Already buying my 2nd MJ...

[Tentrax_Brent]

5 hours ago, gogmorgo said:

Gas smell in the oil definitely isn’t good. Best case scenario it’s a recent condition, and mostly brought on from only ne run enough to move it around the lot. Running excessively rich leads to gas condensing on cylinder walls, washing the oil off. This causes lubrication problems that lead to ring sealing issues, eventually cylinder wall and piston damage if left long enough. An engine only ever run cold will do this, but once it’s been run up to termperature it should burn/boil off the gas in the oil.

 

I suspect #4 is another symptom of what’s causing #2. #1 could easily be a result of prolonged #2. Without much to go off, I have no insight to guess down #3, but it may also be a result of some other issues, or simply cooling system neglect... it could also just be the result of an improperly bled cooling system. 
 

With this info it’s easy enough to make a case that it needs far more than “just a tune up”. For less than $50 in parts and a 1/2 hour labour for their “tune up” (only consumables in the engine are ignition parts) the dealer’s foolish not to have already done it. No one’s going to spend that coin on a truck that barely drives. 

 

I’d say it needs the time spent  to run through the tips at cruiser54.com before we can go much further with diagnostics, but for the time being I’d say your best bet to get a better deal on the truck is to make an offer you think is consistent with the truck having a blown motor, then leave your phone number and walk away, as was already suggested.

 

I really doubt anyone is going to pay the asking price for a truck that barely runs, unless they manage to find someone with deep pockets planning an LS swap or something of that nature, which doesn’t sound like their typical sort of customer.

Thank you for such thorough responses!! Definitely sound advice and some very good points to think about. I’ll keep the group updated