Buying a Ford F250 Super Duty used 1998

bradford0604

Anyone with good advice ? I am looking at purchasing a 1998 F250 , Super Duty , diesel engine XLT , 185000 KMS . The seller wants $22,000 canadian funds, taxes in , give me your opinions . I have been test driving it for 4 days and am falling in love with it more as each day passes . The way it handles , the brakes , steering ... I like everything , it seems to be the what trucks were meant to be . I have a F150 now , and there is no comparison .

jcave1

Easy to become hooked isn't it. About 1 1/2 years ago I traded my F-150 for a new PSD. You're right, there is no comparison. Of importance are transmissions, if auto make certain is was maintained properly especially if used for towing. Another item is coolant additive. Ford uses a product they call FW-16 which is essentially sacraficial particles that prevent cavitation in the block. Recommended to be added at 15k intervals or as required. Test strips are used to verify.

A great board specifically about ford trucks is Ford-Diesel.Com. More information than you can ever digest. The folks posting on that site are not bashful about posting problems. Don't get nervous though, almost all of us would buy it again.

good luck,

jerry

bradford0604

Thanks Jerry , I'll definetly tryout the Ford Diesel website , but I think I'm already hooked , line and sinker !! I can hardly get out of it long enough to eat , sleep , check out the message board , or look at my emails . I've owned lots of vehicles in my day , and I have never been as smitten as I am with this one . I will be towing with it . I have a Massey Ferguson 1040 tractor that I do highway mowing with during the summer months , but I,m sure the F250 PSD can more handle it , as my 1994 F150 has done the job for 4 years .Thanks again , Brad .

jcave1

A word of caution. If you're already hooked, stay away from the "UPGRADES" section on the f-d board. Unless of course you have deep pockets. Some put as much money into options, which are endless, as they do the truck itself. Not unusual to find an owner driving a 60k USD rig.

Lots of information too for various ways to save you lots of money. Such as DIS who sells us lots of filters. Great prices and service.

Sounds like a "welcome to the PSD club" is in order.

jerry

bradford0604

No need to caution me about upgrades , I seriously doubt that I'll be gussy-ing her up . This vehicle will be busy working , not going to beauty pageants and truck pulls ... having said that , she sure is pretty ! I did visit the FD web site , looks interesting , I'll have to set some time aside from "my girl" to really look through it well . I appreciate you sending me there . By the way whay year is your F250 PSD ? Bradford

mullins87

for butting in, but did Ford make a '98? I was under the impression the last year for the old bodystyle was the '97 model year as the new '99 was being produced very early in '98.

bradford0604

Good point ! This caused a lot of confusion between myself and the salesman at the ford dealership , the id # on the door said 1998 but apparently that is just the date of manufacture , not the date of the model year ... just when I thought I would be able to knock a few more $'s off of the price !! Brad

wpalkowski

Yeah Ford didn't make Superduties as a '98 model. They came out in mid to late '98 and called it a '99 model - that sounds like the truck you're looking at. Part way into calendar '99, they made changes to the trucks. They had worked a lot of the bugs out of the initial production and upgraded trucks - these later versions I have heard referred to as "99.5" models. The early "99's" aren't bad trucks but may have a few kinks. Don't know too many particulars - engines may have lower power, etc.

jcave1

Mine is an '01, 4X4 Supercab Shortbed. Ford did eek out a bit more power in the 2001 models. Don't recall the increase.

I've a couple of buddies here with '96 and '97 Powerstrokes. They are used primarily for highway. One tows a fifth wheel, the other a bumper dragger. My oldest brother also has '96. All of these seem to be working out just fine.

So you don't want goodies. Yet.... I hadn't either, until I started talking with Jim Mullins. He's got me rethinking a bit and even looking around. Ohhhhhh my.

mullins87

I don't remember whether or not I asked you this in another thread, so forgive me if I did. Are you familiar with ford-diesel.com? If not, go there now. It is far more informative than this site. Don't get me wrong, I like this site or I would not be here now. But they are basically PSD Superdutys only. It will make your head spin trying to keep up with all the new posts.

