Rebuild or salvage?

96 regular cab 2.7L with 260K miles. Motor is hosed. Roughly $4k into it thus far for new rubber, exhaust, brakes, etc. Question is, drop another $2K to $3K on new motor and install, or salvage it and maybe recoup a grand or so?

 

Get a salvage motor (it should come with a 30 day guarantee, at least) and carry on. A used motor shouldn't be more than $1,200. I would think, plus install.

 

Yeah, salvage motors from what I've seen run from $900 to $1,900 on the high end, and come with a minimum of a 30 day warranty. Install I'm guessing will run me $1K to $1,500.

That will bring my total investment to close to $7K - do you think that's worth it?

 

I would salvage it!!! Think about it... If you find an engine with relatively low miles and put that in, now you know what you have. As long as the transmission, drive line, frame ect. are in good condition. I had a 94 Toyota Pickup 4x4. Bought it not knowing that 2 cylinders were cracked, but i drove it like that for 15,000 miles before things started getting bad. Truck had 160000 miles on it when i found a salvage engine out of a 93 truck and it just so happens that the engine was a re manufactured engine with only 60000 miles on it. Bought it for $600.00 had my mechanic drop it in for $400 and bammmm!!! Drove it till i totaled it and had a blast with it.

 

On an older vehicle you should learn how to do the majority of the work yourself otherwise it's not worth it imho

 

Yup. I have a 63 bug that I tinker with. If I didn't do all the work I would have sold it long time ago. Actually I would have never bought it. Parts are expensive enough without labor as is.

 

dude..swap a 2jz in it..yes..its possible...and pretty easy too..

LT the shit out it!

instant toy

 

That sounds like an awesome bug. I kept the motor as 1600. Wasn't expecting to rebuild it when I bought it but it was easy enough. Only thing that hasn't been rebuilt or replace is the trams. I have it sitting on a 69 irs pan.

 

That's pretty tight. I'll post up some picks of my VW sometime.

 

Just do the math. 5 years of payments on a new truck or 6 months of payments to rebuild.

 

I hear ya, '99. I am actually down grading. Started out with a '98 x cab, moved to my present '08 Tundra and decided to go back to an '04 x cab. Don't get me wrong the Tundra is nice, but I miss the Taco too much to be without one.

 

My project might take a bit longer than I want. I can't help it. I can't keep from buying someone eslse's broke shit cheap, then bringing it back to life. Hope you got a strong stomache when you look at these pics.

 

Good candidate for a trail rig there

 

Not the x cab. My wife has one just like '99's. That standard cab will go anywhere!

 

Those stand cabs are rare, true. I wish I could count the times random people have approached my wife and I and asked if we thought about selling her truck. It just blows my mind that they are that much desired. Hell, I think there are 5 people in the family that want first dibs on the thing. The wife loves it and its my job to keep thing roadworthy.

 

Did you buy that as a total ? Or was it yours & insurance company totaled it ?? Either way from what I see not too bad at all really...GL with build

 

All my vehicles in the last 15 years (all toyota trucks) have been totals. The Tundra in the 1st pic as well. My wifes stand cab 4 x 4 taco and a couple others.

I love putting them together. It's theropy for me. It is getting easier too, with the aide of the internet.

This Tacoma is actually a clear title...very suprising to me, to say the least. It's got 60k on the clock, the locker,bed cover, wich is going away. If anyone wants it make me an offer.

The frame just got done being pulled this last week. I just need time to go and pick it up.

My plan is to use all the good parts off my "98 x cab 4 x 4. that one had a salvage title, so the frame replacement was not an option. No biggie. I still put 300k on that one. It will live on by being the donor for the '04. I had to stop driving it. The last time I went to put it on the lift, the frame started to buckle. Texted the wife "time to shop for a new Tacoma, this one isn't ever going on the road"

I have to start a build thread on the thing when I get time. The holidays might make my time limited.

 

What does that entail - new ECU, wiring harness, and probably relocating motor mounts (welding/cutting) I assume?

 

Don't get fancy just find another stock motor. $400 to re/re engine is what I paid.

 

I'd rebuild it.