Should I be concerned?

[Stark_Ent9802]

how do you check the hours? and what is normal for 5 yr old truck with 53k?

 

[05mxdiesel]

Turn the key to on, do not start and hold the trip button. Avg hours on 53k should be around 1514 hrs or 35mph avg speed.

 

[lgjohnson]

All good comments. My 03 has about 95K right now and my pass. side looks about like that truck (but no coolant leaks around the plugs). My driver's side looks pretty close but not as "wet" which would kinda bother me with only 54K miles. My motor has not been touched since new and my buddy's 03 is pretty much the same way so I suspect they all seep/weep a little (both of us have about 95K). A new gasket would probably dry most of it up. Since they cleaned it, look real hard for leaks around the fuel lines which might indicate injector work done improperly as suggested earlier.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

A lot of oil weepage could be the symptom of excessive blowby/crankcase pressure. Crawl under the truck and see if the rear main seal or oil pan gasket is also leaking. . . if they are I'd pass it up. 50k is low miles but if it had the snot run out of it and not maintained (oil changes) then it could be tiring already.

 

[scootergmc]

Well PARDON me! They ALL at least all the ones I've seen leak,weep. seep at the rocker box. Many posts about such. Takes about 40 minutes to replace and covered under the ENGINE not powertrain warranty for 7/100. Had mine replaced last year but buddies of mine said it didn't bother them. Theirs look the same as the one pictured. You can and I would check the HOURS on the truck.

No need for PARDON (I didn't know you would be so hurt by my comment). All the ones I have seen haven't done what's pictured by the OP. Especially with only 50k miles. Mine (nor my buddy's) certainly doesn't look like that and it certainly wouldn't be acceptable if it did (unless it was modded- then that's a different story). There may be many posts about seep and weep, and while my truck does have what I consider weep and seep, if it becomes a puddle and is nice and shiny like the pics, that's unacceptable. If you think it's ok, that's you. I don't. I'd walk.

I'm sure another '03 Dodge truck can be found for the same $ without a greasy nasty engine.

 

[DPKetchum]

I don't see a puddle. Its been weeping/seeping for 50k and 5 years. Eaither way it still needs a engine clean and a rocker box gasket. Tons of them have been replaced.

 

[Stark_Ent9802]

Well Guys after going up to the dealership and seeing that truck was NOT Cleaned up. I have Decided to Walk away from this truck. It just seemed like they didn't care about making a sale as much as i thought they would.



Thanks a lot guys for your input it was greatly appreciated!

 

[pwr2tow]

By the looks of the exhaust manifold I'd say it's seen alot of heat. Add in the abnormal crud on the drivers side. Possible excessive heat, possible excessive blow-by points to modifications of the engine and who knows how much except the guy who previously owned it.

Looks like you've already made the right decision.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I put a new exhaust manifold on my truck last summer and it already looks a lot worse than that one. The more pronounced rust spots are a little odd, but it's doesn't look heat damaged... at least not excessively.

I wonder if some of the gunk on the pass. side could be from a bad water pump. I've had two go out in the last 4 months and they make a mess. That wouldn't account for anything on the driver's side though.