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Diesel Truck Inspection Form

The diesel truck pre-purchase checklist, ready to fill in at the truck. Pick the type, work through each section, and download the report when you are done.

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Diesel Truck inspection form. A pre-purchase checklist written for trucks: 88 points across 13 sections. Mark each item Pass, Attention or Fail, add notes and readings, then download the report.

At a glance

  • Power Stroke, Cummins, Duramax
  • Blow-by, injectors, turbo, DEF, DPF and EGR, coolant in the oil.
  • Downloads as a PDF report or a CSV
  • Free, and nothing you type leaves your device
What the form covers
  • Cold start, smoke at start and under load, and blow-by at the oil fill
  • Coolant in the oil, oil in the coolant and fuel in the oil
  • Fuel system: filters, water separator, rail pressure and injector balance rates
  • Turbo, intercooler and boost, and the exhaust brake
  • DEF, DPF and EGR health on the scan tool, and signs of a delete
  • Transmission or clutch, 4x4, front end and a loaded road test

Want it inspected by someone who does this every day? The diesel truck inspection page explains what we check and how to book. Need a different form? Every one is on the inspection forms page.

Progress0 / 88
0Pass
0Attention
0Fail
0N/A

Truck and Inspection Details

Fill in what you know. Anything left blank prints as a dash on the report.

KeyPass, good conditionAttention, needs a closer look or a repair soonFail, needs repair before you rely on itN/A, not fitted or not tested
Documents, VIN and History0 / 8
  • Dash VIN matches the door jamb label and the title
  • Title status, clean or branded
  • Odometer agrees with ECM miles and hours
  • Open recalls checked (NHTSA)
  • Oil and fuel filter change records
  • Emissions label under the hood present
  • Tuner, programmer or delete disclosed
  • Keys and remotes

Readings

Cold Start and Idle0 / 9
  • Engine cold on arrival, no block heater left plugged in
  • Wait-to-start light, glow plugs or grid heater
  • Starts without a long crank
  • White smoke at start clears in a minute
  • No black smoke at a blip of throttle
  • No blue smoke (oil)
  • Idle smooth, no miss
  • No injector knock or rattle
  • No raw fuel smell at the tailpipe
Blow-by and Engine Internals0 / 9
  • Blow-by at the oil fill or crankcase vent, idle and at 2,000 rpm
  • Oil level and condition
  • Coolant in the oil: milky dipstick or cap
  • Oil in the coolant: film in the degas bottle
  • Fuel in the oil: level rising, thin, smells of diesel
  • Bubbles or pressure in the coolant bottle
  • Head gasket or head stud signs, coolant pushed out
  • Front cover and rear main leaks
  • Oil cooler and filter housing leaks

Readings

Puffs of blue smoke and pressure that lifts the fill cap mean worn rings or a cracked piston. A light mist at idle is normal on a high-mile diesel.

Fuel System and Injectors0 / 8
  • Fuel filters, service date and housing
  • Water separator drained, water-in-fuel light off
  • Lift pump runs and holds pressure
  • High-pressure pump type, metal glitter in the filter housing
  • Injector balance rates or contribution test on the scan tool
  • Rail pressure, desired against actual
  • Fuel leaks at lines and returns
  • Hard start when hot

Readings

Turbo and Intake0 / 8
  • Turbo shaft play and fin damage, intake off if allowed
  • Oil in the intake tube and intercooler boots
  • Intercooler and boots, leaks and clamps
  • VGT actuator sweeps on the scan tool
  • Air filter and restriction indicator
  • Exhaust manifold and up-pipe leaks (soot trails)
  • No whistle or siren from the turbo
  • Exhaust brake works

Readings

DEF, DPF and EGR0 / 10
  • DEF level and quality, no crystals at the doser
  • No DEF heater or pump faults
  • SCR efficiency and NOx sensor faults
  • DPF soot and ash load on the scan tool
  • Regen history and how often it regens
  • DPF differential pressure sensor and lines
  • EGR valve and EGR cooler, coolant loss with no leak
  • Tailpipe soot, a clean pipe means a working DPF
  • Delete signs: straight pipe, missing DPF, tuner
  • No derate countdown or DEF warning

Readings

DEF should read about 32.5% urea on a refractometer. A delete may not pass your state's inspection and can hurt resale.

Cooling0 / 7
  • Radiator and intercooler fins, not plugged
  • Fan clutch engages
  • Water pump weep hole
  • Hoses and clamps
  • Degas bottle cap holds
  • Coolant type matches the engine
  • Transmission cooler lines
Batteries, Charging and Scan0 / 6
  • Both batteries, date codes and terminals
  • Battery cables and grounds
  • Alternator output (both, on dual alternators)
  • Grid heater relay clicks
  • Block heater cord works
  • Scan of every module: engine, transmission, ABS, body

Readings

Automatic Transmission0 / 5
  • Fluid level, color and smell
  • Shifts under load, no flare
  • Converter lockup holds, no shudder
  • Tow/haul mode works
  • Transmission temperature on the road test
Clutch and Manual Gearbox0 / 5
  • Clutch slip in a high gear under load
  • Dual-mass flywheel chatter at idle
  • Clutch pedal feel and engagement point
  • Shifter, every gear, no grinding
  • Gearbox leaks
Driveline, Steering and Brakes0 / 9
  • Transfer case, 4H and 4L
  • Front axle, ball joints and U-joints
  • Track bar, steering stabilizer, death wobble
  • Driveshafts and carrier bearing
  • Differential leaks
  • Leaf springs and shocks
  • Fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch in the bed
  • Brake pads and rotors
  • Frame rust and cracks
Road Test0 / 9 passed
Tires and DOT DatesAge from the DOT code

The last four digits of the DOT code are the week and year the tire was made, so 2319 is week 23 of 2019. Rubber ages whatever the tread looks like.

PositionDOT dateAgeTreadPSI
Left front–
Right front–
Left rear–
Right rear–
Left rear inner (dually)–
Right rear inner (dually)–
Spare–
PositionDOT dateAgeTreadPSI
Left front–
Right front–
Left rear–
Right rear–
Left rear inner (dually)–
Right rear inner (dually)–
Spare–
Additional Comments
Inspector Sign-Off

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Download the Report

Every item, note and reading goes into the report. Download opens it ready to save as a PDF or print. Your answers stay on this device until you clear them.

Common questions
Is the diesel truck inspection form free?
Yes. Fill it in on a phone or a laptop and download the report as a PDF or a CSV. Nothing you type is sent anywhere; it stays on your device until you press Clear all.
What if an item does not apply?
Mark it N/A. N/A means the part is not fitted or could not be tested, and the report says so. Pick the transmission at the top first: sections that do not apply drop out of the form, the count and the report.
Can someone inspect the truck for me?
Yes. Book a diesel truck inspection and a PPI Auto inspector checks it where it sits and gives you a written report. Call 951-267-8500 or send the request form on this page.
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