Looking for input on the engine in my 98 (3.4)

thank you! I definitely will. Kind of excited to get a refreshed engine but not excited about that road to get there. Also doing some home remodeling and working on a 1983 Toyota motor home. Lots to do!

 

Good luck no matter what you decide !

To bad your so far away.

I will always deal local when possible for things that need shipped and loaded by a Fork lift or other mechanical device.

 

well - I just went with the Sunwest option. Talked to Roy - the owner and combined with their warranty and how they do business I am going that route. They have one they are finishing up. A fresh 3.4 engine that I can have in about 2 weeks. Calling a mechanic in town to install as that helps any warranty work and saves me some delivery money as well. So I'll be in it about $6000. To me it's worth it. I'll be taking my fuel injectors and also sending them in to Sunwest to have them rebuilt.

 

Alright alright alright alright...
.....break-in oil time.......

 

I'm ignorant- what are we look'n at?

 

Oil in the cylinder on top of the piston, and quite a bit of it. He mentioned his spark plug threads being replaced by a helicoil for that cylinder, but it looks like he may also have piston or or piston ring damage, based upon the oil pooling along the edge there.

 

Yep. Combination of bad rings and from what I can see the top of the piston itself has some melting damage from what I assume were parts of the spark plug. Damn thing made many a trip with this probably. My remanned engine from Sunwest is on the freight truck now.

 

Got some pictures of the engine in it's final stages before shipping

 

You should throw a turbo on that sucker while you're in there!

 

That would be cool but that’s even more frog skins! I’m content with the 3.4 and some low gears for now. But a little choo choo taco would sound pretty good!

 

My 98 has gone in for it's engine replacement. Putting new motor mounts and a new starter on as well. Hopefully there are no huge surprises waiting for me. Has a marlin crawler clutch kit and newer flywheel. I'll post some pictures up when I get it back!

 

Dropped off some stuff to the mechanic and he hasn’t run into any issues. He stated how thorough sunwest was at the engine rebuild. He was impressed how they included all the specs and tolerances or a blueprint of everything that was done. No broken bolts and almost has it done in one day.

 

New heart for this old beast. Runs really well, smooth, seat of pants acceleration is a little better than the old one. Just gotta break it in and hope I don’t have to use any warranty rebuilt trans, remanned engine, all new suspension and front end (besides the engine fine in the last 20k) I’m almost there to my version of a 2023 Tacoma! I used a local mechanic. Jarod from CJs auto repair and he did very thorough and clean job. He also has good things to say about sunwest. Clear instructions and easy to communicate with.

 

Add the turbo to make it your version of the 2024 Tacoma! jk

Congratulations and enjoy the hundreds of thousands of more miles to come

 

Supercharger might be on the radar

 

Any mechanic worth being called one would have less than ten hours in labor to rebuild an engine. Of course you have to include any parts ($400?) and if there was machine work required ($500/1000?) as well as transporting it to and from.

$4K sounds excessive but the market is what it is. It isn't difficult to rebuild an engine. There are a few tricks to doing it right, but I'd bet the information you need is easily available.

Reading the last page I see I'm late to the party. Best of luck with your new machinery.

 

I looked locally first. I would if had to pull my engine and bring it to them and install and it would of been $4500. Full rebuild. I have had motors rebuilt before but a long time ago and I can say - prices have doubled. Shoot - everything has doubled or tripled in price. With the engine and having someone put it in with a decent warranty I am in it $6300. It as that or a used 2nd gen with higher miles and unknown history. Gamble either way I suppose. I took the route of no loan so to me even with the inflated price is a win.

 

Yes prices are crazy !

I think it is better knowing what you have then bringing in a completely unknown Truck.

That would have been an easy $12,000.00 if not much more.

 

I am nearing my 500 mile checkup for Sunwest. The pickup is running fine, temps are great in the summer heat, AC works fantastic etc. But - because there is always a but I noticed a little oil leaking at the back of the oil pan but possibly it could be a rear main seal. I cleaned it all up and was able to tighten some of the oil pan bolts which I thought was odd but there is a very small amount of oil. When I took the inspection cover off I noticed that my flywheel looked like oil was originating from the center of it and coming down. It doesn't leak enough to make any kind of puddle under the pickup but it's concerning. The mechanic removed and put the motor in without taking the transmission out. I am kind of wondering if something could of happened upon install. All the seals and stuff are new as this is a remanned long block. I have let the mechanic know about it and he's fully aware that it could be install or possibly a faulty seal. Either way - I don't think it should be something I have to pay for. Any other insight into this would be appreciated. It's going in on the 18th for it's first oil change and inspection. For the engine warranty the technician who installed it has to do the inspection and sign off on it to activate the warranty.

 

Sounds like rear main for sure. Really can't be anything else unless somehow a cam plug is seeping and dripping down the back of the engine (but that seems highly unlikely, and very easy to rule out with a quick inspection mirror). Bummer there always has to be that "but".