LBZ...Should I buy it?

[BlaZeus]

Found a 1 owner 07 LBZ CCSB 4x4 with 300k for $15k at a local lot. Really wanting to pick it up for when I move out to WYO in a month and need to pull a 20' flatbed trailer with my willys, harley and all my crap loaded onto it. Also will be used for hauling willys or maybe future k5 to BB19 hopefully, among other trips. Super clean truck. Crawled under and found some PS fluid (I believe) on the PS lines, Tcase output shaft has some gunk around it, front cv boot was torn, and looked like maybe some gunk around the trans fluid pan? Engine was clean. Took pictures of all the stuff.
Going for a test drive today and I'm afraid that once I drive it, I will be hooked, line and sinker for sure, as I've never driven a diesel. LOL

 

[Scribbles]

You’ll be hooked, be weary though, hydro boost problems are prevelant and with leaky lines it’ll be even more likely. With a torn CV boot pay attention to popping, and if so plan on replacement, for sure at a min you want to regrease and reboot. I’d want to look hard at ball joints and hubs also along with the normal idle, no CEL, run of the mill stuff. I love diesels and really like the LBZ I own.

Get the motor up to operating temp and check for blow by, don’t let anyone tell you blow by is normal on these, I have 158,XXX and my brother has 205,XXX and zero blow by. It may be normal on a 7.3 Ford but not on an LBZ in my experience.

One thing to warn you about is the stock tank on a CCSB is only 27gal, it sucks.

 

[Scribbles]

 

[BlaZeus]

It is a really clean rig. Looks very well cared for on exterior and interior...a couple scratches and upholstery was clean. Everything seems to function as it should. 4x4 works. The steering was a bit loose so maybe due to PS? Worn gear box? The reservoir was very low on fluid. He is taking it in to have everything checked out for me and then we will work on a fair price, based on work needed to be done.
Also, not sure what blow-by is, heard of it.

 

[Scribbles]

Blow by is removing the oil filler cap and seeing a visible ‘smoke’ coming from it.

Like this video, this is bad in my opinion.

My brother has had to replace his hydro post lines from leaking at the crimps, the truck you’re looking at likely needs the same treatment.

 

[BlaZeus]

Blow by is removing the oil filler cap and seeing a visible ‘smoke’ coming from it.

Like this video, this is bad in my opinion.

My brother has had to replace his hydro post lines from leaking at the crimps, the truck you’re looking at likely needs the same treatment.

Ohh yeah that doesn’t look good, but you added “in my opinion”, do some think it’s fine?

 

[Scribbles]

Some people say as long as you can flip the cap upside down and it not get blown off by the pressure it’s acceptable.

 

[diesel4me]

My older brother had a '02 with the Allison automatic and Duramax,his transfer case wore a hole thru the rear output housing,he said there is an oil pump in there and some did that,he bought a new rear housing instead of the repair kit to fix it...
I'd have that area closely inspected..

 

[beags86]

My older brother had a '02 with the Allison automatic and Duramax,his transfer case wore a hole thru the rear output housing,he said there is an oil pump in there and some did that,he bought a new rear housing instead of the repair kit to fix it...
I'd have that area closely inspected..

My buddy just told me about this. Has a 03 Chevy Gas. I was like wtf?

 

[BlaZeus]

Blow by is removing the oil filler cap and seeing a visible ‘smoke’ coming from it.

Like this video, this is bad in my opinion.

My brother has had to replace his hydro post lines from leaking at the crimps, the truck you’re looking at likely needs the same treatment.

Found out that those lines are actually tranny lines...must be to trans cooler...he said they are going to have them fixed even if I don't buy the truck so maybe I just have them fix it and pay a bit more?

 

[beags86]

Found out that those lines are actually tranny lines...must be to trans cooler...he said they are going to have them fixed even if I don't buy the truck so maybe I just have them fix it and pay a bit more?

Pay more? Pay more for what?

 

[BlaZeus]

Pay more? Pay more for what?

He was gonna lower the price of it because of the stuff that needs to be done, either that, or they will do the work to fix it and I'll just have to pay what they're asking.

 

[beags86]

He was gonna lower the price of it because of the stuff that needs to be done, either that, or they will do the work to fix it and I'll just have to pay what they're asking.

Fork that, you need to be paying for a vehicle that's 100% ready to go. Without paying more.

Probably why I suck at buying vehicles

 

[Stephen]

keep in mind that the lbz is magical in california because of it's lack of emissions stuff and in wyoming nobody cares. You might be able to get into a new truck or one with fewer miles and leave that one to someone that cares about that one detail. Maybe you find a LMM or LML with DEF problems and just plan on deleting it? Buy it cheap in CA because it can't be registered?
Just something to think about. The earlier trucks with less emissions burden carry a premium price out there.

 

[imiceman44]

keep in mind that the lbz is magical in california because of it's lack of emissions stuff and in wyoming nobody cares. You might be able to get into a new truck or one with fewer miles and leave that one to someone that cares about that one detail. Maybe you find a LMM or LML with DEF problems and just plan on deleting it? Buy it cheap in CA because it can't be registered?
Just something to think about. The earlier trucks with less emissions burden carry a premium price out there.

Exactly

 

[BlaZeus]

keep in mind that the lbz is magical in california because of it's lack of emissions stuff and in wyoming nobody cares. You might be able to get into a new truck or one with fewer miles and leave that one to someone that cares about that one detail. Maybe you find a LMM or LML with DEF problems and just plan on deleting it? Buy it cheap in CA because it can't be registered?
Just something to think about. The earlier trucks with less emissions burden carry a premium price out there.

Good insight, thanks! I'm just trying to find a decent diesel truck for under $20k around here and all I'm mostly seeing is 6.0 and 6.4 ferds...

 

[Scribbles]

6.0’s are awesome, but they’re the truck equivelant of a hot needy cheating girlfriend. They run awesome when they run but they’ll leave you broken hearted with no money when you least expect it. I would love to build one again but I’d have to be well off financially and it couldn’t be my DD until I built up some trust.

Mine was a 05 F250 CCSB, truly was my first love , I had this truck for 4 years, I put over 100k on it and it left me stranded several times, blown heads and gaskets once in IL (that was expensive), the final straw was after having it ‘bullet proofed’ and it started pressurizing the coolant again, the shop rebuilt it after that under warranty and said no more warranty and it blew gaskets again. I wonder if the block was warped or what. No telling now. I lost so much money on that thing.

They can be done right, but it takes time, money, and patience.