Same color truck with 35x12.5?s

BIG PICTURE!

Picking it up tomorrow, sight unseen (besides tons of photos) for $1500. Its an 8 hour round trip but looks to be worth it for that price. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

There you go! Glad you were able to get the cost down. Be sure you test drive it first!

Things I'd check...
If the engine has already been warmed up, let it simply idle for ~ 5 minutes then rev it and check for excessive smoke at the tail pipe. If you have it then you've mostly likely got a valve guide seals issue.

If the engine's cold, start it up and check for the same thing.

Does it go into and out of 4WD easily. If not, it's likely the vacuum system that locks the central axle disconnect. From 2WD at a stop, put it into 4wd and then take off. Do the 2 front wheels light up in your dash. They should.

From 4WD at a stop with the front wheel lock lights lit in the dash put the transfer case select lever into 2WD and then back up for 6-12ft. Did the 2 front wheels go out in your dash? They should. If they blink then that's something that needs to be checked. As I mentioned it's likely the vacuum system but you can use this to drop the price further.

Check the radiator expansion tank for any unusual residue. Check the radiator cap for the same.
Check the engine oil dipstick for level and unusual residue.
If either of the 3 above have a milky brown fluid it would be evidence of oil/coolant contamination which is common when the head gasket goes. If it has this, I'd ask when the gasket failed and when it was replaced.

Check the transmission fluid to see it's color. Normally it's a clear red fluid. If it's dirty it will be a dark brown/black fluid.

Of course check for leaks underneath both prior to & after your test drive.

Check for both AC cold air and Hot heated air.

One of you mod' need to ban Adam from ever posting pictures again. That has to be the biggest worst picture ever.

You need three monitors to see it and to reads the rest of the post. Plus, there's nothing but trees, a leg or two, some flowers, a few rocks, a tarp and if you keep looking there's a Montero that's supposed to show off 35x12.5?s tires.

Sorry Adam couldn't help myself. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Some people take the phrase "Go big or go home" a little too seriously. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

C'mon Adam - you've got enough tech know-how to crop that photo down to something less than the size of the Grand Canyon - especially since the Montero only takes up about 15% of the actual photo! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Dido but I didn't want to be the first to say it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> Just send the pic to photobucket and resize it, then I wouldn't have to mess with my zoom to see anything.

If he would just download Picasa 3 (for free) like I told him to...then:

It would sort his pictures on his computer,

It would allow him to upload them to public or private folders on the web,

Allow him to resize them at time of upload,

Allow him to link to the pictures for posting,

AND allow him to link to the folders that could be viewed in a slide show or as a collection of thumbnails.

If I can do it, he can do it, as he's like half my age. (Close, anyway).

John B.

I just barely got the FTP going, give me a break.

I spent hours uploading

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, with the size of that picture I'm sure it took several hours to upload. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Got the truck. Made it the 300ish miles back home today!

Nice truck. It does have the valve stem seal smoke, but everything else checked out.... but, on the way back I found that I'd get a vibration/hesitation around 40mph.

There is also a bit of an odd vibration when in stop and go traffic (found a wreck in Dallas). The vibration feels like a realllllly warped brake rotor and only present at less than 5mph.

Also, I had planned to check the cylinder compression before buying........... but are the spark plugs under the intake plenum???

Photos soon. Hoping to do a bit of wheeling tomorrow.