I've been on the hunt for a replacement truck. I am near ready for bigger projects that require more towing capability. My Silverado will be sold to a family friend later this year. I won a 2003 Ram 3500 6 speed 4x4 manual at auction. She is entirely clapped out inside and somewhat outside. AC? Heat? What AC controls? Those are now options as there is a gaping hole where one once was. Stereo works with a USB port. The driver seat was gross, so I sat on a beach towel. The fender and hood do not match the rest of the body, and the tailgate which does not open is red. Its patriotic. The carfax showed no wrecks, so those white parts happened for whatever reason my imagination will think up. The odometer works, but carfax kindly outlined that its not original. I need to do some math but its probably in the 350k+ odo range. The truck fired right up in the auction lot and the engine sounds wonderful with I believe little to no blow by.
A friend escorted me with a boatload of recovery tools, of which only 1.5 gallons of water was needed to top off the radiator. Why 1.5 gallons? I think the water pump is weeping as it was flickering lightly off the belt at idle. Anyway, the front end is a little floaty, when turning the wheel right it takes too much or not enough vague effort that doesn't track well, but turning left is fine. My friend escorted me 60 miles back home. It was mostly uneventful. 3 miles out I was having a little bit of fun rolling coal, and the drive belt let go. I muscled it to the front of my house with no power brakes, no power steering, no alternator charging, and no water pump turning. It didnt overheat best I can tell. Here it sits in my front yard, ready for a full assessment.
Sigh.
A friend escorted me with a boatload of recovery tools, of which only 1.5 gallons of water was needed to top off the radiator. Why 1.5 gallons? I think the water pump is weeping as it was flickering lightly off the belt at idle. Anyway, the front end is a little floaty, when turning the wheel right it takes too much or not enough vague effort that doesn't track well, but turning left is fine. My friend escorted me 60 miles back home. It was mostly uneventful. 3 miles out I was having a little bit of fun rolling coal, and the drive belt let go. I muscled it to the front of my house with no power brakes, no power steering, no alternator charging, and no water pump turning. It didnt overheat best I can tell. Here it sits in my front yard, ready for a full assessment.
Sigh.