broken connecting rod!?

The trans. should probably stay in. Your age is irrelevant. You don't have the knowledge to do it so you'll be learning as you go. Read the repair manual, be patient and meticulous, take photos and notes before starting and along the way so things go back where they need to be. Tag any wires, hoses, etc. that can be connected wrong later, most are going to only fit in one place. If you have someone more experienced to come help it could be good, but record whatever they remove because it'll be on you at the end. Keep the work area uncluttered and whenever possible put hardware back in after removing stuff or label it. Don't remove or disconnect anything that doesn't need to be, but don't force yourself to work around something that should be removed. Have the hoist and at least one floor jack available as you'll need to support the trans. A helper would be ideal once you're at the point of hoisting the engine and when you're re-inserting it to make sure the motor and trans stay aligned when needed.

 

If you're going to try to do a quick fix or just want to inspect the damage I think you can drop the pan without pulling the motor out with little work.

 

Yea I'm pretty confident it needs a rebuild but I'll probably take a look sooner or later I was forced to drive it to school today so I'm wearing it out even more. Work starts this week so well see how we do

 

Ok so yes it's been awhile and I haven't touched the tacoma it's just been sitting in the driveway waiting to be fixed, I've been busy and wanted to get the xl done first but now I'm gonna just start it. Apparently I have a lot less space to work then anticipated. This is tight but I think it should be pretty comfortable to work in and I'm gonna clean out as much as possible to make space. I'm guessing I need some space to pull the motor so when we get there it'll go outside. I want to start tearing everything apart this weekend and get the motor nice and open ready to be ripped out...

 

It's gonna suck to work on it in that space. Valve seals don't go bad in a couple weeks.

 

It won't make it.

 

The con rod is beating on the crank there is nothing left of the bearing. The rod at a minimum is going to have to be machined and the crank turned. It will also need the top end done or your just putting an expensive band aid on it. If you put big money into a high mileage truck it will go the the bone yard with a good engine in it instead of a used engine that will probably out last it.

 

a rebuild is gonna cost you around $1000-$1500 minimum if you just replace the one or two parts that are broken, slap new rings and bearings in it and you don't recondition the whole engine as you should.

more likely and more realisticly it will cost $2000-$2500 if you do it right and recondition the whole engine because some things like the heads and cylinders will need reconditioning and that's only if the major parts are all reusable.

this is why its cheaper to just get a $1000 in tact running used engine with low miles from a wrecked truck (so you know it was running when it got wrecked) and just drop it in your truck and you are done

 

There's a guy that has a 2.7 out of a '95 and he wants $1k but only if I take it out... Which would be a pain but that's the best I could find unless I get a rebuilt one for $1500 and that's without everything on it just the block and head but I'm probably just not looking right

 

A rebuild kit will come close to that I have not seen any exchange crank kit for the 4L so that means it will have to be done locally by a machine co. and will require over sized bearings and the connecting rod will have to be machined or replaced. I don't think you'll get out of it for less than $1500 even doing all the work your self. Also to do this right you will need precision measuring tools and the ability to use them. If you are going to deal with the valves you will need the valves ground and also the valve seats. The valves are adjusted with shims that will be another skill you will have to learn and there are 24 of them to deal with some shims you will be able to reuse some you will have to buy. Then there is the time factor how long can you be with out wheels? With a friend you probably do a swap in a couple of days and be back on the road.

 

the price that engine is worth depends on the mileage and how well he kept up the truck (regular oil changes, interior not trashed)

if it has around 100k-150k and it comes with everything attached to it (alternator, a/c compressor, PS pump, throttle body, intake manifold and sensors, and fuel injection rail with injectors) then ok but if its close to 200k or over I wouldn't pay more then $800

in fact to be honest, no matter what if you just tell him $800 is all you have and im sure he will probably take that offer

 

Not too concerned with time because I have an extra car for a little while but bam was saying getting the crank done couldn't be more than $100? I'll try looking for more motors cuz a rebuild is out of reach according to you guys but I don't know how much longer I can go without my truck lol and I don't know if it's just me but I don't see what adds up to over $1500 I mean the pistons, rod bearings, rods, rings, oil pump, gaskets and all that is like $600 right or am I just seeing the cheap kits? And cleaning heads isn't costly just time consuming right? Ive never Seen this motor so I don't know what I'd be dealing with. And same thing with grinding valves and shims that's time consuming not so much a money problem... I don't wanna sound like I'm against what you're saying just kinda being devils advocate

 

And keak yea he probably just wants it gone at this point it's a totaled truck that looks like it's just sitting in his yard (which isn't good but still) he says it was rebuilt 20k miles ago I'll email him later and get some more info I don't want to pull it out but I can't be picky right lol

 

usually the parts are the cheapest part of the equation on a job like this which is why your math don't add up to what others are saying. Once you throw in labor at $80+/hr with tear down, cleaning, inspection, bore/honing/milling, goin through the head, all the little seals and gaskets, reassembly, plus whatever other problems pop up in the process the price can go up drastically. If your talkin spending $1000 for used vs. $1500 for a fresh longblock(block, head, internals), if the longblock is from a reputable source that's that route I'd take. It shouldn't take much time or money to swap everything over from your old motor to the new one.

 

I don't know where $1500 came from but he isnt going to be getting a reconditioned or rebuilt block for anything less then $2500-$3000

 

What's the deal with these?

http://www.japanengine.com/products/prodDetails.asp?pID=161&category=3&subcategory=24&size=0&search=&page=

Seems like it's a new OEM engine delivered for $2200 total? Sounds too good to be true, but you never know. If for real, it would be a lot better than a rebuilt motor for $2500-$3000.

 

beware of prices that seam too good to be true, they usually are: http://www.bbb.org/greater-san-fran...-rebuilt/japan-engine-in-san-leandro-ca-12767

they use china knock off parts in them that don't last, google search and you will find lots of scary stuff on them, don't waste your money

 

keaker, this is where the $1500 came from.

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...f4XYf3xFMeT1kDg9g&sig2=R0RONa3j2AvenXw1ZIOHDA

Its just one review but take it for what its worth...
I'd bet they use the cheapest gaskets and seals they can get from China as well as bearings.
Not to mention they are probably assembled in mexico with little or no quality control standards.

 

Good shot your Tacoma was assembled in Mexico! It has new parts and they are right from China there have been many reports of poor quality. In Japan the vehicles are not on the road nearly as long as they are in the states the older a vehicle gets the higher the insurance rates it is their method of getting older cars of the streets and selling new ones. There used to be a company that sold used engines often they only had 60-70K. There are millions of 2.7's out there try calling a few junk yards they have links to other yards see what they can find. You may as well get the engine out no matter what it's going to have to come out there is no way around it the crank and the con rod are damaged. You are dealing with very small fractions of an inch there is little leeway for error. There is also metal all through the engine that unless it is cleaned will come back to haunt you gasoline and a rag won't do it.