5vz-fe needs to be replaced at 180,000 miles???

Hey all,

Short version: I’ve owned a 2002 Tacoma 4wd 3.4L, - 180,000 current miles - for a year now. Carfax was clean with a couple of fender benders. I noted they had already replaced the head gasket some time back (maybe should have been a red flag), along with timing belt/water pump etc. It test drove fine and other than fixing a leaky freeze plug and loose oil cooler line, it’s been fine. Never overheated it when fixing the coolant issues. Rough idle and performance has since become apparent and gotten worse, and started throwing a misfire code. I changed plugs, PCV valve, cleaned throttle body and IAC, Cleaned MAF Sensor. I checked ignition coils and tension wires with ohmmeter against the service manual, all good. I noticed oil in plug tubes in 1,3 and 5 cylinders.

I took it to my trusted mechanic yesterday. After failing leak down and compression test, they called and said cylinder head needs to be replaced and the valves are shot.
They are quoting me 9-10 grand for a reman motor swap, 6 for cylinder head replacement by itself, of course not recommending putting reman heads on the original block. The truck is in otherwise good shape. Little surface rust on the frame (we get minimal annual snow here) and tranny runs just fine. There’s a small rust hole in bed by wheel well that I’m cutting out and welding.

I realize everything is a gamble and I can’t include every detail about the truck but just looking for extra advice. I love the truck. I know in theory a new motor should run for another 200,000 miles but I’m spending $10,000 on a motor that is worth more than the truck itself at this point, especially after salvaging the title. There’s also obviously no guarantee the tranny or something else won’t shit the bed in the near future. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

 

Head gasket replacement earlier on indicates it was probably overheated badly at some point which probably caused other issues that weren't addressed at the time. Warping sounds like

That seems like a steep quote on a new (used) engine install

 

That is my suspicion as well, thanks for your input. I’m not sure the route to go from here. I’d love to swap it myself but I have little ones and no time to do so.

 

That's a steap price tag. A local engine rebuilder to me quoted me $3800 to rebuild my 5VZFE. That's if I pull it out and bring it to him which - isn't that difficult with a cherry picker and some know-how. Shoot - at 10K I would just spend $6K and get the yotashop engine.

 

The 2TR-FE in my 2nd Gen blew the head gasket just shy of 160K miles. Before I realized the bottom end of the engine was unharmed, I was quoted $7,700 installed for a 2.7L from a totaled 2011 Taco with 50K miles. Ten grand is way too expensive! Also, why does your truck have a salvage title?

 

Totally agree with @Xbeaus. Yota1Performance out of the NorCal area makes remanufactured 5vz's that seem to be of exceptional quality with everything supposedly done to OEM Toyota standards, but they charge like $4500 + $500 core fee for that. If I were going to dump loads of money into one of these trucks, I'd go that kind of route, vs a random remanned 5vz [or check out local engine rebuilders pricing if you can't stomach that price]. If you can swing the 10k investment and really love the truck I'd say go for it. That'd be under the assumption that otherwise its mechanically sound, without loads of other pending maintenance on the near horizon [suspension, brakes, wheel bearings, etc]. At the end of the day, you'd be hard pressed replacing your truck with something of comparable durability and reliability, for 10k in today's used market. And buying another one of these 1st gens for about that price likely means another 20+ year old truck with at least 2-4k in deferred maintenance to catch up on.

 

Just how much of the routine maintenance on wear items have you been doing on the truck in your year of ownership? I bought my truck for 9k with 270k miles, and in just over 2 years have replaced almost every wear item to the tune of another ~$10k [all OEM everything], so if my engine blew, I'd know that after that repair, I wouldn't be looking at more and more nickle and dime repairs in the aftermath. I'd personally factor that kind of thing heavily into this decision

 

For $10k, I'd buy a truck with under 100k miles. Sounds like this truck has bad luck and ya I doubt this will be the end of it. Now if you DIY, that's a different story

 

I was wrong about the title, I assumed a rebuilt motor required a salvaged title, I was corrected. It does seem steep, he said it’s a local company that remans motors and come with a 4 year warranty etc.

 

You can’t find a truck under $10k with less than 150,000k around here. Particularly 4wd, which is what I’m looking for.

 

I’ve done all the normal stuff as far as oil changes, coolant, filters, plugs etc. the seller told me he had just replaced LBJs (I honestly have forgotten to double check they are OEM - that’s on me). I’ve mostly eyeballed the things that are visible or manually checked them.

 

You are mentioning all the things I’m thinking. It otherwise seems up to snuff in the tranny, suspension, brakes etc. I’m no mechanic but I’m meticulous and regularly inspect it. As I said in my initial post, I have a minimal amount of surface rust on the frame, nothing cancerous, but that was my biggest fear when I bought it (planning on fluid filming it soon). A good buddy of mine who is mechanically knowledgeable echoes your sentiments, it would be hard to find anything worth a damn for $10k if I sold it, and wouldn’t get shit for it as is anyway.

 

Does this have a manual 5 speed?

What state do you live in?
Looks like maybe Texas?

What state(s) has the truck lived in)?

Any costs involved or discussed here need to be relative to your local market. Also, folks in a local/regional thread may be able to provide you with a heap of help with their resources or experiences.

 

In that case I'd get that engine replaced and enjoy the truck for years to come. That being said, as others have advised, I'd do a bit of shopping around to find the absolute best bang for your buck on this repair. And might want to jump on trans-, transfer case-, and diff-fluid drain and fills. Given the fact that some PO of this truck obviously neglected some engine problems, also fair to assume he neglected maintenance of that sorts. Do those things and these trucks will take you far. Best of luck.

 

I’m in Oklahoma. It’s the automatic tranny. I’d have to go back and look but I believe it’s lived it’s whole life in OK and maybe TX or AR.

 

Thank you! I know it’s always a gamble buying these trucks with previous owners. I’m hopeful a new engine could provide a new lease on life, along with proper maintenance of everything else routinely.

 

If the odometer is replaced or tampered with, then it will get a brand on the title, but it won't be salvage. It is not against the law to replace an engine and sell the vehicle without disclosing it, either.

 

My truck is a base model 2010 RC automatic 2WD with over 166K miles and the current value is almsot $10K! Funny thing is that my dad got it for just just under $15K brand new in 2009. My dad wanted to buy a used Toyota truck for himself in the late 1990s but balked at the price for a well-used example with extremely high miles. Even in the early 2000s, my dad thought used higher-mileage Toyota pickups were obscenely price, and I agreed. Now that I'm driving a 13-year old Tacoma that's rapidly closing in on 170K miles and still worth more than a BMW 3-series of same year with lower miles, I fully understand now!

 

Was it burning any oil between changes? How was compression/leak down bank 2? Bottom end might be fine?

 

OK, ok. So it seems it hasn't lived in a serious rustbelt state, but the notorious frame rot works its way from the inside of the frame out. Spend some quality time under there with lights and mirrors before you pull the trigger on 10k or fluid film it.

The AT would be less valuable than MT in any market, just as a reference point in your calculus, but thats just academic if you like it and want to keep it.

I really really really wish I could have kept my 01. If its worth it to you, do it.