by dpuckett » Wed May 26, 2010 9:26 am
Hard starting and leaky pump are probably related.
ALL of mine have had some mist coming out of the vent tube- some more than others. Had one that used a quart of oil every 3-4K mi. Most havent used any, other than what leaked out the front crank seal or vacuum pump.
Steering, brakes, front suspension on 2wds. Make sure the u-joints are good, and the slip yoke doesnt have any rotational slack (I have my 4th one with slack in the driveway). Basically, all the checks you would do for any used vehicle. Keep in mind, these trucks are mostly mechanical, and if the PCM goes out, it's a good bargaining tool, but everything can be bypassed.
Dont let 2-300K mi scare you. It's been almost 10 years since I've owned one with less than 200K; 2 of the last 3 have topped 300K and still going strong.
Daniel
His- 93 W250 club cab LE, auto to Getrag conversion, piston lift pump, 3.54 LSD. 400k+
Hers- 04 QC 4x4. Built auto, Triple Dog, Air Dog. Funny Round truck that aint so quiet.