Just asking what you would do

2007 DCLB 197k on the truck
I don’t have a shit ton of money into mods but enough that I don’t just wanna start over.

Anyways would you….

rebuild the current engine or by a newer used engine with lower miles.
Got quoted $5600 for the rebuild
Can’t find a decent engine swap for less then $4700 and that’s not including labor.

my issue is a dropped intake valve in cylinder 2. Can’t tell yet whether it’s a spring or valve seat.

 

if it just a stuck valve, that didnt hit the piston, why not just a head job?

 

How well do you trust the rebuild shop? There are good ones, and not as good ones.

Of course, with a good rebuild, you know how good your engine is. Buying a used one has risks. But, it was built by Toyota, and we all know what their quality is.

 

Maybe commit the $900 difference, or whatever it would be, towards a tear down of the top end, if you trust the guys and/or can inspect yourself once it’s apart. Then make the decision. Course, that would be committing to the ~$5600, anyway.

 

I guess it would depend on the condition of the rest of the truck.

 

I'd rebuild before swapping in an old engine. You're getting a lot more bang for your buck - assuming you're working with a good shop.

You'll want to compare carefully and see what all is included. There's a chance the "rebuild" comes with lots of new extras while you're in there - water pump, hoses, gaskets, o-rings... all sorts of little stuff that will be BRAND NEW. Does that $4700 used engine include all those little bits which you'll probably want to replace while you're in there anyway?

This seems like a no brainer to me. Every time I've ever swapped in a used engine I've needed a pretty hefty additional budget for all the ancillary stuff you'll want to replace.

 

Investing a large sum of money in a 16 year old vehicle is not a good financial move. It’s at the age now other problems will require more money. Cut your losses. You’re gonna have to get a newer vehicle sooner or later.

 

There's rebuilds and then there's "rebuilds"..

How much experience do these guys have rebuilding engines? What's included? Who's doing the work? A novice or a journeyman? Are they rebuilding in house or subbing it out?

 

If it was any other vehicle, I'd agree, but if the frame and body are rust free and everything else is in good shape, it could easily be good for another decade.

Worst case scenario is that after the rebuild he could only get $10k for it, lol

 

Rebuild = Gremlins =frustration =money

 

LS swap

 

EV swap

 

I vote for the head job, should fix the problem.

 

$45k @ 4.5% (5k down) all fees & tax in loan ~$800 for 60 months

 

5k sounds better than 40k, as long as you trust the mechanic doing the work. I would go with the 5k vs the 40k

 

No kidding, plus the new one would need all those cool upgrades! Add another 10k or more.


Btw, can I have all your cool old parts OP?
I think $500 would be a fair price!

 

I sell you a front steel bumper with winch tray for that

 

While I do appreciate your generous offer, I can't right now, this thread inspired me to save for an LS Swap!

 

You're gonna need a lot more than 5k just in parts for that. Hopefully you can do the labor yourself. (Hint)... pizza, beer and few friends can help.

 

I'm sure I'll be able to afford it by 2037... Then again, by that time, I'll just go with the Mr. Fusion setup...