PIB TIP: THREE TESTS FOR A USED TRUCK. Three technical tests should be pursued on a used truck before you buy it. The dynamometer or “dyno” test usually costs $100-$00 and determines the engine’s strength by measuring drive wheel power. While it’s running, a technician can look for leaks, also, because the engine will be at maximum temperature. Most dealerships don’t have a dynamometer, and the nearest might be far away from the truck you’re interested in. A blow-by-blow test, for $100-$175, puts pressure on each cylinder to measure air loss. The Partners in Business program is produced by Overdrive and the consultants at ATBS, the nation’s largest owner-operator business services firm, and is sponsored by Freightliner Trucks.