I am now contemplating a fuel tank pickup mod and high pressure oil rail mod. After that, I may do the fuel pressure regulator mod. If you don't know what I am talking about, you will after you visit that site.

It's never ending, and Brad is about to find out. I honestly think these trucks are more expensive than a drug habit. I also thought I would never have another vehicle that will outrank my motorcycle habit.

jcave1

f-d? Yep, I hang out there too on occasion. This board is very good, however f-d is pure ford. I look at all sources for information.

In fact, didn't I point you over there? Think I've seen a couple of your posts.

Take care and have a great weekend. I'm headed off to Mt Hood for a little mountain biking and PSD off roading.

Jerry

mullins87

You may have, LOL. I don't remember just exactly how I was introduced to that site.

Have you done any of the mods?

bradford0604

Hi Guys ; Congratulations are in order , I am now officially and finally a member of the club !! I sold my F150 '94 for $7,000 (can.funds), and drove my the real truck home ! I'm putting on the hitch this aft. , and then there will be no stopping me . What a great way to start the weekend , what should I do first , go 4 wheelin' , a road trip , test out her "haul-ability" , or just drive around town with a big smile ! I did check out the forddiesel site , saw "jcave" there a few times , probably could find "mullins87" too if I looked again . I also went to fordtrucks site , it was equally informative , and I'm looking forward to spending more time there as well . I'm a little curious (worried) about what "wpalkowski" said about the "kinks" in the early '99 models , so I know I'll be spending some time on all of these sites to keep informed and share experiences with the seasoned members of the F250 PSD Club . Anyway , enough chat ... my chariot awaits !! Have a good weekend you guys , Brad P.S. Jerry, maybe your not supposed to ask , but my curiosity has the best of me , where is Mt. Hood ?

wpalkowski

Brad,
I didn't mean to worry you.... I poured over the message boards for 18 months before I'd finally saved enough to by my truck. As I think back, most of the complaints I remember reading were about bad positioning of shoulder belt on back of seat of super cab, and a lot of posts about the the Cup Holders that wouldn't. Ford fixed the trivial stuff llike that in 99.5s. There was a also a fair share of posts about vaccuum leaks in actuators for shift on the fly 4x4, and alignment/ball joint problems where trucks wouldn't drive straight - they were solved by Ford TSBs (technical service bulletins.) There was also "piston slap" in V8 and V10 Gassers, they were recalled, but you don't need to worry about that. The V10s had exhaust manifold resonance or "flutter", which is more an annoyance than a problem. Some of the diesels have the "cackle" noise which I don't know much about - funny noise, less power, and poor mileage are symptoms - search www.ford-diesel.com.
All told, first year Super Duties were pretty darn good compared to first year Dodges and Chevys.
Anyway enjoy your new toy. Good Luck with it. I still drive around with a goofy smile on my face and I've had mine for 15 months now.

jcave1

Jim,

Nope, mine is completey stock. I do want to add guages and need a canopy which will probably be Snug Top. Otherwise I'm very satisfied, for now anyway. You have got me looking for good buys though, never know what may happen.

Bradford,

On the F-D board I use "caveman" as my user name. Cave is my last name. One reason my budget is tight, I own a second home, a gettaway cabin on Mt Hood which is in Oregon. We hope and are trying to move up there sometime this year. It's about an hour away. I hike, four wheel, and mt bike from the cabin all over the west side of the mountain. I know just about every trail and stream. Peddling those rocky, rooted trails helps maintain my sanity, also helps me keep going. Not bad, I think, for an old fart. And, you can ask anything you like. We'll probably all tell you more than you wanted to know. We'll certainly give you any tips and pointers that come along. Helping each other is the only way to go.

