Hydro lock may have bent a connecting rod, what are my options?

I have crossed many rivers and creeks (at a reasonable pace) in my manual transmission 2017 TRD O.R. taco, but the other day I hit a mud puddle at a pretty good speed and it stalled my motor. I cranked the starter a few times and the engine was turning over but it took 2 or 3 times before it started running again.

I thought it was ok, but after the long drive home and parking it overnight, I went to start it in the morning and I hear rod knock that I never noticed the day before. It's not that noticeable at freeway speeds, but city driving I can hear it. I pulled the air filter and there was still moisture in that extra filter thingy between the MAF and the air filter, so I know for sure moisture got in there.

The knock isn't super loud, but it leads me to wonder what the best route forward is. Do shops take the time to rebuild engines or would slapping a $5k (+ shop time cost) crate motor in be the best route? Rebuild would be pull the bottom end apart and replace connecting rods I imagine that takes more time than just an engine swap?

I'm thinking I have a slightly bent connector rod or perhaps the crank bearing got squished so there's extra play. I'm ruling out valvetrain since the knock is only there under load or acceleration and gets quiet if I'm coasting.

This is a learning moment for me; don't go high speed into deep puddles, and I'll likely get a snorkel installed after this. My truck is the rig on the right in the attached photo.

 

Is fender lining removed?
Probably start looking for a replacement engine. Make sure to look for donor's trim is the same trim as yours. There are slight differences

 

LS swap time

Welcome to Tacomaworld!

 

Sorry james. LS swap time!

 

RIP my drivetrain.

 

I vote you do this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3871262908...sWGQC4TcasCyv+uwoCSJzhFfy4|tkp:Bk9SR-TE-J6kZQ

 

Yet another situation where the dorkel would of saved a motor.
If your looking at a crate drop in is that a full long block or short block?
As stated earlier if its a used engine trim model does matter they are not all 100% identical.
If i was in your shoes I'd be on the hunt for a new long block install it myself to save on the labor to help offset the cost and limit downtime.

 

I would say maybe scope all the cylinders and see if they look good , but being you are getting a knock the crank is most likely getting beat up . So I guess a good used motor would be your most likely best alternative. At this point .

 

I don't think Toyota sells a long block; only a short. I'd be in the hunt for used lower mile engine.

 

If I were in your shoes, I’d be looking for a used motor.

As stated, you ideally need to get one from a TRD OR or Pro. I’ve done a decent amount of searching and it will ask you for vacuum pump or without. You would choose without. Go figure, these places screw up the listings anyways and lost vacuum pump motors as without and vice versa. You can tell when it’s supposed to be a w/o and you see it’s an SR5 or similar in the background. Annoying.

Worst case, you could get a motor out of the wrong trim and install the sealing ball and move your block off plate over. This would require disassembling the engine enough to get the right bank intake cam out….so basically a timing job and valve cover removal. Remove the cam and install the ball, then reinstall.

90360-10006 - ball
2930A-0P010 - block-off plate

A long block doesn’t exist in the traditional sense, so that isn’t really an option. You can buy a short block, but if the heads, cams, etc are contaminated with any metal shavings or anything, you wouldn’t want to put them on your short block. It would end up more expensive to buy all the parts to make your own long block. Seems better and easier to just buy a used engine and ideally, one from the right trim so you can just bolt it in and go.

 

I know I have seen them for a tundra so it might be possible. I know they will never ship a full long block for any kind of engine failure warranty. Typically crate engine is a full long block ready to go if your talking in ls terms.

 

It is not. They list part numbers for "partial engine assembly" but it is an exorbitant $29K and I'm pretty sure they don't even let anyone order that, not that I think anyone would. I have no idea on the Tundras because I don't follow them, but for Tacoma your option is a short block and then dressing it with all the other parts, typically reused, except in the case of a blown motor you wouldn't want to reuse much.

 

I guess you make more cash this way. Shame they don't have typical offerings such as chev. But no one's swapping these engines into everything.

 

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I'm going to try and get it to a local yota guy's shop today and see what he recommends. He will likely be doing the work either way, I don't think I have the time for this scale of a project right now.

 

nobody interested in the miles on this truck?

 

As long as it still reliably runs, I personally would drive that engine until it knocks itself to death! I mean what do you have to lose at this point.

 

I've watched a few videos from Car Care Nut, and I think he also mentioned that Toyota doesn't sell a 'long block' assembly, just the short block (as above post).

He had a video for a complete engine rebuild. If I can find it, I'll add a link.

If the damage is in the bottom end (crank/rod/cyl walls), then $3k for a new short block seems like the way to go.

 

Same!!

 

I would buy the short block and send your existing heads to a machine shop for reconditioning. Replace other components as needed and you will be ready to hit the trails again.