Thanks for the info - I think that covers most of my concerns! If it's still available when I have some cash, I'll give it more serious thought. It's just kind of hard for me to swallow that I might be buying a Ford
I'll do some reading on that IDI forum you linked to. I bet all my other random questions are answered there.
http://monterey.craigslist.org/cto/5418968299.html
^that's the truck. $2500 with GV OD $750 without. If he removes the GV OD do I need new driveshafts or something?
I live about 120mi away, and my office where I'd rather have it so I can work on it is 150mi away. If I can limp it those 20-50mi (or even all the way) that would be graet. I can have AAA tow it the rest of the way (100 mile towing limit). I don't have a trailer and my friend's 7.3 Powerstroke F-550 is broken so he can't help me.
I just wonder when they say it needs a head gasket, how they came to that conclusion, and what the actual issue with the truck is. I don't have the resources to swap the whole engine so if the bottom end is f*cked then I'm f*cked too. My friend with the F-550 (big Ford fanboy and GM hater, though his Ford is broken and he drives a GMC Envoy daily, I just don't get it) agreed to help me fix whatever the issue is short of a whole engine swap. He doesn't think the head gaskets are hard to change.
I'd rather have more power than slightly better MPG. I'm not going to expect 50MPG from a (maybe to be lifted) 4x4 crew cab one ton pickup LOL. It won't be my daily driver anyway.