this type of interest in these OBS trucks. Just make sure you enter the game with your eyes open.
1) I would buy the truck if you took it to a mechanic first, had him spend an hour on it to run the basic tests and inspections, and then gave you the ok. A mechanic who knows what to look at on these older trucks. Heck we could provide a list. This will cost less than $100. Think of it as insurance for your $1500 investment. It really should not be optional.
2) You have an additional fund set aside to deal with immediate problems. It's a 25 year old truck. There is no way it does not have SOME problems. They may be minor, and they may be inexpensive individually, but they will add up quickly. I've learned to keep $500 in a separate account for my "in case **** goes bad with my truck" fund. I have had to tap into it twice in the last 6 months, and if I didn't know how to solve the problems myself, it would have been gone twice over.
I'm not trying to scare you. I think it is awesome that a young man like yourself has shown this type of interest in these OBS trucks. Just make sure you enter the game with your eyes open.
08-24-2015, 04:34 PM
#27
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Get ready for a double post.
I understand. But as I'll probably say in the future... if I'm going to go for a pickup truck, I'm going to go for one of the brick-nosed Fords (pre-1997.) The 1989 sounds fine and everything. (Yes, I'm pretty dead set on the brick-nosed Fords, but I really like this 1989 pickup I'm looking at. I just wanted to know if mechanical problems would be an issue.)
I understand that not everything lasts forever, but that is just the risk you take with any car. And the issue is most new cars in my price range are not really "new" and have over 230k miles on them and would be just as risky.
I had an aunt that bought a 2011 Chevy Equinox and it gave her nothing but issues. She finally had to trade it in as it was in the shop the entire time she owned it.
I understand that not everything lasts forever, but that is just the risk you take with any car. And the issue is most new cars in my price range are not really "new" and have over 230k miles on them and would be just as risky.
I had an aunt that bought a 2011 Chevy Equinox and it gave her nothing but issues. She finally had to trade it in as it was in the shop the entire time she owned it.
08-24-2015, 04:40 PM
#28
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I would say buy the truck under two conditions:
1) I would buy the truck if you took it to a mechanic first, had him spend an hour on it to run the basic tests and inspections, and then gave you the ok. A mechanic who knows what to look at on these older trucks. Heck we could provide a list. This will cost less than $100. Think of it as insurance for your $1500 investment. It really should not be optional.
2) You have an additional fund set aside to deal with immediate problems. It's a 25 year old truck. There is no way it does not have SOME problems. They may be minor, and they may be inexpensive individually, but they will add up quickly. I've learned to keep $500 in a separate account for my "in case **** goes bad with my truck" fund. I have had to tap into it twice in the last 6 months, and if I didn't know how to solve the problems myself, it would have been gone twice over.
I'm not trying to scare you. I think it is awesome that a young man like yourself has shown this type of interest in these OBS trucks. Just make sure you enter the game with your eyes open.
1) I would buy the truck if you took it to a mechanic first, had him spend an hour on it to run the basic tests and inspections, and then gave you the ok. A mechanic who knows what to look at on these older trucks. Heck we could provide a list. This will cost less than $100. Think of it as insurance for your $1500 investment. It really should not be optional.
2) You have an additional fund set aside to deal with immediate problems. It's a 25 year old truck. There is no way it does not have SOME problems. They may be minor, and they may be inexpensive individually, but they will add up quickly. I've learned to keep $500 in a separate account for my "in case **** goes bad with my truck" fund. I have had to tap into it twice in the last 6 months, and if I didn't know how to solve the problems myself, it would have been gone twice over.
I'm not trying to scare you. I think it is awesome that a young man like yourself has shown this type of interest in these OBS trucks. Just make sure you enter the game with your eyes open.
I'm selling an old Asus Essentio Series computer I have, and the money I get from selling it will be used for emergencies - just in case something does decide to give me issues. And I'd do that with any car - not just anything older than 15 years old. Because any car is prone to issues, regardless of age (see my above post.)
The tires look nice, Clint, but sadly there isn't a Costco near me. Perhaps a local shop may have them?
08-24-2015, 08:58 PM
#29
Senior Member
I may be able to get a mechanic to look at it, but I can't go crazy and have a mechanic charge me $200 per hour just to look it over and either tell me it is a good buy or a dud.
I'm selling an old Asus Essentio Series computer I have, and the money I get from selling it will be used for emergencies - just in case something does decide to give me issues. And I'd do that with any car - not just anything older than 15 years old. Because any car is prone to issues, regardless of age (see my above post.)
The tires look nice, Clint, but sadly there isn't a Costco near me. Perhaps a local shop may have them?
I'm selling an old Asus Essentio Series computer I have, and the money I get from selling it will be used for emergencies - just in case something does decide to give me issues. And I'd do that with any car - not just anything older than 15 years old. Because any car is prone to issues, regardless of age (see my above post.)
The tires look nice, Clint, but sadly there isn't a Costco near me. Perhaps a local shop may have them?
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/home.do
08-24-2015, 09:03 PM
#30
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I think I'm going to go for the 1989 XLT. It is priced good for what it is, and it appears to have no major issues. The seller has also been pretty honest and straightforward about everything, and didn't try to hide any thing.
I'm going to try to get a job ASAP, but I do have that "blanket" to rely on (somewhat) until I can find a job. Then when I save enough money I'll buy new tires to replace the tires on it right now. The main concern is the lack of a spare wheel/tire assembly, and the spare actually being on the front passenger side (which is the original 26 year old tire that it came with from Ford - a GoodYear Wrangler, I believe.)
And of course I'll change out that blinker relay before having it inspected.
EDIT: There are no Discount Tires in my area. There are some local garages, then there is the Rick Ball Ford/Chevy Auto-mall (for you Mid-Missouri people, I do live in Boonville.) But other than that no real big tire shop chains.
I'm going to try to get a job ASAP, but I do have that "blanket" to rely on (somewhat) until I can find a job. Then when I save enough money I'll buy new tires to replace the tires on it right now. The main concern is the lack of a spare wheel/tire assembly, and the spare actually being on the front passenger side (which is the original 26 year old tire that it came with from Ford - a GoodYear Wrangler, I believe.)
And of course I'll change out that blinker relay before having it inspected.
EDIT: There are no Discount Tires in my area. There are some local garages, then there is the Rick Ball Ford/Chevy Auto-mall (for you Mid-Missouri people, I do live in Boonville.) But other than that no real big tire shop chains.