I left a "I want to buy your truck" note...

[jrm]

you know you might

contact the party who sold the house and truck. Unless theyre already contracted to sell the truck at an auction they might find that it would cheaper for them to just sell it to you.

 

[TheDurk]

I would not consider trying to fire it up without draining the gas tank. Dri-gas might help with water, but the larger concern is pumping what is essentially varnish through the injectors. Dump the tank, open the fuel rail, and pump some new gas through. Check all other fluids and then give it a try. If she runs, change coolant, oil, all filters, plugs and flush tranny asap. A teaspoon of marvel or other top end oil in each plug hole before first start-up is not a bad idea, too. Verify you have brakes before driving away.

I am also a tractor guy and my on-line tractor buddies rescue lots of stopped machines out of fence rows and farmyards. Don't put the old gas through the engine is first rule. A lot of times folks get engines stopped for a decade to fire right up if they are not seized.

Good luck at the auction...come vist when you get it running.

On the title issue...I smell either an estate or a foreclosure in the sale to the guy who has it now. Be thorough. It could be messy.

 

[bergs]

I would not try to get it running until you have ownership of it for the simple fact that, if you don't end up with it, you essentially just performed a bunch of work for someone else.

Add another vote for estate sale.

 

[stro908]

all great thoughts and advice guys! Especially the marvels in the cylinders. Regarding the title / estate. The guy on the phone did say he was working with the NJ DMV regarding the title and it "has been a pain in the ass" "its been costing me money having the thing sit" bla bla bla... So it sounds like he is already going thru the proper channels trying to do everything right, otherwise I am sure he would have just called a wercker and sent it off to a junkyard.

I guess rather than start it, I should just go inspect for rust etc. Look at the miles and check the coolant etc. One more thing he mentioned was it has an alarm (aftermarket) that needs to be disconnected/disabled. There is a Tech. at work who is from the Bronx...something tells me he willl sort this out for me :thumb3:

Thanks again for all the great thoughts guys!

 

[acemech]

could be a great deal...when and where did u say the auction was at?....lol...good luck....

 

[MAD 69]

Don't expect to pick up this Runner on the cheap, if the owner wants to put it up for auction he is looking to make a killing - let people outbid each other. There was/is a 98 4Runner on ebay here in South Jersey and the guy has a min. reserve of $4500 on the vehicle.

Try again to ask the guy if he will sell it now and at what price, if he says no you know he is looking to make a fairly big profit it on it...

 

[stro908]

Don't expect to pick up this Runner on the cheap, if the owner wants to put it up for auction he is looking to make a killing - let people outbid each other. There was/is a 98 4Runner on ebay here in South Jersey and the guy has a min. reserve of $4500 on the vehicle.

Try again to ask the guy if he will sell it now and at what price, if he says no you know he is looking to make a fairly big profit it on it...

The difference is, you have a much larger audience of people on ebay bidding early and often, inflating the price. The hope with this situation is that not many people will be there as it is live.

Based on what the guys said, I dont think he has any idea what its worth and he dosent expect to break even on storage fees he has been paying for its parking space. Trust me, I DO NOT fall in love with cars or trucks. If people want to go crazy bidding on a truck that they have NO IDEA what it may need, have at it.

I want to pay a price that allows me to put 1000-1500 into it and still "own it right". Max I think I would go is $2k... if I have $3500- into it after all said and done, I would say its a great deal.