Worth fixing or not?

[Ruben T]

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum and this is my first post.

A cousin of mine has a 2001 sport trac that she will give me. It was her husbands who died like six months ago. It has been sitting in south Texas for probably close to two years. I went and looked at it this past weekend.

I changed the oil and put fresh gas in it. It was supposed to be nearly empty when parked. Oil was like slush. Put my battery in and it turned over fine but wouldn’t start. I went and got a can of starting fluid and it started and would run as long as kept spraying. Hooked a pressure gauge up and no pressure. I then pulled the fuel filter and it and the lines were dry. It sounded like there was a rock in the fuel filter which I assume was dried up gas.

So my question is should I even bother trying to get this truck running. Besides the fuel pump and probably injectors will the lines and fuel rails need replacing?

Going by the condition of the oil I know all the other fluids will need changing. The rubber on the stabilizer links is dry rotted also. Not sure about the brake seals but wouldn’t be surprised if they were bad also.

So what do you all think? Is it worth the money, time and effort to fix or not?

Thanks for taking the time to read this
Ruben

 

[sr139fox]

Texas truck = no rust. Free or real cheep. Yes, fixed it and drive.

 

[koda2000]

I bought a 2001 ST for cheap 3 years ago. I gave $1000 for it sight-unseen. I was told it wouldn't start, but that it would run on starting fluid as long as you kept spraying. I was also told it would move under it's own power (in forward and reverse). The truck had 184k on it and had been sitting for an unknown amount of time. Being a GA truck all it's life there was absolutely zero rust on the body and the frame looked nearly new.

My initial thought was to fix it up and flip it. That poor truck had been used and abused for 184,000 miles and appeared to have received little-to-no maintenance. As it turned out nearly every system on the truck was broken, plus the PO tried unsuccessfully to fix stuff w/out having a clue what he was doing. I made all the repairs myself and found good used parts to replace the stuff the PO had destroyed. After all was said and done the truck developed the dreaded 4.0L SOHC timing chain death rattle a few months after I got it back on the road, so unless I pull the engine to make those repairs I'm not comfortable selling the truck on. At this point I'm not upside-down on what I've got in the truck, but I can't trust it go go very far. Instead I've been using it around town as my daily driver, my dog hauler and spare vehicle. It's still going and none the worse for wear after 3 years, though its reliability is pretty poor.

Was it worth saving? Maybe, but I wasn't expecting to have to replace sooo many parts. Would I do it again? No. Still, it was a fun project and it kept me out of trouble for several months, allowed be to sell my '00 XLT 5.0L spare truck for a profit and it keeps me from running up the miles on my cheery '01 Eddie Bauer 5.0L

One thing I really like about the ST is its utility. Great for hauling people, dogs and messy cargo. If I can get another 3 years out of it iw/out having a major breakdown, it wont owe me anything.

One repair all early ST's need is body mount bushing replacement.

 

[Ruben T]

So Koda were the fuel lines ok on yours? Since the fuel lines on this one were dry and the filter sounded like it had a rock inside I’m not sure if everything would need replacing from the pump to injectors. If it wasn’t 300 miles away I would go for it. I don’t have a way to haul it to my house and can only go down at the most every third weekend.

 

[koda2000]

I just drained the fuel tank, pulled it and cleaned it out (there was really nothing in it) stuck in a new fuel pump, strainer sock and filter and it started right up. Of course I have no idea how long mine had been sitting. My lower oil pan was full of sludge, like yours, and my rear diff ring and pinion gears had been sitting in mostly water for so long in one position that it pitted and ruined the gears.

My daughter had AAA so I had her get it picked up and delivered to my house for free.

If you can get it home for free/cheap it might be worth fooling with it if you enjoy that kind of thing (as I do). Who knows, you may get lucky. Here's a "short list" of the things I had to fix...

Replaced fuel pump, sock and filter
Remove and clean lower oil pan
Flush engine
Flush cooling system
Fix A/C (broken high-pressure switch)
Fix heat (vac hose off and blend door actuator bad)
Replaced HVAC control panel (no lighting)
Replaced leaking valve cover gaskets
Replaced intake manifold O-ring gaskets
Installed a new PCV valve and hoses
Replaced thermostat (twice - buy a Motorcraft t-stat)
Replaced radiator and hoses
Replaced belt tensioner, pulleys and serpentine belt
Replaced radiator a second time (under warranty)
Replaced complete rear diff w/new axle bearings/seals
Had a axle break and and to fix all that mess
Replaced front and rear brakes
Replaced upper control arms & lower ball joints
Replaced front & rear sway bar links
Replaced drivers door master window/lock switch
Replaced mirror adjustment switch
Replaced many interior light bulbs
Replaced EVERYTHING inside driver's side rear door
Replaced lock actuator in p/s front door
Replaced worn lower hinge on driver's door
Replaced both broken rear interior door handles
Replaced A-C body mount bushings w/Prothane kit
Installed the #3 spark plug & wire that were found in glove box
Installed the 00M12 front tensioner and oil restrictor kit
Replaced front bumper cover
Removed ugly OE running boards
Fixed broken fog light bracket
Replaced both rear tail light assemblies
Replaced broken windshield
Installed 4 new tires
Fixed all locks so they could be opened using a key
Retrieved the 5 digit key-less entry door code
Programmed new remote key fobs and got a second RF key
Replaced hood lift supports (after the hood crushed my drop light)
Straightened rear bumper
Replaced missing misc, or ripped, rubber parts
Dropped trans pan, installed a drain plug and new filter
Flushed power steering fluid
Detailed the hell out of entire truck

Who would think one vehicle could have so much wrong with it? Plus I'm sure I'm forgetting some repairs I've made.

If the timing chains hadn't started making noise I had 5 or 6 other things I was planning on doing, but they were mostly aesthetic items, so were not worth spending the money on. Other than having to replace the second radiator this past January I haven't had anything break on it lately (hope I'm not jinxing myself). At this point I plan on driving it until the engine of trans gives out. Then I'll have to decide what to do with it. So far it's been 3 years/15,000 miles and counting.

 

[delexploder]

If its 4wd and cleans up nice is worth around $4000 in this area

 

[koda2000]

If its 4wd and cleans up nice is worth around $4000 in this area

Even clean 2WD 2001's can get that in my area.

 

[delexploder]

I got lucky and found mine at my local scrap yard , paid dbl scrap price for it with a clean title , its my next V8 swap project

 

[Ruben T]

I guess I can head back down on the 20th and drop a fuel pump in it. If it starts I will try to find a way to bring it here to Austin from McAllen. That way I can change out the rest of the fluids here and make other repairs as needed.

 

[koda2000]

I guess I can head back down on the 20th and drop a fuel pump in it. If it starts I will try to find a way to bring it here to Austin from McAllen. That way I can change out the rest of the fluids here and make other repairs as needed.

Good luck with it.