When to give up on my truck

[LucyImHome]

It's so hard to figure out when it's just too much money to keep throwing at it. I bought it in March for $2600, drove it toward home for 2 hrs and blew head gasket. Towed it rest of the way. Saved for a couple months, put $2500 into a rebuild. They just did the top half. It runs, badly. They say it needs the bottom now for another $1500-2000. Why didn't they do that while they had it apart is the question I keep asking. I'm at coffee shop once again waiting for them to look it over, again. The clicking/clacking noise is louder, coming from the top half, and it dies on me when I stop or am going from park to reverse or forward. Always starts at least.&nbsp;<br>If I rebuild the rest of the engine, I'll have to do the transmission as well. It's adequate now, but a new engine would put added stress. Tires needed too, they're legal but I wouldn't want to put much weight on them. Oh, and the a/c still doesn't hold freon. My son, the mechanic, is moving here in a couple months and can do the work, plus has a rebuilt engine, same size.<br>To summarize, something in the neighborhood of $9000 on a '91 F150 Lariat with extended cab and Snugtop HiLiner shell. It's in very good condition otherwise! The backseat is very comfortable to sleep on! I'm already into it for $5100 or so.&nbsp;<br>Do I keep spending, to eventually have a rig that'll be 100%? Do I cut my losses and hope someone will buy it as is for maybe $1200-1500? It does have the shell, that helps, and set up for towing. Selling it means I'd have to buy something else same day, since I live in it. I'd be buying something for about what I spent to buy the truck. It's making me crazy. Nerve wracking when it's not just your vehicle but your home as well.<br>Help!!!

 

[user 423]

I don't think I would trust that shop to get the rest of the engine right. If the topend was done for $2500 and it's still clacking and not running right, then they didn't do it right and I would try to get some of your money back but then that's pretty iffy.&nbsp; Did you pay with a credit card? You can try a charge back or maybe small claims court.<br><br>A new engine wouldn't necessarily put extra strain on the trans unless you drove it hard intentionally but if you feel it will need a tranny soon and tires + A/C it does appear you will be throwing good money after bad. A rebuilt longblock 302 from one of the auto parts chains would be about $1300-1900 plus installation and that will vary with location. They have 2 or 3 year warranties but if you get a lemon, collecting on the warranty may be tough.<br><br> I know it's very frustrating to be in your position.Try to find a place to stay temporarily and keep your driving down until your son can get there? <br><br>(Not sure what you mean with the $9000 figure?)

 

[LucyImHome]

The $9000 is what I'd end up putting into the truck to get it reliable, if I kept it and sunk more into it. Engine, trans, tires, purchase price, initial rebuild.&nbsp;

 

[user 423]

Oh,I see. Well, if buying a newer truck isn't an option, then fixing this one up gradually is the way to go if your son can help. If you can only afford another used truck, you might end up being in the same situation unless it's thoroughly checked out. Even then it's a gamble. <br><br>

 

[Wild_E]

You need to go to another mechanic !!! pronto<br><br>talk to people, find someone else.. for $2500 they should have done the whole bloody engine for that at least up here, where it is more expensive.&nbsp;<br><br>Even a rebuilt motor would be the same price, but make sure you write down the serial numbers on the engine and trany, that way if they say re-built, or replaced as in put in a rebuilt motor, you check the vin number/serial number on the motor, before paying.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

On the subject of rebuilt motors and transmissions . . .

I've read somewhere that Ford has a program. Engines and transmissions rebuilt in a Ford owned facility, installed by Ford dealers, and warrantied by Ford. ( 3 years, 36,000 miles, I think )

So you could have a motor or tranny installed somewhere in, say, Oregon, and if it blows up two years later outside East Nowhere, Maine, the Ford dealer in East Nowhere takes care of you . . .

Regards
John

 

[RJCooper]

