'97 2RZ-FE Engine Replacement Choice

Hey there,

New guy here-At 209K my Tacoma developed a nasty crack in the water jacket. Tried welding it (buddy of mine is an ex-Navy welder) but it didn't yield a satisfactory fix.

I bought it new in '97 and intend to keep it on the road.

I have found two used engines through a reputable parts dealer.

One engine has 65K (!) and the other has 130K. Prices are $850 and $600 respectively.

Strangely enough, the parts guy is telling me that the higher mileage engine might be the better choice.

His rationale is that the lower mileage engine has "been on the shelf" for a long time and may have bad seals, etc. This seems counter intuitive to me so I'm curious to what the 1st. gen forum thinks of his advice?

Thanks in advance,

Nucking Futz

 

I would say buy the 64k one and replace the seals while the engine is out. Crank and oil pump, rear main, valve cover gasket. The only other seals that leak are the valve stem seals but that requires breaking the valve train down.