Checked for what anything specific? Seems to run good up and down the road. One front spring (coil) is cracked but he has the new one (not installed yet). Front tank leaks would need replaced to use dual tanks. And the glow plugs are shot. Asking $1000
The 6.9IDI is smaller and earlier version to the later 7.3IDI, they are not at all similar to the 7.3DI (powerstroke). They are not power houses as far as doing things quickly put they are fairly powerful and economical. I wont comment much on the reliability because as old as they are now, most of that will depend on how well its been taken care of and how many miles are on it but their fuel system is mechanical injection and they are known for being very reliable. If I was looking for an older ford diesel I would try to find a little newer 7.3IDI (87-94), or even one of the rare 7.3 IDI turbos (93-94).
Pay attention to the way it starts and idles. At these temps it should start fast, easy and idle smooth, no big smoke but maybe a slight haze/puff at start-up. If start-up seems difficult it could be something simple like a glow plug problem but if it could also be serious like a compression problem too. Driving it you should see relatively no smoke, just a black puff and haze under heavy throttle. If it smokes gray/white then be concerned, if it has a lot of black smoke I would be a little concerned too, it would indicate someone turned the pump up or another excess fueling issue. Turning the pump up on these can be done fairly easy but it doesn't take too much before they get hot and have head gasket or other serious problems.
Look for major oil leaks, fuel leaks on top of engine near the pump, filter and injectors (just follow those metal fuel lines around from pump to each bank of injectors) Fuel leaks are a little common to see and its usually the O-rings on top of injectors or rubber fuel lines on the return lines between injectors, easy fix if you're somewhat inclined. I could keep going but don't want to write a book. Go take a look at it, under it, on top etc, go drive it around and run it through the paces. If you have anymore questions then post them back up. I owned a 7.3IDI turbo and have worked on many of these trucks in the past.
Pay attention to the way it starts and idles. At these temps it should start fast, easy and idle smooth, no big smoke but maybe a slight haze/puff at start-up. If start-up seems difficult it could be something simple like a glow plug problem but if it could also be serious like a compression problem too. Driving it you should see relatively no smoke, just a black puff and haze under heavy throttle. If it smokes gray/white then be concerned, if it has a lot of black smoke I would be a little concerned too, it would indicate someone turned the pump up or another excess fueling issue. Turning the pump up on these can be done fairly easy but it doesn't take too much before they get hot and have head gasket or other serious problems.
Look for major oil leaks, fuel leaks on top of engine near the pump, filter and injectors (just follow those metal fuel lines around from pump to each bank of injectors) Fuel leaks are a little common to see and its usually the O-rings on top of injectors or rubber fuel lines on the return lines between injectors, easy fix if you're somewhat inclined. I could keep going but don't want to write a book. Go take a look at it, under it, on top etc, go drive it around and run it through the paces. If you have anymore questions then post them back up. I owned a 7.3IDI turbo and have worked on many of these trucks in the past.
For everything. Expect to spend $150 - $300 at a real quality diesel repair shop for the checkout. You'll especially want the fuel system/injectors checked out. One of the chemical compounds that is no longer present in today's ultra-low sulfur diesel is the onw that made it slick. Technically, diesel is now a corrosive. You wont get as many miles out of a set of injectors as Ford originally planned. The good news is that as long as you keep the fuel from gelling, you can park it on a hill and not worry about it starting. Also, since it is a Ford, you'll be able to get parts until it's ready to be scrapped. FoMoCo makes good money selling nigh-obsolete parts.
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The main problem was a hard start first thing. Air would leak in the system. Simple fix. Replace the fuel return lines. Take the oil fill cap off and check for blow by.
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