This last year, I sank $4000 in a 1994 Ford f-250 extended cab long bed 4x4.&nbsp; For a new trans, new computer, new battery, new starter and solenoid.&nbsp; The truck has 185,000 miles on it and bought it when it was brand new, about 4 weeks before my first ex said she was late.&nbsp; 20 years later the truck is still strong, has about in my eyes another 65,000 left on it.&nbsp; I may rebuilt it, then too.&nbsp; <br><br>New trucks are $30,000+&nbsp;or trucks even ten years old in good shape are $10,000+. I can rebuild this one 2 to 6 times for that price and with no payments or higher insurance.&nbsp; New meat on the truck I have costs 1200.&nbsp; <br><br>LucyImHome, I would take it to a different place to get it worked on.&nbsp; I would shop around, not just for price either.&nbsp; IMO, I would rather know what I have to work with, than figure it out with something new to me.&nbsp; When you don't have a car payment, you still should put aside half of what a car payment would be.&nbsp;&nbsp;Don't touch it for simple things like a belt or hose, anything under a $100.&nbsp; Keep stocking that $150-$200 away in an envelope. Over the course of a year or two, you can do a lot with $2500-$5000 on a truck.&nbsp; I drive about 10,000 miles a year or 30 miles a day.&nbsp; Some days I don't go anywhere. I don't know how many miles your running, but say your running 15,000 a year.&nbsp; In four years you'd run 60,000 miles and have about 10 grand worth of new stuff on that truck, with another 5 to 10 years without anything.&nbsp; <br><br>I know everybody thinks things run there course, but there is a lot of old trucks that have been rebuilt that are tons better than these new trucks in everyway.&nbsp; I have a buddy with a rust years truck from the 70's that is as stout as a foundation, he can work on it, no computer, etc.&nbsp; Just something to think about.&nbsp; <br><br>Sorry for this saying that my grandfather taught me, but if it has tits or tires it will give a man problems.&nbsp; Again sorry ladies!&nbsp; But then again, I have tits, well nipples.&nbsp; SORRY!<br><br>

 

[LucyImHome]

I am leaning toward continuing with it. Just not this shop. When their "stories" are so crazy that I realize they are taking advantage, time to go elsewhere. They also are saying they'd need it for 3-4 weeks. No can do. I live in it, they know that.<br> I have priced other shops. A full rebuild for just the engine is $2500-$3500. No one will even look at it without charging upwards of $200. I'll continue to look. There must be someone that's hungry and sympathetic to my situation.&nbsp;<br>I am very frugal. I have very few expenses, cheap cell, car insurance, gas. I get food stamps. I drive on average 8 miles a day, to get to A/C, and spend a shocking $140 a month. I save about $500 a month. I'm worried about it dying on me before I can do the repairs. No transportation = no money. I'll try to wait until my son moves here. He'll also be living in his vehicle. Arg....

 

[RJCooper]

That price sounds about right for a rebuild.&nbsp; I had a estimate of 6 grand for a full engine and tranny/transfer case&nbsp;rebuild.&nbsp; I barter, they are automotive and I am building.&nbsp; Buy a powerwasher and a shop vac for a few hundred and work out a deal to clean their shop every two weeks for a year if you are going to be in the area.&nbsp; For $400 in gear it may save you thousands or make you money. I have do this.&nbsp; <br><br>I reroofed a guys garage for a pop-up.&nbsp; It cost me 400 and a days labor and he was asking 2000.

 

[user 423]

<span id="post_message_1278863550">

I save about $500 a month.

<br><br>How's your credit? If I were you I'd consider trying to find a decent, newer vehicle but I know it's not an easy decision. What does your son say?<br><br><br></span>

 

[Wild_E]

Lucy,<br>why not update the thread or your profile to say where you live/region / city..<br>that way someone reading this might say, hey.. I can help you out and send you to someone honest and helpful !&nbsp;

 

[Zil]

Any good shop will be busy. any cheap shop good or not will be busy. Any good mechanic will talk to you with respect. any good shop should be paid for the diagnostic work if you don't have them do the work. The first shop should not have repaired the head with out the rest of the engine if needed. Did they tell you upfront the whole engine needed the work?

 

[LucyImHome]

I updated my profile, hopefully did it right. I'm in Palm Springs, CA.<br>I don't mind paying for diagnostic, but $200 seems like a lot. They aren't taking the valve cover off, just basic diagnostic. No one has said they'd apply the diagnostic to the rebuild either. Mostly for now, I just want someone to listen to it and tell me if I should stop driving it or it'll probably be fine for a couple months or you're crazy to keep it..... LOL<br>The shop I had do the work, they suggested just doing the top. I told them I didn't have loads of money but that when they had it apart, if they thought it needed a full rebuild, to do so. They said it only needed the top done. I said do it right the first time, that I didn't want to do it cheap, and end up 2 months later having to go in and fix it again. Gee, wonders of wonders, exactly what happened. I took it back in within 200 miles of their work, telling them it wasn't running right. After 6 weeks of this back and forth with them, they ran compression test and say #8 ring is faulty, that's the problem, not their work. Well, maybe that ring is faulty, but it doesn't smoke, at all. Pointing this out to them, they said that's because they put anti-smoke fluid in it. Okay.....<br>They want another $1500+ to go back in for the bottom, that they're giving me a cut in price. If I felt they were being truthful, I'd go for that. Maybe they realized their error and are trying to compensate without admitting fault. But I can't afford to keep taking it in for them to do nothing. They don't charge me but I get it back with about 3 gallons less gas every time. &nbsp;<br>If I sell it as is, buy something else, I am afraid I'd end up with more problems, with that price range. I won't finance anything.&nbsp;<br>My son is 2 states away. Hard to diagnose over the phone.&nbsp;<br>My main error was in not taking it to a shop before I bought it for a check up. I wouldn't have bought it if I had.&nbsp;<br><br>