take care,

jerry

bradford0604

Hello ; I guess it's my turn to tell you a little about myself . I live in Nova Scotia , on the family homestead , it has been passed to me through 6 generations . My home is in a very rural area , so although I often thought a camp would be nice , it always seemed redundant . You see , I live where other folks ( Americans and city folk) build their camps and cottages . I have about sixty acres surrounded by tidal marshes , and I'm 5 minutes drive from the Atlantic coast . I can hunt ducks and deer within a 1/2 hr walk from my doorstep , and the only nieghbours are far enough away that I can let my dogs live loose without worry they are bothering anyone . I am a deep sea scallop fisherman and the 2nd engineer on the trawler I work on . I also have worked on the side as a gunsmith , hunting guide , welder , and the last few years I have mowed the secondary roads and highway overpasses for the Dept. of Highways . I knew after reading and researching , that it was the F250 Super Duty that was the truck I needed to haul my tractor and mower around the county for the summer months . It's not that I am a Ford nut like some guys , I have owned Dodges , and Chevys in my day , and they all served their purposes , but this was the best vehicle for what I needed . I knew I would not be able to afford a new one , but had my eye out on a second hand one . I was quite content to let my F150 '94 make due for a couple more years , but the opportunity was now , and I pulled it off . I used to have ATV's , snowmobiles , speed boat , and even a horse over the years , but I traded it all in for my tractor , a lot of renovations on the house , and a newly built 32 x24 garage , and now my new/used PSD . I keep my sanity by tinkering with machines and equipment ( myself and other peoples ). I like nothing more than a workshop full of guys and a mechanical problem . It's a good thing thats all it takes to keep me entertained these days , because as you say the budget is getting pretty tight . That's probably more than you ever wanted to know , but I always like to know who I'm dealing with , something I think that comes from living all your life in a small rural community . Thanks to wpalkowski for putting my mind at ease , the only thing I've noticed so far is the auto door locks seem to be sticking . Everything else appears A-one.. but I am still on the honeymoon !! Maybe once I come back to Earth (hopefully within the next week or two) I will be able to look at her a little more closely , and objectively assess her performance . But so far , no cackle noises and the mileage seems excellent compared to my F150 , even though I haven't tracked it . Well I must go , I have a few jobs tilling fields for some of my neighbours , so it's time to load my tractor and go !! Have a good one. Brad

jcave1

Finally got time to read your post. Makes me envious. I too am from a rural area originally. Hated it then but am now trying to get back into a rural area. Finally figured out this corporate stuff just isn't my cup of tea. From the description, the area you live is perfect. Close to everything you could ever ask for but far enough to be away. Hopefully it'll stay that way.

All the best,

jerry

bradford0604

Thought you might like to hear , what happened to me at the local gas station this aft. A guy I've known for a long time , and who owns a 2001 Dodge diesel , issued me a challenge of sorts by telling me he had a rope ! Jokingly I said " sure thing pal , which way do you want to go " . We didn't end up doing it of course , but I'm curious to know what anyone thinks might happen if we did ... just in case I'm tempted to actually take him up on it . Thanks , Brad

jcave1

One of the members on the f-d board had a pull off with a Humvee (and lost) I'm afraid. Lots of differences between the rigs though. And probably inadequate payload in the PSD. I'd be concerned about breaking something. Does sound like fun though.

wpalkowski

I remember a post about an accident between F350 Dooley Diesel and a Humvee. F-350 had to be flat bedded off, while Humvee owner just pulled back his bent fender and grill with a couple of bungee cords and drove away.

jcave1

Almost makes a guy respect GM.

bradford0604

Hey guys , At the risk of looking like a total idiot , what is a Humvee ? By the way , I noticed the first 10-15 min on the highway , she took a little longer to shift gears then it does when she's warmed up . Is this normal , have any of you noticed this ? What do you think this might be ? I am going to check tommorow to see if the trans. oil smells burnt ... sure hope that's not it . The truck is going back to the dealership on thursday to get her final checkover , because she didn't get a chance to get a thorough once over before I bought her . If there is anything that you guys know to be problem areas that I should request that they check out and adjust I would appreciate your advice . Also if you think there are any other sites that would give me an accurate read on what should be double checked , that would be good also . ....Jerry , how was your weekend in Mt. Hood ? Take Care , Brad

tbunder

had an early production '99 SD 4x4 with the V10. he had to have the engine replaced at around 20K. very loud noise. also, my sis had an expedition with the 5.4, also replaced. the V10 is just the 5.4 with two more cylinders. im sure they've taken care of these problems, but id opt for the diesel like you're getting. good luck

wpalkowski

It's the U.S. Army's replacement for the Jeep. It's a 4x4 made by AM General, with about 15" of ground clearance, and half again as wide as SD pickup. It's made to go anywhere, and can put most regular 4x4's to shame. AM General sells a civilianized version with softer seats , a radio, and a/c for about $80K.

jcave1

How's that new truck doing for you today? Hate to say, mine shifts no differently cold or warm. The engine runs differently when cold but that's all.

