Should I replace the head on my 3rz?

you are correct, with our engines, a low mileage engine like you describe, its very reasonable and likely you only need to redo the top end since the bottom end doesn't have that much wear on it and should still be in "relatively" new like condition.

if it were say an engine with 250k-300k miles then its more then half way in its life span so depending on whats wrong, it often turns into a full rebuild weather you intended it to or not, so doesn't make sense to do any repairs to the motor unless you plan on doing a complete rebuild, because no matter how well cared for the motor is, the amount of "normal" wear means more failures are soon to happen eventually, so do it all or do nothing and just swap out the engine.

so his point is valid for a high mileage engine but not a low mileage one. that said, your point of reference is key. if his reference and experience is with less reliable motors that usually only last 150k-200k miles at best before failing, then 120k might be considered high mileage on those engines. since ours can last an average of 400k-500k miles then 120k is nothing.

 

My experience has been with other motors, not Toyota bottom ends. You are probably right.

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I am about to learn, though. A good buddy of mine is giving me a 1991 with a blown 22RE (valves) and a good solid back up 22RE. It's a 5 spd standard with IFS. He has a new timing chain and guides, front fenders, clean doors, and new bedsides. The frame is bone solid, as is the cab. The interior is nice and clean. I'm going to do a body off resto on the truck. I'm going to use it as my bush truck on my acreage, so besides restoring/painting the frame and cleaning up the drivetrain, I am simply going to do a desert storm camo paint job on it. I have the proper stencils and the paint is cheap. I need something smaller than my '12 DCLB to get into the back 50 wetland and forest, but bigger than my King Quad. The only stipulation is that he has first dibs on it in 6 years when his boy turns 18.

 

Hey OP what was the verdict on your miss fire. Head gasket? Heads? Burnt valves?

I took my heads in to get reconditioned and the machine shop found 3 cracks on them. Going to buy new heads on Tuesday and do the work myself. Thank god its my sons truck and not my DD. I did have to rent him a vehicle to get to school. It's called a school bus I pay taxes an part of those taxes go to the school district to pay for bus service. So in away I am renting the bus. You might be laughing but he wasn't. He asked me how long it's going to be before its fixed and I told him I am only going to work on it when you are going to work on it. He's a good kid so it should be done in a week or so. The shity part is that I am the bank $$

 

I'll have an update in a month. I'm currently fixing all the small issues with my new vehicle before I daily drive it for the month or so that the truck will be down.

 

Nice DD.

 

I saw this locally...not 100% sure I feel good about it though:

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/5527879814.html

Also saw this, but wouldn't offer more than $1000 for this engine:

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/5518158535.html

 

Update:

I'm torn between paying a guy $1800 for his rebuilt by Toyota engine, transmission, and transfer case (my transmission makes rattling sounds in every gear similar to the sound you'd hear from a throw out bearing that's going out, but I'm 100% sure it's not the throwout bearing)

Just throwing a $500 China head on it

Paying a shop $600 to rebuild my head

Selling the truck as-is

 

no idea why youre questioning the 1800 for an engine, tranny AND transfer case..................... Or thinking about the other 3 as a possibility.......

 

Get the combo if he has paperwork. A junkyard trans will run $350 and a t-case $150 so you are $1300 into a new motor and hopefully a better trans

 

I'm hesitant because I work 60 hours a week and don't have much space in my garage...and I don't want to leave my beautiful Rx7 (posted above) outside for too long. I may have to take a day off work and try to get it all hammered out in a 3 day weekend. That and $1800 into my 1996 is a pretty big investment. Most likely I'll go through with that option though since my Yota has never let me down and will last another 20+ years of my abuse.

 

no space? you got plenty of space! just put them in the bed of your truck!

 

You live in Cali, so rust really shouldn't be an issue. I don't see why you couldn't get another 20 years out of it.

The biggest enemy of any vehicle where i live is salt and rust.

 

So I called the guy and he said he bought the motor out of a 4 Runner that was side swiped. He said that the previous owner said that he had the engine, transmission, and transfer case built @210k and the motor was pulled @270k. Not 100% sure on this...though if I do a compression test and it's 190, I'm good right? Here's the pictures he sent:

 

worst case scenario, you got yourself a good motor, tranny, and x-fer case for an awesome-to-be dune buggy . but really. if you have compression in the high 100s and each cylinder is within lets say 15% from high to low, youre golden. honestly, all you really have to do is take the head off and take it in to be tested, and if good throw it on your truck. then when you get your truck running, you can take the old head in for repairs, throw it back on the block, and sell the engine for at least 1200.

 

My update is this:

I've found that I DO have a blown headgasket (or cracked head). We did the test where we found exhaust gases in the radiator. So I may also have a burnt valve too - who knows. So far my best options look like the $600 China head OR I can snag this head, have a shop just check for leaks/cracks and make sure that the head is flat. I figure The guy wants $200, so I lowball $160ish, pay a shop a little money to check the head, then slap it in and I'll be 100% buttoned up for under $600 total.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/ptd/5860334917.html

 

I want to say just get your own head checked out. mainly because it's free and unlikely to have an issue if you know for a fact you have a bad head gasket. a bad gasket is more likely than a bad head. unless you overheated the fuck out of your engine, which you didn't, right?

what sucks is you don't live closer to me. my shop charges about $220 to rebuild a 22re head. parts from there are only about 15-50 bucks unless you have catastrophic failure which is noticeable on arrival.

just take your current head to a shop and have them pressure test it. if it's good, they shouldn't charge much more to rebuild it. 3-400 total?

 

I bought the head on CL that I linked. It came with injectors too, so I'm sending those out to be flow tested, cleaned, and rebuilt. Getting it pressure tested and having it checked for flatness this week. Also this week all of my parts are coming in. Going to swap the head on the weekend of the 13th when I have time.

 

Smogsux, what was the outcome of you project. Doing one much like you're now. Thanks

 

Bought a used head on CL...took a chance because the guy said that it was good as far as he could tell, but then I got cold feet and took it to a machine shop to have it decked, cleaned, and have the valve stem seals replaced. Machine shop told me that the head had some decent warpage, so it was a good thing that I took it in! It was only $240 for the machine work, so I'm pretty happy. $200 head, $240 headwork. I could have bought a new Chinese head for that much, but didn't want to take the risk. The machine shop also adjusted the valves to spec for me, which saved me a huge headache.

If you've got plenty of time and don't need your truck up right away I'd advise just pulling your head and having it done rather than buying a CL head...though if your head ends up being unrepairable you're kinda stuck until you find another head.

While I was at it I replaced the water pump, plugs, thermostat, fan clutch, fan belts, got a total top end gasket kit, had the injectors that came with the used head sent out to be cleaned and flow tested, etc.

All in it took me 2 weekends of slow work. Total cost ended up being $1000 roughly. I've got about 7,000 miles on the new head and don't have any issues yet.

 

awesome!