bad motor, what would you do?

Alright, my 96 with 208k on it has a bad motor and needs a rebuild at the minimum. Pass cylinders are at 125-150 comp and the driver's side looks the same except for one which is 170 due to a coolant leak. That cylinder also has an external leak as well, so I either cracked the head or blew the head gasket. In addition to that, the water pump is also leaking. All said it still runs pretty well but leaks/burns a gallon of coolant in about 3 days.

I've been quoted anywhere from 2-3k for a rebuild + labor, which is a bit absurd considering the value of the truck is probably around 4-6k.

Another option is a JDM import motor which would be about $1300 shipped. They have about 60k miles so it would probably be due a timing belt and water pump as well, putting me back in the cost of rebuild territory.

My other option is to get a high mileage motor from a salvage yard, the lowest of which I could find had 181k on it. I'd be looking at $600-$1000 for a motor that's probably due a timing set and water pump and has unknown history. On the other hand, if I luck out and drop it in as is it could run long enough for me to graduate and have the ability to afford better options

If I did swap the motor I have access to tools, a garage, and some extra help.

What would you do? It seems like I'm basically SOL no matter what I do at this point, but I'm a college student and it's my only vehicle. I also just spent about a grand on brakes and wheel bearings all the way around and misc fluids.

 

If you can find a decent engine I would just swap it out for a used one. Try and find one that is not pulled so you can hear it run and compression test it. Do the JDM engines have any warranty or any of the junk yard engines? That should be an influence on where you buy.

The cost of a new vehicle would exceed the cost of repair. So do you like this vehicle and want to keep it longer, that is the real question. You said you are doing the work yourself so that really helps keep the costs down. Keep in mind a blown engine truck goes for around $500 to $1500 depending on the rest of the condition.

 

Buy the JDM one off CL, swap it and you can run it for many many years before it needs major service.

 

I would source a good running engine from a wrecked salvage yard truck. they can be found with around 80-100k miles if you look at 4runners for them, they are the exact same engines but people don't put as many miles on them and then just put it in as-is and when you finish school you can decide if you want to do timing belt water pump kit.

I think the first thing you should do is pull the heads off and see if the block is ok, if it is you can have your heads tested and checked to see if they can be refinished or if they are trashed, it might just be a simple blown head gasket and nothing is wrong with your engine but with those compression readings im thinking the valves need to be reworked. if it were worn rings you would see oily spark plugs and "some" smoking from tail pipe, usually at first cold start.

 

assuming by your post that you have a shop do the work for you. if you could do some work yourself then the labor cost alone would reduce it by half.

why not replace the water pump, have the head checked/replaced, and enjoy many more miles?

you also do not say whether you have a 6 or 4 cyl so that determines the $$

 

I purchased my 2004 Tacoma 4x4 with a blown engine due to a oil leak that the po ignored. I purchased a complete 69k mile 3.4L out of a totaled 2003 prerunner from a salvage yard in Arizona off of eBay. Total with shipping to me here in Maryland was $1400. I replaced all the maintenance items, bolted it in and I'm a happy camper. I love this truck!

 

It is a 3.4l v6.

I do like the truck and had planned on keeping it indefinitely. I was ultimately planning on getting something more economical for a DD and keeping the truck to build but that may have moved it up.

I can do the work myself but I have been pulling 60+ hour weeks so that really only leaves me time on the weekends. I have access to a garage/tools/help to do a motor swap, but only on the weekend and I can't leave my truck there long enough to tear it apart and diagnose otherwise.

Really my best option looks like finding a used motor but I haven't found a single one with less than 160k on it. All the yards here that I've talked to already have them pulled and on the shelf so I couldn't verify how well it runs or do a hot compression test either. Most yards do a 30 day warranty on the motor itself for major damage but will only exchange or offer credit back so I could be SOL there if it doesn't run and they don't have another. OTOH the JDM motor has a 2 year warranty against major failure but I'd have to double check.

 

one caution on jdm motors is as far as I know you have to swap out all the sensors to American sensors so your going to be digging pretty far into things and its not just a simple drop in swap like with an American motor.

not sure where you are located but this can be an option if you find one near you http://www.car-part.com/index.htm

and don't forget to check for available 4runner engines too, they are easier to find and "usually" have a lot less miles on them

 

If you purchase from a salvage yard ask for the donor truck's Vin number and run a carfax to confirm the mileage. That's what I did before purchasing my motor, last mileage recorded at the time of the accident matched what the seller had advertised. The donor truck was totaled shortly before I purchased the engine, not sure if records would still be available if a vehicle was dismantled years prior.

 

I personally would rebuild. Build it my way.

 

Yeah, but like a lot of us it's a $$$$ issue. OP, def. get a leak down test before condemning the whole engine, find out where all the pressures going...

 

We did do a leakdown and I don't remember the numbers but I know they weren't great

 

your motor isn't bad. just a head is.

there's always rebuilding the top end yourself. if the driver side head is junk (where the problems would be), and you aren't going to drive it anymore, just take it off and take it to a machine shop to do some tests. if it's not cracked and still resurfaceable, let them do it for a grand total of 270 + cost for new valve seals. then get a haynes manual and put it back together yourself.

machining is still an option people don't think about because they're intimidated by all the work. it's really not that bad, it just takes time. or you can order just a new head for your taco and swap it right out for like 500. but you'll need a head gasket and intake gaskets.

 

Do not buy a jdm motor

I just swapped a 04 motor in my 97

 

Can anyone recommend a good company to buy a JDM motor from?

All the salvage yard motors in the Denver area (found through car-part) are high mileage and overpriced

 

hmmmm a timing set and water pump kit is only like $200 from rock auto... maybe i should consider doing the JY motor + timing set instead.

 

DO NOT use aftermarket parts for the timing belt kit, EVERYONE I know who did had something fail withing a year or two and had to redo it all again.

go oem parts only for this kit. most here have gotten this kit from this guy and have nothing but good things to say about the seller and the kit.

complete kit with all the required parts plus any other related maint items - http://www.ebay.com/itm/180729034728?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

a kit with just all the required parts - http://www.ebay.com/itm/190580750996?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

Alright, I'm trying to budget for a JY motor and hopefully get it done with my tax return.

In addition to the cost of the motor I'm looking at also doing:

• timing belt kit + assoc. wear items
• spark plugs
• plug wires
• radiator cap
• coolant
• upper + lower radiator hoses
• oil filter + oil

Is there anything obvious that I'm missing? Anything that I shouldn't bother with?