2001 Prerunner Engine…Rebuild, Replace, or let it go?

howdy,

first let me apologize if this question has come up before, but i’m in a bit of a fix. i’ve been perusing this site for years for tips, info, and to check out all the sweet rides, but this is my first actual post.

i have a 2001 Tacoma Prerunner 2.4 2wd with 230,000mi on it. i drove every single one of those miles except for the 19 it had on it when i left the dealership. it’s been my sweet baby since i was handed the keys. i’ve taken great care with it over the years…engine and body as much as i could. it’s been through the good times with me and the bad. at one point i lived in the thing. it’s been my office, my home, and my little slice of personal freedom. so yeah, there’s some sentimental feelings wrapped up in it. also,

now, for the bad news…the engine is blown.

i’ve been quoted so many prices to have the engine rebuilt or to have a new one put in in that my head is spinning. most of y’all know more about engines than i will in a lifetime. i know just about enough to get myself in trouble, but these prices seem absurdly high to me. or i get things like “the old transmission won’t be able to handle the new engine”. is that true? or it feels like they just don’t want to mess with it period. towing it back and forth is bleeding me dry. i live in North Mississippi not far from Memphis, and i feel like i’ve called every shop in town twice.

and of course money is an issue. i’ve searched craigslist, ebay, and numerous other sites for a replacement truck but the prices are also insanely high. i know they have great resale value, but most of these seem vastly inflated. honestly. it's my only vehicle...so i've been out of commission for over a month now slowly burning through what money i'd saved up.

basically i’m poor. i’d rather sink the cash i have into a truck i feel i know than to gamble on something that will blow up in a month.

any and all help is greatly appreciated because i’m totally out of my league here.

 

Hey grimdev. Man I hope you had that motor rebuilt. I know it's been several years but I just seen ur post. But I just recently started building these toyota motors and I can tell you that if you didn't drive it too much after it started making noises than they are for the most part cheap to rebuild. I've built 2 3vz motors and 1 2.7 and 1 3.4. And each one only coast me around 300 bucks. That's for new bearings ( rods and mains) and piston rings and gaskets. And one of them I had to get a new used crank but it was only a hundred bucks, but that's because the guy kept driving it after it started knocking. And I had never pulled a motor or rebuilt one before I started with my first one on my 91 4x4 pickup. I'm from Jonesboro and you can't find anyone that will rebuild a Motor unless it's someone that messes with race cars. And they don't want to mess with an old truck unless it pays alot. So all there is to it is to do your homework and start. My buddy started buying old tacomas and 4runners that have decent bodies and I do the mechanic work on them then we sale them. So if you still have it or want to sale it, let me know. Also if you still have it and still don't have it fixed, I'll help you rebuild it for free. Or if I have to pull the motor and rebuild it and put it back in then I'll do it for a cheap price. But if you were to bring me the motor and buy the parts I won't charge you anything other than what it would cost for me to run around to get parts and to the machine shop if the heads or block needed it. But as far as rebuilding the motor, it don't cost much. I just finished a 3vz about a month ago and I'm about to be at the 500 mile break in on it. New bearings ,rings, gaskets, headbolts, and a good used crank and I got about 350 in it. And I don't have a shop. I did it in my driveway and built the motor in my house. Now there is nothing on the truck that I don't understand or know how it works. I love these little trucks and will do what I can to help someone that appreciates them, get them back on the road.