the V6 SOHC engine wouldn't be my first choice (or my second choice) but as long as the timing chains are quite, it's not a horrible choice for $900.
i don't know about roasting tires. the SOHC engine makes decent power, but you're driving a vehicle that weighs in at about 5,000 lbs with tall tires.
locking and window switch problems are often chased down to the loom in the driver's door jam and/or the loom running under the carpet, near the door sill in the rear.
does the CEL light during the key-on bulb test? it sounds like you should have some codes. note: it can take up to 500 miles for some codes to re-appear if the PO had clearded them before you bought it. at any rate, i'd start with a tune up (new plugs/wires/filters/PCV valve/oil change/clean the MAF/TB/IAC) and see what improves.
you're lucky you don't have the RFID keys or you'd be looking at a pretty big number for a replacement(s).
CV axles, ball joints and other suspension parts aren't too big of a deal to replace on these trucks. figure on somewhere around $400 for premium replacement parts, less for service grade. just keep in mind that every $1 you have to spend to replace parts makes the $900 purchase price increase, but if you're capable of doing the repairs yourself you'll know what you have when you're done (and the satisfaction that comes from having done the work yourself).
You're probably correct about needing to replace the fuel gauge sending unit, in the fuel tank, to get the gauge to work.
Will do that as soon as I can, right now no gas and suspended license, just got three tickets Friday too
But I got a fix for my drivers side door not unlocking, I'm going to run a wire from the passenger door unlock wire that works and connect it to the driver side wire, then it works so back to wiring lol
after getting three tickets and having your DL suspended, you would think that "roasting" your tires would be the last thing to be worried about. lol
Agreed with the SOHC, banging my head into the wall as I type. TC nitemares, this past weekend. Although the old lady does have 220K+ on her.
well im thankful that mine has no rattling at all, and im going to do my best to prevent it, she needs an oil change bad, as the oils black, and that should smooth out the idle, it idles decent but a little jumpy. i only paid 900 and ive put prolly 80 hours worth of work into it the last 4 weeks, i love working on it and fixing it little by little, makes me feel good
regarding locks and windows: the wires tend to eventually break in the driver's door jam area because of the door being opened and closed a ga-zillion times. there is also a wire connector under the rear carpet which gets corroded and/or comes apart. both of these problems are very common on older gen II's..
My window motor on rear passenger side only turns in one direction - down (using either the switch at that window or multi-switch from the driver's door). I removed the motor from the regulator and isolated it to try to pinpoint the problem. got a new motor but same symptom - gear turns only one direction - 'down'. So then got a new switch, thinking the contacts on the old switch were bad. No use - same problem. That seems to leave the wiring. I looked for corrosion where the switch (on the rear passenger door) contacts connect to the switch harness thing and even filed all the female connectors to ensure a good contact from the new switch to the existing wire harness.
Any ideas on what to try next? I read the great tips in this thread about checking the wires in the driver's side door jamb and under the carpet, but do the wires from the rear passenger windows run all the way back through those areas to make the circuit from the rear passenger window switch to the window motor?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. this is my first post after reading this forum for several days.
My window motor on rear passenger side only turns in one direction - down (using either the switch at that window or multi-switch from the driver's door). I removed the motor from the regulator and isolated it to try to pinpoint the problem. got a new motor but same symptom - gear turns only one direction - 'down'. So then got a new switch, thinking the contacts on the old switch were bad. No use - same problem. That seems to leave the wiring. I looked for corrosion where the switch (on the rear passenger door) contacts connect to the switch harness thing and even filed all the female connectors to ensure a good contact from the new switch to the existing wire harness.
Any ideas on what to try next? I read the great tips in this thread about checking the wires in the driver's side door jamb and under the carpet, but do the wires from the rear passenger windows run all the way back through those areas to make the circuit from the rear passenger window switch to the window motor?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. this is my first post after reading this forum for several days.