I received some bad news from the mechanic

I'd posted here about my truck a couple of years ago. I lost 3 and 4th and was contemplating doing the replacement/rebuild myself. Unfortunately I just didn't have the time. Finally had enough money this year to do the job and was given an estimate of about 3900$ Canadian for a transmission replacement, new clutch and a new muffler. The work was completed this past week and they mentioned a check engine light they wanted to chase down.

This is where my stomach fell...

The issue was bad compression in cylinder one. A leak down test showed a bad leak on the exhaust side which the mechanic believes to be a burnt valve. Theyre advice is to remove the cylinder head remachine it and replace the valve. They're estimate is another 3900$! I was little in shock but I think head gasket was mentioned somewhere in the convo. Isn't the cylnder head seperate from the rest of the engine? I 'm not saying anyones trying to rip me off I'm just trying to get my bearins here. I'm 4000 grand in and I'm not sure I can really afford another 4 but I don't want to come away not getting all the necessary work done and have something really bad happent in a couple of years.

I'd really appreciate some direction here.
Thanks

P.S. Its an 03 with the 2RZFE engine and about 180000 miles on it

 

Try and find a low mileage motor might be an option. Are they rebuilding the head,might be cheaper to buy a rebuilt one and have them install.

 

I would buy a new reman head with a warranty...

and find someone who can do that for 1200~1500....



Toyota 2.7 L4L Remanufactured Cylinder Head - 8/99-9/04 2/3RZFE - Powertrain Products

 

I'll ask about what the actual work entails tomorrow. Unfortunatley, any rebuilt parts listed from the US are a no go. $1500 for the linked cylinder head and thats still not accounting for duty and freight.

 

I was in a similar boat but the engine waited another 8 years to give up after the trans went. I spent $2800 to have a reputable business in town rebuild my R150F with all OEM stuff. Recently I spent roughly $6800 altogether on a remanned engine and had a mechanic install that for me. I've spent a lot of money on my old Taco but you know what? I haven't had an auto loan for quite some time and with the astronomical prices on anything "pickup" it was worth it to me. That sucks though after all that but if you do it should be good for as long as a new pickup loan would take you for a lot less.

 

Man I sold my 2002 DCSB Tacoma with 4x4 locking rear diff, a dropped in motor with 170k on it, new paint, and 225k miles on the body for like $9k a couple years ago. Wild to think of dropping $8k into one.....

My junkyard motor was like $600 plus $700 to install.

 

Similarly situated on my Ford Ranger in 2022… I put a transmission in it > $4k. I looked around at replacement trucks and didn't want to buy someone else's problem child, I figured $4k is cheaper than $40k.

The mileage, 180k is unusual for a 2.4 to have any mechanical issues. Did they check the valve clearances or just condemn it?

 

Well .....I'm gonna eat crow....but...

any chance US ebay would be more favorable....

01-04 Toyota Tacoma Cylinder Head for 3rzfe. | eBay

Are you into a road trip to maine.....



And I know this is all a big freakin hassle, but in the end you may end up with an almost new truck .....and not the mid 90's one either.....


That transmission especially with a 2rz should of lasted twice that long...
if taken care of.......are you allowing plenty of warm up....

Differential and the other things with fluids.....are they next in line.....

 

Exactly.

 

junk yard engines are a good idea and quite the gamble. I had one go out on me right away (not in my Tacoma) and one that was just fine. You never know but - it's a cheaper alternative for sure. Sure I'd like a newer Tacoma but even if I had the money sitting around there is no way I'd pay $45K or whatever they are going for. That's just nuts to me. The less debt I have the better. Easier to shop jobs when you are in that situation too.

 

I think it may have been wild to think of doing that 4-5 years ago. But when you can't get a new base trimmed 4wd truck for less than $50k, it seems pretty reasonable to me.

Just realized this guy's truck ain't 4wd, but same logic still applies considering they ain't exactly giving away new 2wd trucks either.

 

Plus you know what you have.... there' plenty of pigs covered in lipstick for 25k but the previous owner got rid of it for a reason. JDM replacement... your stuff on their block. Good for another 300k

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/283712702903
Does anybody have experience with these, I assume China manufactured, heads?

 

Shoot - even those JDM replacements are scary. I think I have heard more problems with those than the junk yard pulls. They say they only have "X" amount of miles on them. It sat where all this time? Things of that nature. I've seen videos of guys tearing into them and some are nice and clean and some look like they were used as a boat anchor! In any case I would get a used junk yard one or JDM and have it torn down or do it yourself. I went the route of a remanned from a place called Sunwest and even that was a gamble. Has a 3 year warranty and I just recently had a mechanic run tests on it and it's running perfect, has great oil pressure.

I plan on keeping it for as long as I can and restoring it more in the future. Only reason I went that route or else I would of traded it while it still ran at a dealership. Screw those guys

 

LS time.

 

You can get a Tacoma SR5 double cab 4x4 V6 for less than $40k brand new off the lot, even cheaper if you don't get the double cab.

Even if you got a base model 2023 with no 4x4 and nothing added for $28k new, it would still shit all over a 20 years old 1st gen tacoma in terms of "options". A lot of things are standard now.

No 4x4, Double Cab SR5, 4cyl is $33k.

 

Yeah that junkyard motor lasted the whole length I had it for about ~30k miles and got sold with it still running strong. I just can't imagine spending what the truck is basically worth to repair it. spending $8k on a truck that's worth only $10k and still has 200k+ miles even after all the repairs are done is just a poor financial decision in my opinion. I know that $38k off the lot price seems like a lot, but the reality is that after 5 years of driving it, it's still worth $33-$34k. I got my 2013 DCSB 4x4 for ~$19k about 2 1/2 years ago and looking at the market prices it's still worth $20k today.

 

I get what you’re saying and I just paid $6100 to have a remanned engine put it. I had the cash vs finance. I’m keeping the 1st Gen though for all kinds of reasons . Maybe I’ll get a newer one and have both

 

Same here I'd rather spend on long lasting good bang for the buck....

instead of a bunch of wheels and tires and crap that gets dated and old....

or a truck and its components made in Mexico......

the new stuff isn't like the old....not even close...

like telling someone....oh get rid of that old camero.....

 

2nd gens and 3rd gens are lasting just as long if not longer than 1st gens that rust out. There's a 2008 with over 1.5 million miles on it.

The "new stuff" is objectively better in terms of standard equipment, safety, efficiency, engineering and manufacturing etc. I can't think of a single thing a 1st gen does better than a 2/3rd gen aside from the body being smaller for tree clearance in a tight trail and easier to park in a crowded lot.

I loved my 2002 for all the years I had it and it never let me down but neither has the 2013 which has just been all around better.

I'm not saying OP should just go buy a new truck, but I would say he should consider his position carefully before essentially spending the entire value of the vehicle to repair it. Drive it till the wheels fall off usually means drive it until repair costs = vehicles value AKA not worth it because you will never see that money back out of it, at which point you get rid of it.....