Mt Hood was excellent. Didn't get a chance to play on the backroads, had business to take care of. Rivers were cold and flowing well from melting snowpack. Think high temp was about 80 degrees f. Warm for this time of year, almost felt hot. Coming back to the city was hard, but always is.

Take care,

Jerry

bradford0604

I've always been lead to believe that vehicle was called a "Hummer" ... perhaps since the Clinton-Lewinski scandal , the name had to be changed so as not to cause a lot of embarrassment when a proud new owner exclaimed he had just acquired one !! Ha Ha HA ! Sorry , I couldn't resist ! I've never actually seen a Humvee , only pictures , but I have an American friend who lives here who plans to make it his next vehicle , guess I won't attempt to challenge him anytime soon. Hey , Jerry just wanted to let you know that it is currently 60 degrees F here in "paradise" , the grass is definetly not greener on this side of the fence , at least not in the literal sense , and definetly not at this time of the year . Can you describe how your engine shifts differently when cold ? Thanks , Bradford

lariat1

It is standard for Ford transmissions to hlod gears a little longer until the transmission temperature reaches normal operating temperature.

jcave1

Powerstroke has an exhaust valve restricting the engine until it warms up a bit. It helps the engine warm up. When cold, the truck is very sluglike because of it. To me it shifts the same, just won't go. This is why you need lots of lead time pulling into traffic.

Hey, I know that story, "not greener." We use the same line in Oregon trying to convince people that it rains all the time. "Rain, rain rain. You won't like it here." It's green because of all that rain. Just a ploy keeping a good thing to ourselves. The secret is slowly getting out, it's really beautiful here just have to get out and enjoy it. And, you could get a little wet which hasn't hurt anybody yet.

Grew up with some folks from your part of the world. They made it sound pretty interesting. One of those places you'd better be ready for in the dead of winter. Hopefully one day I'll get to visit that area. A summer trip though.

jerry

bradford0604

Well guys , I won't be talking to you for a while , the captain called this aft. , and it looks like we sail out tommorow 120 miles offshore to drag for scallops . This means I'll be out of contact for about 7 days . Hope the weather holds out and there are no gales in the forecast . Most importantly though it means I have to leave my F250 PSD behind ! Oh well , it'll give the dealership plenty of time to give her the once over , and shine and shampoo so it's ready when I get back . I put over 500 miles on it since Friday ! Maybe it will appreciate the rest ! Take Care , Brad

gthilton

My 2000 250 SD CC V-10 has a buzz coming from the manifold or heat shield area at 2400 RPM. The dealer has looked at it and can't get it to go away. They say they haven't seen this problem before. Funny thing is, I drive a 2001 350 V-10 at work, and at about 4000 miles, it started the exact same problem, except at 2200 RPM. Too big a coincidence for me to believe I have an "isolated" problem. Please advise me if you know anything. Thanks

wpalkowski

Hi,

   I've got '01 350, V10 with what I thought was exhaust flutter at ~2200-2600 RPMs. Mine started at around 7K miles. I've have the newer y-pipe on mine and it still makes noise - I've learned to live with it and just get out of that rpm range as quickly as possible.

  Just found a thread over on Ford-Diesel.com that has got me wondering now. SuperDave found a cover for torque converter between engine and tranny that vibrates, he bent it outta the way and his "flutter" has stopped. Gotta check this out on my truck this weekend. Hopefully this link works:

http://forums.ford-diesel.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=UBB20

Go to topic: Free and Simple "Flutter" Fix.