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  1. #1
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    2017 F350 6.7 pre-purchase inspection

    We are buying a 2017 F350 with the 6.7 diesel near Houston, TX. Is there any way to get this vehicle inspected before we buy it? The carfax on this vehicle shows no maintenance. So either the previous owner did preventative maintenance himself, or he didn't do it. The vehicle looks like new in cosmetic condition, so it appears the previous owner took good care of it. However, that doesn't mean he changed the oil and filters regularly. I'm new to diesel engines, this is my first one. What do I need to look for when I take this vehicle for a test drive?

  2. #2
    Rolling Along RVRunners's Avatar
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    If you can find a good mechanic in the Houston area I would pay them to go through it. Fluids, fuel filters, air filter, chassis, etc. all should be checked as well as hooking to the OBDII with the proper equipment to evaluate. While the truck is running you can scroll through the on board computer (I believe in the “Driver Assist” section) and check the engine total hours and engine idle hours - high idle hours are detrimental to the truck as only driving the truck will get it anywhere close to normal operating temperature - also tends to clog the EGR system.

    If you’ve owned diesel trucks previously then I don’t need to tell you how critical it is to do diligent maintenance. You are justified in your concern as often these trucks are purchased by folks that can barely afford the purchase price or payments just because they like the look, sound, machismo or whatever of a diesel truck and can’t spring for proper maintenance. It is this same crowd that often does little to no towing, few if any long interstate trips, etc. all of which are not good for these trucks - hauling/towing is what these trucks are built for. Using them solely for in town errands and a short commute to and from work is not good as you don’t get the fluid temperatures up to normal operating temperature and get the exhaust gas temperature high enough. Also avoid, in my opinion, purchasing previously owned with aftermarket rims, tires, aesthetic parts, etc. as those drivers tend to “show off” and some modifications may make the truck less effective for towing, etc. Good luck!
    The Adams - 2017 Reflection 367BHS, 2019 F-350 6.7L PSD 4x4 CC DRW, B&W hitch on Ford pucks, Air Lift Loadlifter 5000 Ultimate Plus air bags, "Rupert" the Weimaraner.

  3. #3
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    You could bring it to a Ford dealer that has a dedicated diesel shop for an initial inspection. Best thing to do would be to pull an oil sample and have it analyzed, that can take a little bit of time though. You can ask the Ford dealer for an Oasis report on it, but if the maintenance was done by the previous owner at his house and records arent available, you really wont know. If you buy it, def change oil and filter and both fuel filters when you get it home. Wouldn't hurt to look at air filter as well. I doubt with it being a 2017 it could have been terribly neglected to the point of damage. You didnt mention the miles, are they average? Also, take a look at idle time vs run time on the information screen.

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  4. #4
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KLR650goldwing View Post
    We are buying a 2017 F350 with the 6.7 diesel near Houston, TX. Is there any way to get this vehicle inspected before we buy it? The carfax on this vehicle shows no maintenance. So either the previous owner did preventative maintenance himself, or he didn't do it. The vehicle looks like new in cosmetic condition, so it appears the previous owner took good care of it. However, that doesn't mean he changed the oil and filters regularly. I'm new to diesel engines, this is my first one. What do I need to look for when I take this vehicle for a test drive?
    If you pull the oil dip stick don’t get frightened when you see how black the oil is. THATS NORMAL for a diesel. My oil turns black within a mile after being changed.

    I do all my own oil changes on my diesel so there’s no record in CarFax. That’s not unusual for we diesel owners. The 6.7L takes 13 qts.
    Jerry & Linda
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  5. #5
    Long Hauler geotex1's Avatar
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    How many miles? Truck may not have even hit many maintenance milestones yet. If this will be a private purchase, definitely have the truck into a Ford dealership that regularly services diesels. You want confirmation that the truck is as it left the factory so you don't inherent a programmed, deleted, modded truck you cannot make heads or tails of.

    That said, and as others mentioned, we diesel owners tend to do a lot of maintenance ourselves because you'll go broke otherwise with what dealers charge for an oil change, changing the fuel filters, servicing the trans... If all checks out at the shop with stock standard fare, my advice is to change all fluids and filters, check all hoses and belts, do a grease job, and check the condition of brakes. Then you have your baseline. This approach has worked for me beautifully with all of the used vehicles I've purchased.
    Rob & Nikki + Cloverfield
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  6. #6
    Rolling Along backtrack2015's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerryr View Post
    If you pull the oil dip stick don’t get frightened when you see how black the oil is. THATS NORMAL for a diesel. My oil turns black within a mile after being changed.

    I do all my own oil changes on my diesel so there’s no record in CarFax. That’s not unusual for we diesel owners. The 6.7L takes 13 qts.
    +1. The local dealers were an epic disappointment so I've done all my own maintenance since 5K. The lack of records probably isn't unusual since owners can easy pull maintenance themselves at 2x the frequency for less money and hassle than heading to the dealer on the normal schedule. I'll probably hand off my maintenance spreadsheet when the time comes, but I'd expect the dealer will lose it immediately and not pass it to the new owner. (Edit: maybe I'll just place it in the owners manual for the new owner to discover.)
    Last edited by backtrack2015; 02-16-2020 at 02:52 PM.
    2017 F-350 CCSB 6.7L
    2021 Micro Minnie 2100BH
    previously - Reflection 28BH, Intech Pursue

  7. #7
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    Thanks for your ideas. The truck is at the Ford dealer in a small town near Houston, so having it inspected by the seller doesn't seem logical. However, I'm feeling more confident that the truck is okay mechanically after reading your comments. Thank you.

  8. #8
    Seasoned Camper
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    If you like the price have them do the oil and replace the fuel filters as part of the deal and you should be good to go. Not much else to check. You can have the dealer pull the oasis report. That will tell you if any warranty repairs or recalls done.
    Good luck with your new truck

  9. #9
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    How many miles on the truck?

    Also, (as has been mentioned) have the dealer service department printout the oasis report (Ford vehicle tracking system) and look for past work as any open recalls.

    Chris
    Chris & Karen
    Fort Collins, CO
    2017 F-350 SRW 6.7 Lariat Value CC LB 4x4
    2018 Solitude 310GK - Sold 7/2023

  10. #10
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    We bought the truck yesterday and drove it 200 miles home. The inside of the box shows signs of wear, but the rest of the truck looks and operates like new. At this point we are real happy with the truck. Thanks for your help with the purchase decision making.

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