Engine swap questions

I’ve got a 95 Tacoma 3.4 that has decided to blow up on me after less than a year of owning it. I bought it knowing the engine had problems previously and was on its way out with the intention to swap it once it did and now the time has come. I have another 3.4 that’s been sitting for about 3 years after the truck rolled, when the truck was last placed and parked the engine still ran and seemed to be fine, but now hasn’t run in 3 years. Looking for any way to be confident that this engine will run and can be trusted once the swap is done? Or if it would be better to start looking at a rebuilt engine, or if I should send one in to be rebuilt itself, I’m extremely strapped for cash and I would really like to see this thing run again soon and run well enough to take on road trips and such. Any advice at all would be great, I certainly don’t quite know what I’m doing swapping them either so any advice about the swap itself would be much appreciated.

 

Define extremely strapped for cash. We talking $100 or $1000 or couple K.

 

I got bout $1500 to my name rn hoping for a tax return here, 17 livin at home with my parents without a job atm, depending on what stuffs necessary I might get one over the summer but ideally I’d like to have this done before then, that’s hoping tho

 

Spin it with the crank bolt by hand. You can open the valve covers and even the oil pan off and check for sludge or metal bits. For cylinder sealing you can do a leak down test if you have an air compressor.

 

I'd pour some ATF down the cylinders to help loosen the rings and send it. After you include incidentals like broken hoses and fluids your not gonna have enough money besides just sending your backup engine. Now would be a great time to do maintenance before the engine goes in.

 

It the plan is to go ahead, try to do the timing belt / water pump / valve cover seals / oil pan seal / heater valve (it may just break on you if it’s the original anyway) / rear main seal. Few kits for timing belt / accessory belts / water pump using oem parts on eBay.

 

that’s the plan, wondering what kind of maintenance that would be? I’d like to do the clutch and flywheel and other stuff that I’d need to pull engine/transmission to be replaced, I would like to do everything right the first time and not have a lot of problems down the road so if that means saving up and spending some more money I’d do it but I’d like to get an idea of what all that would look like and cost

 

You can do the clutch and this:

Probably about $7-800 with the clutch and resurfacing the flywheel included.

 

I'd do a new oil pan. Especially if its rusty or the flange gets bent during removal or it got dented and they are cheap. I would highly recommend you check the valve lash and change shims as necessary. If you get all the maintenance stuff done I highly doubt you'll have any issues. 3.4 are super reliable as long as they have oil and don't overheat.

 

Depending on where he's at - all my oil pans look brand new down here in the desert. Had an engine resting on its pan for months with wooden blocks keeping it level and no issues 3 years after installing it.

 

$195 AISIN TKT-025 Engine Timing Belt Kit with Water Pump - Compatible with Select Toyota 4Runner, T100, Tacoma, Tundra

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008EEYWYE

 

So it seems I’m gonna have a pretty damn extensive project on my hands, I’ve got little to no experience with any of this and I’d like to inflict minimal damage on it if possible. Besides the clutch and flywheel is there any of that that can only be replaced while the engine is out or does it just make it easier? If so would it be a bad idea to throw it in there then take it to a shop to check everything over and see what kind of condition it’s in? I’ve got tools and resources necessary to do everything myself I’m just not super confident in my ability

 

Rear main seal and pilot bearing.

Watch these videos (I think there’s 3 in the engine replacement series). He does ones on valve cover gaskets, timing belt, and a lot of other stuff like flushing the radiator.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0EtZnqzJhI4

Before Tim, there was this series (3 hours broken into 6 videos).

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=voLBRDZL9fE

 

I feel your pain! When I was 19yrs old I had a 66 Mustang that blew a valve and I had no job and no money. No such thing as Google and You Tube, just service manuals from the local Auto Zone. I ended up calling my uncle, who lived in a different part of the state, and he walked me through taking the top half of the engine apart. I had the heads re-done at a local machine shop, cleaned up all the parts I took off and rebuilt the carburetor while I was at it. Before this the only work I had ever done on a car was oil changes! Once I got the heads back I put it all back together and it ran like a champ! With all of the resources at your disposal today, including this forum, you should be able to get it all done.

 

I swear Timmy the tool man is gonna be the brains behind this whole project, I’ve already been looking at his engine removal and clutch job videos just to see what I’m up against. If what the previous owner of the 98 (engine) told me is true, somewhat recently before I bought it the timing belt had gone out on them and they rebuilt the whole top end of the motor, not sure what specifically was done or replaced but the thing ran nice and smooth before I rolled her. Anyways today I hooked the 98 up to a good battery and the damn thing fired right up! So for now I’m gonna do my best to throw it in there and do the clutch and flywheel as I’d have to drop the tranny again to do those. I’d just put remanufactured denso fuel injectors in the old engine so I might swap those in just cause I have them, and then do the other stuff down the line as needed. While I’m here tho I’m thinking about swapping the e locker from the 98 to the 95 just while everything’s getting torn apart, happen to know anything about that job?