DURAMAX INSPECTION LIST

Frame

• Check wheel-wells and underneath for signs of excessive rust or paint/undercoating that is concealing rust
• Check leaf springs
  
• Visually inspect for rust, inside frame C-channel
  
• Look for any bends or odd appearances that might indicate prior damage

Underneath

• Wiggle everything
• Look for leaks between tranny and transfer case, front differential
  
• Visually inspect inner wheels... boots, upper ball joints, lower ball joints r Check brakes, brake pads (3mm or more is okay)

 

Body

• Make sure body lines, gaps between panels line up & are even
• Check bed for condition
  
• Check doorjambs, panels, cab corners for condition, rust

 

UNDER THE HOOD – GET THERE WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD

Head gasket

• Squeeze upper radiator hose, make sure it compresses and relaxes – not rock hard OR collapsed on itself
• Check for any pinholes drilled in overflow tank
  
• Slowly remove overflow cap, check for any backpressure or bubbles in coolant

Fuel filter, EGR cooler heads in passenger corner
Check condition, look for blocking plate to EGR suggesting a “delete”

Oil Cap and Dipstick

• Remove oil cap and check underside for “chocolate milk” indicating possible coolant mixed with oil
• Check engine oil on dipstick for anything milky (coolant), any particles
• Check all other fluids
  
• Check serpentine belt condition

Startup, engine sounds

 

• WATCH EXHAUST WHEN COLD ENGINE STARTS
  
• Blue smoke – fuel issue, injectors, injection pump, turbo
  
• White smoke / steam / sweet smell – coolant, EGR or head gasket
• Belts
• WHILE RUNNING check for engine blow-by – remove oil cap and set on top of tube to see if its blown off or excessive vibration (bad piston rings, low compression, worn out engine)
• Slowly rev up while in Park to 2000 RPM, failing injector could cause motor shake at certain RPM. Make sure “down rev” from 2000 to idle is smooth, hiccups could be bad injector
• Look at open door, it’ll be the first thing to shake with engine

Scantool

• Check for stored codes ... TCM (anything tranny related)
  
• Injector balance rates for all cylinders... IDEAL is 0.0 +/- 4.0 to indicate good
• injector flow r Fuel rail pressure

INTERIOR & TEST DRIVE

• Interior parts, any upholstery rips tears, carpet condition
  
• Sit in driver’s seat, test buttons/functions and everything you can touch, seatbelts, console, engage 4WD (shift into neutral, see if you can feel it “kick” into 4 HI and 4 LO)
• Get on the gas, listed for “HISS” coming from underneath ... possible boost leaks in Y-bridge O rings
• Faint metallic clicking/ticking noise at idle is somewhat common... TSB issued r Corner tight in 4WD see if you can feel/hear binding (that means 4WD works) r Accelerate hard in 4WD and let off, see if it feels tight
  
• Smells... any oil, coolant, etc.?
  
• Exhaust... black smoke? Smell like oil?
  
• EGR could be plugged, prior owner(s) may not have driven hard enough
  
• Check braking
  
• Check smooth shifting
  
• SCANTOOL AGAIN after driving... check injector balance rates