Fix costly repair or buy another truck?

My Tacoma took a dive for the worst today. The dive that saddens all of hearts as truck owners. The flashing check engine light of death.

I have 05 - 2.7TRFE with roughly 165k on it. I recently moved from across the state and went to start up my truck yesterday and this flashing check engine appears. I have traveled with the truck across country from Florida to TN, to now the west coast of WA. In all my moves nothing has ever gone array until finally reaching my destination on the other side of the country.

I’m not the most mechanic savvy so I do a lot of DIY on my truck. Mainly from the helps of this site and YouTube. But When it comes to living in the city & engine issues I generally always get it fixed from a local shop that I trust.

I brought my truck down to the nearest shop in the area for a diagnosis. They give me a call stating it’s reading 16 different codes, also saying theirs oil on my plugs, cracked pcr valves, and is hard to diagnose at this time. So they recommended a tune up spark plugs, coil packs, valve cover, clean fuel injectors, pcr valves, and a 2 year warranty for $2200.

I tell them to proceed, until…
The shop gives me another call saying I have a lot of play in my timing chain. There’s currently no noises or rattle from the chain but a good amount of play and is very loose. The shop quotes me $7500 for timing chain and tune up repair. The fellas at the shop do mention that it doesn’t necessarily need done now but will definitely need done down the road. Also that if I don’t do it not it could break and cause severe engine failure. Is this something I should tell them to replace?

I probably have 8-$10k in value when the truck runs. $7500 is almost the whole value of the truck. Anyone else with 05 - 2.7 run into the timing chain issue? How much more mileage did you get out of the truck?

or should I take the other route and use that 7.5K on a down payment for another truck?

Any comments or help would be greatly appreciated as this situation has really put me in a pickle.

 

2,200 for a tune-up including valve cover gasket and coils? And then an extra 5,000 for a chain job? That sounds like waaay too much.

When you originally brought it in, did they offer to diagnose it for free? If yes that is the first warning sign of a bad shop

 

Drop in a low mile used motor for $3k and be done, but take it to a shop that ain't got you by the short ones.

 

20$ says they offer to buy it from him

 

Yeah I just moved here so I will probably get a quote on another shop. I imagine it’s spendy everywhere as I’m in Seattle. But yes $7500 is with tax and all. $6850 w/o tax. Trust me I am not at all stoked on the situation. No they didn’t put an offer on the truck lol. Also $50 for diagnosis.

 

IMO that's not enough. Heck that's not even 1/2 an hour labor. That low price gets you in the door and then they say "we can't even diagnose it, let's spend 2,200 and then see where we're at". No wonder they "can't diagnose it". By charging that little they're putting themselves is a postion where they couldn't even spend the time to diagnose it correctly even if they wanted to

It's a bait and switch. I see it all the time. Now they've got your engine opened up and you're stuck.

Sorry man. It's a shitty spot to be in. Honestly I'd be trying to get your truck out of there as quickly as possible

 

I'd get away from that shop $2200 for a tuneup and valve cover gaskets on a 2.7 is rediculous, it's like a 2.5 hr job at most.

Timing chain R&R pays around 20hrs according to the Mitchell labor guide, they must be charging $200/hr + to come up with those figures.

 

That's the norm around here, I'm at 175$ per hour

Bottom line, you can't spring that stuff on a guy halfway through a 2,200 job. If the chain was stretched there would have been timing related codes stored. Sounds like they didn't even try

If I see ANY codes related to expensive problems, I'm bringing it up IN THE BEGINNING before any wrenches touch the car

 

Wow that's almost double the labor rates here, we are $80 and dealers are $100-120.

 

Same in Mass. about 100/125 hr
Dealer prices

 

Only because you've not told them you're going to dump it yet.

You need a second opinion.

Tough spot to be in. Best of luck!

 

Yeah I’m SOL I’ll call around and get some different quotes. But I imagine I’m SOL, I’m thinking I put the money to a new truck. Right now I don’t think it’s worth it.

 

Stop, Mitch. Stop. Go to Anal Zone and buy the valve cover and spark plug tubes gasket kit for like $40 and install that. That’s all it needs. Trust me. Got mine installed for a hundo and with new plugs the truck is a rocket ship. Don’t give up just yet. Edit: so they had the valve cover off and didn’t replace the gaskets? Nice fuckers

 

Go somewhere else, or buy a good used engine, or buy a new truck.
Good luck with whatever you do.

 

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but don't most timing chains have "a lot of play" when the tensioners don't have oil pressure?

 

I didn’t read the other guys answers.
So I may be repeating what’s already said.

Go to a different shop. Quick.
That’s ridiculous, they’ve obviously pulled the valve cover by now to inspect the chain. (Or the valve cover gasket)
So, you might as well let them do the valve cover gasket. And that should take care of the oil on the plugs. You can do the PCV, pass on that. Maybe let them do the plugs, since they probably pulled them anyways to remove the valve cover.

Then, go to a different shop.

 

I would avoid this shop for sure. Also go down and buy a code reader. They are less than 20 bucks at Walmart. Read your codes and then look them up. You will do much better being informed when going into a shop. Good luck.

 

Yeah I’m gonna call around and get some different quotes on it Monday. But since I told them to proceed with the tune up don’t I have to honor what I agreed too in the first place or can I tell them not to work on it and just get everything back together as is and pay for whatever work they have done on it already.

 

As long as they replace the valve cover and spark plug tube gaskets (and ask for the old ones back) sure, let them change the plugs

 

A timing chain should be good for the life of the truck, If the oil has been changed on schedule. Take it to another shop, this sounds like a rip off.