What To Look For When Buying A Used Powerstroke Diesel Truck
September 22, 2022

What To Look For When Buying A Used Powerstroke Diesel Truck

Written By: ProSource Diesel

When it comes to power and durability, the Powerstroke engine is in a class of its own. They’re capable of towing incredible amounts of weight, dependably guiding you up steep inclines without any stress. Their durability and performance are one of many reasons these diesel engines are in high demand. You can rely on them for a multitude of services, from work to daily errands.

If you’re interested in a truck with a Powerstroke engine, you should shop savvy and look for certain tell-tale features to tell you if the engine is a gem or a dud.

What To Look For When Buying A Powerstroke

What To Look For

How do you tell if your Powerstroke engine is in top shape? Whether your Ford truck is brand new or used, there are different signs you can look out for.

Pay close attention! If you’re careful and look for the right clues, you can save yourself tons of money and effort, and greatly improve your ownership experience. Read on if you want the best value –and the most fun– out of your next truck.

1. Listen For A Smooth Engine

When you test drive your diesel truck, pay close attention to the types of noise it’s making. Loud engine noises usually mean expensive repairs. It doesn’t matter if it’s used or new, a diesel truck should never make loud noises when you start it up. If the engine is quiet (or “relatively” quiet for a diesel engine) it’s more likely to be functioning properly. And a properly-functioning engine is the key to efficient performance.

What To Look For When Buying A Powerstroke

2. Watch For Emission Duration and Color

When on your test drive, pay attention to how much smoke is coming out of your tailpipe. The emissions of diesel-powered vehicles are darker than emissions from gas-powered vehicles. However, there should only be a small amount of dark smoke coming from the tailpipe on startup. Diesel engines that create a lot of black smoke over extended periods have too much particulate matter built up.

Check the smoke’s color too. Black smoke means your engine is getting a good mixture of air and fuel for combustion. A diesel vehicle making blue smoke means it’s burning too much oil. White smoke means there’s an excess of diesel fuel that isn’t being burnt. Pay attention to these and you’ll get a good idea of your engine’s efficiency and overall performance.

3. Check the Mileage

Checking the odometer of a used diesel truck gives you a good idea of how much duress the engine has been under. Diesel engines are known for being strong and durable and can handle higher mileage better than gas vehicles can. However, excessively high mileage means that the engine’s vital parts have been under lots of stress and might need replacing. A diesel engine with low mileage is more likely to be healthy, but be wary of suspiciously low mileage. A truck with unusually low mileage could mean the owner rolled back the odometer.

What To Look For When Buying A Powerstroke

4. Check for Good Fuel Efficiency

One of the greatest advantages to diesel engines is their fuel economy. Diesel fuel has 10 to 15% more energy than gasoline and diesel vehicles can go 20 to 35% further than gas-powered vehicles on a gallon of fuel. When gas prices go up, the efficiency of a diesel engine can make a huge difference.

5. A Well-Kept Interior and Exterior

Check a used truck both inside and outside for wear and tear. Checking the interior and exterior of a diesel truck can give you insight into how well-maintained the engine is. If the truck is well-maintained, the owner is more likely to have a well-maintained engine. Check for signs of neglect: dents, cracks, signs of rust on the undercarriage, or weird smells coming from the heating and air conditioning (a sign of water damage).

What To Look For When Buying A Powerstroke

6. Towing Capacity

Another great advantage to diesel trucks is their excellent towing capacity. Even at low speeds, diesel trucks can provide high torque. Diesel engines are capable of making even the heaviest loads more controllable. If the seller mentions any issues the truck might have with its towing capacity, stay clear. It means the engine has very serious, very expensive problems with it.

What To Look For When Buying A Powerstroke

7. Look for Gas Stations with Diesel Fuel

Diesel is one of the most popular fuels available in the US, but it still falls behind gasoline. Just over half of gas stations (55%) in the United States offer diesel pumps. Diesel trucks require a little extra planning. If you’ve never owned a diesel truck, you need to consider the availability of diesel fuel. Think about how many miles you’ll drive, how many times you’ll need to fill up, and pinpoint the most convenient diesel fill-up stations nearby.

What To Look For When Buying A Powerstroke

8. Make Sure Your Diesel-Powered Engine is Quiet

Diesel-powered engines run a lot quieter than they used to. In the past, diesel engines had a reputation for being obnoxiously loud, but now they run quieter. Improvements in technology have made diesel engines only slightly louder than gasoline engines, and improvements in insulation technology make the cabin quieter for the occupants as well. If you’re buying a Powerstroke-powered truck, you should know that a noisy engine is no longer the norm.

9. Make Sure it meets Emissions Standards

Make sure your Powerstroke engine meets US emissions standards. Diesel fuels use less sulfur and with the combined use of low-sulfur diesel fuel and advanced exhaust emission control systems, you can reduce your emissions up to 90%. It’s vital that your new Powerstroke meets the emissions standards expected of it, especially in the US, where standards are much stricter.

What To Look For When Buying A Powerstroke

10. Look Out for Oil, Fuel, and Exhaust Contamination

Check for a bad oil cooler, a blown EGR cooler or a cracked cylinder head. You can diagnose these problems by checking for specific symptoms: for example, if your oil smells like fuel or has a milky look to it, if there’s an unusual smell coming from your coolant, or if your exhaust pipe has turned black. Any of these problems destroy your engine performance and lead to costly repairs. Make sure to have a trusted diesel mechanic do a thorough examination of the vehicle before your make a purchase –it could save you thousands of dollars.

11. Rough Start And Shaking While Running

If you’re buying a used Ford Powerstroke, or any other diesel-powered truck, lookout for lagging, rough running or shaking, hard cold starts, or any stalling or unusual noises while the engine warms up. These could mean problems with your fuel injectors, Fuel Injection Control Module (FICM), glow plugs, or compression.

You can test for leaking head gaskets. Once your engine reaches its optimal temperature, run it full throttle. Then check the cap on your coolant reservoir. If the cap is wet and there’s coolant gushing out of it, you might have a leaking head gasket. You should also take off your oil fill cap and check the fill neck for excessive blow, which could be a sign of compression problems.

12. A Used Truck Needs a Good Paper Trail

Any used vehicle to have detailed maintenance records. Maintenance records are especially important if you want a used Powerstroke truck. Your seller should have a log of receipts to prove the vehicle has been serviced regularly. If a vehicle has been regularly maintained, you’re less likely to encounter damaged diesel engine parts: excessive wear, clogged valves, or oil sludge.

What To Look For When Buying A Powerstroke

In Conclusion

If you pay attention to these twelve items on our checklist you can safely purchase a new or used Powerstroke truck knowing it will give you trouble-free performance for years.

If you ever find yourself in need of new Powerstroke parts or Powerstroke performance upgrades, you can always find them here at ProSource Diesel. Popular upgrades for Powerstroke engines include computer programmers or tuners, exhaust systems upgrades, performance air intakes, and more. If you ever find yourself in need of Powerstroke replacement parts, ProSource Diesel has those hard-to-find diesel parts for your Ford truck.

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