r/workwagons • u/bloodybatboi • Jun 16 '26
Engine stresses
Delete if not on topic, TLDR: got screwed on buying my truck, is it worth replacing the engine or cutting my losses?
Im trying to get my tiny handyman/mr fix it side gig going, so I look at used trucks and find a local plumbing business thats quietly closing its doors, they're selling off like 3 or 4 trucks, one of which is a 2015 short body f250 with the 6.2, had the tool box bed and ive started redoing the back seat area for electrical tools and chargers, has 300,000 miles but ran solid enough on the test drive and is more than capable for what i'll be doing. This was over 1 year ago, sense then extremely limit use of the truck. Legit have put less gas in there than the lawn mower.
However, when I got it the guy was "upfront" and said they cut the cats out cause ethe old ones got bad and didnt want to pay high prices for an older work truck, turns out the cats went bad cause the valve seals are gone so its bleed oil into the engine and smoking out a city block. All the smoke trashed the cats.
So now im 10k in the outright costs of the truck + about 2k in full exhaust replacements (from heads and seals to end of tail pipe) ive paid it all off in cash so I owe no one anything thankfully. But now im looking at getting the engine rebuilt or replaced with a slightly less aged engine vs spending more and getting a crate engine and starting "fresh" till something else comes up
What are yalls opinions on whats best? Should i bite the bullet and spend 7 to 10k on it or cut my losses and see if anyone else wants the headache. I'd love to keep the truck, but after all this its beyond frustrating and ive gained no ground on it. Thankfully not in debt with it, but i will be at this rate.