 

[rastaman]

IMHO I would check to see what a recycle (junk yard ) engine goes for. To 'Properly' rebuild an engine is going to cost you more...that is doing it right.&nbsp; Find a junk yard with a good reputation. see what a low mileage&nbsp; engine cost, ask to see the vehicle it came out of, and at least look at the engine, have the valve cover removed and make sure the inside is nice and clean NO Sludge.&nbsp; A&nbsp; lot of good running engines can be had from vehicles that were wrecked. <br><br>(Slapping a set of rings and bearings in an engine is not a rebuild, what happened is that they re-did your top end on the engine, which increase the compression, which in turn probably blew your bottom end)<br><br>If you can hang in there till your son gets there than he may be able to install it for you, a lot easier than rebuilding.<br>good luck,<br><br><br>

 

[wagoneer]

Check on that!!!! I have good luck with junkyard motors. It's not rocket science and working on my own cars for the last 40 years have learned it's all about the oil we use, stay away from the bargain brands and get with and stay with a high grade oil and use good gas cheap is not an option when your 500 miles away from home.

 

[Terry]

What engine is in your truck?If it has over head cam, there are two very long timing chains that need the tensioners to work properly. They aren't the easiest to get the timing exactly right if they don't have the proper tools. Good luck.If you have the ohc engines from ford, they aren't all that bad, but you need to know what your doing with them.

 

[user 423]

It's a '91, so not OHC.

 

[zemio]

I feel for ya, I really do. I had almost exactly the same grief with my camper when I got it. I did a load of work on the thing, then come inspection time was told the chassis rust was so bad I may want to consider low-loading it home! I partly blame myself for not having got under the thing with a screwdriver and poked about in the 1st place, but even so. Shame, it ran nice and drove good. I ended up removing the camper shell and putting another larger flat deck truck under it and expanding the camper shell. It worked out in the end but it literally reduced me to tears on at least one occassion and made me swear like a gunny on several.<br><br>I'm with the others, junk yard motor time! Even if you got your son to source it then ship it to you. The a/c is a pain, but not utterly vital. Hang in there bro, I'm rootin' for ya<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[LucyImHome]

I really appreciate everyone's input. I love this forum!&nbsp;<br>I may have found a mechanic that I can have listen to it and see what he thinks. He's VERY affordable. Should know something in the next few days. <br>Zemio, thanks for your words of sympathy. I too have had moments of tears, just a little bit ago actually. I love how you resolved your problem! By the way, not a bro, I'm a sis I guess! LOL. &nbsp;<br>My son could put his bottom rebuilt with my presumably rebuilt top and have one whole good engine. It just has to hold up until then. To sell it as is, not sure I'd get much for it. It has the nice Snugtop HiLiner, is straight, good interior, good all around, except for the engine issue. It wouldn't pass smog here either.&nbsp;<br>A/C would be nice with 105-115 for couple more months. But I only drive 6-8 miles a days so yes, not utterly vital. Vital is that it runs, you know, that thing that cars are supposed to do?

 

[LucyImHome]

I've had a chance to calm down over this whole thing, the truck, the living in the truck, the loss of people I thought were friends. I've really done some serious soul searching and I'm leaning toward selling the truck. My son may not be able to move out here as soon as I'd hoped and I have no one I can get to do any work on truck. &nbsp;I've put some tentative feelers out on that and there is actually interest. So I need to keep saving to buy it's replacement. I'm not sure what I'd want. It'll be a few months until I have enough to buy something that will be what I'd hoped the truck would have been, dependable. Maybe a 22' or less older MH with a smaller'ish engine. My goal is to be able to travel and get work grooming in towns along the way. Stay long enough to replenish the cash reserves, then onward.&nbsp;