E350 Diesel Van - Diesel Forum

jayinnh · 10-08-2008, 10:39 AM

I found a 87 - 89 E350 Diesel Van with 7.5 LTR; V8 posted for sale. When I called and talked to the guy he said it runs great, motor and transmission are in really good condition. He stated there was an issue with the brakes which he believes it has to do with the vaccuum assist. Possibly vaccuum leak that goes to the brakes. Has anyone heard of this and how costly is this to fix?

blageurt · 10-08-2008, 11:56 AM

First of all the 7.5 litre is a GAS engine commonly known as the 460 . . . I've had 4 of them. The engine IF it is a diesel would be the 7.3 IDI. As far as the Vacuum pump it costs around 150 new but you can find them on Ebay for less sometimes. It could be the booster itself though , or a line causing a leak in the vacuum system. It is not a big deal to fix .

jayinnh · 10-08-2008, 12:11 PM

Thank you for the response..... this is the ad I responded to "7.5 LTR V8 AUTOMATIC DIESEL RUNS GREAT"... so maybe the guy doesn't exactly know what he is talking about or posted it wrong in the ad. I attached a picture if that helps any. I just don't want to buy something and have to dump a whole bunch of money into it right away... because I don't know anything about the mechanics of a vehicle.

blageurt · 10-08-2008, 12:37 PM

On that beast I would be more worried about the Tires /Brakes than anything else. Also the front end is of major concern like ball joints / tire rods . If it is an IDI I would test the compression to see where you stand. If it is OK then go for it . IDI's are very reliable and easy / cheap to fix compared to powerstrokes. Also the Transmission if it is a C6 and well taken care of is almost bulletproof. The one I have on my dump is one of those.

jayinnh · 10-08-2008, 12:47 PM

I will have to print out what you have written and ask about it..... the guy told me he took this vehicle as a type of payment from a buddy that owed him money and he has no use for it. He is asking $1350 for it.... what do you think??

jayinnh · 10-08-2008, 12:55 PM

I forgot to mention that I am going to check this beast out tomorrow... Is there any easy way to tell if it is an IDI and C6?

Mark Kovalsky · 10-08-2008, 01:05 PM

It is an IDI. They all were until 1995. If there is on OD OFF button on the dash or the end of the shifter it's an E4OD. If there is no OD OFF button it's a C6. Another way to tell is the sticker in the driver's door opening. Under TR there will be a letter. E means E4OD. I think K is C6, but I'm not certain. The only two possibilities are E4OD or C6, so if it's a letter other than E it's a C6. Also, 1989 was the first year for E4OD, so if it's an '87 or '88 it's a C6.

jayinnh · 10-08-2008, 01:24 PM

Thank you all so much for all the helpful information.....I am hoping all is well and I can use this beast for my new business.