Well it is a Ford after all... Found On Roadside Dead....
As for your computer question... They could have cleared the codes and it took that long for them to come back, but i would think something that serious would pop a code within a matter of a mile or two, but who knows. I know one dealership by me that will clear the check engine light and codes and toss it on the lot and hope it makes it through a test drive long enough to sell, then the buyer drives home and it goes to crap before they get to their door and back they go to the dealer to pay out the butt for repairs.
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1984 Honda ATC200ES "Big Red"
1982 ATC200E "Hondie"
1988 TRX300FW "Project Quad" Still in progress....